Who is Soumik Datta and what are his contributions to the arts?

Soumik Datta is a British-Indian musician, composer, producer, and TV presenter. He discovered an old sarod belonging to his grandmother while playing indoor cricket with his brother at the age of 12. Today, he is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist who has released several albums and is known for addressing social and environmental issues through his art. His recent animated musical film, "Songs of the Earth," premiered at The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.

How did Soumik Datta become interested in music and the sarod?

Soumik's interest in music was not evident during his early years in Mumbai, India. It was only when he moved to London at the age of 11 that he was introduced to the sarod accidentally. He found the sarod in an old cardboard box on a rainy day while playing cricket with his brother. Intrigued by the instrument, his father revealed that it belonged to his grandmother, and that evening, his father gave him his first sarod lesson.

Who was Soumik Datta's musical mentor, and what was his training like?

Soumik's musical mentor was the renowned artist Padma Shri Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta. Soumik's training started with a chance encounter with his guru during a vacation in Kolkata. Despite living in London, Soumik received rigorous training during his yearly visits to India. His guru designed the training in a way that allowed him to practice ragas daily even when he was back in London, making him grateful for the unique opportunity to learn from such a respected figure.

How did Soumik's music evolve to address social and environmental issues?

After completing his education, Soumik's music journey included collaborations with various artists, including performances with Jay-Z and Beyoncé. As he became more interested in contemporary music, he also began addressing social issues through his music. In 2021, he released a six-part visual album called "Silent Spaces," a response to the loneliness brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Later, he won the British Council Commission for Climate Change Award, which inspired him to create the project "Songs of the Earth," an animated film and an eight-track album that tackles specific environmental issues.

What inspired Soumik Datta's project "Songs of the Earth," and what themes does the film cover?

Soumik Datta's project "Songs of the Earth" was inspired by his premonition of working with Sachin Bhatt again, with whom he had previously released an album about deforestation. The film tells the story of Asha, a young climate refugee from Bengal, searching for her father amidst burning forests and rising oceans. The film's eight-track album features songs that represent various environmental issues, from floods and eco fashion to deforestation and industrialization. Soumik's intention was to present these urgent issues in a musically compelling manner while instilling hope for a better future in the face of climate change.

Global IndianstoryMeet the Indian American politicians in race for 2022 USA mid-term elections

Meet the Indian American politicians in race for 2022 USA mid-term elections

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(November 9, 2022) The last few decades have seen an exponential increase in the number of Indian-origin people who are actively taking part in US politics. The second-largest immigrant group in the US, the Indian Americans are now holding important public offices, and have emerged as leaders of not just minority ethnic groups in the country, but also people from various spheres of society. As a result, every election in the USA sees a growing number of candidates representing the Indian-American ethnicity.

As the country approaches the midterm elections, Global Indian puts the spotlight on key Indian American politicians in the race.

Rohit (Ro) Khanna, Democrat, California

A lawyer, politician, and author – Ro Khanna dons many hats. Currently, he represents California’s 17th Congressional District, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, and is serving his third term. He sits on the House Agriculture, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform committees, where he chairs the Environmental Subcommittee.

Ro Khanna, politician

An important asset in the Biden government, Ro has worked across the aisle to deliver on legislation to invest in science and technology, create millions of good-paying tech jobs and revitalise American manufacturing and production. He also authored the Endless Frontier Act, which formed the basis for the sweeping CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Biden. Committed to using his position to advance a foreign policy of military restraint and diplomatic engagement, Ro is up against another Indian-American politician, Ritesh Tandon.

Manka Dhingra, Democrat, Washington

When she first moved from Bhopal to California, she was just a teenager with big ambitions. Today, Manka Dhingra is the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. In 2017, she became the first Sikh elected to any state legislature in the United States. Since then, she has sponsored and passed legislation addressing a wide range of issue areas, including curbing domestic violence and sexual assault, preventing firearm violence, providing property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, prosecuting financial fraud, and reforming the criminal justice system with an evidence-based approach.

Senator Manka Dhingra

As a member of the Special Committee on Economic Recovery in 2020, she helped the statecraft an economic plan to lead an equitable recovery from the COVID economic downturn. She also serves on several task forces dedicated to reducing poverty, reforming the criminal justice system, improving equity in state government, and providing a sound and fair fiscal footing for the state. The politician is standing against Ryika Hooshangi to win the midterm elections.

