Indian American | Global Indian | Pramila Jayapal

Global IndianstoryPramila Jayapal: Indian-American becomes the first Asian woman elected to the US House of Representatives

Pramila Jayapal: Indian-American becomes the first Asian woman elected to the US House of Representatives

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(February 13, 2023) She was only 16 when she made her way to the US to study at Georgetown University, and “after 17 years on an alphabet soup of visas to become a US citizen”, Pramila Jayapal was lucky enough to have the “opportunity to live the American dream” – something that’s still a distant dream for many immigrants today. And now she is set to make this dream a reality for many immigrants as the Indian-American Congresswoman has been named Ranking Member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee’s panel on Immigration, making her the first immigrant to serve in a leadership role for the subcommittee. “It is extremely meaningful to me that I will now be in this position to better move the needle and re-center our broken immigration system around dignity, humanity, and justice,” she said.

Interestingly, she is the first immigrant to serve in a leadership role for the subcommittee. “As the first South Asian woman elected to the US House of Representatives and one of only two dozen naturalised citizens in Congress, I am honoured and humbled to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement,” added the 57-year-old who is representing the 7th Congressional District of Washington State.

Pramila Jayapal

Born in Tamil Nadu, she grew up in India, Indonesia, and Singapore before moving to the US in 1982 to study English and Economics at Georgetown University, and later enrolled in Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management for an MBA.

It was in the 90s that she began her activism as a community organiser in Seattle, Washington, working on a variety of social justice issues, including immigrant rights, environmental protection, and affordable housing. She served as Director of the Fund for Technology Transfer at Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (1991-1995), a program that funded critical health projects in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. In 1995, she was awarded a two-year fellowship from The Institute of Current World Affairs to live in villages and towns across India and write about her perspectives on modern Indian society in the context of development and social justice. In 2000, she published her first book Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland.

Then 9/11 happened, and that’s when Pramila started OneAmerica — originally called the Hate Free Zone Campaign of Washington — as a response to the hate crimes and backlash against Arabs, Muslims and South Asians. “What started as simply protecting people against hate crimes turned quickly into much more—working to defend our civil liberties and rights for all immigrant communities,” the Global Indian wrote in a blog.

Pramila Jayapal | Global Indian | Indian American

She soon realised the importance of federal immigration reform policy to the US. “In 2003, through the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride, we began working on immigration reform and never stopped. We built political power for immigrants in our state, registering and mobilising to the polls tens of thousands of New Americans. We organised in different ethnic communities and advocated for better policies. We worked with the media to improve the narrative around immigrants and immigration. Together, with partners, allies, and members, we built OneAmerica from a fledgling effort into the largest immigrant advocacy organisation in Washington and a strong national force for justice,” she added.

It was in 2016 that she ran for the House of Representatives and was elected as the first Indian-American woman to serve in the House of Representatives. In Congress, she has been a vocal champion of a wide range of progressive causes, including healthcare reform, environmental protection, and reproductive rights. She is also a leading voice in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform and has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies.

Pramila Jayapal | Global Indian | Indian American

Moreover, she played a key role during the Covid-19 pandemic through American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion stimulus package aimed at providing relief to individuals and businesses impacted by the pandemic. Furthermore, she is a philanthropist and an advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and healthcare. She has introduced several bills aimed at improving the lives of marginalised communities, including the Medicare for All Act of 2019.

She is married to Steve Williamson, a long-time labor leader, and strategist, and is the proud mother of a transgender daughter named Kashika.

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Published on 12, Feb 2023

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Born in Chicago, settled in India, Anjum Babukhan set up a school that makes a difference

(October 7, 2021) Anjum Babukhan's is an unconventional story. Born and brought up in Chicago, she moved to India for her husband. But where she could've basked in the glory of her new life, she decided instead to channel her energies into branching out on her own. A keen learner herself, she found the education system in the country outdated and set out to make a change in her own small way. She founded Glendale Academy, a co-education school that laid an emphasis on holistic growth and a nurturing environment, in Hyderabad. The concept clicked and today, the brand has flourished into a chain of private schools that was ranked number 1 in Telangana and at number 8 in India by Education World. For close to three decades now, Anjum has striven to transform lives through education, which remains her top priority even today. Otherwise, the award-winning educationist can teach you a thing or two about martial art form like Tai Chi or Chinese exercise Qigong, show off her urban sketching skills and Yin-Yang art, display her Ikebana expertise, become a dance choreographer or wow people with her Zumba and Yoga moves. In everything that she does, Anjum sets the standards

e a dance choreographer or wow people with her Zumba and Yoga moves. In everything that she does, Anjum sets the standards high.

