Global IndianstoryPriti Krishtel: Indian-American health justice lawyer is fighting the global patent system

Priti Krishtel: Indian-American health justice lawyer is fighting the global patent system

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(November 4, 2022) The global pandemic exposed the inaccessibility of general life-saving medicines in developing countries. From basic paracetamol to only-on-prescription Remdesivir, patients across the world suffered from a severe shortage of medicines in the last two years. While many accepted it to be a side effect of the COVID-19 situation, a few decided to stand up and fight against the inequities in the global pharmaceutical system. One such leader is Indian-American health justice lawyer, Priti Krishtel, who recently won the MacArthur Fellowship, unofficially known as the ‘genius grant’, who exposed pharma companies for misusing the patent laws in the United States of America.

“By distilling the technical aspects of the patent system to show its sometimes devastating impact on people’s lives, Krishtel is galvanizing a movement to center around people instead of only commercial interests in our medicines patent policy,” McArthur Foundation said announcing this year’s 25 fellowships. The grant carries an $800,000, no-strings-attached grant for individuals who have shown exceptional creativity in their work and the promise to do more.

Health Justice Lawyer, Priti Krishtel, won the McArthur Grant for exposing the inequities in the patent system to increase access to affordable, life-saving medications on a global scale

For over 20 years now the California-based lawyer has been fighting against big pharmaceutical companies, keeping them from exploiting loopholes in the U.S. patent laws that allow them to keep exclusive rights to medicines for an extended period. Through this, the companies can sell their drugs at high prices without the threat of competition. This means that people and countries in need of medication are often unable to afford it.

Standing for a million lives

The daughter of a pharmaceutical scientist who worked for drug companies, Priti Radhakrishnan was always sensitive towards matters of social justice. After earning an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a law degree from New York University, Priti, like many others, joined a big law firm in Los Angeles. However, her ideas about the pharma patent system came crashing down during her initial days, while she was working on a project in India.

It was personally gut-wrenching for me to know that the drugs had come to market, but they just weren’t getting to the people who needed them, and there was such a huge time lag in making that happen.

The lawyer was leading a team representing HIV-positive clients in court when she noticed that in AIDS cases a diagnosis was a death sentence, nearly every time. While there were antiretroviral therapies available, they were not affordable for her clients. So bad was the condition, that if parents were diagnosed with HIV, they would just hand over their kids to an orphanage. “This early work in India left a permanent mark on my heart,” the lawyer said during an interview with Devex, adding, “It was personally gut-wrenching for me to know that the drugs had come to market, but they just weren’t getting to the people who needed them, and there was such a huge time lag in making that happen.”

This motivated the lawyer to co-found the Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge, or I-MAK, in 2006. She partnered with Tahir Amin, an expert on intellectual property law, who had formerly represented big corporations and health experts. “The patent system was intended to motivate people to invent by giving them a reward of a time-limited monopoly. But in the last 40 years, that intention has been distorted beyond recognition,” the Global Indian said.

Explaining how the patent law is abused by big companies, the lawyer said in an NPR interview, “Take the top-selling drug in the country, HUMIRA. After the first patent expired, the company, AbbVie, filed and got so many more patents that they made two-thirds of all their revenue. But what you see in another part of the world, like Europe, is that the price came down because other companies came in as competition.

“So how drug companies are using the patent system, and the fact that patients don’t have a voice in the patent system is leading to longer monopolies, higher prices, or drugs not being available at all.”

Fighting the system

So far, the lawyers have led teams to stop pharma giant Novartis from patenting the leukemia drug Gleevec, and have twice prevented Abbott Laboratories from patenting the HIV medicines. The organisation has also worked with advocacy groups in various countries to reform the drug development system by involving the affected community in the process. “The system is completely insulated from the human consequences of how it works,” the lawyer said, “So how do we humanise the system? How do we bring it into more proximity with the people it’s meant to serve, and evolve it for the better?”

The year pandemic stuck marked a pivotal time for the lawyer. With the big pharma companies such as Moderna having monopolies on their products, the reach of COVID vaccines was limited to the developed nations. During her research, the lawyer found that while 55 percent of people in developed countries were vaccinated, only one percent of the population in developing countries had access to any kind of vaccine. She even called out the then US President, Donald Trump’s pushing of vaccines for American citizens “the beginning of a new Hunger Games”.

“COVID taught us that when the biggest drug companies have monopolies on their products, they will always sell to the highest bidder. They will always price the medication or the vaccines out of reach. For example, Moderna was almost 100 percent publicly funded. But unfortunately, the U.S. government gave away the right to the vaccine. So, now Moderna stands to make $100 billion by the end of this decade, and $40 billion alone by the end of this year. And it was taxpayer funding that helped bring that invention to market,” she told NPR.

Priti with her friends

Inspired by her father, the lawyer kept fighting against the system, arguing that apart from intellectual property law reform the US government should work towards technology transfer to help manufacture all medicines locally.

A mother to a four-year-old, the lawyer feels that while there is a long way to go to bring these reforms, slowly she can see the changes. “I just don’t think that people’s ability to heal should depend on their ability to pay. And I think we all can be a part of the solution,” says Priti.

