Global IndianstoryNeerja Patel: Basking in entrepreneurial spirit with ‘JP Morgan Chase’ and ‘KNOW Women’ recognition

Neerja Patel: Basking in entrepreneurial spirit with ‘JP Morgan Chase’ and ‘KNOW Women’ recognition

Written by: Amrita Priya

(October 11, 2023) JP Morgan Chase and KNOW Women have awarded the New York based entrepreneur Neerja Patel with ‘The 100 Women to KNOW Across America Award 2023’. It is a recognition that JP Morgan Chase, the American multinational financial services firm, and KNOW Women, A global media company and community dedicated to amplifying the voices of female leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs bestows upon the most successful, influential, and honourable women in the American society.

Neerja is the founder of Neerja Public Relations, a boutique brand management firm that she established 13 years ago by blending her fervour for public relations with her strong affinity for the South Asian community. Under her leadership, the firm has successfully executed marketing campaigns for companies like Lufthansa Airlines, organised events such as the AR Rahman concert, and engaged in collaborations with distinguished personalities like Archana Kochhar, Padma Lakshmi, and Vir Das.

Neerja Patel during a media briefing session

Neerja’s strong ties within the South Asian diaspora in the United States fuel her commitment to strengthening and empowering this vibrant community. “We just wrapped up South Asian New York Fashion Week which was a four-day event in New York City celebrating South Asian fashion and designers,” she shared with Global Indian as she connected from the US.

The Lufthansa and other meaty projects

“We were engaged as consultants for Lufthansa‘s new route to India, a project that originated through a multicultural advertising agency. They sought our expertise in crafting a campaign that resonated with the South Asian diaspora,” Neerja shared while talking about the coveted project. Her firm’s contributions encompassed defining the target audience, understanding the community’s unifying factors, establishing brand positioning, and devising a comprehensive advertising strategy spanning television, radio, and online platforms.

“We also assisted in crafting compelling copies, developing an interactive website to gather consumer data, overseeing casting for the commercials, and much more. The cherry on top was the honour of getting to be the face of the national campaign! We worked with Lufthansa for two of its vital projects,” says Neerja.

Other than that, one of her favourite projects has been an impressive sold-out show with a capacity exceeding 15,000 at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center, featuring the Grammy and Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman.

Neerja Patel with AR Rahman

Currently, her brand management firm is working with Girls That Invest on a two-week PR tour in partnerships with Google, Shopify, SALUTE, Brown Girl Magazine, and more. “We have many exciting things coming up, including a three-day Diwali Dance Fest at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida,” tells the PR maverick.

For the upcoming festive season, Neerja is also collaborating with Kulture Khazana, a brand that encapsulates the essence of celebrating culture and heritage in the Western world through edutainment products for children. Together, Neerja Public Relations and Kulture Khazana aim to create a delightful festival experience for kids while enriching their heritage knowledge through engaging initiatives.

Helping non-profits amplify their cause

Neerja and her team find deep satisfaction in involvement with non-profits. With a multifaceted approach the firm’s PR services, assist non-profits in crafting and executing successful campaigns. “This involves putting their initiatives into the spotlight, sharing their compelling stories and impactful work with both the community and the media. The objective is to amplify their message, raise awareness for their causes, and provide vital publicity support for any upcoming events such as fundraisers they may be hosting,” she says. Working to make meaningful causes successful gives deep job satisfaction to the entrepreneur.

Neerja’s immigration story

Born in Mathura, Neerja recalls relocating to the United States at the age of seven, leaving behind a household filled with aunts, uncles, and cousins. While she moved to the US at a tender age, she believes that certain cultural aspects from her carefree days in India, such as the different sounds, scents, and flavours of food, have been permanently etched into her memory.

Neerja Patel

Her maternal aunt’s family also immigrated to the US along with them. They resided together in Minnesota, where their grandparents stayed. Ten of them shared the same roof, even utilising the basement to accommodate the large family.

Although Neerja and her sister were the only Indian children in their school district, she never allowed the Western landscape to overshadow her cultural identity. Despite immersing herself in new surroundings, Neerja ensured her participation in whatever little cultural activity, including festivals, functions, food, and music that the minuscule Indian community in Minnesota had to offer. She steadfastly preserved the cultural bonds of her roots amalgamating her heritage with the new environment, while being immersed in the film and music of India.

