Philanthropist | Dr Geetanjali Chopra | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryHow Dr Geetanjali Chopra’s Wishes and Blessings fed 30,00,000 meals to the hungry

How Dr Geetanjali Chopra’s Wishes and Blessings fed 30,00,000 meals to the hungry

Written by: Global Indian

(January 25, 2022) Journalist, researcher, academician now philanthropist – Dr Geetanjali Chopra’s multi-faceted personality is awe-inspiring. After years of juggling diverse careers, Dr Chopra’s started her NGO – Wishes and Blessings in 2014 thus transforming her life, and the lives of lakhs of marginalised people. She wanted to fight the hunger crisis in India and also help in relief work, especially during the pandemic. Today, her NGO has clocked 30,00,000 meals, and continues its efforts to feed the hungry.

Through the pandemic, Chopra galvanised a team to help with food, hygiene and shelter, and also launched ambulances for emergency assistance. “During the second wave, we reached across seven Indian states – Assam, Bihar, Delhi/NCR, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. We have served over 30 lakh meals, distributed over 80,000 ration kits and provided over 30,000 hygiene kits to 50,000+ beneficiaries. Through our initiative Dabba Bhara Hai, we also provide food resources to underprivileged. Additionally, we are launching our vaccination camps for underprivileged children,” reveals the 40-year-old.

Philanthropist | Dr Geetanjali Chopra

The path to charity

“I felt enthusiasm and nervousness when I first established Wishes and Blessings in 2014. I was stepping into a completely new realm with zero experience. My life experiences and patience were my two mentors. We started by working with visually-impaired children, and over time, Wishes and Blessings grew to include orphanages, old-age homes, and shelters for the homeless – operating across eight states of India,” says Geetanjali Chopra in an interview with Global Indian. Wishes and Blessing is seven years strong today with a core focused on spreading happiness. “My team and I constantly look out to help people in need across demographics, providing them with food, education, shelter, relief, etc,” the philanthropist adds.

Geetanjali’s work was honoured with Dettol India’s recognition under the “Our Protectors” segment, and she received the Global WOW Achievers Award by World Women Leadership Congress. As the Womennovator 100 Women Faces 2018 Award, the recognition by NITI Aayog, among many others motivate her to keep up her charitable initiatives.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Geetanjali Chopra (@geetanjalichopra_official)

Life before philanthropy

Born and bought up in a Punjabi family in Delhi, empathy and affection were qualities she embraced early on. “I would accompany my grandfather to a school for visually-impaired children, to celebrate birthdays and special occasions. On one such occasion, a little girl tugged at my arm, asking, “When is my birthday?” Her innocent, yet intriguing words left a permanent impression.” Little did Chopra know that the question would soon influence her life’s mission.

Before turning philanthropist Chopra played many roles – as academician, columnist and more. “A decade of my life has gone into the media world, research, and teaching,” shares the woman who did journalism (Lady Sriram College), masters international relations (Jawahar Lal Nehru University), and humanitarian law.

Philanthropist | Dr Geetanjali Chopra

It was when humanities entered her life after tenth that she found her calling. A career in academics, and she was on her way. Her insatiable desire to learn saw her study at Utrecht University (Netherlands) for a PGDP in international human rights law. To enhance her academic foundation further, Geetanjali pursued another diploma programme – this time from the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (Italy) where she studied refugee law and human rights law.

These diverse educational qualifications reflect how life’s changed, and her priorities too. “I worked both in print and broadcast journalism,” she adds.

The desire to help the needy

Wishes and Blessings accepted the humungous task of fighting the horrifying hunger crisis that the underprivileged in India experience. “Hunger crisis is one of the greatest threats to societies across the world. We launched the daily meals programme in December 2015. Our vision behind this project was simple – nobody should go to sleep on an empty stomach. We started serving hot and nutritious meals three times a day – daily. Ration kits are also given in areas where cooked food cannot be served. As of 2022, the programme is active in eight states across India. With this programme, we have been able to serve over 30,00,000 meals,” the philanthropist shares.