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Published on 04, Nov 2022

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Fame’s not a game for Anurag Shanker: His music restores folk music, & traditional riffs

(March 24, 2022) As he made music with his friends in high school, it was clear that Anurag Shanker had a special talent. It wasn’t as a glamorous frontman, or an even more glamorous lead guitarist. He knew early on that his gift lay in composition and arrangement, to take a song and turn it into something people would want to listen to. While ideas were abundant, good execution was not. “I have never just been a guitarist or a composer,” says Anurag Shanker, today a reputed composer and music supervisor for Netflix’s The Fame Game. For him, the excitement lay in meeting new artists, about taking a song and expanding it to an audio production perspective. “I want to arrange their music and produce their songs,” says Shanker to Global Indian. He was first approached by the OTT giant back in 2020, soon after the pandemic began. “It was to do music for one show - The Big Day,” he recalls. A series about six engaged couples, the show takes a look at India’s multibillion-dollar wedding industry. “They needed someone to handle Indian-centric stuff that was culturally accurate, and also contemporary,” he adds. The Fame Game allowed Anurag to “place

n-centric stuff that was culturally accurate, and also contemporary,” he adds. The Fame Game allowed Anurag to “place some really nice indie music,” and that makes him a happy camper. One example is singer-songwriter Kamakshi Khanna's 2021 single Duur, which was featured.

[caption id="attachment_21803" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Anurag Shanker[/caption]

This space is Anurag's forte, to create music that is “culturally relevant and which sounds cool,” he avers. A repertoire of prolific- acoustic, rock and folk music (he collaborated with the Manganiyars of Rajasthan, for instance), and a classical collaboration with sarod player Pratyush Bannerjee (among the foremost sarod exponents of our day) who played songs in eight ragas that Anurag produced with an electronic sound. “We have to bring in a new perspective without alienating either form,” says the classicist. Cross-culture collaborations are all the rage and the word fusion is, arguably, overdone. “Putting a raga together with a drumbeat is not fusion. You have to be sensitive about it,” says the traditionalist.

Keeping up with the 'times'

Anurag's sensibilities were shaped at home, expectedly, as the son of late Promod Shanker, former VP, Times Music. “Dad had a knack for discovering new artists. He discovered Indian Ocean and Jasbeer Jassi. That was very inspiring to me,” says the musician with an eclectic ear. Growing up, he would often find the biggest names sitting in his living room – he recalls Indian Ocean and the composer duo Ajay-Atul. “There were artists coming home to jam all the time,” he adds.

Having been in the thick of things often, he has lost his taste for jam sessions. “If I’m playing music or creating it, it has to be for the music. It can’t be an evening of frolic where the music is incidental,” he mulls. It also showed him, at an early age, what lies beyond the glitz of show business - he understood the hard work and determination that goes into life as a professional musician.

Training began early, and at age nine it was tabla lessons. “It’s the best age to learn an art form,” Anurag says. “Rhythm became very much ingrained in me. Also, Indian rhythms are so complex that after learning them, everything else is simple. If a jazz musician says to me, this is a 7/4 time signature, I’m unfazed by that,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_21779" align="aligncenter" width="707"] Live with Namit Das. Picture: Vaishnavi Suresh[/caption]

Bengaluru days

Those early years were routine, and the joy came later, when he began to jam with friends in high school. “I hit the ground running. I was making songs when someone who started along with me was still trying to figure out the instrument. That was a huge plus,” which led him to visiting studios with his father, watching people organise recording sessions and learning how to make artists comfortable.

When he came to Christ University in Bengaluru, Anurag joined the college's thriving cultural scene during his third year. And that enabled him to take his music more seriously. Slowly, work started - jingles and promos. He was also part of a band then, Caesar's Palace, which performed in Bengaluru. “It was just a fun idea which helped me discover myself,” and his talent for arrangement and composition was noticed, and suddenly creative decisions were under his aegis. The band did an EP too.

In 2009, the composer moved to Delhi to be with his parents but found his career stalling. “I decided the only place to get really fired up is Mumbai - such an exciting city,” he says. He left home in 2010, carrying precious wisdom from his father. “Don’t look for a break,” he said. It put paid to the idea of starstruck youth swarming tinsel town looking for fame. Instead, his father said, “That big break will never happen. The world just doesn't work like that. Learn not to depend on what is in the pipeline. Instead, have a good time, collaborate with people and make music,” lessons he took to heart, created a repertoire of diverse projects.

[caption id="attachment_21781" align="aligncenter" width="556"] The composer recording Kinnaram from Tamil Nadu[/caption]

Bombay's acoustic people

A chance meeting with a friend from college (2010), Arfaaz Kagalwala, led to the formation of Slow Down Clown, an alternative outfit. The duo explored film work, like in Amit Masurkar's Suleimani Keeda. “We sent in a couple of ideas and they liked them. That was our first experience as composers,” smiles the composer whose wit and humour endears him to all. A web series, some film songs later, Arfaaz left for France. Anurag remained in Bombay - classical, folk music to film scores, and indie songwriting.

In 2013, Anurag became one-half of the now-dormant guitar duo Bombay Acoustic People with Sankarshan 'Shanks' Kini, who was playing with Kailash Kher's ensemble at the time. Kini, he says, is an “all-round, holistic musician,” who was “so welcoming.” The Bombay Acoustic People toured India, entranced Shillong, also toured Europe. They began the warm and inclusive living room gigs long before they entered mainstream cultural discourse.

“That started out in Sankarshan's room. We would bring speakers and debut material for some 25 guests,” and the shows were instant hits with fans offering their homes. Those intimate sessions call for the best in a musician, he believes, “One can play loud electric guitar to already loud music. Yet, if you're playing a real acoustic instrument in a small room where people are paying attention only to you, that’s the true test of your skill and personal peace.” In 2014, Namit Das + Anurag Shanker came to be, and still active though in the middle he was also a part of another alternative outfit, Last Remaining Light, in Mumbai.

That's all 'folk'

Working with folk artists is close to his heart. Accompanying his father to Mumbai's Western Outdoor studio in 2000, (now closed) where legends like Bhimsen Joshi and Abida Parveen would come in to record, he says, "Abida ji would walk into the studio and produce seven or eight hours of content at a shot. She just goes in and starts singing - Kabir for an hour, Punjabi folk for an hour. They were legends on the brink of something new. And simply to be in the presence of that spark - these are things that cannot be taught."