During those days, when they had only the essentials, Neerja learned valuable lessons about hard work from her parents. She watched them labour tirelessly to build their American dream from scratch, advancing in their careers and providing a comfortable life for Neerja and her sister. “Even now, as they’ve grown older, their unshakeable commitment to work and resilience continues to amaze me,” Neerja says.

Juggling both worlds

To effectively balance her professional and personal responsibilities, Neerja relies on the support of her family. Although her mornings begin with ensuring that her kids are ready for school, as the day progresses, her schedule varies. During this time, her husband and in-laws living nearby step in to assist her, enabling her to focus on her job without worrying about the kids.

Neerja Patel

Additionally, Neerja finds emotional support from her sister, who may be far away in Minnesota but is always there to provide encouragement and comfort.

Talking about her take on entrepreneurship, Neerja remarks, “It is a challenging endeavour. It doesn’t come with a shortcut to instant success. The key is maintaining unwavering focus, practicing patience, and having unshakable faith in your efforts.”

She believes that instead of being intimidated by competitors, aspiring entrepreneurs should keep in mind that there’s ample space for everyone to thrive. “Your true confidence shines through your determination and your capacity to learn valuable lessons from setbacks,” she signs off.

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Published on 11, Oct 2023

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Priyank Patel: President awardee brewing inclusion and celebrating diversity at ‘Nukkad’

(July 26, 2024) Entrepreneur Priyank Patel was honoured with the National Award for ‘Best Employer for Person with Disabilities’ in 2019 by the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. In 2020, he received the Helen Keller award from Mindtree and the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People. After completing his degree in electronics and communications engineering, Priyank worked a 9-to-5 job for a few years, first in Delhi and then in Pune. Although life was going well - just as one dreams - it felt as if something was missing. This led him to start Nukkad Tea Café, which not only positively transformed the lives of people from marginalised communities whom he employed but also enhanced his own satisfaction with life. Nukkad Tea Café, with several branches in Raipur and Bhilai, employs hearing-impaired people, transgender individuals, dwarfs, people with intellectual disabilities, trafficking survivors and more. Through his venture Priyank has been able to convey a succinct message that everyone is integral to the society, even those often overlooked. By giving people with special needs a chance to prove themselves, his cafes manage to deliver a thought-provoking message in a happy ambience without compromising on the quality

. By giving people with special needs a chance to prove themselves, his cafes manage to deliver a thought-provoking message in a happy ambience without compromising on the quality of the service. “Over the last 11 years, leading this venture has deeply transformed me both personally and professionally,” Priyank tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_53126" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Indian Entrepreneur | Priyank Patel | Global Indian Priyank Patel with Nukkad team[/caption]

The entrepreneur is expanding both the scale of the venture and its reach to marginalised communities. “We have already opened our vacancies for HIV-positive youth in existing branches and plan to work with elderly citizens in a full-blown cafe model in the coming months,” he informs.

The story of transition

Before venturing into social entrepreneurship, Priyank who has always been inclined towards giving back, spent a few hours on weekends volunteering for NGOs while working as an engineer. How am I helping society?” is a question that always kept ringing in his head.

During this time, he learned about the India Fellow Program, which annually selects 25 young people from across the nation to equip them to drive change.

The program includes training, mentorship, reflections, and hands-on work experience with grassroots organisations addressing social issues. For Priyank, who was primarily associated with the IT sector, being selected from numerous applicants across the country was a significant milestone.

[caption id="attachment_53139" align="aligncenter" width="522"] Indian Entrepreneur | Priyank Patel | Global Indian Priyank receiving award from President of India, Ram Nath Kovind in 2019[/caption]

Once he joined the program, he was sent to a village in Maharashtra's Ambegaon Taluka for a few days as part of a rural immersion exercise. “While walking through the village, a man invited me to his hut and introduced me to his young son, who was lying paralysed on a cot. The man explained that his son, once a talented cricket player, had suffered a sports injury during a district championship. Despite their best efforts, the doctors said there was nothing more they could do.” The old man asked if Priyank could help in any way.