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democrat, Illinois

An India-born American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Illinois’s 8th congressional district since 2017, Raja Krishnamoorthi is known for his education, skill training, and workforce enhancement policies. His political career started in 2000 when he first worked on Barack Obama’s 2000 election campaign for the United States House of Representatives. He later served as an issues director for Obama’s 2004 campaign and aided in the development of Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address.

Raja Krishnamoorthi, politician

He first ran for the Democratic Party nomination in 2010, which he, unfortunately, lost to David E. Miller. However, in 2012, 2016, and 2022, the politician won the elections by a heavy margin and is now gearing up to give a tough fight to his Republican opponent, Chris Dargis.

Priya Sundareshan, Democrat, Arizona

The Director of the Natural Resource Use and Management Clinic, Priya Sundareshan was most recently an attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, DC, where she advocated for sustainable federal fisheries management in legal and policy issues. A Tucson native, she received her JD and an MS in natural resource economics through the University of Arizona’s dual degree program in Economics, Law, and the Environment.

Priya Sundareshan, politician

Even though it is her first major election, the ballot seems to be tilted in her favour, with the early survey showing that about 54.9 percent of people are inclined to vote for her during the midterms, as against 45.1 percent to Republican Stan Caine, who is standing against her.

Om Duggal, Democrat, Georgia

This congressman has been a vocal advocate of several issues plaguing not just America, but almost every country across the globe. From affordable healthcare to protecting women’s rights, and supporting students – Om Duggal has worked on it all.

Om Duggal, politician

The New Delhi-born Duggal immigrated to the United States with his family over two decades ago. In 2004, he opened two hotels and was involved in the development of a small residential community in Duluth, Georgia. A few years later, he decided to stand for a local election and won – and there has been no turning back since. As he goes to election against Republican Matt Reeves, Om is working on a non-profit focussed on senior living.

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Another CEO on the board: India-born business executive Ajay Banga is in the race to lead World Bank

(February 28, 2023) Just about two years ago, when the world first encountered the COVID-19 pandemic, and various business houses panicked about their future, the then-CEO of Mastercard made an announcement that shook the market. Assuring the company’s 19,000 employees, Ajaypal Singh Banga said that he wouldn't lay off a single employee and no one needed to worry about any kind of salary cuts during the economic crisis that had hit the world. Sure enough, the top business executive kept his promise, having almost tripled the Mastercard revenue in the 10 years that he led the company. And now, after successfully leading several corporates, Ajay Banga is in the race to lead one of the biggest global financial institutions - the World Bank. In the wake of David Malpass’s announcement of resignation from the World Bank (WB) last week, US President Joe Biden has nominated Ajaypal Singh Banga to lead the institution. Being the largest shareholder in the WB Group, the US president traditionally nominates its president, who is later screened for the presidency by the board of Executive Directors of the group. As the Indian-American business executive gears up to lead the World Bank, Global Indian takes a look

nally nominates its president, who is later screened for the presidency by the board of Executive Directors of the group. As the Indian-American business executive gears up to lead the World Bank, Global Indian takes a look at his glorious 40-year-long career.

An eagle flight

Born to an Indian army officer, in Khadki cantonment, the business executive is the younger brother of Manvinder "Vindi" Singh Banga, the senior partner at the private equity fund Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Growing up in various parts of India, the business executive shared that he learned a lot about adaptability and managing people. "I grew up moving from city to city. Adults find it hard to move, but kids don’t. Moving frequently makes you flexible, quick to make friends, quick to adjust and adapt, and allows you to glide between cultures and people. Different parts of India have completely different cultures. The North is completely different from the East and the West. This is completely different than even in the South," he said, adding, "The one thing it did for me more than anything else was this easy adaptability, the willingness to adjust, and the willingness to just fit in, I think it’s helped me in all my life."

[caption id="attachment_35569" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Business executive | Ajay Banga | Global Indian Mr. Banga with former President of India, Dr Pranab Mukherjee[/caption]

Having studied in some of the finest schools in the country, including St. Edward's School, Shimla and Hyderabad Public School, Ajaypal Singh Banga went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and later pursued an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Soon after finishing his studies, Mr. Banga started his career with Nestlé in 1981, where he worked for 13 years before moving to PepsiCo.

