Chef | Srijith Gopinathan | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryMichelin star Indian chef Srijith Gopinath is taking the South Indian spice palette to the world

Michelin star Indian chef Srijith Gopinath is taking the South Indian spice palette to the world

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(September 8, 2022) I could listen to the sound of vegetables being cut when I connected with Chef Srijith Gopinath over a call for an interview from California. When I asked him if he was cooking, pat came the reply that he was making a mushroom delicacy for his family. “I love cooking for my family,” smiled Chef Sri, as he finished plating the breakfast. It was quite heartwarming to catch a chef cooking for his loved ones before starting a very busy day at one of Palo Alto’s most renowned restaurants – Ettan.

Chef Srijith Gopinath

The two star Michelin chef from the southern parts of India, who thought of becoming an IT professional as a kid, is currently one of the highest-rated chefs in the world. Starting his journey from a small village, Chef Sri has come a long way from assisting the head chef in the hotel to running his own venture in California. “I have been cooking for over two decades, but at my restaurant, I get to bring in the spices from my homeland to the table. I do a lot of Indian dishes, but with a little bit of twist. My menu lists delicacies such as Truffle kulcha, Red plum rasam, Samosa pie, and Tender jack vada. I want the world to taste the amazing herbs from my country,” the chef tells Global Indian.

The spice trail

Growing up in the land of spices, Chef Sri who hails from a small village in Kanyakumari often saw his mother cook for the entire family. “I lived in a joint family, and as a kid, I wasn’t allowed to cook. But I loved to eat and was always fascinated by different flavours. Although tasting varied cuisine wasn’t possible in a small village, I would still try to find something different to eat in the limited options I had then.” As a kid, Chef Sri would often be asked by his grandmother to run to the backyard to fetch her some spices. “We had black pepper, turmeric, ginger, and many other spices. I wasn’t taught about these spices, I just knew what they were, how they smelled or tasted since I was a kid.”

Sea bass collar spice roasted with coconut, turmeric, tamarind and curry leaves

Leaving behind his beautiful coconut orchard, the chef moved to Bengaluru to pursue a degree in Hotel Management. Interestingly though, this was not the original plan. “Becoming a chef was never a goal – in fact, I never thought about it growing up. I always thought that I would be a regular guy, working in the IT sector. Even when I joined the Hotel Management college, I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t go into the kitchen.”

Chef Srijith Gopinath with Chef Vikas Khanna and Chef Zorawar Kalra

So how did the odds work in his favour? “You know when you live alone and your mother isn’t around to take care of you, you inadvertently end up with a ladle in hand trying to make something that could taste something like home,” laughs the chef, adding, “Cookery books were my best friends because there was no Google to tell me a recipe. I found it quite interesting to experiment with tastes and flavours. So, I decided to become a chef.”

Tasting success

His graduation paved the way for his professional career which started with working for the local hotels to get a better understanding of the functioning of a kitchen. It was while working at a hotel in Chennai, Chef Sri was offered a job at two-starred Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Oxfordshire. This shift not only helped him hone his culinary skills, but also aided in getting his talent recognised. “It was one of the iconic restaurants and I saw how a kitchen actually functioned. While I learnt a lot there, it was also the first time that I earned a good amount and took the opportunity to travel as much as I could around Europe,” he shared.

Maine lobster poached in spiced ghee, coastal curry, sweet peas and pea leaf oil

Eventually, the chef moved to the Taj Hotels, first in Maldives and then in San Francisco, where he earned his first Michelin star. “At Campton Place, I earned my first Michelin in the two years and subsequently got the second one as well. It’s not easy to man a kitchen, although many think that it is a glamorous job. In most hotels and restaurants, the kitchen is the heart of the story. So, there is always some chaos that we are dealing with, something is always going wrong which the team is working on fixing. But, when we send out the plates, they are always perfect. So, to be rewarded for all the hard work that we put in every day is very special,” shares the chef.

While he cooks for some very high-profile people, he himself revels in comfort food. “I think it’s quite natural to lean towards what you used to eat as a child. So for me, a good dosa with coconut chutney is the best comfort food. Also, I enjoy sitting down for sadhya, which is a big selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf in Kerala – mostly during Onam or weddings. But, because of living in California for the last 15 years, I have come to love some local comfort food as well. I really enjoy having a good Bánh mì, which is a Vietnamese sandwich or a good plate of piping hot pasta.”

Chef Srijith Gopinath and team at Ettan

After successfully running the Taj kitchen, the chef recently started his own restaurant. Named Ettan, which means “to breathe” in Sanskrit, the restaurant became an instant hit in Downtown Palo Alto. Unfortunately, it had to shut shop within the first month of its inauguration due to Covid. “It took us about 18 months to start Ettan in February 2020, and then just in 22 days, COVID caused havoc across the globe. For two months we had to close the restaurants, but in May 2020 we started taking takeaway orders and slowly opened the restaurant again,” says the chef. Ettan is currently one of the highest-rated restaurant in the Palo Alto area. “I plan on starting another restaurant soon,” shared the chef before dashing off to the kitchen.