Philanthropist | Dr Geetanjali Chopra

The NGO also runs the winter relief drive to distribute warm clothing to children, women, men, marginalised communities and the elderly across Delhi NCR, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Another of Chopra’s noble initiatives is starting an elderly care home in Delhi. “I was fortunate to have all four grandparents in my life for a significant period. They played an instrumental role. Losing three of them in quick succession left a huge void. On hearing about dreadful cases of ill-treatment and abuse of elders – I decided to open my old-age home Mann Ka Tilak. Through this shelter home, we provide a safe environment and a loving family to abandoned elders,” she explains.

From policymaker to humanitarian

As an accomplished professional, quitting her job as a fellow at Centre for Policy Research to run an NGO full-time wasn’t an easy decision. “I was in a dilemma – I wanted to give up everything and work for the underprivileged, yet I also wanted to explore academics and policy making. Facing my fears, I made a decision to quit my job and never looked back,” ruminates Chopra, who is the first woman in her family to hold a PhD.

Philanthropist | Dr Geetanjali Chopra

Despite facing initial resistance from family, they finally extended full support when they realised that a charitable journey would make Chopra happy. “I have imbibed independence, self-love, empathy and charity from my family. My husband tries to be the voice of a reason in situations that perplex. My father helps me with all the legal and accounts work. My cousins provide legal assistance and advice,” smiles Chopra, ever thankful.

Amidst her hectic schedule, Chopra loves to take time off to cook – it’s her biggest de-stressor. “I have a vast collection of cookbooks – my most prized possessions. I love photography too. My NGO experience has ignited a new interest in me – to capture interesting subjects,” the philanthropist signs off.

Follow Dr Geetanjali Chopra on Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram
Follow Wishes and Blessings on Instagram

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 25, Jan 2022

Share with

ALSO READ

Asmita Kerkar: Helping fight food insecurity in Minnesota through design psychology

(January 10, 2023) Bernice Wimmer has been trying everything to fight the hunger crisis in the city of Alexandria in Minnesota, and was looking for support in redesigning her outreach food shelf (a point where families shop for the rescued food) to help improve shopping flow and focus on fresh food. Keen for a solution, she was still resisting the change. However, a meeting with Asmita Kerkar, the layout designer with the Foundation for Essential Needs (FFEN), changed it all as she helped create dignified shopping experiences for people facing food insecurity. "Having someone experienced, who knows space design and the psychology behind it, was a gift," Bernice said. In the three years that Asmita has worked with FFEN, she has helped improve the turnout at almost seven food shelves in Minnesota through design psychology, helping create a safe platform for community engagement. [caption id="attachment_48115" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Asmita Kerkar[/caption] "Food insecurity is huge in the US," Asmita tells Global Indian. Almost 34 million people in the US are food insecure, a statistic that shocked her. "I had no idea that the hunger crisis was acute in the US. We have around 400 food shelves in Minnesota, out of which over

curity is huge in the US," Asmita tells Global Indian. Almost 34 million people in the US are food insecure, a statistic that shocked her. "I had no idea that the hunger crisis was acute in the US. We have around 400 food shelves in Minnesota, out of which over 250 have consulted with FFEN at some point." Working with a nonprofit that's helping Minnesota fight the hunger crisis by managing food shelves in the state, Asmita realised design psychology is most needed by these people as they have a stigma of shame to shop from the food shelves. "Coming from low-income families, they are unable to put food on the table every day, and are in a dilemma about choosing to pay the rent or medical bills or using the money to buy food, " says Asmita, adding, "These people get food through donations which happen mostly in spatial experiences that feel unwelcoming due to lack of choice. But what FFEN or we as spatial designers are trying to do is create a grocery store environment for these people but without exchange of money and the freedom to pick and choose."

Understanding that a space can have an impact on people's psychology, Asmita started bringing more colours to the food shelves by collaborating with artists. "Certain colours can uplift your mood. Moreover, signage plays a pivotal role as language is important. We work around environmental graphics like 'Take As Much As You Need' instead of 'Limited to 5LBS' making the experience welcoming to them." Even changing linear aisles to diagonal has helped improve the shopping experience of people at food shelves.