[caption id="attachment_35571" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Business executive | Ajay Banga | Global Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi met Ajay Banga, in New York[/caption]

"When I was a young manager in India, infrastructure was relatively poor. Labour relations were challenged. Phone lines were awful. You couldn’t get through to people or distributors. If you were waiting for baby food trucks to reach you, it wasn’t that you knew they would arrive in three days; it could take nine days. So that idea of knowing how to deal with ambiguity, of knowing how to deal with that form of unpredictability, it’s the way I’m trained to think," shared the business executive, adding, "The idea of taking thoughtful risks came from that environment. And having the sense of urgency to make that decision and take that risk without knowing everything, but having had the patience at the same time to listen to people who know more than you — that is an interesting balance."

The land of opportunities

In 1996, Ajaypal Singh Banga moved to the United States while working for PepsiCo and handled various roles during his tenure, including CEO of the company's operations in India and Southeast Asia. While the business executive was still settling in his role, a grave terrorist attack on the USA shook the world and in its aftermath, Banga too had to endure discrimination. "Post-9/11, I have been accosted by people on the street and called names. I’ve been taken aside randomly for searching at every T.S.A. checkpoint. I get that. But again, you can be pissed off about it, or you can realize that this is people trying to do their job. They’re trying to keep me safe as well as you. But I’m not resentful," he shared during an interview.

Business executive | Global Indian

The business executive was naturalised as a US citizen in 2007. And soon after that, he became the CEO of Mastercard, and also a member of its board of directors. When he took over the company, Mastercard wasn't in great shape. Instead of giving quarterly earnings guidance to the company's investors, Banga offered them a rolling forecast of where Mastercard would be in the next couple of years. "I told my investors, you should expect to see over the next three years is growing at an average growth rate of this to this, this range, within average profitability of this to this, this range. And I’m not going to make other commitments to you. I’m going to run my company. I want to grow revenue, not maximise my profitability," he shared. Almost all his strategies worked out and soon enough Mastercard stocks soared by more than 1,000 percent during his tenure, outperforming competitors Visa and American Express.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-tjY-DG5-0

Realising his potential in leading a financial institution, the former US President appointed Banga to serve as a member of the President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation in 2015. The business executive was also elected as the chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) succeeding Paul Polman.

The road ahead

While the nominations for the next President of the World Bank are still under discussion, members of the US government seem quite sure that Banga is well-equipped to take the lead of the financial institution. Sharing that they are very confident of his selection, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said, "This is somebody who grew up in emerging markets, spent most of his career working in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, really deeply understands and has lived in countries that face development challenges."

[caption id="attachment_35566" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Business executive | Global Indian Mr. Banga with his wife, Ritu[/caption]

If selected, the business executive is sure to face a tough slate of issues around the institution's finances and capital structure from the start - thorny problems he must address as he reshapes the bank into a force for combating climate change on top of its traditional role as a poverty fighter. "We feel that Banga is an individual who has a better chance of being able to accomplish that than anyone else I can honestly think of," Yellen said during the press conference.

Reading Time: 7 mins

Bharat Ramamurti: Indian American named key member in Joe Biden’s economic team

(March 2, 2023) Indian American economist Bharat Ramamurti, who currently serves as Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, saw himself taking up another strategic role in Joe Biden's government when he was named as an Advisor for Strategic Economic Communications recently. The announcement made by the US President did reflect that he has kept Bharat as part of his core team as it will "help bring a seriousness of purpose to the task of building a strong, inclusive, and more resilient economy for the future." Biden added, "They will work tirelessly to ensure every American enjoys a fair return for their work and an equal chance to get ahead, and that our businesses can thrive and outcompete the rest of the world. Let’s finish the job." A graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School, Bharat was appointed in 2020 by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer as a commissioner on the Congressional oversight commission for the CARES Act, before joining the Biden team. At the NEC, he focuses on drafting economic relief policies. [caption id="attachment_35683" align="aligncenter" width="709"] Bharat Ramamurti[/caption] A lawyer in the making It was in graduate student housing at Peabody Terrace in Harvard that Bharat spent his

t="Bharat Ramamurti | Global Indian" width="709" height="512" /> Bharat Ramamurti[/caption]

A lawyer in the making

It was in graduate student housing at Peabody Terrace in Harvard that Bharat spent his childhood, as his father, an immigrant from Chennai, was completing his doctorate in business. His mother, on the other hand, was directing the local Indian school that taught heritage, language, and culture to the children of immigrants. At age five, he moved to Lexington, Massachusetts with his family, where he stayed for the rest of his school life. He was not only on the debate team that competed nationally, but also started an alternative newspaper that he created and edited. After finishing high school, he returned to Harvard as an undergraduate and later enrolled in Yale Law School.