By leaps and bounds

“I do my best and let god do the rest,” smiles Anjum, settling down for an exclusive interview with Global Indian. Her desire to achieve and a passion to convert her dreams into reality led to the birth of Glendale Academy. She took off with one school in the early 2000s; 25 years later, Glendale has expanded by leaps and bounds.

“We now stand as number 1 in Telangana and top 10 in India; we are known for our pedagogy – the art of teaching and holistic curricular approach more than anything else," informs a beaming Anjum, the Director of Glendale, as she looks back at her illustrious journey.

From America to Hyderabad

Born and raised in Chicago in the United States in a conservative family, Anjum is the eldest of four siblings. Her Indian Muslim parents immigrated from Hyderabad in the 1970s. "I keep traversing between continents, cultures and conditions. Whether it was adapting as a bicultural child of immigrants in the US to moving halfway across the world to India and adjusting to the social constructs of the society here, I pick out elements of what I choose to harmonize in my symphony of multi-layered and multi-cultural being," says Anjum.

She was a high honor roll student, who won several scholarships on graduating from high school before she went on to study Psychology in the honors program at Loyola University, Chicago. While in her last year at the University, Anjum met an international student from Hyderabad, Salman Babukhan, whom she married after college. Anjum moved to India in 1995 after pursuing her Masters in Education Administration and Instructional Leadership at University of Illinois.

Entrepreneurial journey

Within months of her settling down in India, she discovered the education system here was outdated and rigid. She wanted to change things, so Anjum set out on a mission. "We wanted to create nurturing spaces that develop every child's multiple intelligence spectrum, physical capabilities, creative potential, 21st Century life skills and multicultural awareness. At Glendale, our focus has always been and remains on cultivating competence and character," she informs.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8i9DT5BbkI[/embed]

A lifelong learner, Anjum is not only keen on sharing her knowledge, but also adapts and evolves with the changing times. "Everyone changes and everyone evolves. From my teens, 20s, 30s, and now in my 40s, I have grown more effective in my career, confident in capacities, resilient in challenges and comfortable within my own being as time moves forward. In the biological paradigm, those who adapt not only survive, but thrive," says the mother of three.

Anjum has many feathers in her academic cap. Among them are the outstanding academic achievement awards in the Presidential Academic fitness awards program signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987 and President George HW Bush in 1990, as well as an "academic and leadership excellence" award presented by Hyderabad foundation of Chicago.

The eternal Global Indian

Describing herself as a Global Indian American Muslim, Anjum is constantly pushing the boundaries. Even now, she is strong in her academic pursuits in her quest for lifelong learning. With courses like Strategy in Action and Project Zero from Harvard, courses from Cambridge and recently a Design Thinking course from Stanford D school, she exemplifies her motto of learning every day. The visionary leader that she is, Anjum says she loves to learn anything that contributes to building her own multiple intelligence spectrum.

"One should explore their many sides across identities, capacities, cultures and ways of knowing the world. Every aspect one has in them can be channelized and optimized. There is no one like you and never will be. Be the best version of yourself always," she advises all those embarking on a journey. A globetrotter, Anjum says she keeps wanting to bridge the best of both worlds with what she likes and lives in both places. "I guess we are all travelers in this world," says Anjum, who is also a TEDx speaker.

Global Indian Anjum Babukhan

Staying true to her roots

With an experience of over two and half decades in implementing the best teaching methodologies, she has also authored a book, ABCs of Brain Compatible Learning, which is a guide for all educators.

The one Indian-ness, she says, that remains with her is the Hindustani language, be it Urdu or Hindi, which is a way to know, enjoy and be enriched by culture. "Nothing can be as colorful and vibrant as ethnic apparel and accessories. But even if I feel comfortable with the secular and pluralistic ideals of countries I call my own, my belonging may be questioned by the right-wing powers of the majority at times, whether it is in the US or India," says Anjum, who has won innumerable awards, accolades and recognition not just individually but for her institutions as well.