Producing at the core of his musicology - he has worked with the Manganiyar singers from Rajasthan including upcoming artist Peeru Khan, produced an album with sarod player Pratyush Bannerjee, the Urban Grooves Project series for Virgin EMI and a string of Indian music releases for a Bengaluru-label, Pragnya.

[caption id="attachment_21783" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Anurag with Manganiyar singer Peeru Khan[/caption]

At his home studio, he is busy working for an NGO, recording one folk song from every state of India. With 22 done, the collection will be presented on a website, where people can discover more about the song, its state of origin and the culture to which it belongs. “I have made so many friends and connections in the folk music community so this is my way of protecting our cultural heritage,” says the guy who can croon a mean tune.

The pandemic saw him long for the surrounds of Bengaluru, where he and his wife Malini currently live – an idyllic villa near Nandi Hills. “After living in cities all my life, I didn’t even realise this was something I needed,” he laughs.

Follow Anurag on Instagram and YouTube

Reading Time: 6 min

Jasleen Kaur wins Turner Prize for art inspired by her Scottish Sikh heritage

(December 13, 2024) In the 1950s, amidst the turbulence followed by India’s Partition, Jasleen Kaur’s great-grandfather left Punjab to seek a new beginning in Glasgow, Scotland. Decades later, his great-granddaughter, Jasleen Kaur has carved her place on the global art stage by winning the 2024 Turner Prize—one of the art world’s most prestigious honours, named after Britain’s celebrated artist J. M. W. Turner and awarded annually to a British national. With her standout installation Alter Altar, Jasleen earned this coveted accolade and a prize of $32,000. The 2024 Turner Prize celebrates its 40th anniversary. Each year, four artists are shortlisted, with one ultimately chosen as the winner. This year’s nominees included Claudette Johnson, Pio Abad, and Delaine Le Bas. The Scottish Sikh artist’s journey is deeply rooted in her family’s migration story. Jasleen Kaur has a unique ability to weave everyday objects, cultural memory, and sociopolitical commentary into thought-provoking art. Born in Glasgow to Sikh parents with roots in Punjab, Jasleen’s work exemplifies how personal and cultural histories shape artistic expression. “I was brought up in a very religious Sikh family in Glasgow and although my work is not hugely autobiographical it is about meeting points,” she shared in an

c expression. “I was brought up in a very religious Sikh family in Glasgow and although my work is not hugely autobiographical it is about meeting points,” she shared in an interview. “I do think of myself as a cobbler. I pull together unlearned and culturally acquired knowledge in my work,” she added.

[caption id="attachment_61626" align="aligncenter" width="841"] Indians in UK | Jasleen Kaur | Global Indian Jasleen Kaur with the central piece of her her award winning installation 'Alter Altar'[/caption]

Winning the Turner Prize

The Turner Prize ceremony, held at Tate Britain, celebrated Jasleen’s ability to transform ordinary objects into expressions of community and cultural inheritance. Presented by actor James Norton, the award highlighted her work’s innovative approach. Her installation, Alter Altar, which combines sculptures, prints, music, and everyday items, stood out for its ability to animate the mundane through sound and meaning. The solo exhibition was unveiled at the Tramway in Glasgow in 2023, exploring the intersections of personal identity and broader sociopolitical themes.

A series of kinetic sculptures prominently features worship bells, while Scottish Irn-Bru soda bottles conjures memories of cherished gurudwara meals in Glasgow. A harmonium, the instrument on which she learned devotional music from her father, sits on the floor, evoking a deeply personal connection to her history. The centrepiece that draws significant attention is a red Ford Escort draped with a hand-crocheted doily (an ornamental mat made of lace). The car represents her father’s first vehicle and his migrant aspirations, while the expansive four-meter doily intricately ties material culture to the legacies of the British Empire, the cotton trade, and the migration of labour to British textile mills post-World War II.

[caption id="attachment_61628" align="aligncenter" width="853"] Indians in UK | Jasleen Kaur | Global Indian The central piece of Jasleen's award winning installation 'Alter Altar'[/caption]

In the background, soundtracks from her childhood play—a fusion of Sufi melodies by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the reggae beats of Bob Marley—creating a rich, immersive auditory experience reflecting her diverse influences. The jury praised her exhibition for its “ability to animate objects through sound and music, reflecting themes of belonging and tradition.” It wasn’t just a win for Jasleen but also a nod to the power of art in addressing complex narratives of migration, identity, and belonging.

Art rooted in fusion, history and identity

Jasleen’s journey into art is deeply tied to her Sikh upbringing in Glasgow, a city her family has called home since her great-grandfather’s migration, post-partition. Reflecting on her connection to the city, the artist who now lives in London shared, "Whenever I go back to Glasgow, it feels like I feel their presence. My dad worked in hardware shops and in cash and carries, and these were the worlds I spent a lot of time in growing up. That fundamentally influences how I make art." This blend of heritage and environment forms the backbone of her creative process, as she seeks to renegotiate tradition and challenge accepted narratives.

“There's this particular theory that I grew up with from the Sikh tradition, which talks about Miri Piri—the balance of the political and the spiritual," the 38-year-old artist explained. This philosophy has always manifested in her art as a balance between personal intimacy and public commentary.

[caption id="attachment_61606" align="aligncenter" width="790"] Indians in UK | Jasleen Kaur | Global Indian A portion of Jasleen's award winning 'Alter Altar' installation[/caption]

Jasleen's work most poignantly captures a complex cultural fusion in the quest to reconnect with her heritage across continents. For example, in her 2010 degree show at the Royal College of Art in London, she presented Chai Tea Stall, a mobile tea stand featuring small clay cups. While exhibited as conceptual art, for her community, it served as a familiar and nostalgic touchstone—her way of bringing India’s vibrant tea-drinking street culture to the UK.

In 2019, she collaborated with Glasgow Women’s Library on Be Like Teflon, a publication made through conversation with women of Indian heritage living in the UK. Later, in her 2021 filmed performance piece Gut Feelings Meri Jaan, she invited Rochdale residents to engage with the ‘ethnic minorities’ section of the local history archives at the Touchstones Museum and Art Gallery, sparking conversations about identity and representation.

Sikhs in Scotland

The Sikh community in Scotland, of which Jasleen is a part of, embodies a unique identity while seamlessly blending into broader society to coexist peacefully. Sikhism in Scotland encompasses all aspects of Sikh life, dating back to the arrival of Maharaja Duleep Singh in 1855. Early migrants from the Bhat/Bhatra community settled in Glasgow and Edinburgh in the 1920s, while the majority came during the late 20th century. Despite representing a small percentage of Scotland’s population—just 0.2 percent in the 2022 census—Sikhs have maintained their cultural heritage while contributing to the fabric of Scottish society.

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One of the most significant expressions of Sikh culture in Scotland is the annual Nagar Kirtan procession held in Glasgow to celebrate Vaisakhi, a major Sikh festival. First organized in April 1992, the procession has become a cherished tradition, drawing participants from across the country. It showcases the Sikh commitment to sharing their faith and culture with fellow Scots, promoting mutual respect and understanding while enriching Scotland's multicultural landscape.

The influence of family and tools

Jasleen Kaur credits her father’s ingenuity and her exposure to tools for shaping her practical approach to art. Recalling an incident, she shared, “Once, I wanted to prop up a ladder but failed due to a stairwell in the middle. My dad used masking tape, a paintbrush, a plant cane, and an upside-down feather duster to solve the problem.” This resourcefulness became integral to her process, where objects are reimagined not just as materials but as tools to find solutions.

Jasleen’s studio is a reflection of her upbringing, filled with items collected from Glasgow’s markets and family memories. She described, “There’s so much religious ephemera everywhere—photos, calendars, cassettes. These aren’t mass-produced histories; they tell a different version of my lineage.”

[caption id="attachment_61630" align="aligncenter" width="790"] Indians in UK | 2024 Turner Prize Winner | Global Indian An old picture of Jasleen at her studio[/caption]

The personal is political

Jasleen’s passion for preserving pluralistic traditions shines through her exploration of Sikh-Muslim devotional music. Apart from being a visual artist Jasleen is also a singer. She explained, “My singing practice today tries to salvage compositions and songs from a time when Sikhs and Muslim Rababbis would play and compose devotional music together. That time when things were more plural gives me a sense of hope for how to live now.”

Similarly, her art embodies a longing for coexistence, presenting a counter-narrative to divisive histories. By reimagining traditions through a contemporary lens, Jasleen creates a dialogue that bridges past and present, offering insights into how art can inspire societal change.

A legacy of creativity and hope

“I’m drawn to the hidden, intangible bits of history,” Jasleen reflected on her journey as a Scottish Sikh artist from the streets of Glasgow to the global stage. Winning the Turner Prize cements Jasleen Kaur’s place among contemporary art’s most innovative and transformative voices.

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A post shared by Jasleen Kaur (@_jasleen.kaur_)

For Jasleen Kaur, the Turner Prize is not just a recognition of her talent but a reminder of art’s ability to transcend boundaries. By using her creativity to redefine what it means to belong, she passes on the message that, we can build bridges and reimagine a better world.

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Reading Time: 5 mins

Rooted in Legacy, Driven by Vision: Dhruva Jaishankar and Vishwa Shastra

(November 28, 2024) With striking similarities to his father, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Dhruva Jaishankar carries a familial resemblance that’s hard to miss. Yet, when it comes to influences, Dhruva candidly admits that his grandfather, late Krishnaswamy Subrahmanyam—a renowned strategic affairs analyst, journalist, and former Indian civil servant—had a more profound impact on his worldview. "My grandfather was more of a thinker and analyst, whereas my father is more of a doer in active diplomacy," he reflects, speaking to Global Indian from Washington, D.C., and crediting deep conversations with his grandfather for shaping his perspectives on international relations. Today, as a foreign policy expert and the founding Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) America, a subsidiary of India’s ORF, he is working to build bridges between the U.S., India, and the developing world. [caption id="attachment_60724" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Dhruva Jaishankar[/caption] Dhruva is now gearing up for the release of his first book, Vishwa Shastra, published by Penguin Random House India. The book provides a comprehensive exploration of India’s interactions with the world, blending historical insights with forward-looking strategies. Dhruva’s research on foreign policy, defence, security, and globalization, has appeared in several books, policy reports, and prominent publications,

p" alt="Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar " width="604" height="404" /> Dhruva Jaishankar[/caption]

Dhruva is now gearing up for the release of his first book, Vishwa Shastra, published by Penguin Random House India. The book provides a comprehensive exploration of India’s interactions with the world, blending historical insights with forward-looking strategies. Dhruva’s research on foreign policy, defence, security, and globalization, has appeared in several books, policy reports, and prominent publications, cementing his reputation as a thought leader.

Influenced by a thinker

During his formative years, Dhruva Jaishankar lived a truly global life, moving across continents with his diplomat father—experiences that profoundly enriched his worldview. While Dhruva Jaishankar acknowledges the global exposure his father’s diplomatic career provided, he emphasizes the intellectual influence of his grandfather, Krishnaswamy Subrahmanyam. "My grandfather was opinionated analyst and eventually joined the defence think tank IDSA, where he became its second director until the mid-1980s. Later, he transitioned to a career in media, writing about strategic affairs. He passed away in 2011, but I was fortunate that our careers overlapped for a few years," Dhruva recalls.