It was a heart-wrenching situation for Priyank, as he felt helpless to even provide hope. This experience further sparked his desire to help people in need.

Empowerment through employment

Inspired by the experiences of his fellowship, Priyank gained an understanding that every member of a lower-income family needs to contribute financially. He realised that physically challenged members often become a burden to their families. This led him to come up with the idea of starting Nukkad Tea Café to provide job opportunities for physically challenged individuals.

“Government job options are limited and reserved, while the private sector offers few opportunities to these individuals.” To create a momentum for change, he started Nukkad Café in 2013 hoping that more people in the private sector would be encouraged to create such opportunities.

In the past 11 years, Nukkad Tea Café branches have focused on empowering families with physically challenged members from different marginalised communities, providing them with employment opportunities, and creating a space for their growth and integration.

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A post shared by Priyank Patel (@nukkadwalapriyank)

Breaking barriers

For his social venture, Priyank specifically chose the idea of a café, because he believes that it’s a place where people spend leisure time and are open to considering other aspects of society. His goal was to drive-in the point in a happy and comfortable environment, where people with disabilities and marginalised communities could be integrated. “The setup of a café allows people to learn about, appreciate, and understand that the kind of people serving them are capable, and should be given a chance,” he says.

This approach also helps build self-respect for the individuals of marginalised communities and enhances their credibility in society, he believes. He is happy that his idea has yielded success.

When he was opening a branch in Bhilai, while employing the transgender community, Priyank was slightly doubtful of them being accepted by the customers. However, he was happy to find that young people embraced the transgender members and sought to understand their stories, as they had not mingled with such people before. Creating a space for such interactions was satisfying for the entrepreneur. "We never thought trans people could be so loving," they remarked. Their reaction boosted the entrepreneur’s confidence and he went ahead and employed people with down syndrome, and trafficking survivors.

Making the model work

Priyank employs several strategies that contribute to the success of his unique business model at his cafés. Firstly, he emphasises the learning of sign language by all staff, regardless of hearing ability, to ensure seamless communication.

“Even kitchen staff are expected to grasp sign language within six months of joining. The menu card for customers includes codes in sign language, enabling them to order easily when served by deaf staff.”

“We have introduced a Buddy Training program where the senior employees assist the new joiners to understand the culture and work ethics of Nukkad while being accountable for the learning and growth of the new employee,” Priyank tells adding. “I myself have enrolled in the DEIA Catalyst program to be more efficient in developing Nukkad as an all-inclusive work space for PwDs and marginalised community members.

Indian Entrepreneur | Priyank Patel | Global Indian

His employees work in a warm, welcoming environment and since they enjoy what they do, there are low attrition rates. “As there are limited job opportunities and chances to prove their capabilities, our staff exhibit great zeal, loyalty, and a strong desire to build a positive reputation for themselves and people like them,” the entrepreneur says.

Starting from one outlet, Nukkad Tea Café is now a chain of four cafes – three in Raipur and one in Bhilai. Giving employment to more than 70 members of the marginalised community Priyank is working with the mission to let people know that those who are born special are skilled enough, and their skills should not go in vain.

New initiatives

Since creating a sense of sympathy cannot lead to continued business growth, to make the business model successful Priyank and his team regularly curate interesting events at their cafés so that the customers remain tempted to walk-in again and again.

Priyank has been exploring more avenues for people to engage with Nukkad and has started a coworking space within a cafe in Raipur. “We encourage freelancers, artists and others to avail a co-creative work space which is available on daily, weekly and monthly rental basis,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_53133" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Indian Entrepreneur | Priyank Patel | Global Indian Priyank Patel and guests at a Nukkad event[/caption]

He is also developing a recently popular business model, the asset-light QSR model, which focuses on a limited but fast-selling menu while employing PwDs. “With Nukkad's branding and expertise, we are certain it will attain success,” the entrepreneur remarks.

By creating employment for marginalised communities, Priyank Patel is not just giving them an opportunity to earn a living, but also self-respect and identity. He is also reducing barriers between the marginalised segments and the larger society.