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Published on 08, Sep 2022

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Get, Set, Go: Ultra cyclist and marathoner Dr Amit Samarth loves the ‘extreme’ life

(December 18, 2022) When he arrived in Moscow to undertake a gruelling, 9100-km bicycle journey (from Moscow to Vladivostok) in August 2018, a mountain of challenges awaited Dr Amit Samarth. As part of the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme — the longest bicycle stage race on the planet — the ultra cyclist was all set to cover the mind-boggling distance in 15 stages in 25 days. The weather conditions were extreme and the hilly terrain most difficult. The professional bicyclists were to ride massive distances, ranging from 260-kms to 1364-kms in different stages. [caption id="attachment_32939" align="aligncenter" width="592"] Dr Amit Samarth[/caption] Only those with an iron will and nerves of steel could make it. Dr Amit Samarth was one of them. The wilderness of Siberia “The rain water in Siberia is ice cold and I ended up riding the 10th stage (1054 kms) in heavy rain. TheTrans-Siberian Extreme was a killer, the toughest challenge ever,” smiles Dr Samarth, the first Indian and Asian to have completed the challenge despite massive odds. In an exclusive conversation with Global Indian, the ultra-cyclist and marathoner, for whom taking on extreme challenges is now a way of life, says that unless risks are taken, one can never realise their capabilities. If the Trans-Siberian Extreme proved

exclusive conversation with Global Indian, the ultra-cyclist and marathoner, for whom taking on extreme challenges is now a way of life, says that unless risks are taken, one can never realise their capabilities.

If the Trans-Siberian Extreme proved to be the toughest, the Race Across America (RAAM), solo 2017 was another event that tested Dr Samarth’s endurance. It was a 5000-km continuous bike race from East to West Coast and participants get 12 days to finish.

The Race Across America

“In extreme endurance sports like ultra-cycling, there come occasions when you fall sick or just don’t feel great. During RAAM, I got very dehydrated once and suffered from a throat infection later,” says Dr Samarth, the first Indian solo to finish RAAM in 11 days, 21 hours and 11 minutes, which in itself was a record in the history of RAAM.

While the Trans-Siberian Extreme had an elevation of 77,320 metres, RAAM had a total elevation of 40,000 metres.

[caption id="attachment_32944" align="alignnone" width="852"] Dr Amit Samarth | Ultra cyclist | Global Indian Amit Samarth during the 15th stage (Khabarovsk - Vladivostok) of the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme, on August 17, 2018[/caption]

Studious boy to adventure junkie

Born and brought up in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Dr Samarth’s childhood was in complete contrast to what he is today.

In school, Dr Samarth says he was a chubby boy, often poked fun at by his classmates. He recalls trying to enroll for the National Cadet Corps and being rejected on grounds of his physical fitness.

“My focus was only on academics. Since medical admissions were based on a student’s marks in physics, chemistry and biology, it was very important for me to focus only on studies,” says Dr Samarth, who recalls playing ‘gully’ cricket once in a while. In college, though, he began going to the gym.

Focus on public health

Having done his MBBS from Indira Gandhi Medical College in Nagpur, Dr Samarth, who is now in his early 40s, spent the next couple of years working as a medical officer in various hospitals. After that, he received an opportunity to visit the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he met a lot of public health scientists from different universities all across the world. “That is where I actually understood what public health is and what it can do,” says Dr Samarth.

He went on to do earn a Master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the US. When he returned to India, Dr Samarth did stints at the Indian Institute of Public Health, Access-Health International in Hyderabad and then moved to Bengaluru, taking over as the CEO of the Save A Mother Foundation.

Dr Amit Samarth | Ultra cyclist | Global Indian

Taekwondo to marathons

In Hyderabad, he took to Taekwondo. “I used to get up at 4.30 am and go to KBR Park for training. I used to train in the evenings as well,” says the ultra-cyclist, who went on to earn a black belt in the martial art.

In 2015, he quit his job at Bengaluru and returned to his hometown, Nagpur, where he started his sports academy, Miles and Miles. Encouraged by his friends, he took to Ultra Cycling himself, participating in various cycling events.

His passion for marathons began relatively late in life and was sparked by the running he did for Taekwondo training. His life changed the day he decided to attempt a 10-km run. “I then started doing half-marathons. After I got married in 2010, I started running full marathons,” Dr Samarth says.

The Ironman Triathlon

Along the way, he discovered the Ironman Triathlon, a series of long-distance triathlon races, organised by the World Triathlon Corporation. The triathlon comprised comprises a 3.9-km swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 42.2-km marathon run, all completed in a single day. It is an advanced challenge, touted to be one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world, to be completed in around 17 hours.

It compelled Dr Samarth to purchase his first bike and he has been unstoppable ever since. Over the last decade, since 2012, the ultra-cyclist and marathoner has done three full Ironman triathlons and 17 half-Ironman-races across the world.

“I come from a farming family and we have the willingness to suffer, a trait required for ultra-cycling and marathons. I am not a born athlete but a trained one,” says Dr Samarth, who also did a 6000-km cycling event on India’s Golden Quadrilateral highway in a record time of 13 days, 9 hours and 50 minutes.

Dr Amit Samarth | Ultra cyclist | Global Indian

Sleep deprived

For races like RAAM and TSE, Dr Samarth would be required to be sleep deprived for many days. “When I was riding for RAAM, I went riding continuously for the first 24 hours. Thereafter, I used to be on the bike for 21 to 22 hours everyday and sleep for around 1.5 to two hours everyday,” informs Dr Samarth adding that riding without proper sleep is part of the sport.

