Executive | Laxman Narasimhan | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryAnother Indian CEO on the block: Pune-born Laxman Narasimhan to head Starbucks

Another Indian CEO on the block: Pune-born Laxman Narasimhan to head Starbucks

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(September 4, 2022) When he first arrived in the United State of America in 1991, he was a little puzzled by the culture and thought he might not fit in there. About three decades later today, 55-year-old Laxman Narasimhan is all set to take over as the CEO of coffee-giant, Starbucks at a tumultuous time. Joining the likes of Sundar Pichai at Google, Parag Agarwal at Twitter, Arvind Krishna at IBM, Leena Nair at Chanel, and many other Indians who are heading global corporations, the Pune-born executive is slated to officially start as CEO next April.

Laxman Narasimhan has been named the next Starbucks CEO

While it is a big responsibility to head a coffeehouse company, which has over 33,000 stores in 80 countries and more than 3,50,000 employees globally, this is not the first time that Narasimhan is at the helm of overseeing globally known companies. The top executive recently stepped down as the CEO of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, the company behind heritage brands Dettol, Strepsils, Harpic, and many other household items. Before his three-year stint at Reckitt, the Indian-American business executive was appointed as the Chief Commercial Officer at PepsiCo Inc in 2012, where he worked very closely with Indra Nooyi. Known as a “turnaround agent”, this Global Indian has successfully improved the financial position of all the companies he has worked in.

From Pune to Pennsylvania

Born in a middle-class family in Pune, Narasimhan’s childhood was no different than any other ordinary child’s in India. A brilliant student, the young boy would often sneak out of the house with his brother, to play cricket with their neighbourhood friends. In an interview with The Sunday Times, which was published earlier this year, he said his childhood was “tough”, recalling the death of his older sister who passed away before he was born, and how his elder brother died at the age of eight due to kidney infections.

Narasimham with his family in Paris

A high-achieving kid from a young age, Narasimhan earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering, University of Pune. He spent his college days regularly travelling home to care for his father who fell severely ill at the time. Of growing up in India, he said, “you learn resilience, you learn tolerance, you learn to find a way through”. A “collection of scholarships and two jobs” helped Narasimhan go abroad for further studies, where he pursued an MA in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Along his journey from India to the USA, the man didn’t just pick up degrees. According to several media reports, the executive is a hyperpolyglot and can speak as many as six languages. Narasimhan is fluent in German, English, Spanish, Hindi, and two other Indian languages.

Driven by purpose

After he finished his MBA, Narasimhan started his career with a global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company. In his 19-year-long stint with the company, the executive held many positions around the world, and eventually became a director and location manager of McKinsey’s New Delhi office. In 2012, he joined PepsiCo, where he rose through the ranks, supervising operations in Latin America, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa, and becoming a chief commercial officer. Not many are aware that Narasimhan was in the running to get the top job after Indra Nooyi stepped down as the CEO of the company. However, the job went to Ramon Laguarta.

In 2019, Narasimhan was hired as the Chief Executive Officer by Reckitt Benckiser, which was going through a rough phase, burdened by $16.6 billion takeover. Despite the company’s ill-fated split with Mead Johnson, it took Narasimhan only a few months to start selling the underperforming operations. In 2021, the executive was lauded by Reckitt’s investors and stockholders for steering the company through the pandemic. Speaking to McKinsey during an interview, Narasimhan said, “When I became the CEO of Reckitt I decided that I would take six months to lay out what I thought the company should be and where we should go. As part of that, I spent a lot of time in our markets. I sold with our salespeople and met with customers. I immersed myself in our R&D. And that’s how we got to our purpose: to protect, heal, and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world.”

Today is formally day one of my RB journey as CEO. And I am on a journey – to listen, and learn, from everyone as we craft the future of RB together. For the first time I can proudly say #WeAreRB. @discoverRB. Read more: https://t.co/3BC651b8Tp pic.twitter.com/HS4ZsbIGKK

— Laxman Narasimhan (@lakslnarasimhan) September 2, 2019

Starbucks is currently navigating a burgeoning unionisation push following a difficult phase for workers during the pandemic. Talking about the importance of hiring Narasimhan as the top executive, the current CEO of the coffee giant, Howard Schultz said, “He’s a true operator and has the DNA of an entrepreneur,” adding, that his background in technology and supply chains would be invaluable to the company. Schultz is expected to remain in charge of the company for the next several months before Narasimhan takes over as the CEO. The top executive is set to draw $1.3 million (about Rs 10 crore) as his annual base salary as the CEO of Starbucks. He also received a signing bonus of $1.5 million and a replacement equity grant with a target value of $9.25 million

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Published on 04, Sep 2022

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From lows to highs: Saweety Boora wins gold in World Boxing Championship

(April 12, 2023) Saweety Boora is riding high with her recent win. She defeated China’s Lina Wang to clinch a gold medal in the recently held Women’s World Boxing Championship. With this victory, she became the seventh Indian boxer (male or female) to become a world champion, and the first Indian to win the world boxing title in the women's 81 kg category. For Saweety, who is being celebrated for bringing glory to India, the triumph has come after a lot of tears and tribulations. In fact, there was a time when the dispirited Saweety turned to Kabaddi, spending twelve hours a day on it, all to forget her ‘first love’, boxing. Winning gold at the World Boxing Championship has resurrected the boxer’s belief in her abilities, motivating her to make her country proud in the 2024 Olympics. [caption id="attachment_37218" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Saweety Boora[/caption] The tale of heartbreaks in boxing Saweety rose to instant fame when she won a silver in her debut Women’s World Championship at South Korea in 2014. One year later, she clinched another silver at the Asian Women's Amateur Boxing Championships in China. However, after such great feats so early in her career, the boxer went through several lows.

oora | Global Indian" width="574" height="718" /> Saweety Boora[/caption]

The tale of heartbreaks in boxing

Saweety rose to instant fame when she won a silver in her debut Women’s World Championship at South Korea in 2014. One year later, she clinched another silver at the Asian Women's Amateur Boxing Championships in China.

However, after such great feats so early in her career, the boxer went through several lows. One major blow was her failure to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, despite her hard work and efforts. “It was the darkest phase of my life,” the boxer said. “What is the use if there is no Olympics? I had played at various international and Asian tournaments and won medals. The only medal that was missing in my career was of the Olympics," she said.

The boxer was so shattered by having been left behind, that watching the Indian contingent head to Tokyo sent her into an acute depression. It was so severe she nearly quit boxing.

Finding solace in Kabbadi

Talking about the lowest phase of her life, Saweety said in an interview, “I was depressed. I wanted to stay away from everything - social media and TV during the time Olympics were going on because I was not there. It was the worst feeling for me,"

Indian Athlete | Saweety Boora |Global Indian

To vent out the frustration the boxer turned to Kabbadi, a game she had played in her early years. “Boxing is my first love, my life and my passion. The thought of leaving that was very difficult for me but I needed something to hold on to,” she said.

When Indian athletes were earning accolades in the Tokyo Olympics, Saweety used to leave for practice at five in the morning, train for six hours, take a break and come back to practice again until midnight. “I just wanted to shut myself away from the world to keep boxing out of my mind,” she said.

Support in family and friends

It was her brother, and her Kabbadi player husband Deepak Hooda, who stood by Saweety during this time. Deepak’s Pro Kabaddi League team was also very supportive. "I earlier played Kabbadi for physical fitness and then I started training for the game,” she said adding “I used to be so good at it that many thought I could make it as a professional player.”

Motivated by the encouraging words of the Pro Kabaddi League team, Saweety gave trials and was selected for nationals because nobody could match her speed in the women's game.

Back to her first love

No matter how much solace Kabbadi provided, nothing could keep Saweety away from boxing. When the trials for the Asian Boxing Championships in 2021 began, she decided to give the sport another chance.

The boxer clinched a bronze medal in the championship which was held in Dubai. Things started looking up from there and subsequently Saweety was selected for the Women’s World Championship proving her mettle by winning gold. Her joy ever since has been boundless.

Indian Athlete | Saweety Boora | Global Indian

Family of players

Sport runs in the family – Saweety's farmer father, Mahender Singh, had once been a national-level basketball player. Her husband, Deepak, served as the captain of the Indian National Kabaddi team from 2019-2022 and her younger sister Siwi Boora, is also a boxer. Siwi won a gold in the Khelo India Youth Games followed by Khelo University Games. Saweety’s brother Mandeep is a boxer too.

Wiser with the grind

All her struggles, along with the tough upbringing she had in rural Hissar, under the watchful eye of a sportsman dad, have made her wiser. Today, Saweety is strong on the inside too, able to rise above great odds. The boxer is super excited after winning gold in the 2023 World Boxing Championship but knows the job is far from over. “Just to be on top in one championship is nothing. There’s a lot to do. I have been working diligently to ensure that I can give my best at the elite level,” said the thirty-year-old athlete who is looking forward to bringing laurels to the country in Olympics 2024 to be held in Russia.

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A Singaporean symphony: Alvin’s classical repertoire on a high tempo

(May 3, 2022) Growing up in Singapore, Alvin Seville Arumugam had to find a way to make it into the world of western classical music. Coming from a financially weak background, this Indian Tamilian had a lot to prove. The eminent Indian conductor in Singapore and the rare Indian to be selected for conducting at the Royal School of Music in London, Alvin is busy smashing the glass ceiling. “This speaks volumes about representation. The space is mostly filled with white men. Breaking the glass ceiling is tough. In western classical music, other popular Indian conductors are Zubin Mehta and Alpesh Chauhan. So as an artist, it's imperative to break through," Alvin tells Global Indian in an interview. [caption id="attachment_23947" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Alvin Seville Arumugam[/caption] Passion to career The Singapore-born and raised Tamilian has his roots in India. His grandfather moved from Tamil Nadu to Jaffna in Sri Lanka, but later shifted to Singapore to escape the civil war. Growing up, Alvin was surrounded by pop music of the 70s, 80s, and 90s during his childhood, courtesy, his mother. But it wasn't until his teens that he felt a connection with western classical music. “I was 12 when I

l Nadu to Jaffna in Sri Lanka, but later shifted to Singapore to escape the civil war. Growing up, Alvin was surrounded by pop music of the 70s, 80s, and 90s during his childhood, courtesy, his mother. But it wasn't until his teens that he felt a connection with western classical music. “I was 12 when I found that my school band was recruiting, and I decided to give it a try," reveals Alvin who started as a percussionist, and later excelled in wind and string instruments. While the love for music kept blossoming, Alvin knew that getting a stable job after graduation was his goal. “Coming from a broken family, I never saw my dad, he was estranged. My mom was always working. For Asian parents, doing well academically was everything. For my mom, it was either law or medicine,” adds Alvin who later joined Catholic Junior College where he formed the symphony band. “By then I had already performed with the Singapore Wind Symphony at the Sydney Opera House,” says the conductor who went on to join the Singapore Armed Forces Band as its concertmaster.

Though Alvin had his eyes on a law course at the National University Singapore, the sudden death of his mother kept him anchored to his passion. “Before she died, she let me off the hook and told me to follow my dreams. That’s how I continued playing with the armed forces band. They paid me a salary and also funded my diploma in music,” says Alvin. At just 21, he began conducting and getting offers from many schools. His bands were not only head-turners in the biennial Singapore Youth Festival but also clinched two gold with honours in the Junior College category in 2009.

Conductor | Alvin Seville Arumugam

Making western classical music accessible

In 2016, he shifted gears when he did his master's from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS in orchestral conducting. "I'm truly indebted to my conductor lesson teachers Darrel Ang and Douglas Boseoek. They played a pivotal role in my journey," says Alvin who, the same year, formed the Musicians' Initiative, with like-minded musicians, that plugs the gap in the industry by giving opportunities to professionals and pre-professionals. “With bigger players like Singapore Symphony Orchestra, musicians who are not in the orchestra get to perform only three-four times a year. There is not much exposure. That’s where we come in and provide opportunities and provide mentorship,” adds the music director who reveals that MI has now become a non-profit.

"Classical music is quite traditional and rigid. The youth of today have no idea about it because it's not readily available and is seen as a high-society concept. But we need to make it accessible to the young,” says Alvin who believes there is a misconception that you need a certain social standing to appreciate it. "Since this form of art is dislodged from the public, through Musicians' Initiative, we want to bring it out to the public," adds Alvin who found his initiative ahead of the curve even during the pandemic. When the lockdown paralysed the world of art, they found ways to perform. "Innovation is at the core of Musicians Initiative. We believe in the bold representation of classical music," adds the conductor who performed at former diplomat Nirupama Rao’s South Asian Symphony Orchestra in 2019. “It’s an experiment to show that 80 people from across South Asia, who don't know each other, can create something beautiful in the name of peace,” says Alvin who calls Rao his life mentor. “Merely talking to her is an education in itself,” says the conductor who left his life in Singapore to pursue an international career.

Conductor | Alvin Seville Arumugam

Breaking the stereotypes

Currently in London to pursue his second master's in orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music, he is one of the two students selected for a two-year course, and one of the the rare Indians in the college's history. But making a mid-life career change is “risky” especially since Alvin left the comfort of his Singaporean life. "I was doing exceptionally well. But I wanted to explore the music scene internationally, and I knew if I didn't do it now, I'd become a bitter musician who would always be thinking about what if I had taken that chance. Growth is paramount in any art,” says Alvin who calls the expenses of studying classical music one of the biggest challenges. "Coming from a middle-class Tamilian family in Singapore, it's not easy to pay for such expenses," he adds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=340KjZkIzgU

His biggest advice is to “release self-doubt – it’s your biggest enemy. Instead, take a leap of faith,” adding “there will be highs and lows. Keep ploughing through. Don’t ever look behind.” The conductor loves cycling and hiking as nature “heals” him. In 2019, he visited India for the first time and completely “loved the chaos.” Set to return this July for another concert with the South Asian Symphony Orchestra in Chennai, he will enthrall all, for sure. "It's this passion and love for music that keeps me going," concludes the conductor.

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Srikanth Bolla: An entrepreneur, a leader, and a visionary

(April 17, 2024) Born into a family of rice farmers, entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla's arrival in the world wasn't met with the joyous anticipation one might expect. Visually impaired from birth, some relatives suggested that his parents should abandon him, deeming him as someone who wouldn't be able to help them in their later years. Classmates scorned him as he was visually challenged. He decided to turn his disadvantage into an opportunity and there is no looking back for him. After having fought thousands of odds, today Srikanth serves as an inspiration for countless students and adults. Despite facing numerous challenges, the Global Indian has emerged as a young and prosperous entrepreneur, running Bollant Industries, which has an impressive turnover of ₹150 crore - which incidentally was also funded by former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. "I lack eyesight, but not vision. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange. And now, one of

sion. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange.

And now, one of India's biggest production houses, T-Series Films, is ready to release a biopic on his life. Titled Srikanth, the movie stars Rajkummar Rao and Jyothika. "I would like for more and more people to know about my journey," said the entrepreneur during the trailer launch of the movie, adding, "I can't wait for the movie to release."

Facing rejections

Picture this: every day, navigating through a maze of muddy puddles, dodging vehicles that seem intent on hitting you, all along a journey spanning four to five kilometers. Now, envision undertaking this daunting task regardless of the season – whether scorching summer, chilly winter, or torrential monsoon – all while coping with visual impairment. Srikanth has done it all.

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

"I had a clear vision since I was a young kid. When the world looks at me and says, ‘Srikanth, you can do nothing,’ I look back at the world and say I can do anything.”," shared the entrepreneur. "Initially, when I was in my village, I didn't have any friends. No one wanted to play with me since I was visually impaired. But, that loneliness made me concentrate on my studies." When Srikanth was seven years old, he enrolled in a school for the visually impaired in Hyderabad. There, he began to flourish academically, receiving the education he rightfully deserved.

Starting with Braille, Srikanth gradually mastered English and computer skills. His journey of learning was remarkable, marked by victories in debating, creative writing, chess, and blind cricket, earning him recognition as the school's top student. Srikanth excelled academically, achieving 90 percent marks with distinction in his matriculation from Devnar School in Hyderabad.

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Challenging the world

He was the happiest that day, but little did he know that the real battle was only just beginning. Despite his academic achievements, Srikanth faced a daunting challenge: his school's policy restricted blind students from studying science and mathematics due to concerns about handling diagrams and graphs. Encouraged to pursue arts, languages, literature, and social sciences instead, Srikanth refused to accept this limitation. With determination, he sought justice through the legal system, supported by a teacher. Ultimately, he emerged victorious as the court ruled in favor of blind students' rights to study science and maths in senior years across all state board schools in Andhra Pradesh.

Entrepreneur | Srikanth Bolla | Global Indian

It was during this time that he got an opportunity to work for Lead India Project, a movement to empower the youth through value-based education, with former President Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The entrepreneur believed, "No one should let their disability interfere with their dreams. One doesn't need eyes to have visions of their career." Undeterred by the obstacles, Srikanth continued to excel academically, achieving a remarkable 98 percent in his XII board exams, leading his class with distinction.

However, despite having the percentage and required qualifications, the entrepreneur was denied admission to the Indian Institute of Technology, where he wanted to study engineering, because of his blindness. "If IIT did not want me, I did not want IIT either," the entrepreneur shared during an interview, adding, "I knew the world had put many obstacles in my path, I just needed to learn to cross them without falling."

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And so, he started applying to various foreign Universities or an undergraduate programme. Interestingly, he was able to secure admission to four of the top schools, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon in the United States, and in 2009 he eventually chose to get admitted to MIT, which proudly recognised him as their first-ever international blind student.

ALSO READ | Asim Bhalerao: The entrepreneur transforming India’s water infrastructure with AI

A visionary

Upon completing his education, Srikanth returned to Hyderabad and founded Bollant Industries in 2012. The company specializes in manufacturing areca-based products while also prioritizing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Bollant addresses a range of concerns including employment, economics, and environmental sustainability. "I left behind a good future in the USA as I wanted to make products using renewable energy, made by the people considered useless, like me. I want to be a leader working to build a future with equal opportunities for everyone, which means providing work for the abled people also, as Bollant is not a commercial enterprise or a charity home, but a social enterprise working for everyone."

The company produces eco-friendly recycled Kraft paper from municipal waste, crafts packaging items from recycled paper, creates disposable products from natural leaves and recycled paper, and transforms waste plastic into usable goods. The company's impactful endeavours attracted the attention of investors, eventually securing funding from renowned businessman Ratan Tata.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMeuJP5iBWY

"I feel god can give us only starting circumstances, but we make our own destiny. The future is in our hands, we can craft it however we wish. if you want your kids to be in a future where there is equality, you can also craft that future. I have been bothered with the question about what kind of future I want for myself for a long time. I had two choices, I could join a well-established firm, or create my own company - and I chose the latter," said the entrepreneur, adding, "No power in the world can stop an ambitious person from finding success. Disability is when you have sight, but do not have vision."

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Michelin magic: Indian restaurants shine in culinary constellation

(November 14, 2023) In the last twenty years, a group of innovative young chefs within the lively Indian diaspora has skillfully explored the untapped possibilities of regional Indian cuisine. According to a survey by German food enthusiasts at Lieferando, the irresistible charm of Indian cuisine has skyrocketed to remarkable levels, solidifying its standing as the second most sought-after culinary experience on social media. A testament to this trend is the recent success of three Indian restaurants — Rania in Washington, DC, Semma in New York City, and Indienne in Chicago — all of which were bestowed with Michelin stars just last week. Semma, helmed by chef Vijay Kumar, received one Michelin star for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, Rania, under the leadership of chef Chetan Shetty, and Indienne, guided by chef Sujan Sarkar, each earned one Michelin star. Driven by an unwavering passion for their heritage, these culinary geniuses have propelled traditional recipes to extraordinary heights, infusing each dish with a mindful blend of consciousness, innovation, and boundless creativity. Global Indian highlights these exceptional chefs, ready to reshape the narrative surrounding Indian cuisine on the global stage. Their unparalleled talent and bold audacity have shattered the constraints of convention, unravelling

alindian.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian highlights these exceptional chefs, ready to reshape the narrative surrounding Indian cuisine on the global stage. Their unparalleled talent and bold audacity have shattered the constraints of convention, unravelling the perception of Indian food as mere spice-laden fare.

Semma, New York City

Just one morsel of any dish at this restaurant, and you'll find yourself transported to the tropical ambiance of Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, after years spent working in restaurants from Chennai to California, Chef Vijay Kumar joined forces with Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya to transform the existing establishment into a venue that faithfully replicates the flavours Kumar fondly remembers from his upbringing.

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Talking about winning the Michelin for the second year, Roni Mazumdar of Unapologetic Foods - the parent company of Semma shares with Global Indian, "Working with Chef Vijay is humbling and inspiring. We started the journey with the unwavering faith that our cuisine will be noticed around the world more than ever and the 2nd star pushes the boundaries even further. We still have a long journey ahead for our regional cuisines but we are certainly making strides."

Celebrating the success of Semma, Chef Vijay says, "I am happy no doubt to be able to retain the Michelin star for the second year. However, it is exciting that three Indian restaurants won the Michelin stars. The event was packed there were over 600 people and since they had many announcements to make they kind of rushed through them and clubbed all our names together."

[caption id="attachment_43913" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Chef Chintan Pandya | Global Indian Chef Chintan Pandya with Chef Vijay Kumar and Roni Mazumdar[/caption]

But, is there any pressure on the chef after the back-to-back wins? "No. But, I do feel I have the responsibility to represent our culture and country through our food," shares the culinary wizard, adding, "I am happy that micro-regional Indian food is getting this kind of recognition. It is regional and super authentic and humble food. The other two winners do a more modern version of Indian food. Our cuisines do have a lot of potential and if French and Italian can be so popular why not Indian."

Rania, Washington D.C.

This upscale dining concept is truly fit for royalty, and the name of the restaurant reflects just that - "queen". Chef Chetan Shetty presents a truly captivating experience with his innovative menu. The offerings include contemporary touches and a few delightful surprises, such as the braised pork belly vindaloo. Dishes like the shiso leaf chaat strike a harmonious balance between playful spirit and elegant tones, while the ghee-roasted lamb encased in a delicate lentil cheela offers a spicy kick harmonised by a buttermilk mousse. Lastly, the dessert, a slightly sweet strained yogurt mousse with hints of pistachio and cardamom, serves as the perfect finale.

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The culinary mastermind's innovative and contemporary approach honours the time-honoured culinary traditions, embracing rich flavours, spices, and diverse agricultural regions across the subcontinent. Taking to social media to share the news, Chef Chetan Shetty wrote, "My First Michelin star. You will always be special. Feels good when your efforts are recognized (sic)."

Indienne, Chicago

Throughout his career, Chef Sujan Sarkar has consistently pushed the boundaries of Indian cuisine with his modernist sensibilities. Now, in Chicago, he is unveiling Indienne, a tasting menu restaurant where his Indian culinary expertise harmonizes with classic French techniques. The restaurant features an $80 vegetarian menu and a $90 option for omnivores. Across both menus, patrons can expect Indian dishes crafted with unconventional ingredients and employing European culinary methods.

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“I want it to be fun, I want to be interactive," the culinary genius said during an interview, "It’s not where you just go and sit down and go home. It will be more! It has to be fun, it has to be light and airy." If you find yourself at this restaurant, be sure to indulge in some standout dishes, notably Chef Sarkar's galauti and lamb burrah. Additionally, don't miss the vada served with Golden Osetra caviar, and the lobster-topped bisi bele bath, a flavourful dish made with rice, lentils, and over 30 other carefully selected ingredients.

Reading Time: 6 mins

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

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

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

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

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

Architecture to design psychology - shifting gears

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

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

Asmita Kerkar | Global Indian

Designing for social impact

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

Asmita Kerkar

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

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

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

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

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