Follow Priyank Patel on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook
Follow Nukkad Tea Cafe on Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

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

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

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

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

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

The identity question

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

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

Catching a break

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

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

Ashutosh Mehndiratta | Indian and Faraway Lands

India: A History

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

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

Imagine there's no country

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

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

A story of interconnectedness

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

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

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

Drivers of progress

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

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

Follow Ashutosh on LinkedIn.

Holistic health: Renowned lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho’s journey to personal transformation

Luke Coutinho's remarkable journey from carefree teenager to holistic wellness expert showcases his unique approach to personalized health, focusing on comprehensive wellness, prevention, and integrative healing methods. (May 2, 2023) As a corporate worker, Luke Coutinho observed senior professionals succumbing to lifestyle diseases, despite access to top healthcare resources. Recognising the need for a holistic approach, Coutinho developed his signature program, 'You Care Wellness Program.' Today, he has consulted and treated over 20,000 patients worldwide, authored four bestselling books, and regularly conducts workshops. "If people are mindful and know what their bodies need, it will make living a healthy life more effortless." Emphasising simplicity, he says, "The body is unique, so every day is different, and so are its needs," Luke Coutinho tells Global Indian. Among his accolades, Luke was named one of GQ's 50 Most Influential Young Indians and Times Power Men in 2018. He also received Elle's Best Health Expert of the Year and Vogue's Best in the Industry (Nutritionist) in 2018. His clientele ranges from billionaires to A-listers across Bollywood, Tollywood, television, industrialists, royal families across the Middle East, elite athletes and spiritual leaders. While some illnesses might not have a cure, Luke believes healing is always

ies across the Middle East, elite athletes and spiritual leaders.

While some illnesses might not have a cure, Luke believes healing is always possible, even if it means accepting the condition and finding peace. He asserts that healing is spiritual, involving improvements in physical, emotional, and spiritual health. "It can include improving the quality of your life by empowering yourself with the right lifestyle, food, movement, and tools to enable emotional wellness and the spirit."

[caption id="attachment_37992" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Luke Coutinho[/caption]

From Goa to the world

Born in Mumbai, Luke travelled extensively with his family, growing up around the world before his father decided to settle down in Goa. He has come a long way as well, from the carefree teen who liked to chill with friends, to hotel management to lifestyle coaching. "Goa was very different in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I had my fair share of parties and clubs as a youngster,” Luke recalls.

His interest in nutrition sparked during college days when he was part of Institute of Hotel Management and Applied Nutrition (IHM). After completing his three year course, he worked for several organisations across Mumbai, Qatar, Dubai, London and India and tried his hand at different professions, ranging from operations, sales, hospitality to learning and development.

The program that changed it all

Luke respects all forms of healing, be it allopathy, naturopathy, homeopathy, ayurveda. “We are not against any form of medicine. Instead, we integrate the best forms of medicine that works for an individual, while we coach them on lifestyle,” he informs.

He says the You Care Wellness Program is a holistic, integrative medicine and lifestyle program that revolves around patient's condition, medication, goals, the nutrition they need, integrated with movement, exercise guidance and sleep. "The program empowers you with the tools to build sound emotional health and wellness,” Luke explains.

Moreover, his program revolves around five pillars — deep and intelligent cellular nutrition, adequate movement and exercise, quality sleep, emotional detox and wellness, and the spirit. “These are the foundational platforms for prevention and recovery in integrative and lifestyle medicine. It respects your uniqueness and works with an understanding that no one shoe fits all.”

Every program and journey is personalised according to the person’s past or present lifestyle, health condition, symptoms, and root causes, says Luke, who is an adviser and the head of integrative lifestyle and nutrition at Pure Nutrition, which creates pure plant-based formulations and cold-pressed oils.

Luke says integrative and lifestyle medicine focuses on addressing the root cause of the problem and works to manage the side effects of medications and treatments that may cause secondary problems, issues, and discomfort. “While symptoms are being treated, root causes must be addressed, and rebuilding with a focus on future prevention is important,” he explains.