He says one has to think and behave like a ghost, which is what he did during TSE. “It is very hard to explain how to do this. But I did a lot of ghost riding in TSE. One has to think as if you are possessed with some spirit and your thinking will make things happen,” says the ultracyclist, who would talk to himself on the lonely roads all night to reaffirm the belief that he would successfully finish the race.

One of the best way to deal with sleep deprivation and lonely night rides is music. “I take a music player along and play my favourite tracks. Singing along helped me to be more alert and ward off sleep,” says Dr Samarth, who did Ironman Phuket in 2012 (1.9 km swim, 90 kms cycle and 21.1 km run) and Ironman Bahrain (70.3) in 2018.

Few tough moments

Dr Amit Samarth | Ultra cyclist | Global Indian

Sharing a few more difficult situations he faced during TSE and RAAM, Dr Samarth recalls the 10th day in RAAM, when he was in West Virginia. It was raining heavily and he was riding in rain from 5 pm in evening to almost 2 am in the night.

“It was very cold that night. One of the biggest mistakes I did was taking a break and falling asleep,” he says. Instead of sleeping for one hour, he slept for three hours and then it became very difficult to start early morning due to intense cold. “I lost precious time due to which I had to slog for the next 24 hours to make sure I finish RAAM successfully,” he says.

During TSE, after completing the stage 3, Dr Samarth was completely drained out due to lack of proper food and his legs had turned extremely sore. By evening, hewas running high temperature.

“I had only 10 hours to sleep and recuperate. I tried to eat and sleep as much as possible, took medicines and evaluated myself next morning. That day I rode slower, trying to recover my body on the bike. Yes, you can recover while on the move,” smiles the ultra cyclist, who suffered dehydration with altitude sickness during one of the races in the Himalayas.

“If I get bogged down or afraid of these situations, I would have never finished those races,” he points out.

Giving back

Earlier, he won the tough Pune tough cycle race and also did some other ultra-cycling rides from Delhi to Nagpur (1021 km in 39 hours), Chennai to Nagpur (in 43 hours). “I have taken those risks and I want to do my bit towards encouraging people to pursue their passions,” says the ultra risk taker.

What are his future plans? “I would like to grow my sports academy and I am presently running a program for tribal athletes,” informs Dr Samarth. His earlier visits to the Deshpande Foundation in Hubbali, which put him in contact with many social entrepreneurs, inspired Dr Samarth to be a sports entrepreneur himself.

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A post shared by Dr. Amit Samarth | UltraCyclist (@teamamitsamarth)

He intends to identify more sporting talent from the tribal areas, especially from central India, and train them in his sports academy. “I look forward to create elite national and international athletes from my academy in the time to come,” says the sports entrepreneur, who is doing his bit to give back to the society.

When he isn't ultra-cycling or marathoning, the fitness enthusiast likes to read books and watch some informative videos about training athletes.

Follow Dr Amit Samarth on Instagram and Twitter

Reading Time: 8 min

Dr Kalyani Gopal: Empowering sexual abuse and human trafficking victims globally

(April 24, 2024) “My team and I are in the process of exploring the purchase of a five-acre plot of land, which I plan to convert into an eco-village. Dedicated to my late mother it would help give a peaceful environment to victims of human trafficking and sexual assault,” Dr Kalyani Gopal tells Global Indian. She has already thought of the name of the project as SAFE Village - Unnati Sewa. It would be a unique residential restorative model to bring back the dignity of victims of human trafficking and sexual assault. With over three decades of experience in addressing issues such as child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and labour trafficking, the Indian-origin psychologist has garnered international recognition and is now giving back to her native land. Dr Kalyani Gopal is the first woman of colour and Asian American to earn the presidency of the Illinois Psychological Association which oversees the State of Illinois’ psychologists. She is also the first Asian American President of Division 12 of the APA, Society for Clinical Psychology, and has recently finished her term on the Committee of State Leaders, APA. [caption id="attachment_50926" align="aligncenter" width="475"] Dr Kalyani Gopal[/caption] In her service spanning continents, the ace

Asian American President of Division 12 of the APA, Society for Clinical Psychology, and has recently finished her term on the Committee of State Leaders, APA.

[caption id="attachment_50926" align="aligncenter" width="475"] Indians in USA | Dr Kalyani Gopal | Global Indian Dr Kalyani Gopal[/caption]

In her service spanning continents, the ace psychologist developed a Clinical Treatment Manual for Mongolian psychologists and clinicians, treated grieving Myanmar families during war, and created a tool for identifying potential victims of trafficking in Ukraine, and other regions.

In 2014, Dr Gopal established an initiative called, SAFECHR - SAFE Coalition for Human Rights through which she has worked for trauma patients and victims in the United States, Europe, and India.

Finding the purpose

After completing her postgraduate studies at Delhi University and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore Dr Kalyani Gopal moved to the US for her doctorate. She aspired to pursue intellectual and cognitive neuropsychology. However, fate had some other plans in store. Dr Gopal encountered a case of sexual abuse involving a seven-year-old girl with whom she had grown acquainted. This experience brought the issue of child sexual abuse into sharp focus for her, redirecting her career trajectory.

Training professionals worldwide

In her three-decade career, the clinical psychologist has provided training to a diverse range of professionals, including foster parents, adoptive parents, administrators, judges in the US and the DRCongo Supreme Court, law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and police officers, attorneys, case managers, first responders, advocates, nonprofits, and ministries. She also trained government representatives of Albania, Uganda, and India.

“I have educated human trafficking experts and clergy on psychological trauma and issues concerning infants, children, adolescents, and adults,” tells the Indian-origin psychologist who is also associated as a consultant psychologist with SuDatta, an adoption agency in India that trains adoptive parents on helping their children come out of traumas.

[caption id="attachment_50928" align="aligncenter" width="706"] Indians in USA | Dr Kalyani Gopal | Global Indian Dr Kalyani Gopal at one of Illinois Psychological Association's Legislative Committee meeeting[/caption]

In fact, she introduced the term ‘Displacement Trauma’ to describe the intricate psychological effects that are the result of ‘frequent disruptions of bonds experienced by foster care youth and children separated from their parents’.

Awards and recognitions

In recognition of her extensive work, she was awarded the Indiana Lake County Award for Excellence in 2004 and the Indiana Attorney General’s Voices for Victims Award in 2015. She received the Congressman Danny T. Davis MEATF Medal in 2019 as the Top 20 Global Women of Excellence. In 2023, Dr Gopal earned the APA Presidential Citation Award for Human Rights.

Starting young

The psychologist discovered her calling when she was quite young - starting her journey at the age of 18 while engaging with human trafficking victims for a college research project.

At that time, she was pursuing her bachelor’s degree in India. One of her research works exposed her to the grim reality of young girls her age becoming victims of human trafficking. This revelation weighed heavily on her, even though she did not realise the severity of the problem completely, given her young age.

Later as a PhD scholar coming across a sexually abused little girl changed her career trajectory completely. She found herself drawn into the field of child sexual abuse.

“I was inspired by the trust placed in me by many other girls whom I met after that. They were victims too.” It was then that her professors in the US encouraged her to pursue the path of working with sexually abused children. Deeply immersed to uplift their lives as a young professional she had even started accompanying children she worked with when they needed to testify in court. The more she immersed herself in this work, the more intrigued and committed she became.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioNF2a6NI0M

Strong initiatives

Dedicating many years to victims of sexual abuse and trafficking Dr Gopal came across many harrowing instances of exploitation. In one of the most gruesome cases, she came across a family with four children in Indiana where the parents were trafficking their kids by making them perform indecently on their home-based stage, earning $10 per person from people who came to watch the performance.

“My efforts dragged the parents to court and for the first time in history in Indiana, parents got a life sentence in jail for 56 years,” she shares. That was her first independent case.

That proved to be the beginning of her image as a messiah of children who were being exploited. She started getting cases of child sexual abuse from across the United States. “A lot of the perpetrators were in powerful positions, even relatives of judges and politicians.” But Dr Gopal stood strong to fight for justice for young victims.

Author of bestsellers

She went on to write bestsellers - ‘The Supportive Foster Parent’, and ‘Foster Parenting Step-by-Step: How to Nurture the Traumatized Child’ and co-edited, ‘Handbook of Sex Trafficking: Feminist Transnational Perspectives’. Dr. Gopal has published several workbooks on the Child Sexual Abuse Series, including the grief and loss workbook ‘In My Heart’.

[caption id="attachment_50936" align="aligncenter" width="403"] Indians in USA | Dr Kalyani Gopal | Global Indian One of Dr Kalyani Gopal's books[/caption]

Associations with the United Nations

The psychologist with a knack for writing went on to write a chapter titled ‘Reducing Human Trafficking by 2030 and Beyond’ for the United Nations book, ‘Behavioural Science in the Global Arena: Addressing Timely Issues at the United Nations and Beyond’.

She has also co-chaired the United Nations Psychology Day highlighting the role of psychology in addressing concerns of global importance.

Other Illustrious associations

Until recently Dr Gopal served on the APA Commission on Accreditation. She is on the boards of Indiana’s Lake County Child Protection Team and Lake County Child Fatality Team, served as the Chair for the Illinois Psychological Association’s Working Committee on Hate and Harassment, specialises in gender-based violence, and served as Chair of the IPA Women’s Section. She has been serving on the Board of Directors of the Society of Clinical Psychology, American Psychological Association, and as Div. 12 Advocacy Chair.

“As the President of Mid-America Psychological and Counseling Services, I oversaw the management of mental health clinics in Indiana and Illinois,” she shares.

[caption id="attachment_50927" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Indians in USA | Dr Kalyani Gopal | Global Indian Dr Kalyani Gopal with Eyes Open International founder, Harold D'Souza[/caption]

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

Uniting nations through SAFECHR

Dr. Gopal’s nonprofit organisation, Safe Coalition for Human Rights (SAFECHR) was formed in 2014 in response to the realisation that the voices of victims in foster care needed to be heard.

The non-profit has been hosting annual events since 2014 raising the number of participant countries from 10 nations in 2014 to 73 nations in one of its latest conferences.

“SAFE Conferences bring together organisations from around the globe working ceaselessly to form collaborative national and international coalitions from rescue to the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking and violations of human rights,” she informs.

SAFE iACT Program – first to get global accreditation

The ace psychologist has created an evidence-based, international credentialing program to certify advocates, clinicians, attorneys, and law enforcement as trainers in human trafficking which she has named as the SAFE iACT Program. Ever since its inception, she has facilitated the training of over 20,000 people from more than 10 countries. It has become the first programme to get accredited globally.

In December 2020, she developed and implemented a program, THRIVE for adults from ACEs populations (childhood vulnerabilities) to provide wrap-around therapeutic services in transitional supportive housing. Victims get discharged after getting stable employment.

During COVID-19, Dr Gopal also launched an e-learning school-based program called SAFE Schools for the prevention of high-risk behaviors among youth by improving resiliency and teaching socioemotional skills.

[caption id="attachment_50935" align="aligncenter" width="613"] Indians in USA | Dr Kalyani Gopal | Global Indian Dr Kalyani Gopal at a Consulate General nof India, Chicago event[/caption]

More psychologists required for victims of abuse

Highlighting the field of child sexual abuse, and human and labour trafficking that she is working in Dr Gopal points out that there are not enough psychologists who work in the area looking at it as a social work issue.

“Traffickers treat the victims so poorly that they lose their identity and develop fragmented personalities.” To address their problem effectively Dr Kalyani Gopal has even modified existing treatments which have proven to be effective.

She believes that people who are victims of trafficking and other abuses have been manipulated so much that they need psychological help to feel confident and pull themselves out of the situation.

Follow Dr Kalyani Gopal on LinkedIn and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Anu Vaidyanathan: Engineer, author, filmmaker and India’s first Ironman triathlete

(April 12, 2024) Back when she was in school, Anu Vaidyanathan disliked any form of physical activity or sport. So much so, that even the usual marching drills at her convent school seemed like a lot of hard work. On the other hand, Physics, literature and algebra did interest her. Her aim was to become a software programmer, given the tech boom in Bengaluru in the early 2000s. But destiny had different plans, rather, a lot of plans, for her. That in a nutshell is what Anu Vaidyanathan — athlete, engineer, comedian, filmmaker and writer — is all about. “I am a parent as well,” reminds Anu Vaidyanathan, as she settles down for a chat with Global Indian. From becoming the first Asian triathlete to finish Ultraman Canada to touring the world for show BC:AD (Before children, after diapers) to having her memoir ‘Anywhere but home - Adventures in Endurance’ long listed for a movie adaptation at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2016 to making a variety of films — Anu is a woman of many talents and flawlessly fulfils all her roles. [caption id="attachment_50666" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Anu Vaidyanathan[/caption] “I don’t juggle roles, I only do one thing at

�� Anu is a woman of many talents and flawlessly fulfils all her roles.

[caption id="attachment_50666" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Indian Filmmaker | Anu Vaidyanathan | Global Indian Anu Vaidyanathan[/caption]

“I don’t juggle roles, I only do one thing at a time. In all my endeavours, I have a common thread of resilience and self -reliance. When money becomes the cornerstone of any discussion, I lose interest,” says Anu, who is realistic and down to earth when it comes to her priorities.

Extreme sports

The passion for extreme sports kicked in when she was at Purdue University, from where she earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Computer Engineering.

She was one among the five women in a graduating class of 150. “It was obvious that to survive the gender disparity and handle the pressure academically, we had to do something physical to survive. Some picked up kickboxing, I picked up running, and that's where my interest in triathlons really began,” Anu recalls.

She discovered that to do anything well, from research and engineering to making a film or writing a book, staying physically fit has remained a cornerstone of her success. Her connection with physical activity became the basis for her creativity.

The Ultraman Canada challenge

It was in 2009, while working towards her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch in New Zealand, that she became the first Asian woman to complete the Ultraman Canada event.

The three day race which included a 10 kilometre swim, 420 km cycling and 84.4 km run, tested her endurance like no other. “I followed that up in three weeks with Ironman Canada because I am a South Indian woman who believes in ‘buy one get one free,” smiles Anu, the first India-based athlete to train for and participate in Ironman Triathlon.

She says combining these two big endurance races within a time span of three weeks set her apart in her own mind. “It was a test of my physical and mental strength,” says Anu, who was also the first Indian woman to have qualified for the Half Ironman 70.3 Clearwater World Championship, 2008. Post this, Anu told herself that she had nothing to prove, either to herself or to the world.

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A post shared by Anu Vaidyanathan (@anu.vaidyanathan)

Back then, there wasn’t much information or knowledge about such events, neither were there too many coaches. Anu completed the Ultraman on a second-hand bike, without any sponsors or aerodynamic equipment. “My ultimate goal was the finish line and the question I asked myself — can I do this?” says Anu, who used to ride between Bangalore and Mysore, Chennai and Pondicherry as part of her training.

She did face challenges along the journey, which perhaps most women can relate to. “I met a lot of sexist coaches who couldn’t stand the fact a woman can actually do much more than men. If you peel back the layers or any historical event, you will find a woman somewhere in the middle of it,” says the extreme sports enthusiast.

Writing a memoir and filmmaking

Anu wanted to put all her adventures in triathlon down in a book. The outcome was her memoir ‘Anywhere but home - Adventures in Endurance’ which she wrote when pregnant with her first child.

She credits her editor at HarperCollins, Karthika, who not only understood the essence of what Anu wanted to write but also encouraged her at every step. “Having been a cricket player herself, Karthika didn’t impose any constraints and just told me to write the memoir I wanted,” says Anu, for whom the book was her introduction to arts.

With all the memories of her triathlon days fresh in her mind, she penned a compelling narrative, making the memoir gripping and interesting.

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A post shared by Anu Vaidyanathan (@anu.vaidyanathan)

Filmmaking journey

Once it was long listed for the movie adaptation, it made Anu investigate filmmaking a little bit more seriously. “Initially, I thought I wanted to be a cinematographer because I love building things, but then I realized that my strength is story. That’s when I chose writing and directing,” informs the film maker, who has also served as visiting faculty at IIT Ahmedabad and IIT Ropar.

She enrolled at the National Film and Television School in London, one of the best film schools in the world to learn the craft of filmmaking. “I started my film education when I was pregnant with my second child. I was walking around in classrooms with people half my age, talking in jargon which none could understand. To sum it up, it was a very funny mixture of life experiences that I saw at film school.”

However, the pandemic shut down the world before she could make her first fiction film, pandemic shut down the world. “I had made my first documentary six months postpartum and it was released in a theatre in London. Then came the pandemic,” says Anu.

Around that time, she wrote to well-known film maker Raju Hirani seeking a job. “He allowed me to assist him by giving him script notes on the movie Dunki. Thereafter, I made a dozen short films in a span of about 20 months which are now playing all over the world,” says a beaming Anu.

She is currently pitching a few feature films and hoping to make something long -form soon.

Comedy

While the pandemic clamped down on her filmmaking dreams, it was during the lockdown that she discovered her love for standup comedy. “Since we couldn't congregate safely to make the films, I started to do a few gigs, first online and then in person, when people started to move out safely,” says Anu.

She feels comedy is a very quick feedback loop, because films and books inherently take years. “Even if you make a short film, it's a very long process from the time you write it to the time you edit it and submit it to a film festival to be seen, reviewed, or critiqued. On the other hand, comedy is very quick,” smiles Anu who believes comedy helped her stay sharp.

[caption id="attachment_50673" align="aligncenter" width="817"] Indian Filmmaker | Anu Vaidyanathan | Global Indian Anu Vaidyanathan[/caption]

Tough circumstances

Born in Delhi and raised in Bangalore, Anu also did a bit of schooling in Chennai. “At home and at school, I was always encouraged to do whatever I wanted. There was never any pressure,” she recalls. Her parents come from small villages in South India. “I was brought up in very hard circumstances and it always felt right to be self-reliant,” says Anu, who was a scholarship student and had been paying her own bills since the age of 18.

As a mother

Being a mother of two, Anu says her daily routine varies quite a bit depending on whether or not she manages to sleep through the night. “But I still try to maintain some semblance of a routine because I think kids latch onto that and I try to stay physically active as much as I can,” says Anu. When it comes to her comedy, however, she feels her kids are the best test audience as they are honest. “As a comedian, one needs to have instant feedback and my kids give me that.”

She still runs a lot and rides her bike though she doesn’t enjoy swimming any more. “Yoga and I don't have a good relationship because I'm not a generally calm person and I find it very difficult to meditate,” smiles the film maker.

[caption id="attachment_50672" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Indian Filmmaker | Anu Vaidyanathan | Global Indian Anu Vaidyanathan[/caption]

Challenging herself

Ask her what does it take to achieve all of the things she has achieved, Anu says anyone who has a basic love for reading and writing, besides a healthy imagination along with a bit of determination, can do wonders.

“Even sport was never about the equipment. It was never about social popularity. It was mostly about a challenge for myself, with myself. And so there was no externality to anything that I did physically, when it came to endurance athletics,” she says, attributing her success to people around her.

Nothing, she says, can be achieved in isolation.

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Indian-origin leaders making waves in 2024: Key appointments shaping major companies

(August 31, 2024) Apple recently announced the promotion of Kevan Parekh, the company’s Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, to Chief Financial Officer, with his new role starting on January 1, 2025. In light of this, Global Indian puts a spotlight on the major appointments of Indian-origin leaders throughout 2024. These leaders, who have recently stepped into significant roles this year, exemplify the growing global influence of Indian business professionals in shaping the future of leading corporations. Pavan Davuluri Microsoft’s Head of Windows and Surface In March this year, Microsoft appointed Pavan Davuluri, a long-time company veteran, to lead its Windows operating system and Surface devices teams. This move followed the departure of Panos Panay, the former chief of Windows and Surface. Panay's responsibilities were subsequently divided between Davuluri and Mikhail Parakhin. Microsoft stated that Davuluri's appointment will support a comprehensive approach to developing silicon, systems, experiences, and devices that integrate Windows client and cloud technologies for the AI era. [caption id="attachment_55138" align="aligncenter" width="492"] Pavan Davuluri[/caption] An alumnus of IIT Madras, Davuluri began his Microsoft career as a Reliability Component Manager in 2001. Over his 23-year tenure, he has held numerous leadership roles, working with PC and Xbox

and devices that integrate Windows client and cloud technologies for the AI era.

[caption id="attachment_55138" align="aligncenter" width="492"] Indian-origin leaders | Pavan Davuluri | Global Indian Pavan Davuluri[/caption]

An alumnus of IIT Madras, Davuluri began his Microsoft career as a Reliability Component Manager in 2001. Over his 23-year tenure, he has held numerous leadership roles, working with PC and Xbox hardware, Surface, and Windows. Since 2021, he has served as Corporate Vice President for Windows and Silicon & Systems Integration, focusing on optimizing Windows for Arm-based devices. He completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Maryland.

Uma Amuluru

Boeing’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President

Uma Amuluru, former White House Counsel under President Obama, has taken on the role of Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President at Boeing, effective April 1. The Indian American executive succeeds Michael D’Ambrose and now reports directly to Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun while serving on the company’s executive council. In her new capacity, Amuluru oversees key areas including talent planning, global talent acquisition, learning and development, compensation and benefits, employee and labour relations, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

[caption id="attachment_55145" align="aligncenter" width="468"] Indian-origin leaders | Uma Amuluru | Global Indian Uma Amuluru[/caption]

Amuluru’s journey with Boeing began in 2017, where she previously held the roles of Vice President and General Counsel for Boeing Defense, Space & Security, as well as the company’s first Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to her tenure at Boeing, she held several senior positions within the federal government, including serving as Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. At the White House, she provided legal and strategic counsel to senior officials on matters involving compliance, oversight, and risk management. Amuluru holds a Doctor of Law degree from Northwestern University.

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Snowflake’s Chief Executive Officer

In March of this year, Snowflake, the U.S.-based company that powers the AI Data Cloud - a global network enabling thousands of organizations to mobilize data with near-unlimited scale, concurrency, and performance, appointed Sridhar Ramaswamy as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors. The Indian American executive previously served as the Senior Vice President of AI at Snowflake, succeeding Frank Slootman in the CEO role. Ramaswamy joined Snowflake in 2023 following the company's acquisition of Neeva, an AI-powered search engine that he co-founded in 2019. Since then, he has been at the forefront of Snowflake’s AI strategy, leading initiatives such as the launch of Snowflake Cortex, a fully managed service designed to make AI simple and secure for all users, driving rapid business value.

[caption id="attachment_55146" align="aligncenter" width="504"] Indian-origin leaders | Sridhar Ramaswamy | Global Indian[/caption]

Born in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, Ramaswamy earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from IIT Madras. He moved to the United States in 1989 to pursue his master’s degree and PhD in computer science at Brown University. He calls himself a technologist and humanist focused on harnessing the power of software for larger social good.

Smriti Kirubanandan

Accenture’s Managing Director of Healthcare and Healthtech

In February this year, healthcare business executive Smriti Kirubanandan joined Accenture as Managing Director of the firm’s healthcare and healtech practices. Accenture described the Indian American as a ‘contemporary Renaissance figure,’ recognizing her remarkable achievements as a growth and partnerships executive with a unique background in robotics and public health. Kirubanandan is also a raw vegan chef and nutritionist, actively involved in community service and leading initiatives to combat food insecurity.

[caption id="attachment_55140" align="aligncenter" width="485"] Indian-origin leaders | Smriti Kirubanandan | Global Indian Smriti Kirubanandan[/caption]

In 2023, she was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and is a member of the Young Leaders Circle at the Milken Institute. She is the founder of the HLTH Forward Podcast, an award-winning media platform where healthcare leaders, policymakers, and artists discuss systemic challenges and explore collective solutions to advance healthcare. Smriti Kirubanandan holds a bachelors in robotics ad computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and two master of science degrees from University of Southern California and UCLA, respectively. She has joined the advisory council of Harvard Business Review recently.

Vipin Gairola

Genpact’s Global Operating Officer

In February this year, the New York City-based multinational information technology services, consulting, and business process outsourcing company announced the appointment of Vipin Gairola as its Global Operating Officer. Gairola is spearheading the transformation of service delivery for Genpact’s clients by leveraging AI-led solutions. As Global Operating Officer, he oversees Genpact’s global client operations, analytics, data, and technology across all regions. He is a member of Genpact’s Leadership Council and leads the company’s Operations and Cost Council.

[caption id="attachment_55142" align="aligncenter" width="446"] Indian-origin leaders | Vipin Gairola | Global Indian Vipin Gairola[/caption]

Gairola joined Genpact from Accenture, where he spent over two decades in various senior leadership roles, most recently serving as Chief Strategy Officer for Accenture Operations. With 26 years of experience in customer service, account management, marketing, transition, and solution creation, Gairola has established himself as a leader with exceptional business acumen and innovative thinking. He is also passionate about promoting workplace gender diversity and building a future-ready workforce equipped with AI and automation skills, ensuring enriched jobs for humans. Gairola holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering, and an MBA in manufacturing management from SPJIMR College in Mumbai.

Vaishali Bhatia

ATI Inc’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel

In March this year, ATI Inc., a Dallas-based aerospace and defense company, appointed Vaishali Bhatia as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer. In this role, Bhatia will lead all aspects of the company’s legal function and work closely with business teams to provide risk-based legal guidance. She succeeds ATI’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Elliot Davis, who will retire effective October 1, 2024. Until then, Davis will serve as Special Advisor, Legal, and Compliance, to ensure a smooth transition.

[caption id="attachment_55147" align="aligncenter" width="514"] Indian-origin leaders | Vaishali Bhatia | Global Indian Vaishali Bhatia[/caption]

Bhatia comes to ATI from HF Sinclair Corporation, where she has been Executive Vice President since 2023 and served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since 2019. She earned her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin. In 2022, she was recognized as 'DFW General Counsel of the Year for a Mid-Size Legal Department' by The Texas Lawbook and the DFW Association of Corporate Counsel.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and there are other notable appointments of Indian-origin leaders throughout 2024 who are also making significant impacts in their respective fields.

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Triumph over Trafficking: Harold D’Souza and his family’s journey from victims to advocates

(May 8, 2024) “Harold D'Souza and Darcy D'Souza are inspirations to me, and their story inspired me to create a feature documentary film titled 'To Be Free,' which focuses on labour trafficking in the United States," shared American director Benjamin Ryan Nathan in his message at the Eyes Open International (EOI) Conference organised by Harold D'Souza last week. The feature documentary is being produced by the American actor and producer Martin Sheen who has received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards in a career spanning 30 years. “Are you aware that slavery is still thriving in our midst? The answer to that question inspired me to become an executive producer of the feature documentary film called 'To Be Free' that exposes the practice of human labour trafficking here in the United States and around the world,” he remarked in his video message that was played at the conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reKPdItTRdk "This was our first Eyes Open International Conference. It was my dream project, a mission impossible made possible with the help of EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre, and well-wishers," Harold D'Souza, pleased with the success of

ernational Conference. It was my dream project, a mission impossible made possible with the help of EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre, and well-wishers," Harold D'Souza, pleased with the success of the conference, shared with Global Indian.

He formed his non-profit Eyes Open International to enlighten community members, victims, survivors, law enforcement agencies, faith leaders, nonprofit organisations, healthcare professionals, police officials, first responders, academics, students, teachers, and professors to identify red flags, problems, solutions, and resources involved in human trafficking. The EOI conference served as an extension of this goal. The EOI board boasts of people from both USA and India including Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil.

The global rendezvous

Apart from the thousands who viewed the EOI conference (Triumph over Trafficking) live virtually from India, Canada, Pakistan, Nepal, and the U.K., 300 people attended it in person," shared Harold, adding, "Those who travelled from India to attend the conference included Deepak Acharya, EOI Board Director and CEO of INOX India Ltd."

Linda Dixon from the Department of Defense USA, Dr Yvan Demosthenes, CEO of HamiltonDemo, Dr Kalyani Gopal, founder of SAFECHR, Linda Majeska Powers, Legal Director of the Ohio Attorney General, Hon Woodrow Keown, President and CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and Hriday Raval, International Director of Eyes Open International, were the speakers at the conference.

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"The audience felt that it was a life-changing experience for them simply by seeing the first brown survivor family, on stage. For the first time in our two-decade journey, all four of us—my wife, Darcy, and my sons, Rohan and Bradley—were together to share our journey from struggle to success," Harold remarked. He strongly believes that "survivors are thrivers."

Expressing gratitude to the EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the entire community from Ohio, America, and India for the successful EOI conference, Harold D'Souza added, 'The support from Rohan, Bradly, and Darcy was the pillar of this mega success."

Flashback - From Victim to White House Consultant

In 2003, Mangalore’s Harold D’Souza relocated to the United States with his family, only to realise that they had inadvertently fallen victim to human trafficking, eventually finding themselves ensnared in debt bondage.

“I stepped down from a senior management position in India to pursue the American dream,” remarked Harold. “I came to the United States following the advice and encouragement of a man who would become my trafficker,” he said, talking about his ordeal. “He manipulated, tricked and trapped us.” As a part of the deceitful scheme, Harold was promised of an H-1B visa, and a job as a business development manager with a salary of $75,000 along with other 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.

[caption id="attachment_51424" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold, Darcy, Rohan and Bradly - Then and now[/caption]

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, or the H4 dependant visa on which my wife and two sons came on. 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.

Upon Harold's arrival in the US, his trafficker confiscated the documents and $1000 in cash that he carried on the pretence of safekeeping. From that moment, their ordeal began. Both he and his wife were compelled to work seven days a week, enduring shifts lasting 14 to 16 hours in a restaurant, with accommodation provided 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.” And Harold explains that all through, abusive language and threats continue.

The trafficker imposed exorbitant fees for food, clothing, and shelter, and withheld Harold and Darcy’s salaries to cover these expenses. Additionally, Harold was deceived into signing a loan from a bank, which the trafficker pocketed, plunging him into debt bondage.

[caption id="attachment_51401" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold D’Souza with former USA president Donald Trump at the White House[/caption]

After enduring years of ordeal, Harold finally liberated himself by mustering the courage to seek help and working his way out of the situation, displaying immense bravery.

Looking at his story of resilience and resolve, he was appointed to the US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking initially by President Barack Obama and later by President Donald Trump. His tenure at the White House, from 2015 to 2020, restored the self-confidence that Harold had lost during the ordeal of being treated as an undocumented immigrant, despite entering America on an H-1B visa. “At the White House I was not looked at as a survivor, rather as an expert, and that transformed my life,” he remarked.

Purpose – to prevent human trafficking through Eyes Open International

“When people in my team at the White House heard my story, they encouraged me to start a non-profit to help victims.” This inspired Harold to establish Eyes Open International, dedicated to aiding victims of human trafficking and debt bondage. Driven by his own traumatic experiences and his resolve to alter the plight of trafficked individuals, he additionally fulfils the role of an expert consultant at the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. He actively participates in the Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and serves on the board of directors for numerous NGOs worldwide.

[caption id="attachment_51406" align="aligncenter" width="475"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold-D'Souza after receiving the Hero Award[/caption]

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. “A feature film on my story with a well-known movie star in India is in the discussion phase,” he signed off.

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To know more about Eyes Open International and its initiatives, visit its website

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