However, his career as an aspiring lawyer suddenly took a U-Turn when in 2007 he started working for Red Sox. Being a "serious baseball fan", he landed an internship at the team through some networking. "It was a dream come true for a nerdy baseball fan who grew up in the Boston area—working at Fenway on baseball stats during the day and then going up to the general manager’s box in the evening to watch the games. As much as I loved that year, I realised working in baseball long-term wasn’t for me,” the Global Indian said in an interview.

Bharat Ramamurti | Global Indian

Warren-Ramamurti equation

The decision put him back in the world of law, and Bharat ended up working at two blue-chip law firms, before taking up two clerkships - where he honed his skills. It was in 2013 that he was hired on as Elizabeth Warren's banking counsel, and was promoted to director of overall economic strategy and policy in 2015.

Those years with Warren "provided an apprenticeship for the position he now holds." It was his "penchant for deep research and ingenuity at seeking common ground" that proved beneficial in those years. He quickly rose to become Warren's closest collaborator on key economic initiatives. Bharat has the instinct to bring people along. He’s very focused on the end goal of creating change, but he doesn’t start with the conclusion out loud, he proceeds incrementally. It makes him powerfully effective," Warren said in an interview.

Damon Silvers of the AFL-CIO, who has worked closely with Warren backed it when he said, "A person with lesser skills could have polarised it. In this hyper-partisan environment, everyone comes into the room with their fists up. And yet Bharat was able to make the panel into an effective body that works by consensus, holds hearings, and issues reports,” adding, "Another Ramamurti trademark is a rare capacity in a deeply polarised political system to engage respectfully with conservatives."

[caption id="attachment_35684" align="aligncenter" width="680"] Bharat Ramamurti | Global Indian Bharat Ramamurti with Elizabeth Warren[/caption]

When the world walked into lockdown owing to the pandemic, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer appointed Ramamurti to serve on the newly-created COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission for the CARES Act. Soon after his nomination to serve on the Committee, he authored an op-ed in The New York Times about the panel's role in the oversight of the President's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

And now, Bharat, who is married to Paige Ammons, an attorney, and consultant, is ready to take on a key economic role in the White House.

Follow Bharat Ramamurti on Twitter

Reading Time: 4 min

2022 Recap: Meet the Indians who changed the world of travel

(December 29, 2022) 'I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world', these words from Mary Anne Radmacher resonate with the Global Indian explorers who took on journeys that changed the course of their lives. As the curtain falls down on 2022, we look back at some of the adventurers and travellers who inspired people to go on journeys and transformed the idea of travel. Dhruv Bogra Many eyebrows were raised when 48-year-old Dhruv Bogra took a two-year-sabbatical from corporate life to cycle across the Pan-American highway. The disapproval didn’t deter the Delhi-based Dhruv from his solo, unsupported expedition, which began with his Surly Troll cycle in June 2016 at Deadhorse in Alaska and stretched on to Cusco in Peru. What many called a “crazy decision” turned out to be a “beautiful journey” for this adventure cyclist, who found his purpose and calling in the 500-day ride across 15 countries. [caption id="attachment_26266" align="aligncenter" width="702"] Dhruv Bogra at Gobbler's Knob with his Surly Troll cycle.[/caption] “I was on a journey of exploring the world and myself. For me, it was a chance to break away from the cast we are born with. Not

ntent/uploads/2022/06/Gobblers-Knob-Dalton-Highway-Alaska1.jpg" alt="Cyclist | Dhruv Bogra | Indian Travellers" width="702" height="468" /> Dhruv Bogra at Gobbler's Knob with his Surly Troll cycle.[/caption]

“I was on a journey of exploring the world and myself. For me, it was a chance to break away from the cast we are born with. Not as a rebel, but to see that there is more to the world,” says the man whose quest was to explore the world on a bicycle. “I knew this couldn’t be done in a car. A cycle was the best way to soak in the rawness of it all,” the 53-year-old told Global Indian. The 18-month, 15,000-km travel journey led to his first book Grit, Gravel, and Gear in 2019, turning this corporate man into an author and a motivational speaker.

