Innovator | Dr. Prineha Narang | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryQuantum tech innovator: Dr. Prineha Narang is at the intersection of science and invention

Quantum tech innovator: Dr. Prineha Narang is at the intersection of science and invention

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(May 30, 2023) In the realm of deep tech, where science meets invention, a wave of remarkable advancements has been sweeping the landscape. Among the most exciting frontiers is quantum technology – a field poised to revolutionise multiple industries by unlocking unprecedented computational power and sensing capabilities. An Indian American innovator Dr. Prineha Narang, who is the Assistant Professor of computational materials science at Harvard University, stands at the forefront of this quantum revolution.

Innovator | Dr. Prineha Narang | Global Indian

The innovator’s professional journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of big ideas and a dedication to harnessing quantum mechanics to address pressing global challenges. Currently, serving as a U.S. Science Envoy, approved by the Secretary of the USA to identify opportunities for science and technology cooperation, Dr. Narang was also selected as a 2018 Moore Inventor Fellow for her invention, a tiny quantum sensor, which uses a novel and previously unexplored interaction mechanism between light and molecules to sense and identify individual molecules. “Every day, I try to consider “what am I doing that’s most impactful?” I’m not just talking about publications, but an actual impact on people’s lives,” the Global Indian shared in an interview, adding, “For example, our group is using previously unexplored interactions between light and materials to create sensors that can rapidly identify environmental toxins. Technology like this could allow us to monitor changes in the ocean or the air on an unprecedented scale.”

Bridging science and environment

Dr. Narang’s journey as a scientist-inventor began with her early fascination with physics. From an early age, she excelled in grappling with complex equations and revelled in the interconnectedness between physics and various engineering disciplines. Speaking about her childhood, the innovator says, “Since a young age I was good at handling complex equations, and I liked how physics relates to so many other areas of engineering. At the same time, I always loved the outdoors. Many people thought I was strange for having these two passions that seem at odds with each other. However, at some point I realized that technology doesn’t have to compete with the environment – it can actually help.”

Interestingly, today her groundbreaking work involves leveraging quantum mechanics to tackle immense challenges like efficient energy technologies and monitoring the effects of climate change. “That viewpoint is now the foundation of my career. I like thinking about deep technology that doesn’t appear close to applications and asking how this technology can help the world. Currently, I’m working to develop inventions that harness the power of quantum mechanics to address big challenges like efficient energy technologies and monitoring the effects of climate change,” the innovator said.

Dr. Prineha Narang taking a class at the UCLA

A brilliant student, Dr. Narang pursued a bachelor’s from Drexel University, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in materials science under the mentorship of Dr. Yury Gogotsi, focussing on the fascinating realm of nanomaterial design. The innovator went on to earn an M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics at the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech). And it was here that she had the privilege of working alongside the eminent physicist Dr. Harry A. Atwater, delving deep into the captivating realm of light-matter interactions.

Exploring the realm of quantum technology

During her time at Caltech, Dr. Narang’s brilliance and dedication were recognised through prestigious fellowships and grants. Quite early in her career, the innovator was bestowed the honour of being a Resnick Fellow, receiving support from the esteemed Resnick Sustainability Institute. But her journey to getting these grants was not always easy. Giving an insight into the challenges she faced, the innovator said, “One of the biggest challenges I face is convincing people that my ideas are worth supporting. There’s a lot of risk aversion, especially at the early stages of turning an idea into an invention. In addition, people often hear “quantum technology” and think it’s something far off in the distant future – but it’s not! We’re studying quantum interactions that can be used in actual devices with real use cases today.”

Dr. Narang with Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, learning about Japan’s quantum tech

In 2017, Dr. Narang was appointed to the faculty of the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She designed a quantum sensing device that can detect and identify isolated molecules. As a junior faculty member, the pressure to “play it safe” is especially intense, as expectations often dictate focussing solely on one’s core expertise. “I have my core expertise, but I don’t want to be limited by that. Good science happens at the intersection of different fields. Being at Harvard gave me the freedom to break from the standard junior faculty trajectory, exploring other fields and collaborating with people whom I wouldn’t otherwise get to work with,” she shared.

Envisioning the future

Within a couple of years, Dr. Narang’s exceptional academic prowess led her to become a recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, a highly competitive and coveted award that recognises outstanding graduate students across the United States. This esteemed fellowship not only provided financial support but also served as a testament to the innovator’s remarkable achievements and potential as a scientific leader.

“People often misunderstand the trajectory of scientific progress. Even if something appears promising, there are still many things we can’t anticipate, and risk is inherent. Unfortunately, some researchers exacerbate this issue by overselling what their work could deliver, which leaves people feeling burned. This is especially common with quantum technology, and I’ve encountered a lot of cynicism when proposing my ideas,” the innovator had shared talking about how common people should look at scientific inventions and research.

The innovator, who recently won the prestigious IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Computational Physics, a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award (Bessel Prize) from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and a Max Planck Sabbatical Award from the Max Planck Society, wishes to continue inspiring future generations of scientists, innovators, and inventors with her unwavering commitment to cutting-edge research and her relentless pursuit of knowledge.

Dr. Narang at the US-Korea quantum round table, along with other scientists

“I believe our research has the potential to make a significant impact in the world. To realize this potential, we need to bridge the gap between ideas and applications. We’ve already started one company dedicated to this goal, and in five years, I hope there will be more companies working to turn our group’s ideas into tangible solutions for a wide variety of challenges,” she said, adding, “As for me personally, my goal is to constantly reinvent myself as a scientist. I hope to continue evolving my research interests by embracing new ideas and working with an even more diverse group of collaborators. I truly believe that to make real progress, you have to step out of your comfort zone.”

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Published on 30, May 2023

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Saurabh Mehta: Meet the man behind world’s first 100 percent biodegradable pen

(July 5, 2024) "Humans are aiming for Mars; can’t we create a plastic-free pen? It can’t be that difficult," wondered Delhi-based Saurabh Mehta in the summer of 2020. Drawing on his years of experience in eco-friendly writing instruments, he developed the world's first 100 percent biodegradable pen - NOTE pen. Made entirely from scrap newspaper, ink, and a nib, his pen is a far cry from the plastic pens that have dominated the market for over 80 years. "Plastic pens often go unnoticed because they aren’t as visible on streets as PET bottles, but over 50 billion of them are discarded annually and are impossible to recycle," Saurabh tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_52865" align="aligncenter" width="652"] Saurabh Mehta[/caption] This inspired him to create a solution that benefits the environment and has the potential to revolutionise the pen industry. “There has never been an alternative to plastic pens, which are especially essential in schools. Recognising the demand, I decided to develop a pen that is 100 percent biodegradable—good for both users and the Earth,” explains the entrepreneur. Family business Growing up in a family involved in the writing instrument business, Saurabh was introduced to this world at a young age. His grandfather

mand, I decided to develop a pen that is 100 percent biodegradable—good for both users and the Earth,” explains the entrepreneur.

Family business

Growing up in a family involved in the writing instrument business, Saurabh was introduced to this world at a young age. His grandfather started making fountain pen nibs in 1965, eventually moving on to ball pen nibs and refills. Saurabh’s father later expanded into manufacturing ball pens. “Dinner table conversations often centred on how people have stopped using refills, leading to a decline in their sales and a shift towards buying pens in bulk instead," recalls Saurabh, who shared a strong bond with his grandfather. “He would often talk about this transition to a use-and-throw culture and warned me that it would be disastrous to the pen industry. Interestingly, he used only one fountain pen throughout his life.”

Exploring renewable energy in SE Asia

As a child, he often visited the factory after school, where the sight of refills discarded on the floor irked him. "That’s when I first became aware of plastic waste. By the time I finished school, I was drawn to sustainability." After earning his degree in electrical engineering from Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Engineering, Saurabh's focus shifted to renewable energy. For a decade, from 2006 to 2016, he worked off the grid, primarily on village electrification projects in Southeast Asia and Central Europe. "I started with a fellowship, working at the grassroots level. At that time, nearly 60 percent of the population lacked reliable electricity," recalls Saurabh. "Those years were incredibly formative, teaching me the impact one can create through technology."

With significant improvement in India's electrification, he decided to explore opportunities abroad, leading to projects in Nepal and Indonesia. "Indonesia was still at par with India but things were bad in Nepal. The difficult terrain made it hard to extend the grid to high-altitude villages, and there was no clear timeline for when people would have reliable access to power." Frustrated by the lack of progress in Nepal, he moved to Indonesia. “It was exciting for a while, but I soon realised it wasn’t a good fit for me. Though there were opportunities in Africa, I knew deep down that I didn’t want to leave India.” Around that time, he returned home for Diwali, where his father suggested he join the family business. “Since I was already seeking a change, I decided to take up the business in 2017."

Saurabh Mehta | Global Indian

Venturing into sustainable stationery

Saurabh joined the family business with a clear plan: to attract multiple clients and introduce design innovations, particularly in the gifting segment. “I worked with my dad for a year to learn the market, but sustainability was always on my mind, which led me to question my business. I was contributing to the plastic problem,” Saurabh explains. This realisation led him to pivot toward sustainable stationery, launching BioQ in 2017. “I wanted to stay true to my values. Even though sustainability was a novel concept, this gave us a first-mover advantage,” says Saurabh, who dived into eco-friendly stationery, focusing primarily on the gifting market.

[caption id="attachment_52868" align="aligncenter" width="622"] Biodegradable pen and refill[/caption]

He began his eco-friendly journey with pencils made from paper instead of wood. "20,000 pencils are made from one tree. If you don't use them, you save a tree. But not using a pencil isn't an option. " He sought a sustainable alternative using scrap newspapers, requiring just 5-6 grams per pencil. His focus then shifted to pens, aiming to reduce plastic use. By 2020, he reduced plastic use in pens by 90 percent. "But it wasn't 100 percent eco-friendly." This inspired him to create the world's first fully biodegradable pen, removing the remaining 10 percent of plastic.

World's first 100 percent biodegradable pen

He replaced paper with plastic for the pen's body but finding an alternative for the plastic refill that holds the ink together was his biggest challenge. After trial and error, he found his solution in vegetable oil. "Coating the inside of the paper body with vegetable oil keeps the ink intact without it seeping into the paper. It's that simple but an incidental discovery," he laughs. Innumerable prototypes and four years later, he had a final product ready for the marketplace.

In January 2024, he launched NOTE (No Offense To Earth) as a flagship project to promote sustainable writing instruments. Currently priced at ₹50, these pens, with an option for a metal, paper, or bamboo exterior, and refills are available on their website. "We've also received international orders, sending small shipments to France and the UAE." But Saurabh is confident that prices will reduce drastically within a year, and is aiming to reduce production costs by two-thirds. "In the next 3-4 years, our goal is to match the affordability of traditional plastic pens." we will be able to make it at the same price as an affordable plastic pen." Initially targeting B2B sales, Saurabh believes the real impact will come when they reach consumers directly (B2C).

Being the first movers, there is no blueprint for Saurabh to follow. "Starting from scratch is a challenge but we are getting the opportunity to change the system. This positions us as leaders in innovation." Currently focused on establishing their systems, the 36-year-old is confident that within the next 5-10 years, they will surpass plastic pens. "Our material costs are low and abundant. While paper faces no scrutiny, plastic is constantly questioned."

Each year, over 50 billion pens are discarded, persisting indefinitely on the planet. This troubling fact drives Saurabh, as plastic pens are nearly impossible to recycle. "Recycling only occurs if it’s commercially viable. PET bottles have high grammage, you know where to give it and it's only one material. Pens, however, have a multi-material composition—body, cap, nib, refill—that's difficult to dismantle," explains Saurabh. His main concern is that "a pen is used for just 30-40 minutes but remains on the planet forever."

Saurabh Mehta | Global Indian

Ask him the reason behind big players' reluctance to venture into biodegradable pens, and he responds, "There was no demand, hence no pressure on the manufacturers. They focussed on design innovations and ignored the issue of nonrecyclable plastic in pens. Also, their infrastructure is built for plastic pens, and they don't want to make drastic changes." However, Saurabh was happy to take the lead. "We had the opportunity to rethink the design of sustainable ball pen, considering both functionality and eco-friendliness."

The future

Having taken the first step, Saurabh now aims to reduce production costs and establish a robust distribution channel over the next few years. "Each day we delay bringing eco-friendly pens to market, lakhs of plastic ones are produced. It's crucial to collaborate with major market players who have extensive distribution networks reaching small stationery shops across India," says Saurabh, who plans to make a million pens per month by January 2025.

Switching from plastic pens to biodegradable ones will save a significant amount of plastic from ending up in landfills and reduce CO2 emissions. "Eliminating plastic will prevent about 1.25 lakh tonnes from reaching landfills. Additionally, you’ll cut down on CO2 emissions associated with plastic production," Saurabh explains. "In our case, energy consumption and CO2 emissions are lower because, unlike plastic, paper doesn’t need to be melted."

Saurabh with his team

Though digitisation has severely impacted the metres of writing, Saurabh emphasises the importance of writing instruments, especially for schoolchildren. "It's ironic that while teaching kids about environmental protection, we're giving them writing tools made from cut trees or melted plastic," he notes. He aims to change this by ensuring students use biodegradable writing instruments from their first day in school. "Our goal should be to avoid introducing an entire generation to plastic pens or wooden pencils," he signs off.

Follow Saurabh Mehta on LinkedIn

Anindita Neogy Anaam: Popularising Kathak in the US

(February 26, 2023) It's through the rapid footwork and enchanting tukdas and tihais that Anindita Neogy Anaam has been telling stories on stage. The language of dance is what this Kathak exponent knows the best, and she loves exploring it layer by layer through her art form. Being acquainted with both Jaipur and Lucknow gharanas of the dance form, she is one of the few talents who has taken Kathak to the world stage. The recipient of the National Nritya Shiromani Award and Jayadev Rashtriya Puraskar, Anaam began training at a very young age, and instantly fell in love with Kathak. Now after years of total submission to her art, this Global Indian is busy making the dance form popular in the US by presenting it as a ballet and making people aware of this classical dance. Kathak - from traditional form to ballet The music of taal always made a young Anaam put on her ghungroos and seeing her love for dance, her mother Falguni Neogy trained her daughter in Kathak. After the initial schooling, Anaam enrolled in the Uma Sharma School of Dance to learn the nuances and finer techniques from veteran exponent Uma Sharma. It was here

tional form to ballet

The music of taal always made a young Anaam put on her ghungroos and seeing her love for dance, her mother Falguni Neogy trained her daughter in Kathak. After the initial schooling, Anaam enrolled in the Uma Sharma School of Dance to learn the nuances and finer techniques from veteran exponent Uma Sharma. It was here that Anaam immersed herself into the world of Kathak, and found it to be her true calling. To hone her craft, she found her place under the tutelage of Guru Pt Rajendra Gangani of Jaipur Gharana where she learnt the rhythmic foot movements. She later transitioned to the Lucknow Gharana where she understood the finesse and graceful movements under Pt Jai Kishan Maharaj, who is the eldest son of Pt Birju Maharaj. It was Maharaj who changed the direction of dance for Anaam when he introduced a ballet approach to Kathak.

Being well-acquainted with Kathak from both Jaipur and Lucknow gharana, Anaam became a popular name in this art form in India. However, her biggest challenge came in when she shifted to Wisconsin in the US in 2015, wherein the knowledge and awareness of Kathak was almost negligible. And to introduce the Indian classical dance to non-Indians was a Herculean task for her. But not the one to backout, she was determined to make people aware of the beauty of Kathak.

"When I first shifted to the North East part of Wisconsin, it was a challenge to spread the Indian art because these areas have very less exposure to Indian culture, unlike Bay Area and New York where there is a thriving Indian community. I was culturally shocked but the dancer inside me didn’t let me rest," she told the Statesman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvmWhdULxR0

Making Kathak popular in the US

Anaam revealed that people of Wisconsin often confused Kathak with Bollywood, and it took a great deal of time to make them understand the beats, tempo and rhythm and how they were similar to ballet and not Kathak. Back in 2015, Kathak was too new a dance form for the people of Wisconsin. "From here started my journey of spreading the art instead of suppressing my artistic desires. I started reaching out to county recreational departments, libraries, parks, local ballet and tap dancing studios, colleges, schools, and insisted them on holding free workshops, no-fee dance classes, lecture demonstration and exchange programmes," she added.

Having its roots in mythology, Kathak did not resonate with the people of Wisconsin who had no idea about bhajans or the Radha-Krishna compositions. That's when Anaam decided to blend fusion music with Kathak. "So I chose Indian classical world music such as Lasya by Anoushka Shankar, Niraj Chag’s Kanya, Fur Elise, Rhythmscape to name a few. My idea was that music transcends boundaries and connects hearts. So why use lyrics, let the music guide the soul. This idea worked wonders. They loved the fast paced Indian music with powerful Kathak recitals and started to derive pleasure from each performance."

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A post shared by Anindita Neogy Anaam (@aninditaneogykathak)

Awareness through dance form

Soon she started adapting her dance to the community, however, keeping the flavour of Kathak intact. Interestingly, Anaam started using her dance recitals not just as a form of expression and entertainment but also to create awareness. "In the US, if one wishes to work, one cannot keep going to mythology all the time. That is sort of a safe zone. I began experimenting with issues like depression, LGBTQ, trafficking, etc without compromising on the authenticity of the dance form, along with some collaborations. We need to come up with new ideas," she said in an interview.

Anaam, who has been in the US among Indian artists for more than five years now, believes that Indian art is mostly restricted to big cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and Texas, however, things are slowly changing as she is leaving no stone unturned to make a classical form like Kathak popular in other parts of the country. The recipient of the National Nritya Shiromani award and Jayadev Rashtriya Puraskar, Anaam is an Indian Raga Fellow who has performed in leading festivals of India, Germany and the US. Not just this, she is also the Secretary of Wisconsin Dance Council Board, the first Indian Kathak dancer to achieve the feat.

Anindita Neogy Anaam | Global Indian

Anaam, who is making Kathak popular in the US, is happy to use dance as a tool of social transformation. "Dance is no more a medium of only depicting various moods of love and emotions in Radha Krishna storytelling method but slowly emerging into a strong tool of social transformation. The best part is that the authenticity of each style has been kept intact," she added.

With Bollywood dance being one of the most popular dance forms from India in the US, artistes like Anaam are spreading awareness about Kathak and helping dissolve the confusion regarding different art forms from India. In just five years, Anaam has made the residents of Winscosin warm up to Kathak, a dance form that's a beautiful way of story telling.

Follow Anindita Neogy Anaam on Instagram

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Fight against Modern Slavery: How Harold D’Souza brought the derailed American Dream on track

(Aug 25, 2023) “After drugs, human trafficking is the biggest industry in the world. Its $150 billion industry,” remarked Harold D’Souza. The Indian American labour trafficking and debt bondage survivor received the Human Rights Hero Award 2023 at the United Nations headquarters in New York for being the leading activist in United States’ efforts to address the problem. “My wife and I are survivors of human trafficking and debt bondage. Our trafficker showed us the moon but gave us dust,” he said. [caption id="attachment_44104" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Harold D'Souza[/caption] While migration from one country to another has helped millions of people across the globe. Pressing issues like labour exploitation or in other words modern slavery has grown to global proportions. Not many people are able to help themselves out of the situation. Mangalore’s Harold D’Souza went against the tide and displayed courage to finally speak against the perpetrators despite their threatening to kill him. Harold is now an inspiration and saviour of those going through the trauma and helps them out of the situation through his foundation, Eyes Open International. From victim to White House consultant Looking at his story of grit and determination, the Global Indian was appointed to the

3117":true,"134233118":true,"201341983":0,"335559740":240}"> While migration from one country to another has helped millions of people across the globe. Pressing issues like labour exploitation or in other words modern slavery has grown to global proportions. Not many people are able to help themselves out of the situation. Mangalore’s Harold D’Souza went against the tide and displayed courage to finally speak against the perpetrators despite their threatening to kill him. Harold is now an inspiration and saviour of those going through the trauma and helps them out of the situation through his foundation, Eyes Open International.

From victim to White House consultant

Looking at his story of grit and determination, the Global Indian was appointed to the US advisory council on human trafficking first by President Barack Obama then by President Donald Trump. The White House experience, from 2015 –2020, brought back the self-confidence that Harold had lost in the ordeal of being treated as an illegal immigrant, even though he had visited America on H-IB visa.

At the White House I was not looked at as a survivor, rather as an expert, and that transformed my life.

“When fellow delegates there heard my story, they encouraged me to start a non-profit to help victims - "Your story has to go to all the people over the world, they said," Harold shared

This gave Harold the impetus to start Eyes Open International to help victims of human trafficking and debt bondage. Owing to his harrowing experiences and determination to change the narrative of trafficked people, he also serves as an expert consultant at the Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, at the Governor's Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and is on the board of directors for over a dozen NGOs across the world.

[caption id="attachment_44111" align="aligncenter" width="534"] Indian Heroes | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold D'Souza with former USA president Donald Trump at the White House[/caption]

“I do not want a single innocent family to suffer. This has become my passion and purpose in life,” Harold said, “My mission in life is to create awareness and to educate people about what happened to me, my wife and my kids so that they take informed decisions while moving abroad.”

A native of Bajpe, Mangalore, Harold lives with his family at Cincinnati, Ohio.

The trap

In 2003 Harold D'Souza travelled to the United States with his family, only to discover that they had unknowingly become a victim of human trafficking, and later debt bondage.

I stepped down from a senior management position in India to pursue the American dream.

I came to the United States following the advice and encouragement of a man who would become my trafficker,” said Harold talking about his ordeal. “He manipulated, tricked and trapped us.”

As part of the unscrupulous plan, he was lured in with the offer of a H-1B visa to work as a business development manager on a $ 75,000 salary, and additional perks. “In 2003, it was a big amount and thinking of the future of my two sons, I decided to take up the offer leaving behind the stable job in India,” he shared. His boys were seven and four-years-old at that time.

The family sold off their car and other belongings to cover travel costs. “I thought I would soon recover the amount after I start earning dollars,” he told. “I had no understanding of what HIB Visa, H4 dependant visa on which my wife and two sons came on were. I didn’t know the dos and don’ts; I didn’t know how this country operated. I didn’t know the law. I didn’t know the people. I just jumped,” he remarked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOTmzOY4ONU

The day Harold arrived in the US, his trafficker took away the documents and $1000 cash that he was carrying for safe keeping. After that the ordeal began. Both he and his wife were made to work seven days a week for 14 to 16 hours in a restaurant and were given an accommodation next door.

“In most trafficking cases, victims are provided lodging in proximity, ensuring their constant availability for work while limiting their interaction with the outside world. This isolation prevents them from easily reaching out for assistance or lodging complaints, as they remain within the immediate control of their perpetrators.” All through, abusive language and threatening continues.

The trafficker charged them exorbitant money for food, clothing, and shelter, and withhold their salary on the account of the expenses incurred on them. Harold was also tricked into signing a loan from a bank which his trafficker pocketed, putting him in debt bondage.

Labour trafficking in America happens at four places - restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and motels.

Lessons learned

“We went to the US on four things – trust, faith, promise, and to live an American dream but all got shattered,” shared Harold.

Desperate to take out his family from the harrowing condition, after some years of torture he gathered courage to approach a law enforcement organisation even when the trafficker had threatened to kill him if he sought support.

Due to the courage, he mustered, Harold rose out of this ordeal and today is an inspirational international advocate of the survivors. He stands as a tall example for lakhs of people worldwide who are victims of labour or sex trafficking and are not able to muster the courage to report against the perpetrators. Finding a purpose from his own ordeal Harold is now a messiah to people who have been tricked.

Indian Heroes | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian

Spreading awareness

Harold strongly advocates that every child on the earth should be taught all 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“I was young in the early 2000s when I moved to America and was not aware of the rights especially Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which forbids all forms of slavery.”

My experience has given me a new purpose and meaning in life.

Through his Foundation and engagements in public speaking, he actively raises awareness about this issue. He visits schools and colleges in India to educate young people about the importance of pursuing dreams of moving abroad while keeping their eyes open and being vigilant. His foundation's name originates from this very concept. He has written a book Frog in a Well: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.

Eyes Open International

The foundation dedicates itself to the global mission of educating, preventing, protecting, and empowering victims, survivors, vulnerable groups, and community members.

Harold is working with the vision to establish its branches in 50 countries. Dedicated individuals, including police commissioners, local politicians, attorneys and doctors have been volunteering their time to support potential victims through the foundation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6OPH2efriI

As a co-founder, his wife Dancy D’Souza has been playing a vital role in using her survivor-informed expertise to combat human trafficking. “Survivors are poor starters but strong finishers,” Harold remarked. A feature film on his story of rising against the odds is in the pipeline.

Follow Harold D'Souza on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
To know more about Eyes Open International and its initiatives, visit its website

Reading Time: 5 mins

Top Gun: Capt Monicaa Khanna, the pilot who dodged a disaster with her right ‘approach’

(December 6, 2022) On June 19 this year, when one of the engines of the Delhi-bound Boeing 737 SpiceJet aircraft caught fire mid-air, moments after take-off from Patna airport, the top most priority before Captain Monicaa Khanna, the Pilot-in-Command of the aircraft, was the safety of passengers. After all, there were 185 passengers on board and their lives depended entirely on Captain Monicaa and her moves. The situation was grave and one wrong move could up in a disaster of enormous proportions. But Monicaa kept her cool and so did the first officer Balpreet Singh Bhatia. She swiftly took the well-thought-out call of switching off the affected engine, followed all SOPs and made an emergency landing at Patna airport saving all lives on board. [caption id="attachment_32451" align="aligncenter" width="626"] Captain Monicaa Khanna[/caption] “Duty comes first in such challenging times. My job demands situation awareness and spontaneity,” smiles Captain Monicaa Khanna, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Her wit and bravery not only earned her accolades worldwide, many even compared her to Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger, known for his heroism after he landed a US Airways flight 1549 in Hudson River following a bird strike which disabled both engines, saving all 155 lives

hanna, speaking exclusively to Global Indian.

Her wit and bravery not only earned her accolades worldwide, many even compared her to Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger, known for his heroism after he landed a US Airways flight 1549 in Hudson River following a bird strike which disabled both engines, saving all 155 lives on board. “In my case, the passengers remained calm and I am grateful to them for that,” says Monicaa.

The pilot says there was no moment to sulk in, that day. “Our reflex actions quickly triggered us into taking all necessary steps to safely land the flight on ground,” recalls Monicaa, who has flown to Dubai and Hong Kong besides several routes domestically.

She completed her flight training from Bluebird Flight Academy in Canada, which is one of the best flying schools, internationally.

Always on the move

Born and brought up in Delhi, Monicaa always saw herself and her two siblings on the move as her father, Ashok Kumar Khanna, who was an engineer at BHEL, had a transferable job.

Monicaa Khanna

“It was a challenge to make new friends and accustom to new culture at such young age. But those experiences taught me a lot,” says the ace pilot. By the time she reached eighth grade, the family shifted back to Delhi and she completed her schooling from Adarsh Public School, Vikas Puri and went to Delhi University for B Com.

Among the siblings, Monicaa was the closest to her father, who, by then had shifted to a private company - a job that took him to frequent tours.

A dream that turned into passion

As a child, Monicaa would get very disheartened and even start crying whenever her father left home for work-related tours. He used to console her saying he would ask the pilot of his plane to fly over their house so that they could wave at each other. “How joyful will that be?” he used to tell her and leave.

Monicaa would then spend hours in her balcony waiting for an aircraft to fly above her house. While at it, a thought hit her. “What if I become my dad’s personal pilot so that he will not have to leave me behind?”

Monicaa Khanna

The thought triggered her interest in flying and soon decided to become a pilot. “Flying is my passion. Every day, I get to fly with someone new which provides an opportunity to know my colleagues within the company, collaborate and deliver the best customer experience,” informs Monicaa, who recently switched over to Air India Express from SpiceJet.

A believer of work ethics

So how does the flight commander prep up prior to flying aircrafts? “On flight days, I take enough rest before flight, practice mindfulness and exercise. I have a nice home-cooked meal if I am flying from Delhi,” smiles the pilot, who firmly believes that mental and physical health are the most important assets which one needs to work upon regularly.

She has different schedules every day. It ranges from 3-4 hours of flying time to maximum of 8 hours. “After a long flight, I crave for some coffee on the way back home,” says Monica, adding that the atmosphere in the cockpit is professional and demands high work ethics.

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Once home from work, she gets all the affection from her pet Tobby. After a quick meal, she catches up with friends and family. The pilot has a habit of reading a book before going to bed without fail.

Monicaa’s mantra in life is to live in the moment. “Life is short and I can’t afford to miss these moments,” says the pilot who practices mindfulness for improving her concentration.

She has fond memories of her trip to Mauritius with her mother Kusum Khanna. “She has been my inspiration ever since I was a child. While my father would be away at work, she held the family together, imparting the best values in the three of us,” says Monicaa, who loves listening to Bollywood and Punjabi music besides binge watching Netflix.

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Building Bamboo House India – The Lingams’ rocky road to success

(January 16, 2023) In the year 2006, three months into their marriage, the quest to buy an eco-friendly sofa set for their home took Prashant and Aruna Lingam to a small village called “Katlamara” on the India-Bangladesh border. Enamoured by bamboo and the amazing skills of the local bamboo communities, they decided on social entrepreneurship themselves. It was an unknown domain then but they took the risk, launching Bamboo House India in 2007. [caption id="attachment_33883" align="alignnone" width="3915"] Prashant and Aruna Lingam, co-founders, Bamboo House India[/caption] A risky leap to social entrepreneurship It was a tough call for a middle-class, just married couple to get into the bamboo business and their families were much against it. Yet, they went ahead. The decision proved costly for them during the next three years, forcing them into a debt of Rs. 60 lakh (approximately $ 80,000) owing to a failed business model. Despite being plagued with physical, mental, financial, and personal woes, their passion for bamboo refused to die. “Today, Bamboo House India is the largest builder of bamboo and recycled plastic houses in the country with a robust social business model which never existed in India earlier,” smile Prashant and Aruna, speaking exclusively

cial, and personal woes, their passion for bamboo refused to die. “Today, Bamboo House India is the largest builder of bamboo and recycled plastic houses in the country with a robust social business model which never existed in India earlier,” smile Prashant and Aruna, speaking exclusively to Global Indian.

The successful revival of their enterprise from the brink of a complete washout provided them with an opportunity to bring a bamboo revolution to India.

Challenges galore

“Years of failures coupled with knowledge gained from tribal communities, waste pickers, farmers, municipal bodies, and multi-lateral agencies taught us to comprehend the ground realities and think out-of-the-box,” say the founders of Bamboo House India, who have received many awards for their work.

While Prashant is a management graduate, Aruna is a science graduate. Their initial days of entrepreneurship were tough. “My post-pregnancy complications, my husband’s year-long immobility caused by a near-fatal accident, the deaths of six loved ones, lack of household income, and my inability to put proper food on the table for two years only aggravated the situation took a toll on my mental health,” informs Aruna. In those trying times, Aruna had to offer up whatever little jewellery she had left, to rework their business model and give their bamboo enterprise another try.

Prashant, Aruna Lingam | Bamboo House of India | Global Indian

When fortune favoured them

It was only after a Hyderabad-based client reached out to them for a bamboo project that fortune for this couple turned its course. “But the client’s lack of trust about the durability of the product became a stumbling block. I convinced him to pay us post production and only if the end-result is up to his satisfaction,” recalls Prashant.

The end product not only turned out to be extremely well-constructed but also earned a good reputation for the bamboo houses in the region. The success led them to build recreational bamboo houses at the behest of prime corporate houses like Google and Infosys.

For Prashant and Aruna, their difficult entrepreneurial journey introduced them to certain qualities and abilities which they never knew existed. “I never knew I had so much determination, patience, and ability to take extreme risks and fight so many odds,” says Aruna, while Prashant nods in complete agreement.

Recognition for the ‘bamboo couple of India’

Known as the “bamboo couple of India” Prashant and Aruna networked effectively and brought in stakeholders like the Confederation of Indian Industries, the Indian Institute of Technology, the National Mission on Bamboo Applications, and Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, forging a multi-stakeholder partnership which triggered the construction of 300+ eco houses till date.

Their work received greater recognition from the US State Department not only when they nominated Aruna for the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program for global thought leaders but also when they made a short video feature on their innovative work for Global Entrepreneurship summit 2017 (Hyderabad), an event graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

Recognition for their work continued when they received an invitation from the Government of Kenya to replicate their social business models in their country and case studies by the Indian School of Business, ICFAI University, University of Mexico, and IDEX. “It further strengthened our belief in the work we were doing,” smile the couple, who also constructed 100 low-cost shelters using plastic waste and received global attention after coverage by BBC and the World Economic Forum.

A creative business model

“We designed a lean, sustainable, and innovative business model which laid a road map for our personal and professional growth,” says Aruna, who believes that their business is commercially profitable and socially impactful because of the innovative products designed to meet customer needs without compromising on the social deliverables.

When they were struggling to get a foothold in the market, the lack of funds nudged them to rope in the media as an important stakeholder in their vision to achieve social progress. What started with a single local newspaper coverage in 2006 has today snowballed to media features in over 1500 national and international media platforms including Entrepreneur, BBC, Brut, CII, CNN, World Economic Forum, French TV, Australian TV, to name a few.

Lifetime learners

Aruna believes that theoretical knowledge is an important foundation for an entrepreneur’s toolkit, which they could not obtain during their initial days of entrepreneurial journey.

“All our decisions were based on intuition and gut-feel, rather than organized subject knowledge, and today I have decided to go back to school and obtain the required learning to scale my impact,” says Aruna, who is all set to broaden her horizon by pursuing her masters in innovation and entrepreneurship from London School of Economics. Their innovative social business models have been globally studied with universities Harvard, Cornell, Kellogg and ISB doing case studies on their work.

Last year, www.reall.net, a UK-based social housing company offered to bring in investment in their work and this year too they proposed a green entrepreneurship project from IKEA Foundation.

“My innovations in plastic waste shelter solutions found a platform under the UNDP program for possible global replication. Still, I am afraid to take up projects of this magnitude due to lack of organized subject knowledge, lack of business model clarity. That’s why I want to go back to school and capitalise on my experiences,” explains Aruna, a renowned speaker on national and international platforms on various topics including circular economy, waste management and social entrepreneurship.

Aruna has also been named among the world's 100 social entrepreneurs bringing a change with her work and her bamboo work has been featured in World Bank Report as well.

Creating employment

Motivating people to pursue their dreams and having successfully created employment opportunities for thousands of artisans and waste pickers, she has mentored and influenced students, academicians, children, housewives, corporates, NGOs, and society at large with her work.

Experimenting with new material has been central to their success. Once, the entrepreneur-couple even used discarded tyres and came up with a range of fabulously comfortable furniture by taking unwanted lorry and car tyres and turning them into quirky seating options with creative flair and endless innovation.
“Once, we saw tyres being burnt and the owner told us there was no process in place to discard them. We decided to help with the problem,” says Prashant.

Constant experimentation

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The founders of Bamboo House India have also experimented with trash plastic bottles to build sustainable homes, replacing bricks. “Housing shortfall in India stands today at 148 lakh dwelling units and we hope our innovative techniques will help bring it down,” say the Lingam couple, who are on a mission to improve the housing situation of the poor in the country. For those who do not know, a mud-filled plastic bottle is no less strong than a brick.

A plastic bottle house costs a quarter of the money required to build a conventional house, points out Prashant. The 225 sq ft house looks like an ordinary home, but it differs in many ways. “The structure has the added advantage of being fire proof and earthquake resistant,” says the TEDx speaker. In terms of strength, performance is equal to bricks and may be better too.

Prashant feels the in the mantra “reduce, reuse and recycle”, the ‘reuse’ part is often overlooked. In one pilot project, they built a house with bamboo and bottles.

How it works

Explaining how they went about it, Prashant says while the basic skeleton was made with bamboo, bottles filled with mud were placed both vertically and horizontally for walls, which offers thermal insulation. “The plastering was done with mud and cow dung and Cement plaster was used only for the final coat. The roof was made with bamboo attached to wooden batons,” he explains.

Over the years, the couple constructed 55 street vending kiosks using plastic waste, laid10,000 sq. ft of recycled plastic paver tiles, installed 5,000 recycled plastic street dust bins, enabling then to circulate 10,000 MT of plastic waste from landfills and water bodies.

“Continuing with our eco spirit, we developed low-cost shelters using agricultural waste to address the issue of stubble burning and to date, have constructed 25 Agri waste houses circulating close to 5,000 tons of agricultural waste,” inform the Lingams, who employ thousands of artisans from villages including women on a part-time basis ensuring their livelihood and a better standard of living.

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