[caption id="attachment_48116" align="aligncenter" width="674"] Outreach food shelf[/caption]

Architecture to design psychology - shifting gears

Fashion designing was Belgaum-born Asmita's first choice but an incident made her shift gear in her career choice. Seeing a beautiful heritage home being torn down in the neighbourhood "broke her heart." This prompted her to read more about architecture and its history and led her to sit for The National Association of Students of Architecture exam. "Though I wasn't good at sketching, my dad and my teacher believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dream." After bagging a seat in Bachelor of Architecture, Asmita had an epiphany that it was the correlation between spaces and human psychology that intrigued her more than the exterior of the building.

After graduating, she took up freelancing projects for interior design leading to an interest in spatial experience design, which intensified after arriving in the US for her master's in environmental design at the ArtCenter College of Design. Learning the psychology of spaces opened up a new horizon for Asmita, and her class on Design Matters nudged her toward designing for social impact. "During my thesis, I started volunteering with FFEN as a layout designer and introduced them to the psychology of design and spaces and its impact. Seeing the feedback pushed me to look for opportunities in nonprofit," says the spatial designer, who initially worked with a corporate as sustaining on a nonprofit as an international student wasn't feasible. "However, I kept volunteering with FFEN."

Asmita Kerkar | Global Indian

Designing for social impact

Opportunity knocked on her door when FFEN approached her to work as a design strategist after receiving a part of the $147,000 grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to design Fresh Food First - food rescue toolkits to help preserve the freshness of the rescued food. "Food makes 18% of landfills in Minnesota where it breaks down and produces methane, impacting climate change. I wanted food shelves to know why it was important to save the rescued food so that it doesn't land up in landfills," she adds. Most of the rescued food comes from farmers, family donations, food drives, restaurants, and few grocery stores like Trader Joe's. "All the donated food goes to a food bank that distributes it to the food shelves. It's again dependent on supply and demand."

Asmita Kerkar

So, what are the toolkits that Asmita has created? "It's mostly guidebooks or graphical posters. In the food shelves, there is a scarcity mindset. Since the supply isn't enough, you don't have enough to showcase. How do you display less produce in a way that people think it's more? You use a tilted basket and pile up everything at an eye level. We try to design such small things that play with the mind of the person rather than their reality which you cannot change." Moreover, the toolkits create awareness in case of food shelves displaying food in wrong equipment. "Most display onions and potatoes together but are unaware that they produce ethylene gas which leads to the darkening of potatoes. Providing a list of ethylene-sensitive and ethylene producers list, helps them stock the produce in a better way. Another aspect is recycling food. Up to 2-3 weeks expired baby food can be consumed by baby animals on the farms," explains Asmita.

[caption id="attachment_48119" align="aligncenter" width="744"] McLeod Food shelf in Minnesota[/caption]

This month her team will pilot the project in seven-ten food shelves. Over the years, Asmita's work has helped create an inclusive and dignified space for people to shop. "It was also a learning experience for FFEN as to what is design psychology and why trauma-informed design is important."

Asmita, who loves baking and going on walks, measures her success by the smiles on the people's faces. "Design for social impact is what I am interested in, and knowing that my work is helping hundreds of people every day makes me content," she signs off.

Follow Asmita Kerkar on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 min

Creating history: Author Priya Satia’s novels narrate the tale of India under the British Raj

(January 11, 2023) For the past several generations, British historians have deconstructed and reimagined world history to suit the Empire's narrative. Their tales of development in various colonies of the empire across the globe - including India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean - licensed the brutal suppression of the colonial rebellion by imperial governance. While these narratives still echo in world history, author Priya Satia's latest release, Time's Monster: History, Conscience, and Britain's Empire, examines how the British historians not only twisted the fate of colonial politics but also shaped the futures of generations to come. [caption id="attachment_33728" align="aligncenter" width="526"] Priya Satia, author[/caption] "It shaped my family’s history and so much of the world, and I felt I could contribute – and correct influential myths – from the United States," the author shared during an interview while answering why it was important for her to write this book. The award-winning author of Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution and Spies in Arabia - Priya compels her readers to look into the parts of world history that generally are never discussed. The Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of British History at

could contribute – and correct influential myths – from the United States," the author shared during an interview while answering why it was important for her to write this book. The award-winning author of Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution and Spies in Arabia - Priya compels her readers to look into the parts of world history that generally are never discussed. The Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of British History at Stanford University, the Global Indian regularly writes for various media outlets including Financial Times, The Nation, and Washington Post.