Candida Louis

Vrooming on her Bajaj Dominar, Candida Louis revved up on the open road solo for a trip from Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha to Sydney. It was August 2018 and she covered 28,000 km across 10 countries. Not just an ordinary road trip across continents, it was an emotional tribute that culminated into an epic journey. The 32-year-old biker girl’s journey was homage to an Australian biker who died riding a motorcycle from Alaska to South America. “I won a photography contest and was invited to the US where I first heard about Alistair Farland, an Australian biker who died in a highway accident in North America. It’s every parent’s wish to see their child return home after a trip. I kept thinking about Alistair’s parents after the tragic incident, and just couldn’t shake off that feeling. So, I decided to take a trip from Bengaluru to Sydney to meet his parents, and complete the trip on his behalf as a tribute to him,” said Candida.

[caption id="attachment_18277" align="aligncenter" width="783"] Candida Louis | Indian Travellers Candida Louis is Sydney[/caption]

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

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

Amarjeet Singh

Age is just a number – the adage perfectly fits this “61-year-young” retired garment exporter Amarjeet Singh Chawla who travelled from Delhi to London by car at an age when most hang up their boots. The passion to travel the world in his gaadi took him on a journey across 33 countries, and earned him the moniker of the Turban Traveller. “It was a life-changing journey. Everyone has dreams, but not many fulfill them as they don’t have the keeda (urge). I knew I had to do it, and it changed my perspective on life. Such journeys change you within, and what is life without growth,” Amarjeet tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_23799" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Turban traveller | Indian Travellers Amarjeet Singh[/caption]

As a youngster, he wanted to go backpacking around the world. Yet the 70s were different. So, he put his dream on the back burner, for when he retired. At 59, he decided to take a journey that not many take – he drove 40,000 km across the world. “I think 45 is an apt age for retirement. You are healthy enough to travel. I retired late at 58. But being on your own, interacting with the locals, and chasing your dreams at that age. It is worth the wait,” adds Amarjeet who has been on several spiritual journeys in the past few years spreading the message of Guru Nanak Dev and Sikhism.

Najira Noushad

Sitting at a height of 9,383 ft above sea level, Najira Noushad found her Sherpa hastily telling her that she cannot make it to the Everest base camp (17,598 ft) in five days. As a mother of five who had never stepped into a gym, the Sherpa reckoned the 33-year-old was being too ambitious. For Najira, it was a re-affirmation of why she was there in the first place: To break stereotypes. Najira wants the world to know that India is safe for women travellers and that a woman can do anything she sets her mind on. Not even the wind and sleet of the Himalayas. Najira made it to base camp in five days as planned, becoming the fastest Indian woman to complete the 62-km trek, braving snowstorms and navigating extremely steep and rocky terrain. “It was very challenging. But I knew I could do this. I had my eyes set on finishing the trek in five days. I set the challenge for myself to inspire other women,” Najira tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_24688" align="aligncenter" width="695"] Solo traveller | Indian Travellers Najira Noushad during her trip from Kerala to Everest base camp[/caption]

Doing the trek without an acclimatisation period was a challenge, but Najira pulled it off. “After two days, I developed shortness of breath and suffered from exhaustion. If not for that, I’d have completed the trek in four days. Despite the difficulties, it was a great experience. It made me realise I can do anything,” adds the Oman resident, who hitchhiked her way from Kerala to Nepal to achieve the feat. “There’s so much negativity about the safety of solo female travellers. So I decided to ditch public transport and hitchhike all the way to prove the point that India is safe for women travellers,” she explains.

PK Mahanandia

It was in the crisp winter of 1975 that PK Mahanandia saw a woman tourist approach him in the inner circle of Delhi’s bustling CP, asking him to draw a portrait of her. The Indian artist, who had by then earned quite a reputation as a sketch artist, was known for making a portrait in ten minutes. But somehow, he wasn’t able to deliver a perfect portrait, which made Charlotte Von Schedvin, the Swedish tourist, return to him the following day. It was a prophecy that kept him distracted – one that was made by a priest when he was a child growing up in a village in Odisha – he would marry a girl from far away who would own a jungle, be musical, and be born under the sign of Taurus. And Charlotte was everything that had been prophesised.

[caption id="attachment_28622" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Artist | PK Mahananadia | Global Indian PK Mahanandia cycled from India to Europe for love[/caption]

“It was an inner voice that said to me that she was the one. During our first meeting, we were drawn to each other like magnets. It was love at first sight,” PK Mahanandia told BBC. This very love made him cycle 6000 km from Delhi to Sweden on a life-changing epic journey. Now an advisor for art and culture for the Swedish government, he inspired the 2013 book by Per J Andersson called The Amazing Story Of The Man Who Cycled From India To Europe For Love.