Anjum, who received an honorary doctorate in education by the National American University and National Institute of Education and Research, has an interesting take on Brand India. "As long as Brand India maintains its pluralism, secularism and humane values on which the nation was founded upon, it will grow stronger, taller and wider by harnessing the strength of unity in diversity. If it is inclusive, striving for justice and opportunity for all, Brand India will be a potent force like no other."

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Flower Recycling: These startups are giving India’s floral waste a new lease of life

(February 22, 2022) Heaps and heaps of rotting marigolds, roses, jasmine, carnations, orchids etc often dot the garbage dumps outside places of worship and function halls. What once adorned deities and hallways is soon turned into a pile of rotting mush. In a country where flowers add a splash of reverence to places of worship and a dash of glamour to significant life events, the amount of floral waste generated can’t be escaped. According to the Journal of Cleaner Production, Elsevier, at least 300 tonnes of flowers are wasted after just a “single use”. Another research by the International Journal for research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology states that annually as much as eight million tonnes of floral waste is dumped into India’s rivers and water bodies leading to clogging of its water ways, pollution, and environmental degradation. However, there’s a new crop of social entrepreneurs who’re diving headlong into recycling flower waste to help cut down pollution and give discarded blooms a new lease of life. The cherry on the cake is that it also creates livelihoods. Turning flower into power One such young entrepreneur is Ankit Agarwal, founder and CEO of Kanpur-based HelpUsGreen, a social enterprise that

anpur-based HelpUsGreen, a social enterprise that keeps river Ganges from becoming a victim of worship induced waste. His organization collects more than 2.4 tonnes of floral waste every day and recycles it into organic products like charcoal-free incense, biodegradable organic styrofoam, and animal-free leather while providing livelihood to marginalized women. Recognised by Forbes, Fortune, and Stanford review, HelpUsGreen is the world’s first lean solution provider to the monumental temple waste problem.

[caption id="attachment_20198" align="alignleft" width="247"] Flower Recycling | Indian Startups | Global Indian Ankit Agarwal, Founder, HelpUsGreen[/caption]

“When we started questioning our centuries-old religious practices, people thought that it was really nuts. I took it upon myself as a challenge that it can be done and today, we sell a pack of incense sticks every minute. We turn the flower into power,” says Ankit in a video shot by United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

“Every year more than half a billion Hindus go to temples and worship with flowers. Later these sacred flowers are dumped into water bodies like the river Ganges. The pesticides that are used to grow these flowers mix with the river water making it highly toxic. Why not have a solution which is simple, scalable, and effective? The whole thing has now circled back into the economy giving us a new purpose,” Ankit adds.

His efforts have earned him awards and recognition like United Nations Young Leader for Sustainable Developmental Goals 2018, United Nations Momentum of Change Award, Poland 2018, Fast company world-changing Ideas 2018, Forbes 30 under 30 2018, Unilever Young Entrepreneur award 2017, Gifted Citizen 2017 by Ciudad le das Ideas Mexico, and UNEP Young Champions of Earth 2017 (Asia-Pacific) to name a few.

[caption id="attachment_20203" align="aligncenter" width="612"] Flower Recycling | Indian Startups | Global Indian Flower recycling creates livelihoods[/caption]

Making waste beautiful

Maya Vivek and Minal Dalmia’s HolyWaste which is a niche offering of their startup Oorvi Sustainable Concepts Pvt Ltd. based in Hyderabad gives floral discards a new lease of life through a process they call FloRejuvenation. “We wanted to get into a business where women and the environment could benefit together. Waste management was a huge area where we could explore possibilities and floral waste seemed niche and full of opportunity. Any problem in the environment affects a woman’s life first. So, she is best suited to think of solutions for that,” Maya tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_20199" align="alignright" width="420"] Flower Recycling | Indian Startups | Global Indian Maya Vivek and Minal Dalmia, Founders, HolyWaste[/caption]

Though they had begun experimenting since November 2018, they launched their organization in April 2019. “Once we were ready with the prototypes we went ahead and registered the firm,” informs Maya. HolyWaste has been partnering with places of worship, vendors, event planners, decorators, and just about anybody that generates floral waste. When they began, they had just one temple on board. Today, they have grown operations to more than 40 temples. The discarded flowers are recycled into natural fertiliser, incense sticks, incense cones, and soaps by the organisation.