The Arabian conquest

A Ph.D. scholar from the University of California, Berkeley, Priya grew up in Los Gatos, amidst a lot of books. An avid reader, she was always curious to know about the past of the nation to which she belongs - India. And it was this passion which led her to write several books on the British Raj in the country. In 2008, Priya released her first book, Spies in Arabia: The Great War and the Cultural Foundations of Britain's Covert Empire in the Middle East, which was well-received not just by the audience, but also by the critics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaG_JMxQ9eI

In a recent interview, the author discussed why she chose to write about events in the Middle East. "I had an interest in South Asia before I had an interest in the Middle East. I was looking into the Indian Army, which did most of the fighting in Iraq during World War I, and became distracted by the Indian Army’s British officers. They arrived thinking that they were in the land of the Arabian Nights, that this place was mysterious and unknowable. But they were there to perform very practical tasks. I became curious how their cultural outlook shaped what they did and how they did it."

Uncovering several conspiracy theories, the author shares how off-base the British were and how outlandishly exaggerated their theories. "When I wrote Spies in Arabia, I was so sure that the British were so wrong in what they assumed about native inhabitants that I didn’t pay enough attention to their actual interactions. This dimension comes out more in my current work on global anticolonial networks than it did in Spies. I’m now looking at the conspiracy theory chapter from the other side, in a sense," she said.

The bloody history of India

While it is not talked about or portrayed in world history, that the British were barbaric towards Indians is a truth that needs no further proof. And yet, everyone seems to have turned a blind eye toward the actual events of the time. Priya, however, shares that it was very important for her to uncover this part of history and present it to the world. “In public memory, redemptive myths about colonial upliftment persistently mask the empire’s abysmal history of looting and pillage, policy-driven famines, brutal crushing of the rebellion, torture, concentration camps, aerial policing, and everyday racism and humiliation,” the author explained in the book Empire of Guns, adding, "To be sure, there is a story about the ‘banality of evil’ to be told— about the automatic, conformist ways in which ordinary people become complicit in inhumanity. But in the case of the British Empire, the bigger story is perhaps that of inhumanity perpetrated by individuals deeply concerned with their consciences, indeed actively interrogating their consciences."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHldSyL8ouo

The book earned Priya the 2019 Pacific Coast Conference on British Studies Book Prize, the Wadsworth Prize in Business History, and the AHA's Jerry Bentley Prize in world history. "Empire of Guns told the story of a very important eighteenth-century gunmaker named Samuel Galton. As a Quaker, he was forced to defend his gun-making to fellow Quakers who felt it violated the sect’s pacifist commitments," shared the author, who was also the finalist for the LA Times Book Prize in History and shortlisted for the Laura Shannon Prize in Contemporary European Studies and the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize.

The author, who is also the curator of several tailored history seminars, wants young people to read and understand history from an unbiased point of view. "To those hoping to enter the world of history, I would suggest coming in with a strong, uncompromising sense of the purpose of that entry, else the academy will instill its own values of personal professional advancement, which are designed to perpetuate institutions as they exist now," the author shared during a class.

Follow Prof Priya Satia on Twitter

Reading Time: 6 mins

Nobel Laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan receives UK’s Royal Order of Merit by King Charles III