During this time, he engaged in deep conversations with his grandfather that shaped his analytical approach to international relations. " My grandfather’s career in strategic affairs and his deep thinking on India’s role in the world had a lasting impact on me," Dhruva reflects. These insights, paired with the global exposure his father’s career afforded him, helped Dhruva develop his own unique perspective on global affairs.

[caption id="attachment_60732" align="aligncenter" width="465"] Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar | Global Indian Dhruva Jaishankar[/caption]

A global upbringing

Born in Delhi, Dhruva Jaishankar spent his childhood moving across several countries, including the U.S. (where he lived briefly at a very young age), Sri Lanka, Hungary, India, Japan, and the Czech Republic. He began his schooling in Sri Lanka and continued his education across these nations before eventually moving to the U.S. for college.

This global upbringing instilled in him a deep understanding and appreciation for different cultures—an experience that would later become the bedrock of his professional life.

The spark of a career

Dhruva Jaishankar’s interest in foreign policy deepened with a significant moment during his freshman year at Macalester College in the U.S., where he was pursuing his bachelor’s degree in history. "9/11 stirred a deep interest in security studies," he recalls, "and laid the foundation for what would become my lifelong career in foreign policy and international relations."

[caption id="attachment_60729" align="aligncenter" width="710"] Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar | Global Indian Dhruva Jaishankar during the early days of his career[/caption]

After graduating in 2005, he moved to Washington, D.C., where an internship at the Aspen Institute proved to be a turning point. "After finishing college, I moved to Washington, DC, without a clear idea of what I wanted to do. I ended up getting an internship at a think tank, which plunged me into the heart of U.S.-India relations at a pivotal time, just as the two countries announced a civil nuclear agreement," he explains.

Despite his grandfather’s legacy as a prominent Indian think tank leader, Dhruva admits he initially knew little about the field. "Although my grandfather had run a think tank in India, I didn’t know much about what the work entailed," he smiles. "That internship turned out to be a huge learning experience for me. That was my introduction to this world."

Choosing international relations over journalism

Early in his career, Dhruva faced a crossroads: should he pursue journalism or follow his growing interest in international relations? He briefly explored journalism, working as a news writer and reporter for CNN-IBN in New Delhi.

Ultimately, his passion for security and foreign policy won out. He pursued an M.A. in security studies from Georgetown University, where he was surrounded by military and security professionals. Initially feeling like an outsider, Dhruva Jaishankar credits this environment with building his confidence to engage in high-level discussions on global security, a skill that would become invaluable in his career.

[caption id="attachment_60731" align="aligncenter" width="413"] Indians in USA | Observer Research Foundation | Global Indian Dhruva Jaishankar during the early days of his career in India[/caption]

Being Global Indian: Bridging local and international realities

Working for prestigious organizations including Stephen Cohen as research assistant, and German Marshall Fund (GMF) in Washington, D.C., where he managed the India Trilateral Forum, a policy dialogue involving participants from India, Europe, and the United States, deepened his understanding of security and foreign policy. He also worked as a program officer with GMF’s Asia Program for the initial three years in the organization.

Dhruva returned to India in 2016 to work as a Fellow for Brookings India. This role marked a deep dive into India’s foreign affairs, counterterrorism, and nuclear non-proliferation. “At Brookings India I managed a lot of the new institution’s foreign policy and security activity. It enabled me to travel the length and breadth of India, around South Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) and Southeast Asia, and I produced reports on defence technology, U.S.-India relations, and India’s Act East policy,” he shares. Later, he also served as a visiting fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

[caption id="attachment_60725" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar | Global Indian Dhruva Jaishankar[/caption]

Building ORF America

"Over the course of my 15-year career, I worked in diverse roles across various institutions in India, the U.S., and briefly in Singapore. This experience exposed me to a wide range of issues, regions, and the practical aspects of running a think tank," he shares. In 2020, Dhruva embarked on a new journey as the founding Executive Director of ORF America, the Washington, D.C.-based arm of India’s Observer Research Foundation, which began its journey in 1990.

In 2020, ORF was planning to establish its first affiliate outside India in the U.S. "Our paths crossed," Dhruva explains, and his experience in think tanks made him a natural fit for the role. This led to him becoming the founding Executive Director of ORF America, marking a significant milestone in his career.

He and his team at ORF America has focused on fostering cooperation between the U.S., India, and other global partners on pressing issues like technology policy, energy, climate, and international security.

[caption id="attachment_60790" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Indians in USA | Observer Research Foundation | Global Indian Dhruva Jaishankar[/caption]

Bridging the developed and developing worlds

"What differentiates ORF America from a lot of other think tanks in Washington is the focus on bridging the developed and developing worlds on various global issues," Dhruva explains. Under his leadership, the organization has launched several ambitious projects.

At ORF America, we conduct research on U.S.-India relations, U.S. alliances and partnerships, and Global North-Global South engagement. We also convene topical roundtables in Washington and conferences around the world, including in India, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Finally, we organize leadership development programs, including on climate and energy issues, China, and AI policy,” he mentions.

ORF America collaborates closely with ORF’s three centres in India—Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata—as well as its Middle East branch in Dubai. "We collaborate closely and work together on various projects," Dhruva says, highlighting the organization’s unified approach.

Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar | Global Indian

Matters of the heart

Married to an American historian, Dhruva started his family in Delhi before moving to the U.S. “We keep personal and professional life separate,” says the devoted father of two children, ages seven and four. Although he travels frequently for work, he makes an effort to spend quality time with them. He enjoys cooking for his kids and being with them during this stage of their lives, as they grow and learn new things. “Outside of work, I spend most of my time being a father,” he smiles.

Enjoying life in America, the Global Indian remains deeply connected to his native country, with its capital, Delhi, holding special significance in his journey. He was born in the city, returned at age nine, and later moved back twice as an adult. “In fact, I started my family there, and my first child was born in Delhi,” he shares.

Vishwa Shastra: India and the World

Dhruva Jaishankar is excited about the next milestone in his journey—the release of his debut book, Vishwa Shastra, published by Penguin Random House India. The book offers a comprehensive exploration of India’s historical and strategic role on the global stage.

[caption id="attachment_60733" align="aligncenter" width="431"] Cover image of Dhruva's book[/caption]

"One big motivator for me," Dhruva shares, "was the many talks and presentations I gave to student audiences across India, while I was working there between 2016-2019. Students from diverse backgrounds—not just social sciences but also law and engineering—showed a deep curiosity about India, its international relations, and its history. I realized there wasn’t a good book that offered a comprehensive starting point to understand India's interactions with the world."

He added, “My primary goal in writing this book was to create a foundation, especially for young Indians, but also for anyone interested, to learn more about India and its international relations."

The book delves into India’s ancient connections with regions spanning the Mediterranean to Asia, the enduring impact of colonialism, and the country’s post-Independence challenges, including its rivalries with Pakistan and China. It provides a framework for understanding India’s evolving geopolitical landscape while presenting forward-looking strategies. The second part of the book addresses five critical challenges: leveraging the economic environment for growth, integrating with neighbouring countries, balancing relations with a rising China, combating terrorism, and advocating institutional reforms in global governance.

Renowned writer and politician Shashi Tharoor has endorsed Vishwa Shastra, calling it, “An impressive tour d'horizon spanning centuries of India's strategic thought, traditions of statecraft, and contemporary foreign policy.” Indians in USA | Dhruva Jaishankar | Global Indian

The enduring bond with his roots continues to inspire Dhruva Jaishankar’s work. While influenced by his family’s legacy, Dhruva Jaishankar’s journey is defined by his own vision—one that aims to elevate India’s role in an interconnected world, bridging continents and generations alike. With his first book, Vishwa Shastra, he hopes to further this mission and contribute to a deeper understanding of India’s place in the global arena.

Follow Dhruva Jaishankar on LinkedIn

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The ‘Batterman’: How Mani Krishnan became California’s ‘dosa king’

(April 20, 2023) The year was 2003. Subramanian 'Mani' Krishnan was broke in the Bay Area, with a wife and two kids to feed. Work would begin early, by 7 am, when Krishnan and his wife, Anandhi, would begin preparing freshly-fermented dosa batter at their home in San Jose. Then, Krishnan would leave his house in San Jose, his car packed with 32-ounce containers filled to the brim. He would go from one grocery store to the next, requesting them to sell his batter. Mani Krishnan was in his forties, then, and had mortaged his house for his dosa batter business. "I thought it's better to be miserable on your own than to work for someone else and be more miserable," he reasoned. His idea was not new - there were many small-time, homespun ventures making dosa batter. A handful of stores agreed to stock his product, only if it sold. Still, demand was rising and Krishnan's USP was his scientific method, his use of technology and the fact that he followed the FDA guidelines. Twenty years later, Mani Krishnan, the founder of Shastha Foods, is the undisputed 'dosa king' of the USA. Shastha Foods has sold over 170 million

lank" rel="noopener">Shastha Foods, is the undisputed 'dosa king' of the USA.

Shastha Foods has sold over 170 million 'south Indian crepes', as they are lovingly known by the non-Indian population. With the courage to take a risk, the determination to rise up from very challenging circumstances and unwavering belief in the potential that his childhood breakfast food - the dosa - held, Mani Krishnan doesn't just sell food - he introduced South India's best loved dish to an appreciative global audience. "I want to sell a billion dosas," he often remarks. The company has 350 stores across the the US and Canada, functioning out of 35,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art manufacturing unit. Shastha's dosa batter is a staple in Indian households in the west. The immensely popular video of Vice President Kamala Harris and Mindy Kaling making a masala dosa also features Shastha dosa batter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz7rNOAFkgE

Journey to the USA

Mani was born in Thirunelveli, a small town in Tamil Nadu (famous for its halwa, made from milk and wheat berries). Like so many thousands of others before him, Mani Krishnan arrived in the USA, in 1977, to join his family. He had a degree in commerce and some experience as an accountant in Mumbai. His family, who had moved there a few years prior, were living in San Jose, where Mani also set up his base.

He found a job at a tech company, realising early on that he didn't want to work for someone else. So, he set up a hardware export business, sending hard disk drives, motherboards and processors to India. Business did well at first - this was at the start of the dot-com boom and although times were rough, Mani decided to stick with it. By the time the 1990s came to an end, the company folded. "When that business went south, I came to a point where I had to re-build my life from scratch. I was in my 40s then," the Global Indian said.

Mani had to make ends meet, he had a family to sustain. He knew the export-import business and could see the Indian diaspora - and its demands - grow over the years. He decided to bring filter coffee powder, which every South Indian loves and longs for, to the US. It led to his million-dollar-idea - making idli and dosa batter. He noticed a rising demand for food - the Indian diaspora was growing and they longed for home food. Dosa and idli are the morning staples at most South Indian homes but making the batter is a time-consuming process. “We stumbled upon the idea to sell idli batter in 2003; we did not do a formal market study but we made an observation; it was the phase when there was a steady rise in Indian nuclear families in the US and people had no time to buy the rice, soak it, grind it and allow it to ferment," he recalled. Mani cashed in, mortgaging his house to help him get started.

[caption id="attachment_37572" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Mani Krishnan[/caption]

Challenges to opportunities

This was 2003, and after the initial investment, Mani was left with very little. Failure just wasn’t an option. His wife, Anandhi, joined him and they began working out of their home kitchen, doing everything from manufacturing, to labelling and distribution. The couple would rise early, getting to work by 7 am and sitting by the 2-litre grinder to make dosa batter. After the batter was made and packed into 32-ounce containers, Mani would begin the hard journey around San Jose, dealing with sceptical grocery store owners.

"In good faith, I would leave our products with them. I would make regular calls to take follow-ups and even have to drive back to collect all the unsold packets and discard them," he recalled. It was this perfectionism, this unerring attention to detail and top-class customer service, which paved the way for his success, much like Mafat Patel, co-founder of the Patel Bros chain of grocery stores. "There were already players in the market. I think the system that I created helped me maintain quality, ensure consistency in delivery and also scale up. I am proud to say that it is Indian technology in the US," Mani said.

The Shastha Foods empire

At the end of their first year in business, Mani had paid off his mortgage and his delivery system had been upgraded from the backseat of his car to a refrigerated truck. "Soon, we out-grew that and we invested in small refrigerated trucks," he said. These days, the delivery department is buzzing everyday, with over a dozen refrigerated trucks travelling through the city. There were challenges, though. The first was the ingredients themselves - rice and dal, which he bought from Africa, Dubai and the USA.

Over, 12,500 kilos of batter are made everyday, at the San Jose headquarters of Shastha Foods. The process, which Mani takes great pride in, is completely automated. Rice and dal are loaded onto an automatic weighing and dispensing machine, then soaked in water. The ingredients are cleaned and loaded on to custom-made stone grinders. "Every minute, four containers of Shastha idli batter are being sold across the US," Mani told The Hindu. In 2017, the company also launched its organic products and they make batter with millet, as well as an Ayurvedic Khichdi mix.

[caption id="attachment_37574" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Shastha Food's millet khichdi[/caption]

Customer is always king

Mani takes nothing for granted, he says. "For us, service and quality is paramount.So, if due to unforeseen circumstances, any item goes bad, I make sure to take personal responsibility for that and either issue a full refund or replacement." As often as he could, Mani would drive up to meet customers personally, to take back a sub-par product and replace it.

Shastha Food now offers some 16 varieties of dosa batters and also sells essentials like rice, lentils, dals, pickles, sweets and millet-based items. And even after such success, Mani remains humble, a staunch advocate of high thinking and simple living. "A large house or a luxurious lifestyle was never a goal for me," he said. "I know from experience that money comes and goes and so I wanted to create something that could make a meaningful difference."

Follow Shastha Foods on Instagram and Mani Krishnan on LinkedIn.

From Mumbai Streets to North Carolina Eats: Chef Meherwan Irani’s Chai Pani

(October 29, 2023) From chaat to vada pav and more, Chef Meherwan Irani's restaurant chain called Chai Pani, is all about celebrating Indian street food with aplomb. Pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri, vada pav, misal, bhajiyas – sounds like just a streetfood restaurant in India. This menu, however, belongs to Chef Meherwan Irani’s Chai Pani, in America’s Deep South, in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2022, Meherwan’s flagship restaurant in Asheville, Chai Pani, was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, in the ‘Oscars’ of the culinary world. “It was jaw-dropping, honestly,” Chef Meherwan Irani smiles, as he chats with Global Indian. “To win the award for the Outstanding Restaurant, where the word Indian doesn’t even figure, was a shock. It means a lot because I got nominated five times for Best Chef but never got to the finals.” What’s more, Meherwan has just signed a deal for a cookbook with Penguin Random House’s division Tenspeed Press. [caption id="attachment_46322" align="aligncenter" width="506"] Chef Meherwan Irani[/caption] Born in Ahmednagar, in Maharashtra, Irani went to the US for an MBA, then lived and worked with companies like Lexus and Mercedes Benz in the Bay area for 12 years. A desire to get

Tenspeed Press.

[caption id="attachment_46322" align="aligncenter" width="506"] Indian Cuisine | Chef Meherwan Irani | Global Indian Chef Meherwan Irani[/caption]

Born in Ahmednagar, in Maharashtra, Irani went to the US for an MBA, then lived and worked with companies like Lexus and Mercedes Benz in the Bay area for 12 years. A desire to get out of the rat race made him and his American wife Molly relocate to Asheville in North Carolina, with their daughter Aria. This was way back in 2009, and it was a move that would forever change the course of their lives; and go on to significantly impact that of others as well.

The co-founder and CEO of the Chai Pani Group of Restaurants, says, “Life in San Francisco was too busy and too expensive. So we moved to North Carolina and having grown up at the hotel my parents had in Ahmednagar, I was familiar with the hospitality business. I wanted to start a restaurant; I made a list of my favourite street food based on what I had eaten in Mumbai and other cities. Then I created dishes, ran focus groups with white Americans for feedback and over a couple of hours one night, I created the entire menu for Chai Pani.”

Chai Pani Time

Meherwan called the restaurant Chai Pani because the phrase has multiple meanings in Indian culture and many layers, much the way the menu does. It literally means tea and water. While the common association is a small roadside snack with friends, or a small tip to grease the wheels, it mostly signifies hospitality and welcome (offering tea and water to guests in your home)!

Meherwan made frequent trips to India to figure out how the hawkers made bhel puri and other snacks. “There is no culinary school for vada pav, pav bhaji or bhel puri; or chai even. Also, I wanted to create food that was different, but not necessarily an acquired taste. The Indian food at restaurants is often too oily, too spicy and greasy and not how we make it at home. We give it a halka sa touch of spice and tadka and don’t drown it in chilli and ghee. I wanted to create flavour profiles that are universal, combinations that appealed, because with globalised palates, there was less fear of people not wanting to try the unknown.”

Indian Cuisine | Chef Meherwan Irani | Global Indian

Elevating Street Food

Chai Pani essentially serves snacks you could get on the streets of Indian cities and meals you’d be served in someone’s home — what Meherwan felt were the most under-represented Indian foods in Western culture. Diners craved Chai Pani’s stereotype-shattering food, drinks and service, and this first-of-its-kind establishment has been recognised as sparking a revolution in Indian cuisine in America. He also insists that managing people is an art; one that is diligently taught to staff. He avers, “The philosophy at the centre of Chai Pani, which is the purpose of our existence, is that we don’t serve food, but serve people by serving food.”

Word spread and the local, predominantly white populace started frequenting Chai Pani. Now, every Friday through to Sunday, from 5 to 9 in the evenings, they queue up for pani puri and the restaurant averages anything between 3000 to 5000 of them being sold every week! Other popular items are vada pav, sev puri and dahi puri.

Chai Pani and the kebab and rolls restaurant that followed, Botiwalla, have décor inspired by the Irani cafés one sees in Mumbai. Old Hindi film posters on the walls add a dash of Bollywood, as does the music playing in the background. The atmosphere is mela-like, especially during pani puri time!

What makes this restaurant authentic all the way is Meherwan’s integrity and approach to food. He reveals, “We make the sev in-house, we even set the dahi ourselves for the raita and dahi puri; and teach our staff how to do it as well. We buy puris from Atlanta, from an ex-team member who wanted to start his own business.” The puris, he says, resemble “what you get at the Elco Market pani puri stall [a famous street food place in Bandra, Mumbai] and like them, we too serve our pani cold.” The green chutney is Parsi style and the tamarind chutney reminiscent of Mumbai. The vada pav is served with a mix of chutneys and fried green chillies, just like it is sold on the streets of Mumbai.

[caption id="attachment_46318" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Indian Cuisine | Chef Meherwan Irani | Global Indian Chef Meherwan Irani with his wife Molly, the co-founder of Chai Pani[/caption]

I love my India

Sticking to his Indian roots, Meherwan also serves Kingfisher and Haywards beer – both Indian brands and Old Monk rum, besides Thums Up. The cocktails here too have Indian flavour profiles, like a gin and cilantro cocktail and the Punjabi Porch Pounder which is gin, sage and Indian spices. The Tamarind Margarita is self-explanatory.

What started as one restaurant in 2009, is today a group of restaurants and includes Botiwalla which serves grilled kebabs, rolls, and more, along with the popular chaat items. Meherwan says, “We didn’t have the budget to expand though Chai Pani was self-funded. Family and friends like family came forward and expressed interest in our expansion plans. If you remember that scene in the movie Kal Ho Na Ho where friends come together to relaunch the Indian restaurant, it was exactly the same with us.”

Spicewalla is their retail brand of freshly crushed spices and blends – over a 100 of them and they include spice blends from across the world. Meherwan leads a growing team across several locations: Chai Pani Asheville, Chai Pani Decatur, Botiwalla Atlanta, Botiwalla Charlotte, and spice brand Spicewalla, which has two outposts in Asheville and Atlanta.

Intriguingly, although Chef Meherwan Irani is half-Parsi, the menus don’t quite include Parsi dishes, nor do eggs dominate the menu, given how much the Parsis love them. An acknowledgement of his Parsi heritage is the raspberry soda [also made in-house] and the Falooda at Chai Pani. He agrees, “Yes, I did think of including Parsi dishes but other than Kheema Pav, others didn’t work out. I do sneak in the Parsi dishes like Egg Bhurji, Akuri, Dhansak and Patra ni Machchi at special events and galas.”

Indian Cuisine | Chef Meherwan Irani | Global Indian

The Gift of Giving

Through Chai Pani University, Meherwan and Molly provide formal training in leadership and management skills coaching to managers and employees who express an interest in future leadership positions. In 2018, the University launched an annual programme to send several of their employees to India for cultural immersion. Meherwan explains, “We pay for everything – and we take anything between eight to 15 employees twice every year. They love the visits, and many of them have come with us several times. Some have even learnt how to speak Hindi.”

As part of their visit, the team also goes to the hotel run by Meherwan’s parents. And they unanimously declare that meeting his parents and getting cooking tips from Meherwan’s Parsi mum is usually the highlight of the trip. “My mother is the heart and soul of why Chai Pani exists. Her cooking philosophy is all about balance – tradition and innovation.”

The co-founder couple are generous bosses in other ways too. He reveals, “We give away a certain percentage of our business to our staff – the managers and other employees, every year. That is so they have a sense of ownership. Our daughter Aria is now studying law, and we hope to bring her into the business someday.”

The Iranis also created Chai Pani Giving, an internal foundation dedicated to giving back and supporting causes related to hunger, poverty and socio-economic inequalities faced by immigrants, especially in the service and hospitality business. He says, “We believe that since our needs are taken care of, we need to do the next best thing and help the community. We conduct food drives at shelters for the homeless, provide support for education.” They have sent over 50 kids to school in the last seven years, and several to college.

Indian Cuisine | Chef Meherwan Irani | Global Indian

Global Melting Pot

Speaking on global trends in Indian food, Chef Meherwan Irani says, “Regionality is gaining prominence. Unlike an all is one approach, the originality of each dish is the standpoint. In Mumbai for instance, there is a cultural coming together that is reflected in food. Take bhel puri – the murmura comes from Andhra, the sev from Gujarat, papdi from the North and chutneys from Maharashtra. But, if you look across cuisines, veganism, conscious eating, giving back to the planet through the way we eat is growing.”

Follow Chef Meherwan Irani on Instagram

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