Polar Preet

Setting out at the break of dawn (so to speak, there’s no real nightfall during the Antarctic summer), enduring temperatures as low as -50°C, tackling the formidable sastrugi and battling winds up to 60 mph, Preet Chandi, or Polar Preet, as she calls herself, undertook one of the most arduous journeys in the world – the icy ski route across Antarctica. As she planted her flag, the culmination of a 700-mile, forth day journey to the South Pole, she created history. In January 2022, 33-year-old Preet Chandi, a physiotherapist in the British Army, became the first woman of colour to ski solo across the continent of ice and snow.

[caption id="attachment_33248" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Polar Preet | Indian Travellers Polar Preet became the first woman of colour to complete a solo trip to South Pole[/caption]

“I don’t just want to break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a thousand pieces,” she wrote on her website. “I was told no on so many occasions, called stubborn or rebellious because I wanted to do things that were out of the norm and push my boundaries. I want to encourage others to push their boundaries, it is amazing how much your world opens up when you start to do so.” In June 2022, the polar trekker was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Reading Time: 8 min

Indian American scholar, Dr. Pavithra Prabhakar, is making waves in the field of AI and machine learning

(February 19, 2023) "Mathematics," they said, "is not for girls." Proving the age-old idea wrong, Dr. Pavithra Prabhakar's research in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence is helping the industry grow by leaps and bounds. Currently, the Peggy and Gary Edwards Chair in Engineering and Professor of computer science at Kansas State University, the scholar recently received the prestigious Amazon Research Award for designing a tool that highlights changes between different versions of machine learning software systems to minimise negative user experiences. Dr. Prabhakar, who is also the Programme Director at the National Science Foundation, USA, was one of the 74 recipients of the awards from Amazon, which also includes an unrestricted gift, access to more than 300 Amazon public datasets, and Amazon Web Services' artificial intelligence and machine learning services and tools. "The broad objective of the project is to automatically characterise how much two versions of machine learning-based systems are similar or different," the scholar shared with Global Indian while speaking about her research, adding, "These systems are regularly retrained to achieve superior performance; however, this does not often translate to a better user experience. This can be mitigated by equipping the design team with an

lligence and machine learning services and tools. "The broad objective of the project is to automatically characterise how much two versions of machine learning-based systems are similar or different," the scholar shared with Global Indian while speaking about her research, adding, "These systems are regularly retrained to achieve superior performance; however, this does not often translate to a better user experience. This can be mitigated by equipping the design team with an automated tool that could highlight where and by how much the systems changed between different versions, thereby aiding the team in making decisions regarding the acceptability of the changes from a user experience perspective."

Dr. Prabhakar's proposed research will build on foundational concepts from process algebra and control theory to define mathematical notions of distance between different versions of machine learning systems and develop algorithms for outputting the similarity and dissimilarity between them. This automated tool will benefit design teams in making critical decisions about improving the user experience of machine learning-based intelligent software systems.

A math genius

A small-town girl, Dr. Prabhakar was an ambitious kid armed with a brilliant mind. Born and brought up in Hassan, Karnataka, the scholar was a meticulous student who loved solving numerical problems. "I have always been interested in maths, right from my childhood. I liked solving puzzles and anything math-oriented. I was always curious and excited about solving problems. So when it was time to choose a career, engineering seemed like the area where my passion for math could be pursued," the scholar shares, adding, "After finishing school, I moved to National Institute of Technology, Warangal, where I pursued a National Institute of Technology Bachelor's in Computer Science."

[caption id="attachment_35197" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Scholar | Pavithra Prabhakar | Global Indian Dr Prabhakar (second from left) with her parents and professors during her Ph.D. graduation ceremony[/caption]

Soon after finishing her graduation, and still hungry for more knowledge, Dr. Prabhakar joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru to pursue her master's in applied mathematics. In 2006, the scholar decided to move to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA for a Ph.D. in computer science. "I wanted to get more exposure, not just in the field of mathematics, but areas beyond that as well. So I decided to move to UIUC, which is one of the top schools for computer science," she says.

Research and beyond...

Starting her journey from a small town, Dr. Prabhakar was now at one of the top universities in the USA - living her dream. Speaking about her initial experience in the US, the scholar reminiscences, "Honestly, academically speaking, IISc had a culture as UIUC in terms of being more flexible with their curriculum and facilitating more discussion-based lectures. So, that experience really helped me with absorbing some of the culture shocks when I landed in the USA. But, when you are in a different country, you have to deal with much more than just your academics. You have to find your own place to stay and arrange for everything including your food, clothes, etc. However, there are a lot of Indians who move here every year, so that was a great support system for me. Initially, my experience was a little bit daunting, but I think it didn't take me long to integrate into the system."

[caption id="attachment_35199" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Scholar | Pavithra Prabhakar | Global Indian Dr Prabhakar with Keystone Research Scholars at Kansas State University[/caption]

A driven individual, the scholar interned at Bell Labs, Murray Hill, while working on her doctorate, and followed that with a CMI postdoctoral fellowship for a year at the California Institute of Technology. "Apart from the research, I also wanted to explore the industrial aspect and learn how the work is done on-field. I think it's very important to be in touch with the industry because you come to know about the real problems and can explore the practical solutions the industry can implement," says the scholar. After completing her postdoctoral work, Dr. Prabhakar joined the IMDEA Software Institute in Spain as a tenure-track Assistant Research Professor and worked there for four years before joining Kansas State University as Assistant Professor in 2015.

Passing on the knowledge

Despite the industry experience, one wonders what motivated Dr. Prabhakar to return to academia? "Academic research is more foundational, and I have always enjoyed that," shares the scholar, adding, "Academia is where you can do long-term research, which might not give you the returns immediately, but can help advance the knowledge and the field you work in. But that wasn't my only reason. The prospect of passing on the knowledge I acquired over time to the upcoming generation of scholars has been quite lucrative as well. I have mentored the next generation of researchers and built the workforce to get into the industry."

Over the last decade, Dr. Prabhakar has authored more than 50 articles in peer-reviewed conferences and journals. Her papers have been selected for a best paper honourable mention award from Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control, best papers of MEMOCODE, and invited papers at Allerton and American Control Conference. The scholar's research has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant from the European Union. In 2020, Dr. Prabhakar was awarded $450,000 from the National Science Foundation to work on artificial intelligence-based controllers in the three-year project, 'Scalable Formal Verification of ANN Controlled Cyber-Physical Systems'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-ggDCJy0Sw

Speaking about the future of AI and machine learning, the scholar quips, "It's not a new fact that AI and machine learning is the next big thing and is already making transformational changes in society. But, we also need to be cautious. We are now witnessing machine learning being applied to a lot of safety-critical applications, for example, autonomous driving or robotic surgery. So, I think it is imperative that we take a step back and make sure that the systems we are building are going to work correctly. And that is what my area of research is all about - making the emerging technologies safe for everyone to use."

Follow Dr. Pavithra Prabhakar on LinkedIn and her website

Reading Time: 6 mins

Sarod soldier: British Indian artist Soumik Datta uses music for climate action

(July 29, 2023) One rainy day, while playing indoor cricket with his younger brother, a 12-year-old Soumik Datta discovered an old sarod that once belonged to his grandmother. Today, the award-winning multi-disciplinary artist has released several albums. An ambassador of the Earth Day Network, Soumik often addresses social and environmental issues through his art. His recent animated musical film Songs of the Earth, premiered at The UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. A short story about Asha, a young climate refugee from Bengal who searches for her father across the world, through burning forests and rising oceans, the film was commissioned by the British Council. [caption id="attachment_14964" align="aligncenter" width="619"] British-Indian musician Soumik Datta[/caption] Just a month ago, the sarod player was appointed as the artist in residence by the UK’s prestigious Philharmonia Orchestra. The composer, producer and TV presenter will take on the role for the 2023-24 Season. "I read that the climate disasters caused more internal displacement than war. This had a deep impact on me, especially as someone privileged, living in London. What came out was in the shape of a short story — about a young climate refugee called Asha searching for her father across burning forests

war. This had a deep impact on me, especially as someone privileged, living in London. What came out was in the shape of a short story — about a young climate refugee called Asha searching for her father across burning forests and melting glaciers. This was the start of Songs of the Earth," shares the artist, during an interaction with Global Indian.

Not a born musician

Soumik was born in Indian to banker father and film director mother, and spent the initial years of his life in Mumbai. A child, who loved the sea, Soumik shares that he had no musical inclination while he stayed in India. "I was a proper Mumbai kid. My days were mostly about school, playing with my friends - but I wasn't into music at all while I was in India. I wonder, had my family continued living there, if I would have ever become a musician," shares the 39-year-old artist. Soumik has a younger brother, Souvid Datta, who is now a well-known photographer and filmmaker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UerChOwsjq0

When a 11-year-old Soumik first moved to London, the artist reveals that it was a bit of a culture shock. "My father was already working in London, so the family eventually moved there. I was one of the very few coloured kids in my school. I had to learn a lot in terms of the vocabulary, which was quite different from India. It took an adjustment period, but looking back I feel it all happened quite quickly," the artist shares, adding, "My parents listened to classical music. I remember my mother would sing Tagore songs. I was a huge Shahrukh Khan at that time, so I would listen to his songs. So, while I wouldn't sing to play, music was always around."

Trained by a great Guru

Soumik's first introduction to the stringed musical instrument was purely by chance. "It rains a lot in London, and on one such day, I and my brother were playing cricket indoor. I shot the ball a little hard and it dashed into a cardboard box kept in the corner. When I went to check what was inside the box, I found a shiny instrument with stringed attached to it, which I had never seen before. I showed it to my father when he came back from work and he told me what it was and that it belonged to my grandmother. That evening my father gave me my first sarod lesson," shares the artist, laughing, "I didn't really play cricket after that."

[caption id="attachment_24906" align="aligncenter" width="609"] Indian Artist | Soumik Datta | Global Indian Soumik with Pandit Ravi Shankar[/caption]

After a year, Soumik was introduced to his Guru, renowned artist Padma Shri Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, while he was on a vacation in Kolkata. "He looked at me noodling at the instrument and told me to come to his house next morning at 6 am. And just like that my training started," the artist quips. While most students attend music classes for years, Soumik had an unusual training. "The training was quite rigorous while I was in India, each year during vacation. However, my guru would design the training in a way that even when I returned to London, I would still be able to practice the ragas every day. I was very blesses to have him train me," the artist shares.

[caption id="attachment_24905" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Indian Artist | Soumik Datta | Global Indian Young Soumik, playing the tanpura, with his guru Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta[/caption]

However, sarod was not the only thing that captured Soumik's interest. Says Soumik, "Growing up I listened to every kind of music. I remember in school I would play the English tracks on the sarod. So, that way I became more interested in the contemporary music as well."

A melodious journey

After completing his school, the artist attended the University College London, and later studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, graduating in 2009 with an MMus in Composition. Meanwhile, Soumik toured with his band to various cities with his songs. However, a big break came when Soumik was invited by American rapper Jay-Z to play at the Royal Albert Hall in 2006 and later even performed with Beyoncé.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mshi-7hfKJM&list=RDEMBAf3gaMmjK8gH1kxW95Nwg&start_radio=1

Subsequently, Soumik's music started addressing several social issues. "I wanted to talk about these issues since they affect each one of us. I feel that music has the power to make people think," quips the artist. In 2021, Soumik released a six-part visual album titled Silent Spaces, which is a creative lockdown response driven by a pervading sense of Covid-induced personal and professional loneliness. Later the same year, the British-Indian artist won the British Council Commission for Climate Change Award to create a project titled Songs of the Earth which will be released in the run-up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.

Music for the environment

"When British Council announced the award, I was already devising music and film projects about the environment and had already released an album Jangal — to raise awareness about the impact of deforestation with Sachin. I had a premonition of working together again, so I wasn’t surprised when we landed this award," shares the artist. The animated film Song of the Earth contains an eight-track album, in which each song represents a specific environmental issue experienced through Asha’s young eyes. The songs create a unique narrative, covering issues from floods and eco fashion to deforestation and industrialisation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g3Dbn6Heog

Soumik shares that he wanted to write the songs in a manner in which the musical quality wouldn’t diminish and the lyrics would appeal to all types of audience. “I wanted to write the songs in a way that wouldn’t detract from their musicality but would hold hidden layers of meaning for the different kinds of listeners,” the artist says, adding, "Throughout the film, Asha’s Baba’s teachings offer her hope and propel her to face the dangers and calamities which lie ahead. Datta fervently believes that to face the problem that climate change poses for us, we must not be motivated by fear but instead by the hope for a better future."

[caption id="attachment_24907" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Indian Artist | Soumik Datta | Global Indian Soumik with British-Indian-American sitar player, Anoushka Shankar[/caption]

The artist collaborated with Sachin Bhatt and Anjali Kamat who visualised the story from page to screen and helped him manifest his lead character, Asha and the climate emergency that spirals around her. Currently, the artist is working on a new show that will address immigration, mental health issues, and the refugee crisis.

Follow Soumik Datta on Instagram, LinkedIn, SoundCloud, Twitter, YouTube, and his website

Reading Time: 6 mins