(December 1, 2022) King Charles III has appointed six new members to the British Order of Merit. They are the final Officers of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBEs) chosen by Queen Elizabeth II. Among them is the world-renowned structural biologist and Nobel Laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. Ramakrishnan is also the first Indian to have been elected president of the UK’s Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific academy. Ramakrishnan, who goes by ‘Venki’, believes that people like him are “token representatives of science,” the “lucky ones whose work was recognized,” maintaining that there are “many other brilliant scientists who are doing a great job.” [caption id="attachment_32314" align="aligncenter" width="815"] Venkataraman Ramakrishnan | Photo Credit: Academy of Achievement[/caption] Talking about the breakthrough work that led him to become a Nobel laureate, the Global Indian remarked in an interview with Academy of Achievement: Of course I was practising leadership during the entire research work but I could have never done the work by myself. It was a team effort, lots of scientists made significant contributions. "Science is not a sporting competition” Ramakrishnan struggled enough during the early years of his career, rising above the odds and eventually

a Nobel laureate, the Global Indian remarked in an interview with Academy of Achievement:

Of course I was practising leadership during the entire research work but I could have never done the work by myself. It was a team effort, lots of scientists made significant contributions.

"Science is not a sporting competition”

Ramakrishnan struggled enough during the early years of his career, rising above the odds and eventually winning the Nobel Prize in 2009. The day the prize was announced, Ramakrishnan was in a bad mood – he had had a flat tyre on the way to work, forcing him to walk the rest of the way and arrive late. When the phone rang with the big news, he thought his friends were playing a prank on him.

He shared the laurel with Ada Yonath and Thomas A Steitz for their breakthrough work in the sphere of ribosomes (minute particles within living cells, that perform biological protein synthesis). Their contribution to science opened up new possibilities in the development of antibiotics.

[caption id="attachment_32315" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Indians in UK Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Dr Ramakrishnan receiving Nobel Prize in Chemistry from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in 2009[/caption]

Exciting as it is to win the Nobel Prize, Ramakrishnan doesn’t believe that science is a race, where reaching the finishing line first makes a winner. “I’m not a fan of prizes,” Ramakrishnan admits.

In an interview with Academy of Achievement he said:

Science is not a sporting competition where you can measure who came first. If at all you want to compare it to sports, then it’s like soccer where the entire team makes the efforts to bring the ball to the point where finally one person scores the goal.

The early days

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan was born in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district in 1952, when his father was abroad doing his postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States. Later, in 1959, his mother obtained a PhD in psychology from McGill University, completing it only in 18 months. Growing up with two stalwarts left its mark on Ramakrishnan.

Ramakrishnan went on to pursue his undergraduate studies at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, on a National Science Talent Scholarship, graduating with a BS degree in physics in 1971. Immediately after, the young graduate moved to the US at the age of 19 for his higher studies. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in physics from Ohio University in 1976.

[caption id="attachment_32316" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Dr Ramakrishnan in early days of his life[/caption]

Rising above the odds

After he finished his post-doctoral research fellowship at Yale University in the 1970s, Ramakrishnan decided to apply for teaching jobs. He reached out to over 50 institutions in the US, receiving only a line of rejections for his efforts. The Nobel laureate says, “I was actually lucky in the end to (at least) get a job at the National Lab (Brookhaven National Laboratory).”

In his own words, his ‘background was slightly weird’ because after he got his PhD in Physics, he transitioned from Physics to Biology. It meant starting over, spending the next two years studying Biology as a graduate student at the University of California, applying a ‘weird technique of neutrons scattering to solve a biological problem’. “So, they just sent my application to pile B,” he remarked.

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan

As far as getting a job in the four-year degree colleges were concerned, Ramakrishnan said, “they probably thought, ‘look at this guy’s long name, he is from India, we don’t even know whether he can speak English. How do we know whether he would even be able to teach and he has this slightly weird background, and so I went into pile B for them too.”

Changing tracks

Finally, when he landed a job as a staff scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, Suffolk County, New York, he was delighted. He worked there for twelve years and got the opportunity to continue with his study on ribosomes. It was a new area of research then.

[caption id="attachment_32317" align="aligncenter" width="687"] Venkatraman Ramakrishnan | Cover of Dr Ramakrishnan's book on ribosome[/caption]

“I think I got into ribosomes somewhat by accident,” by reading about it in a journal and developing great interest in it, he remarked. The subject lay at the “crossroads of biology,” and Ramakrishnan felt it was a part of biology that required a knowledge of physics to be understood in totality. It was at this intersection, he believed, that he could add value to the ongoing research.