When they first began operations, HolyWaste was functioning out of the village community hall provided to them by the sarpanch of Gundlapochampally to benefit women of the locality. Now, they have moved to a rented space in the vicinity. The startup has won the Best Green Startup award 2019 under Eco Ideas of Green India Awards.

[caption id="attachment_20204" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Flower Recycling | Indian Startups | Global Indian Making waste beautiful[/caption]

Putting flowers to good use

Another flower recycling venture is Aaruhi Enterprises that was started in 2019 by Poonam Sherawat and Pinky Yadav. “At temples, I’d often see flowers being offered to the deity being dumped almost immediately. It was disturbing, especially when we are taught that whatever is offered to God should not be wasted. That made me realise the monumental amount of waste being generated across temples in the country,” says Poonam in a conversation with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_20200" align="alignleft" width="228"] Flower Recycling | Indian Startups | Global Indian Poonam Sherawat, Founder, Aaruhi Enterprises[/caption]

Poonam and Pinky operate from Gurugram. The duo has placed containers in temples to collect discarded flowers from temple authorities. “Initially, the flowers in our container would be accompanied by other waste like milk packets, banana peels, and empty incense packets. We would then segregate the flowers and recycle the rest. Once our first batch of products was ready, we donated them to the temples where we’d collected the waste from,” smiles Poonam, adding that they didn’t need to segregate waste thereafter.

The entrepreneurs have been making dhoop-baati, idols, decorative pieces, and even fresheners from garland threads. Aaruhi currently employees five women and has trained 500 others to make floral products. “We have trained Kashmiri migrants in Jammu, Gurgaon self-help groups, and even people under the government’s skill development programs,” informs Poonam.

As these social entrepreneurs continue to make headway into what is a mammoth industry, the floor is open for several more to join in and begin making a difference. Given the scale of flowers being used across India every single day, the opportunity floral discards present to budding entrepreneurs is manifold.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Deb’ut of a vegan icing: Cake artiste Prachi learnt from MBE Eddie Spence

(April 18, 2022) Growing up, Prachi Dhabal Deb was enchanted with Enid Blyton, dreaming of castles and royalty and magic. "My mother would laugh and tell me that life wasn't a fairytale," she recalls, smiling during a conversation with Global Indian. Today, when her mother sees her creating those castles with their regal inhabitants in the cakes she bakes, she tells her daughter, "It all comes from the imagination you had as a 10-year-old!" The Pune-based, international cake artiste has just made it to the World Book of Records, London, for a 100-kilo replica of the Milan Cathedral. Towering at well over six feet in height and three feet, ten inches wide, the cake is also completely vegan. But then, this is only the latest achievement in a long and highly decorated career - in 2019, Prachi was awarded the Cake Masters Royal Icing award in Birmingham. Her achievement - creating the highest number of vegan, eggless, royal icing structures. [caption id="attachment_23453" align="aligncenter" width="828"] Prachi Dhabal Deb, cake artiste[/caption] Prachi has been featured in Forbes India among the WBR Corp UK Ltd 45 Under 45 – India edition list. She was felicitated by the governor of Maharashtra at Bharat Leadership

I_2-1.jpg" alt="" width="828" height="550" /> Prachi Dhabal Deb, cake artiste[/caption]

Prachi has been featured in Forbes India among the WBR Corp UK Ltd 45 Under 45 – India edition list. She was felicitated by the governor of Maharashtra at Bharat Leadership Awards (2020). She has also featured as Femina’s Most Powerful (2021). The cake artiste has been honoured among top 10 cake artists of India in 2017 and 2018 by Cake Masters Magazine.

Prachi's fascination with European, Victorian and Indian architecture has only grown with time. She studies the monuments and meticulously replicates them by hand. Her hard work has paid off. Her business is 10 years old but Prachi has already established herself as one of the country's leading cake artists. She specialises in traditional Victorian icing - with her own twist - it's completely vegan. This is worth noting because traditional royal icing, which dates back to the 1600s, is also known as 'Egg White' icing. The meringue-style frosting is made by gradually sifting sugar into egg whites and a dash of lemon juice and beaten until stiff peaks form. Prachi's vegan variety is made in keeping with traditional Indian food choices and the market.

The 10-year-milestone

The year 2022 marks a decade in the industry. "When I began, being a cake artiste was not really considered a proper career choice, so it has been quite a journey for me. My graph has gone up and I have received so much appreciation," she says. "Since it's a special year, I want to celebrate my journey and see how much I have accomplished as an artiste," she adds.

Cake Artist | Prachi Dhabal Deb | Global Indian

That wasn't all. Prachi also wanted to put her product to the test. Victorian icing is known to harden after it dries, making it ideal for cake design. Prachi was keen to see if her vegan variety would "endure massive execution." That is why, she says, she "replicated the Milan Cathedral. The idea was just to celebrate but eventually, the structure became so impressive in terms of its size and shape that friends and family coaxed me to apply to the World Book of Records, London." The recognition has only made her milestone year that much more special.

The royal legacy...

Victorian icing took on its regal flavour when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. "The icing used on their cake became known as royal icing," she says. "It's a simple-looking white icing, just like most other varieties but the interesting part is that it sometimes dries up and hardens, giving the cake a special crunch."

Prachi's vegan royal icing has fetched her many awards, all of which have been placed in her studio, a testament of her milestones. "I could have created structures with cake inside but the shelf life would have been reduced to 10-12 days and I wanted to preserve the memories for years and years," she says.

Cake Artist | Prachi Dhabal Deb | Global Indian

The icing structure that brought her a place in the World Book of Records, London, took about a month to complete. "A lot of planning and a lot of geometry done on paper happens first," Prachi explains. "Only then does the execution happen."

Switching paths

The only child of Anuradha and businessman Rajan Singh, Prachi's early career inclinations were towards finance, accounts and economics. It resulted in her spending a short stint as a financial analyst in a multinational firm. "The artist in me soon came to the fore and I knew I had to switch careers," Prachi says. "I had been very creative as a child, I loved to paint. And I have been baking since I was 10 years old, when I would make cupcakes during my summer vacations," she reveals. The doting daughter-in-law of a Rajput family with a royal legacy (Parmar Dynasty) in West Bengal has established herself as one of the leading cake artists in the country.

Cake Artist | Prachi Dhabal Deb | Global Indian

Her talents didn't escape the attention of her supportive friends and family, who advised her to take it up as a career. "That's how the shift happened," says the cake artiste. She made her foray into the cake industry in 2012, with a diploma in baking in confectionary in India. She went on to study specialised sugarcraft courses from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand. "I was exploring different genres of cake decoration and was attracted to royal icing," Prachi says. She went to London, not once, but twice, to learn from Sir Eddie Spence, MBE, a master of the craft. Sir Eddie has decorated cakes for the British Royal family. "His encouraging words instilled great confidence in me."

The teacher, collaborator, and judge of cake competitions

Prachi has a product collaboration with Sugarin (authorised seller of cake décor products). Her hand piped cakes are available across popular online platforms, nationally and internationally. She also teaches cake and cookie decorations and has thousands of students.

Cake Artist | Prachi Dhabal Deb | Global Indian

Prachi looks up to her mentor, Sir Eddie Spence MBE as inspiration. Whereas other stalwarts like Chef Nicholas Lodge inspire her too. “I learn something or other from everyone I come across, even my nine-year-old teaches me so many things,” smiles Prachi.

Times, they are a-changing - for the better

Ten years ago, everything was a challenge, Prachi says. "Getting raw materials and resources in India was so tough. Huge import duties were imposed, making the whole venture prohibitively expensive," Prachi says. Companies have emerged over the last few years to fill the gap, Sugarin being one of them.

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"Everything is now made in India, which has drastically brought down costs and added more variety. Not only this, the product manufacturers listen to the feedback of what we cake artists give them. That’s why many people are coming forward and taking it up as a profession,” she adds.

Life around loved ones

Prachi feels fortunate that people around her have been very appreciative of her craft. She holds her late father-in-law, who passed away a few months ago, in very high regard for being supportive of even her little achievements throughout.

She loves traveling and short getaways with her husband, Pranabesh Dhabal Deb, an employee of Infosys, and son, Shrihaan. “Music, and spending time with loved ones is very refreshing. I am a good cook much to the surprise and excitement of my friends and cousins who associate me only with cake,” she smiles.

Cake Artist | Prachi Dhabal Deb | Global Indian

“My job is quite sorted when it comes to my son’s birthday as he is particular about what taste the birthday cake should have but hardly has any demands of design or decoration,” chuckles the creative mom.

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Reading Time: 7 mins

From Meerut to Melbourne: Professor Suresh Kumar Bhargava is creating a new league of scientists

(July 15, 2022) Oblivious to his nomination, Professor Suresh Bhargava was sitting in his office when he received a letter informing him that he was being conferred with the Queen’s Birthday 2022 honour - Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Though his initial reaction was that of surprise, the academician also felt extremely excited to be honoured by the Queen. "I have received numerous awards for my scientific research. However, this one was for my contribution to the betterment of my community," shares Professor Bhargava, as he connects over a call from Melbourne. "It is incredible when people recognise your contributions that created a positive difference. I was thrilled that my adopted country valued my three decades of hard work." [caption id="attachment_26910" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Professor Suresh Bhargava was conferred with the Queen’s Birthday 2022 honour - Member of the Order of Australia (AM)[/caption] A professor at esteemed Universities in six countries, the academician is a winner of several awards, including the most prestigious award in engineering, the 'CHEMECA medal'. "I am happy and honoured that I can train the next generation of scientists," shares the professor, as he talks about his 30 years in academia with Global Indian. Academically

igious award in engineering, the 'CHEMECA medal'. "I am happy and honoured that I can train the next generation of scientists," shares the professor, as he talks about his 30 years in academia with Global Indian.

Academically inclined

Hailing from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Professor Bhargava’s father worked as a station master in the Indian Railways. Growing up in a middle-class family, the young academician was keen to do better at studies. "I was a bright student and my teachers encouraged me a lot. It was one of my school teachers who first introduced me to Chemistry," share the academician.

Having discovered the world of elements and chemicals at an early age, Professor Bhargava was completely fascinated by Chemistry’s contribution to everyday life of an average man. "I realised that almost everything around us is somehow related to Chemistry. When we are very happy or sad, we tend to cry - which is nothing but a chemical reaction. Similarly, when we are stressed, it is again a chemical reaction in the brain. I am a scientist now and know much more than what I did as a young student - but Chemistry still fascinates me," he smiles.

Academician | Professor Suresh Bhargava | Global Indian

The sudden death of his father due to an accident left the family shattered. Still pursuing his master’s, the idea of leaving his studies and taking up a full-time job did cross his mind. But it was his teachers who convinced his mother to let him carry on with his studies. "They took care of all the expenses," shares the academician, who topped his university that year.

Road to the UK

Upon finishing his master's, he became a lecturer at the young age of 19. Interestingly though, the esteemed academician of today had other ambitions as a young man. "When I was a kid, I dreamt of becoming a pilot someday. I cleared the Services Selection Board (SSB) examination to join the Indian Air Force. However, my family believed that I should not join the armed forces, and so I didn't go," he reminisces.

As he started taking classes, he realised that most of his students were his age. "So rather than becoming their teacher, I decided to teach them as a friend. And I was a very popular professor," he laughs. However, his destiny was yet to reveal some interesting plans.

[caption id="attachment_26913" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Academician | Professor Suresh Bhargava | Global Indian Professor Bhargava being conferred with NRI of the Year award, 2017[/caption]

Recalling one of the happiest moments of his life, Professor Bhargava says, "It was on May 15, 1979, when I received a letter from the British Council announcing that my application to do a PhD in the UK had been approved." The British Council offered to place him under a very esteemed English scientist and former president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Professor Eddie Abel, and pay him a handsome salary. "It felt like all my prayers were answered," shares the academician, who started his PhD programme at the University of Exeter the same year.

While most people take five years to finish their PhD, he finished his research work in just three years. "Professor Abel was very impressed with my work, which was published in various scientific journals. When it was time for me to leave for India, he asked me to stay back. However, I had a contract with the University Grant Commission, and I had to return," shares the professor.

Land Down Under

Although he returned to India and rejoined his university, he knew he was meant for greater things. "My university management also encouraged me and I left for the UK again. My mentor spoke to his peers at the Australian National University and that is how I landed in Canberra in 1983," shares the chemistry scientist.