A team of highly skilled nutritionists, clinical dietitians, allopathic doctors, yoga therapists, life coaches, and certified emotional counselors are assigned according to the condition of the person. “All these experts come together to form an integrative team that will help you find a way on your journey to wellness and a healthier you,” says Luke, who has co-authored The Dry Fasting Miracle with The Green Sheikh.

[caption id="attachment_37994" align="aligncenter" width="682"] Luke Coutinho[/caption]

The hardships along the way

Luke has had his share of challenges along the journey. The toughest challenge, he says, has been changing the wrong attitude of people and working with them on this so they can actually recover. “Sometimes it only takes some correcting to improve health. The ego, pride and wrong attitudes can be so strong that it comes in the way of their healing and becomes an obstacle,” he informs, adding that another challenge he encountered was during the pandemic when he could not meet his patients.

In the line of integrative and lifestyle medicine, he believes in seeing his patients and closely observe their physical aspects that signify health. “I am a huge believer in energies, and physical presence of a doctor or nutritionist allows an exchange of energies which can benefit a patient,” says Luke, who is also the co-founder of GOQii, a digital healthcare platform that provides personalized coaching.

Holistic programs

He believes a wellness program needs to focus on the root-cause, instead of a symptomatic approach. “A program has to look at health from a holistic lens, and not just pushing diets and strict exercise regimes. It has to work on the basic fundamentals of nature and should focus on simplicity instead of complication, because the answer to most diseases in most cases is simple lifestyle corrections,” points out Luke, who also co-wrote the book The Magic Weight Loss Pill - Lifestyle with Anushka Shetty, which includes 62 proven lifestyle changes that help individuals achieve healthy weight loss.

He says complicated solutions might be required for some cases, but not all. “Most programs today may get good results, but they can only be carried out in a controlled environment. The moment an individual travels or moves out of their homes, the program becomes impossible to follow,” points out Luke. He believes it is necessary for any health program to be realistic, simple, individualistic, and driven with true care and passion by the experts.

Luke and his team work with root cause and create an inner and an outer environment for an individual so as to allow their body’s inner intelligence to kick in. “It would be through fasting, circadian rhythm, fixing nutritional deficiencies, creating relaxation in the mind, and so on.”

On mental health

With mental health issues plaguing people across the world, Luke says chronic stress is one of the major reasons for half of the cardiac problems and also cancer. “If your illness is caused by chronic stress, then no amount of medication is going to help unless you learn to manage your stress the right way,” he says.

Luke learns the most about life from his interactions with terminally- ill patients. “I have learnt that time and life are finite, so don’t waste both. Instead build and make memories. Be ambitious in your career but don’t become a slave to your career or to money,” he says.

His piece of advice? “Focus on family, relationships, love, emotions and experiences. Look after your health and enjoy your life. Find a way to give back to society to feel fulfilled in life.”

[caption id="attachment_37995" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Luke Coutinho[/caption]

Luke the speaker

The award winning holistic nutritionist travels the world conducting and speaking at events on holistic wellness, nutrition, disease and emotional wellness. He doesn't believe in preaching instead wants to empower people to use their own mind, common sense, biofeedback and intuition to make decisions for themselves.

Being an expert, he says he can coach people on the guidelines to conform to, but cannot make specific decisions for their health. However, he does emphasise on the three most important fundamentals to success in all areas of life - Discipline, Consistency, Simplicity.

Future plans

Luke says his past, current and future plan has always been to give 100 percent to every patient who comes to him. “My goal is my next patient. That is what built us so far, and I want to continue giving my all to the vision my team and I have.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6Xd5b_I_W4

Learning something new everyday

Luke prioritises personal growth by dedicating at least an hour every day to learning something new through reading and research. “Writing is also a way for me to express myself and reflect on my thoughts. I immensely connect through music, and I find myself listening to my favorite artists and playlists during my downtime, in-between consults, and after work,” says Luke. Since he is constantly on the go, he watches movies during his travels.

“I make it a point to soak in some sunshine while practicing meditation and pranayama,” smiles Luke, who tries to fit in a workout during the day. “Once work is done, I head back home, where I may have a few more consults before winding down for the day," says the nutritionist, for whom evenings are dedicated to dinner, some reading, journaling, and prayers. “I always end the day with a sense of gratitude.”