I was lucky to hit on a problem that had such a long lifetime and still be interesting. That doesn’t happen very often in science.

Ramakrishnan told about his research.

Moving to the United Kingdom

As he worked in the USA, Ramakrishnan learned that work on the macromolecular particle in ribosomes had been happening in Britain for a while. A breakthrough was coming, he knew, and he was determined to be part of it. After 24 years of stay, he bid goodbye to America, sacrificing a higher salary and a host of wonderful colleagues to start over in a new country. In 1999, he moved to the UK.

[caption id="attachment_32323" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Dr Ramakrishnan addresses summit delegates in Mayfair, London in 2017 | Photo Credit: Academy of Achievement[/caption]

Ramakrishnan joined the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in UK, where the focus was on employing diverse methods in biology, physics and chemistry to understand biological processes at molecular levels and find long-term solutions to global problems. The laboratory had also churned out a number of Nobel laureates over the years. “The salary was much less but there was a lot more freedom and stability in terms of what I wanted to do,” Ramakrishnan remarked.

Life choices

The decision to move from the US to the UK, sacrificing some tangible and intangible benefits, proved to be a good one. Ramakrishnan and his team were able to reach a breakthrough in the study of ribosomes, as he had hoped. By uncovering its complex structure, they were able to solve many problems.

Winning the Nobel prize was the cherry on the cake. “For an academician in UK, winning a cash prize is quite a big deal.” He was able to make some of his dreams come true with the amount that he received.

[caption id="attachment_32318" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Dr Ramakrishnan receiving Padma Vibhushan from former President, Pratibha Patil in 2010[/caption]

The scientist, who holds dual citizenship with Britain and America, has won numerous recognitions and accolades in his eventful career. In 2002, he also began making frequent trips to his homeland - India. Every year, the Global Indian spends a few months giving lectures at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

Ramakrishnan married art student Vera Rosenberry when he was just 23, and the couple have remained together since. She is a children’s book author now with 30 books to her credit. The couple live in the village of Grantchester near Cambridge, enjoying their 47-year-strong marriage.

Awards and honours conferred to Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan:

British Order of Merit, 2022
Knight Bachelor, 2012
Padma Vibhushan, 2010
Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2009
Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine, 2007

Follow Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan on Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

Take a bow: Victory loves preparation, says ace Indian archer Abhishek Verma

(May 18, 2023) From a humble classroom in New Delhi to the prestigious podiums of international archery, Abhishek Verma's journey is an inspiring saga of relentless dedication and stellar achievements. A towering figure in Indian compound archery, the Arjuna awardee’s legacy includes over 150 national and international medals, including multiple World Cup golds. Get a glimpse into the determined, driven life of the ace Indian archer, who ranks 10th in the world and 1 in Asia and India. Abhishek Verma's day begins at the crack of dawn. Even after two decades of being a professional archer, Abhishek lives by one rule: Victory loves preparation. "Practice is the key in any tournament, I practice eight to ten hours every day without fail," the ace archer says, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. "I do some physical activity between 6 am and 7 am and then have a practice session till 11 am," he explains. At 3 pm, he begins his second session - that continues till 7 pm, after which he usually heads to the gym.These intense practice sessions have always been a way of life. "I followed the same routine in my early days and stick to it even now, even

ions have always been a way of life. "I followed the same routine in my early days and stick to it even now, even after becoming the father of two children," smiles the compound archer.

[caption id="attachment_38810" align="aligncenter" width="573"] Indian archer Abhishek Verma[/caption]

Victory loves preparation

That dedication has always stood him in good stead. At the 2014 Asian Games held in South Korea, just as Abhishek was all set to aim and shoot, strong winds began to play a spoilsport. He stayed calm maintained his focus and leaned into his training, recalling everything that he had learned about encountering harsh weather conditions. Abhishek brought home the gold in the men’s compound archery team and silver in the men’s individual compound event.

“All professional archers encounter strong winds and rainfall during tournaments. Don’t bother about winning a medal, just go out there and perform well. The medals will follow,”Abhishek smiles. Also in 2014, Later that year, he won the Arjuna Award, becoming the first archer in the compound category to receive the top sporting honour. "Arjuna is a dream for any sportsman. It was a huge moment in my career," he says.