Australia became his new home. With ground-breaking research work and 500 authored/co-authored journal articles, he made a splash in the new country. His research and scientific insights not just aided the big companies, but even helped governments solve many issues. In 1990, he joined the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and established the Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry (CAMIC), a state-of-the-art research centre.

[caption id="attachment_26914" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Academician | Professor Suresh Bhargava | Global Indian Professor Bhargava with S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India[/caption]

For his research, Professor Bhargava holds 12 patents, including one for gold-based metallodrug for cancer treatment. "When my mother was very ill, she only took ayurvedic medicines. One of her medicines was swarna bhasma, which is gold ash. That got me thinking about how metals affect the human body, and I started my research on how gold can be used as a medicine. We found that gold was about 200 percent better for cancer treatment than the drugs which are currently used. I am still working on the research to develop the medicine," he explains.

Living by the principle that his research should contribute to enhancing the environment, the professor also developed a nanotechnology mercury sensor to monitor the toxic smoke emission from refineries for industrial use.

In a career spanning over 30 years, Professor Bhargava has supervised more than 60 PhDs. His teaching methods don't just help his students excel in academics, but also make them industry-ready. A living bridge between India and Australia, the professor was conferred the PC Ray Chair by the Indian National Science Academy in 2014. He recently developed an award-winning PhD programme that connects laboratories of the Indian Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) with RMIT, giving the PhD scholars in India a platform for high-quality research.

[caption id="attachment_26915" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Academician | Professor Suresh Bhargava | Global Indian Professor Bhargava with the molecular engineering group at RMIT[/caption]

"A career in academics gives you a unique platform. You meet new students every year, but at the same time, it gives you a chance to work on many research works. As a professor, I have always tried to teach my students how they can become innovators and use their research to better the lives of people and the planet itself," shares the professor, adding, "In Indian philosophy, we use the term guru for someone who helps his disciples with all-round development. I am aiming to be a guru for my students."

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Reading Time: 8 mins

Priyanka Srivastava: The NASA space engineer behind Perseverance Rover’s successful landing on Mars

(June 15, 2022) The year was 2003. The unfortunate news of Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrating over Texas during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere had overwhelmed the entire world. While India mourned the demise of Kalpana Chawla, a young girl in Lucknow was busy studying in-depth about this NASA astronaut, as she resolved to join the space industry someday. Today, that young girl - Priyanka Srivastava - is working as a Space Systems Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The Indian-American engineer was a part of the team that designed the famed Perseverance Rover - a car-sized Mars rover to explore the Jezero crater on the red planet. "No one in my family is an engineer. Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated with space. I would often wonder if there was another solar system like ours that existed somewhere else. Even back in my school, I was always sure that one day I will join the space industry," says Priyanka, as she connects with Global Indian from Los Angeles. [caption id="attachment_25761" align="aligncenter" width="647"] NASA Engineer Priyanka Srivastava with Mars 2020 testbed[/caption] Interestingly, Perseverance Rover was Priyanka's first project at NASA. "I was a newbie at NASA

em> from Los Angeles.

[caption id="attachment_25761" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Priyanka Srivastava | NASA Engineer | Global Indian NASA Engineer Priyanka Srivastava with Mars 2020 testbed[/caption]

Interestingly, Perseverance Rover was Priyanka's first project at NASA. "I was a newbie at NASA when I was given the task to test the motor control assembly of the descent stage that helped with the landing of the rover on the surface of Mars. I worked on how it was integrated to the rest of the spacecraft. Also, I checked what were the scenarios that it can fail and how can we overcome that. While it was challenging, I was able to finish the task and deliver it to the team in one year," shares the 29-year-old NASA engineer, who in her six-year-long stint with NASA has worked on four flight missions. Priyanka is currently working as a Project Verification and Validation (V&V) engineer for the Europa Clipper mission, helping the team build and test the spacecraft.

From Lucknow to Michigan

Born in the United States of America to an Indian couple, Priyanka moved to India at a very young age. Her father, Sunil Srivastava, works with an export-oriented private company while her mother works with an insurance company. A curious child, Priyanka was first introduced to the world of space while watching Kalpana Chawla's space mission news on TV. "I told my mother that I wanted to become an astronaut when I grow up. Later, when I started asking her more questions about space, she bought me a book on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam which inspired me a lot. Afterward, when I was a little older, I got to know about astronaut Sunita Williams who inspired me to join the space industry even more," shares the NASA girl.

[caption id="attachment_25762" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Priyanka Srivastava | NASA Engineer | Global Indian Priyanka with her family[/caption]

While her parents weren’t much aware of space science, yet they supported her in every way. "They would just listen to me talk about space to no end. Even though they didn't understand much, they never closed the door on me and my dreams," shares the NASA engineer, who was keen to pursue aerospace engineering from Punjab University, but ended up taking electronic engineering. “I was upset about not making the cut. However, my mom pointed out that it’s not just the aerospace engineers who end up in the space industry. That motivated me to work extra hard during my graduation years," adds Priyanka, whose younger sister works as a medical professional.

During her college days, Priyanka noticed the stark gap between boys and girls in STEM. "In my class, we had about 20 girls and 50 boys. In fact, in the robotics class, I was the only girl," she shares. However, this didn’t deter her from pursuing her goal. After completing her BTech degree, Priyanka moved to the US to pursue her master's in space system engineering at the University of Michigan.

Living her dream

Even though the family did experience some financial constraints, they supported Priyanka in every way possible. Her parents cut down on several small expenses to ensure that their daughter had all the resources to fulfill her dreams. "I come from a middle-class family, and money constraint was one of the reasons behind letting go the undergraduate program in the US. However, when I got an opportunity to pursue master's from the University of Michigan, I couldn't let it go and my parents encouraged me to follow my dreams. They were able to arrange for my living expense for the first semester, and I, too, got a student loan," shares the NASA engineer, who is very grateful for her family’s support.

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Later in the year Priyanka managed to become a professor's assistant and graded the works of undergrad students that brought her some earning. However, things took a sudden turn for the good during her third semester. "I was working on a project at the University that took me to Jerusalem, where astronauts from all over the world gathered for the convention. There I met many space heroes - including Sunita Williams and Buzz Aldrin. I even told Sunita Williams that she was my inspiration," shares Priyanka whose dream of working with the space industry solidified after meeting the NASA astronaut.

Though she was a brilliant student, Priyanka took some time to understand the education system in the US. Coming from India, she was used to the “hierarchy between students and teachers” but was surprised to find friendly teachers in the US. “I was a little shy when I first came to the US. I was hesitant to ask if I can be a part of project. That is when I learned how to advocate for myself. And once I started asking for more opportunities, my professors also started recognising me and my work," she shares.

Mars and beyond...

Priyanka did her first NASA internship with Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Department at NASA Glenn, Ohio, as a summer intern. Soon after finishing her master's, Priyanka joined the Launch Systems Engineering team at NASA JPL, Pasadena, as an intern for six months. "It was a whole new work, way different than University. Working with top engineers and other scientists at NASA was very challenging, but helped me learn a lot about the field. I pushed myself to work on different projects and speak up at the meetings, and that is what led to NASA hiring me fulltime in 2016," shares Priyanka.

[caption id="attachment_25764" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Priyanka Srivastava | NASA Engineer | Global Indian Priyanka and her team working on the Mars Perseverance Rover, right before it was shipped for launch[/caption]

Priyanka shares that her mentors helped her hone technical, leadership and management skills. Recalling one of her favourite moments at NASA, she says, "So far I have worked on various missions, including the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3, which was launched in 2019 and Perseverance Rover, as part of the Mars 2020 mission. But my most favourite moments at NASA have been working on a project, preparing the spacecraft for launch and then seeing it reach its destination."

[caption id="attachment_25765" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Priyanka Srivastava | NASA Engineer | Global Indian Priyanka's parents visiting the Spacecraft Operations Room at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)[/caption]

After the success of the Perseverance Rover, Priyanka is busy working on a mission to an asteroid called Psyche. "This asteroid is supposed to be a core of a previous planet. NASA is sending a spacecraft there so we can learn what this asteroid is made up of. Eventually that will help us understand Earth's core better," shares the NASA engineer. Priyanka is also working on a mission to Europa, the smallest of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter. The mission will be launched by NASA in 2024.

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