Key takeaways:

Embrace a holistic approach: Focus on nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional detox, and spirituality for overall wellness.
Personalize your wellness plan: Recognize that everyone's needs are unique and tailor your health journey accordingly.
Listen to your body: Pay attention to your body's signals and adapt your wellness plan to its changing needs and requirements.
Address root causes: Identify and target underlying issues to prevent health problems rather than merely treating symptoms.
Combine healing methods: Utilize integrative techniques, such as allopathy, naturopathy, and ayurveda, to create a well-rounded wellness strategy.

Follow Luke Coutinho on Twitter and Instagram
Follow You Care on Instagram

Reading Time: 7 min

Changing the face of farming: India’s agro tech startups are reshaping the industry

(February 9, 2024) India, with a staggering 120 million farmers, relies predominantly on agriculture as its main source of income. Despite the limited technology adoption in the country's agricultural sector, a select few entities are actively incorporating digitisation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Their aim is not only to enhance the agricultural industry but also to enhance the livelihoods of farmers. These agricultural technology startups are addressing technological, financial, and logistical deficiencies in the supply chain, guaranteeing consumers access to high-quality products at reasonable prices while ensuring fair compensation for farmers. According to a recent report from NASSCOM, there are more than 450 agricultural startups in the country, experiencing an annual growth rate of 25 percent. In 2021, EY forecasted that the Indian agrotech market could potentially reach $24 billion by 2025. Global Indian highlights specific agrotech companies that are emerging as pivotal players in transforming the agricultural sector. Waycool Founder: Sanjay Dasari One of India's fastest-growing agricultural startup and food distribution companies, Waycool Foods & Products Pvt. Ltd, was established with a simple motive to ensure farm products reach the customer's table without any compromise on quality. While there were other players in the field at the time, Sanjay

s & Products Pvt. Ltd, was established with a simple motive to ensure farm products reach the customer's table without any compromise on quality. While there were other players in the field at the time, Sanjay Dasari, the founder of Waycool, noticed that the perishable goods supply chain in the country was disorganised, and since aggregators were not storing the produces properly, they would pay the farmers way less than they deserved.

[caption id="attachment_30248" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Agro | Ninjacart | Global Indian Sanjay Dasari, founder, WayCool[/caption]

Over the last eight years, Waycool has positively impacted the lives of over 500,000 farmers, earning an estimated annual revenue of $2 million. In 2021, the company managed to raise $64.9 million in funding and also started several high-quality private-label products under the label SunnyBee.

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Ninjacart
Founders: Ashutosh Vikram, Kartheeswaran K K, Sharath Loganathan, Thiru Nagarajan, Thirukumaran Nagarajan, Vasu Devan

When six Bengaluru-based IT professionals decided to start a company in 2015, there was hardly any other organisation working in the agro tech setup. It took months of discussion, brainstorming, and field research for Ashutosh Vikram, Kartheeswaran KK, Sharath Loganathan, Thiru Nagarajan, Thirukumaran Nagarajan, and Vasu Devan before they decided to start Ninajcart - a company aimed to ease the lives of several agri players, including farmers, wholesalers, and aggregators.

Agro | Ninjacart | Global Indian

However, a year into the market, the founders realised that reaching only supply chain players wasn’t going to help them grow. So, they started their B2C model, which revolutionised the whole agro tech game in India. The founders eliminated the middleman, not just ensuring that the product reached the customers in time, but also ensuring that the farmers involved with Ninjacart were not subject to unfair practices. Today, Ninjacart employs nearly 2,000 farmers to sell more than 80 varieties of vegetables and fruits every day to around 1000 customers in Bengaluru. Valued at $194.2 million, Ninjacart is equipped to move over 1500 tons of perishable goods from farms to businesses, every day, in under 12 hours.

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Agrowave
Founder: Anu Meena

Farming has been a male-dominated field. So when Anu Meena, a young IIT graduate decided to start an agro tech company, she did face a bit of resilience from her loved ones. However, her passion for building a sustainable supply chain for fruits and vegetables helped her overcome all difficulties and established Agrowave in 2017. With a farm-to-market business model, Agrowave has helped about 8,000 farmers from parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra sell their produce from their farm gates through mobile pickup stations.

[caption id="attachment_30250" align="aligncenter" width="556"] Agro | Agrowave | Global Indian Anu Meena, founder, Agrowave[/caption]

The company created several pickup locations for the farmers so that they do not have to travel to the mandi to sell their produce. The delivery trucks pick up the produce from farmer gates and pick-up stations and allow hassle-free payments to the farmers. Valued at $2.6 million, the agro tech startup has managed to cut the middleman from the entire supply chain process.

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MeraKisan
Founder: Prashant Patil

Backed by Mahindra, Pune-based MeraKisaan has been able to grow exponentially in a very short period. One of the first agro tech companies in the country, MeraKisan focusses on the needs and demands of customers who want quality farm produce and also works to create visibility for those farmers who are producing quality agricultural products.

[caption id="attachment_30251" align="aligncenter" width="554"] Agro | MeraKisan | Global Indian Prashant Patil with the company's brand ambassador, cricketer Ajinkya Rahane[/caption]

Addressing the market linkage problems for farmers, the founder of the startup, Prashant Patil, started by helping farmers in his area switch to premium organic produce, for which there was heavy demand. While the organic crop was getting ready, Patil and his team worked on developing an infrastructure to procure and store the produce and solve the supply inefficiencies at a macro level. They then marketed their produce in online marketplaces, including Ninjacart, Jumbotail, CropIn, FreshWorld, Aker Foods, and AgroStar, to connect organic farmers, producers, suppliers as well as customers. Currently, MeraKisan is valued at around $1 million.

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Bijak
Founders: Nikhil Tripathi, Mahesh Jakhotia, Nakul Upadhye, Jitender Bedwal, Daya Rai

Founded in 2019, Bijak gives a premium business-to-business platform for agricultural commodity trading that helps buyers and sellers better prices, increase working capital, and optimise logistics. The idea is to focus on gaps in the supply chain, including data analysis, finances, technology, and unorganised workers, to help the farmers get a better value for their crop, without it being a burden for the traders.

[caption id="attachment_30252" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Agro | Bijak | Global Indian Nikhil Tripathi, Mahesh Jakhotia, Nakul Upadhye, Jitender Bedwal, and Daya Rai[/caption]

The platform provides loans to traders and also a small working capital for the farmers. To ensure that there are no wastages or partial truckloads, the company also provides aggregated logistics services through its mobile application. Valued at $33.9 million, the company is working in over 27 cities across India, covering more than 100 products on its platform.

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Reading Time: 6 mins

The stars who have taken India to the Oscars

(March 6, 2023) The whole world is humming 'Naatu Naatu' and all eyes are on Ram Charan and NTR. Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes has dominated the international film circuit - in 2022, it became the first film to win the Best Documentary prize at Sundance and Cannes. Kartiki Gonsalves' directorial debut, The Elephant Whisperers, took the world by storm after its release on Netflix. All three films have received Oscar nominations in 2023. Indian cinema has finally earned itself a front row seat at the Academy Awards this year. Global Indian takes a look at the Indians who have made it to the Oscars and the films that got them there. Bhanu Athaiya Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Gandhi "It took me 17 long years to set up 'Gandhi', my dream films and just 15 minutes to make up my mind that Bhanu Athaiya was the right person to create the many hundreds of Indian costumes that would be required to bring it to the screen," director Richard Attenborough said in his statement to The Academy. Bhanu Athaiya, one of the most important artists and costume designers of the time, made history for India in 1983, when

ector Richard Attenborough said in his statement to The Academy. Bhanu Athaiya, one of the most important artists and costume designers of the time, made history for India in 1983, when she became the first Indian to win an Oscar. 'Gandhi' swept the Oscars that year, winning eight awards, much like Slumdog Millionaire would do over 25 years later.

A member of the Progressive Artists' Group, Bhanu's artistic career unfolded alongside the likes of M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde. She would often exhibit with the group, although she continued her work as a freelance fashion illustrator for women's magazines. She showed such a talent for it that she switched career paths, joining Guru Dutt's team. She has worked in over 100 films, with filmmakers like Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor and Ashutosh Gowariker, as well as Richard Attenborough and Conrad Rooks.

In February 2012, Bhanu expressed her wish to return her Academy Award to the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as she believed her family would not be able to care for it after her demise. In December that year, the Academy reported that the trophy had been returned.

Satyajit Ray

Winner of an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award at the 64th Academy Awards

One month before his demise, a video message showing the visibly frail Satyajit Ray lying in a hospital bed and holding the golden statue, was played at the 64th Academy Awards ceremony in Dolby Theatre. Iconic Hollywood actor Audrey Hepburn had just announced the award, describing Ray's work as a "rare mastery of the art of motion pictures and his profound humanism which has had an indelible influenced on filmmakers and audiences throughout the world."

Ray's son, Sandip, told Firstpost, "The air was abuzz since end-1991 that several filmmakers in Hollywood, including Ismail Merchant, James Ivory and Martin Scorcese, were all gearing up to propose the Oscar for father." Later, they learned that Merchant and Ivory had left no stone unturned in their efforts. Finally, a telegram arrived from the actor Karl Malden, who was the AMPAS president at the time, announcing the award. Ray was ecstatic - he had fallen in love with cinema through Hollywood.

Audrey Hepburn, who announced the award, also sent Ray a telegram, saying she was "proud and privileged to represent our industry in paying tribute" to the giant of Indian cinema.

A.R. Rahman

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009

He's possibly one of the biggest names of all time in Indian cinema but even Rahman "felt like a gladiator" in the run-up to the Oscars. The composer, who released a video recently recalling the experience, said, "I wen tot all these amazing dinners before the Oscars. But still I was unsure, and the whole of India was cheering. When they announced my name for the score, I was like, 'Is this real? Or is this a dream?'"

Rahman hadn't prepared a speech and when he heard Penelope Cruz speak in Spanish, he decided to go with Tamil, saying, "All perfect praise belongs to God alone." The legend won two Oscar awards that year, for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, which he shared with Gulzar for Jai Ho. The Dev Patel-starrer that went on to win a whopping eight awards, the highest number received by a single film that year. Rahman has received a total of five Oscar nominations, receiving three in 2011 for 127 Hours.

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Gulzar

Winner of Best Original Song for Jai Ho

A colossus of Bollywood, the ever-modest poet-lyricist Gulzar said, that Jai Ho would not have won the award without the contributions of the maestro, A.R. Rahman. "It was because of A R Rahman the song won the award. Although Sukhwinder Singh also contributed to making the song a hit by putting a lot of energy into it," he said, a decade after winning the award.

As it happened, Gulzar and Jai Ho singer Sukhvinder Singh were both noticeably absent at the award ceremony and watched the Oscars glamour unfold on TV. Singh was even supposed to perform at the ceremony with AR Rahman and many eyebrows were raised. It turned out that Singh and Gulzar had failed to receive the official letter from The Academy.

[caption id="attachment_35847" align="alignnone" width="640"] Gulzar[/caption]

Resul Pookutty

"I dedicate this award to my country. This is not just a sound award but a piece of history that has been handed over to me." Resul Pookutty was all smiles as he received the Oscar award in 2009, as the sound designer for Slumdog Millionaire. Sharing the award with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke, he dedicated the honour to his country. Pookutty is also a BAFTA winner and became the first indian to win the Cinema Audio Society award for best sound mixing.

Pookutty was born into poverty in Kerala. His father was a private bus ticket checker and a young Pookutty would walk six kilometres to school everyday, returning home in the evening to study in the light of a keroscene lamp. He attempted a law degree and dropped out before completing it, joining the FIlm and Television Institute of India in Pune instead. He moved to Mumbai after that and got his big break with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black, after which he received several big ticket opportunities as a sound mixer.

Life didn't go too smoothly for Pookutty after his Oscars honour, however, despite him being one of India's most celebrated sound mixers. In 2020, he took to Twitter to say that the Hindi film industry had turned its back on him after he won his Oscar, even calling it the 'kiss of death in Bollywood."