At the time of this interview, the World Cup gold medallist had just returned from Tashkent, where he led a 16-member contingent of archers for the Asia Cup 2023. The team returned home in triumph, with a total of 14 medals in the compound and recurve events. His current world ranking is No. 10 while his Asia rank and India rank stand at No 1. “Archery demands focus and consistency, which comes with a lot of dedication.

Transformed by his game

Archery, Abhishek believes, changes one’s personality for the better. “It makes you calm and focussed,” he says. For him, he is his own competition. “I don’t see other people as my competitors. I am my own competitor,” remarks Abhishek, who is also an Income Tax officer in Delhi. Hundreds come to play a tournament but only three win medals,” says the archer, who is presently training for the Asian Games to be held in China in October this year.

In August 2015, he won a gold medal in the compound men's individual section at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Wroclaw, Poland. In October the same year, he won the silver medal in the compound men's individual section at the Archery World Cup Final in Mexico City.

Last year, Abhishek teamed with fellow archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam and won gold medal in compound mixed team event in Archery World Cup held at Paris, France. Similarly, in November 2021, he won the bronze medal in the men's compound archery team at the 22nd Asian Archery Championship in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Early life

Born in New Delhi in June 1989, Abhishek was in class eight, a student of Government School in Model Town, when he decided to take up some sporting activity. So, one morning, he walked up to his PT teacher and sought his advice on which sport he should take up. “Join archery,” his teacher casually told Abhishek.

Some days later, when he held a simple wooden bow and shot an arrow for the first time in his life, Abhishek felt an instant connection with the sport. So much so that he gave his 100 per cent to archery and it gave him everything one can aspire for in life.

In those initial years, Abhishek would practice at the Delhi university ground, from where he started playing sub-juniors and nationals. By 2005, he became a national champion. “I was an average student academically, so my parents were happy that I was doing so well in archery,” he recalls.

Going pro and paying it forward

By 2006, he started practicing at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) stadium and went on to play several national tournaments. “My real journey started from the year 2011 as I began participating in world championships. I worked very hard for the compound model, which was new in India. I took the help of some of my coaches and the internet to get it right. I pushed myself harder,” says Abhishek, who represented India in five Asian championships held across the globe and won 12 medals.

Presently, he practices at National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Sonepat or at Yamuna Sports Complex, Delhi. Archery is an expensive and technical game, he says. “To participate in the international events, we need imported bows which cost 3 lakh upwards, which not everyone can afford,” he says, adding that the government, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in particular, is doing its bit to help out the talented sportspersons.

Abhishek also plans to do his bit for archery. “I want to open an academy and train young players to become successful archers. I have the capability and knowledge about the sport which I want to pass on to my juniors and help them in every possible way,” says Abhishek, who has travelled the world for his tournaments.

Leisure time

Ten hours of archery practice daily and taking care of his family don’t leave Abhishek with much time to pursue a hobby. “Whatever time I get after or in between my practice, I make it a point to spend it with family. This leaves me no time for anything else,” says the ace Indian archer.

He however likes to watch OTT and indulges in it in between long flights. “There is so much of travelling to do for world tournaments and that gives me some time for myself,” he smiles.

Follow Abhishek Verma on Instagram.

Peace of mind at a click: Dr Amit Malik’s mental health app clocks 3 million downloads

(March 1, 2022) In February 2021, mental health platform InnerHour raised $5.2 million led by Lightbox. The app, a digital self-help platform gives users access to a range of services - methods to manage stress, anxiety, consultations with licensed therapists, etc. Life has come full circle for its Mumbai-based co-founder and mental health expert Dr Amit Malik, who had returned to India with the intention of bringing mental healthcare to a society where the very idea of seeking external help remains taboo. The app is now clocking three million downloads highlighting the need for calm amidst the storm – pandemic or otherwise. [caption id="attachment_20499" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Dr. Amit Malik, founder and CEO, InnerHour[/caption] In Mumbai, as he navigated one of the most high-stress environments in the world, he only realised the growing need for adequate mental health services. India accounts for a third of the global burden of depression, addictions and suicides, while access to treatment remains either difficult, scarce or is outright shunned. Back in India, the mental health expert Dr Amit Malik took his two-decade-long career in psychiatry forward to tackle India’s mental health. Having worked with the NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, and serving as a

ck in India, the mental health expert Dr Amit Malik took his two-decade-long career in psychiatry forward to tackle India’s mental health. Having worked with the NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, and serving as a member of the Council of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the European Board of Psychiatry, and the standing committees of the European Psychiatric Association, he had the tools to move forward. A prolific writer, Dr Malik has also co-authored six textbooks, been published in several international academic journals, and even done a stint as a member of the editorial board for two reputed publications - International Psychiatry and International Journal of Social Psychiatry.

Returning to his roots

“It was the urge to go to the grassroots, and solve mental health problems that brought me back to India,” says mental health expert Dr Malik, in an interview with Global Indian. “It's not just that India is close to my heart, it’s also a country where the problem is very large. Some 190 million Indians suffer from mental health ailments and around 90 to 95 percent of these never get help,” he explains.

Dr Amit arrived in the UK in 2001 for postgraduate training in psychiatry at the University of Nottingham. He then went on to become a member at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Raised into a family of engineers, Dr Amit was born in NCR, and did MBBS at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. “My mother’s sister was a doctor, and we were very close. Looking back, I have wanted to be a doctor as far back as I can remember, and she was an inspiration,” recalls the mental health expert. After medicine, he went on to do a master's in business administration from the London Business School, and also holds a diploma in geriatric medicine from the Royal College of Physicians in London.

‘Tech that’

“The situation in India intrigued me - I wanted to solve difficult problems in healthcare, working with issues like providing early access to people with mental health difficulties, how to break the stigma, and poor awareness barriers, and how to build large scale standardised services that could provide good quality treatment,” mental health expert Dr Malik explains.

[caption id="attachment_20500" align="aligncenter" width="707"] Mental Health Expert | Dr. Amit Malik | Global Indian Dr. Amit Malik[/caption]

Technology provided just the breakthrough and the idea for InnerHour. The startup aimed at leveraging technology in combination with high quality scientific clinical practices to provide awareness and timely access. “We created a model that would cater to an entire spectrum of needs, from access to receiving help, support in difficult times and providing ongoing support as well.” says the mental health expert.

A changing landscape

Despite the taboos and challenges that India faces, InnerHour has been received with enthusiasm from clients and investors alike. What started out as an 18-member team grew to over 100 in the past year alone, Dr Malik says. “We do five times as many therapy sessions now than we did before. Our app is also nearing three million downloads, which is a threefold increase. We're also generating six to seven times the revenue compared with 2021. In 2021, we have been able to help more people than we did in the four years before that,” smiles the mental health expert.

[caption id="attachment_20497" align="aligncenter" width="808"] Mental Health Expert | Dr. Amit Malik | Global Indian InnerHour Team[/caption]

Awareness has grown tremendously. Explaining the exponential growth of his company, the mental health expert adds, “Celebrities like Deepika Padukone and Virat Kohli talking about mental health in public has worked, and the recent mental healthcare act has also gone a long way. I am happy to see that these problems are being given the spotlight. People are finally shunning the stigma, and accepting that mental health is as important as physical health. More than 60 percent of our clientele are from tier 2 and sub-tier 2 cities. We have a long way to go but the gap has narrowed,” says the founder-psychiatrist.

Looking to the future

Online counselling, revolutionary though it has been, cannot compensate for offline treatment. People between the ages of 18 and 45 are very tech-savvy but need to be reached out to in person. "Those with severe and acute needs cannot be addressed with online, so we are in the process of opening offline centres in Delhi and Bengaluru, in the next three months,” says the mental health expert.

The doctor’s wife works in the financial services sector. He enjoys playing basketball and table tennis with his son. The psychiatrist turned entrepreneur is a voracious reader devouring at least a couple of books every fortnight. With family and friends all living nearby, his social calendar, he says, is rarely empty!

Follow Dr. Amit Malik on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins