Indian Entrepreneur | Sharad Ashani | Global Indian

Global IndianstorySpare the life, use the rod: Entrepreneur Sharad Ashani gets Rs 50 lakh to grow his anti-suicide device

Spare the life, use the rod: Entrepreneur Sharad Ashani gets Rs 50 lakh to grow his anti-suicide device

Written by: Amrita Priya

(March 23, 2022) Sharad Ashani is not your typical entrepreneur. The 66-year-old Mumbai-based founder of Safe Solutions had an over three decade-long career behind him before he decided to start up. Except, he was looking to make a difference after his retirement in 2017. Shocked by the number of suicides by hanging in the India, Sharad patented what is called Gold Life, a range of anti-suicide rods. So far, his company has installed over 50,000 anti-suicide rods in ceiling fans across hospitals, hotels, hostels, jails, and government quarters. Recently, this year (2022) his venture received a funding of Rs 50 lakh from Shark Tank India as well.

Back in 2004, actor and model Nafisa Joseph committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. “Soon after, an air hostess died in a similar manner. It struck me hard,” says the entrepreneur. “How were such educated and successful people taking such drastic measures? Was it so easy for one to hang from the ceiling fan? Around the same time, I came across a National Crime Record Bureau report that stated over 40 percent of those committing suicide in India died by hanging. It was time to do something about this,” says the entrepreneur in a conversation with Global Indian.

School teacher found hanging in UP classroom https://t.co/jkFvP63xpR. Use of our 'GOLD Life' Anti Suicide Fan Rod could have saved life of teacher. https://t.co/GoRnaoN8X5, See working of life saving rodhttps://t.co/VOcUUFQBn6

— Sharad Ashani (@SharadAshani) February 27, 2020

The journey of research

Sharad then began archiving news reports of suicides by hanging to work on a solution. He went through medical journals, and came up with a thoroughly researched prototype. This endeavour also took him to Nata Mallick, the West Bengal executioner to understand neck pressure, and breathing rates once the hanging process begins. “On a visit to Kolkata, I went to Mallick’s house to discuss the product I was mulling over; I wanted to ensure it was free from any loopholes,” says the Indian entrepreneur. Several trials later, Gold Life anti-suicide rods were patented in 2007.

The rod, which can be retrofitted into any ceiling fan, has an unlatching mechanism. When someone tries to hang oneself, the load exceeds the determined point, activating the unlatching mechanism, safely landing the person on the ground.

Sharad Ashani with his son, Gaurav

However, Sharad was still far from working full-fledged on this as he was employed with Crompton Greaves. In 2011, the entrepreneur got the opportunity to participate in Mahindra’s Spark The Rise competition where he won a grant of Rs 4 lakh as the first runner-up. This further strengthened his belief in his idea.

Second Innings

When Sharad retired in 2017, he immediately got to work to launch his venture. “I began working on refining my product the day after my retirement. To ensure that it was 100 percent fool-proof, I had it tested at the government’s MSME testing centre. I did not want to take any chances with the quality, and also got the anti-rust testing done,” the entrepreneur explains.

The next step was marketing. As he wondered how to market the product, a news report of another suicide by hanging in a Mumbai daily caught his eye. He wrote to the editor about his anti-suicide rod. An impressive coverage followed.

Attention HRD Ministry. There are several cases of students hanging from ceiling fan in hostel. In IITs, last six months 3 cases reported. Pl make my Anti Suicide fan pipe mandatory to save life. IIM-Kashipur has already installed my fan pipes, and made their hostels safe.

— Sharad Ashani (@SharadAshani) May 3, 2018

Soon, government institutions began placing orders; the Air Force School in Faridabad and Kota Hostel Association were some of the first to place orders, followed by IIM Kashipur, and then psychiatry hospitals, hotels, and private institutions.

The game changer

“After the Shark Tank India episode was aired, my phone did not stop ringing for five days,” says Sharad, adding, “Some were to appreciate my innovation, others to place orders. Surprisingly, most of the calls were from eastern India and Puducherry. That’s when I learnt from an NCRB report that Puducherry topped the list of states when it came to suicide by hanging,” says the Indian entrepreneur.

Following the buzz generated by Shark Tank India, Sharad’s company has been getting more orders than its manufacturing capacity. “We are working to expand our manufacturing units. We plan to begin retailing online this April,” says the entrepreneur, who finds himself working 24×7 post-retirement. “Of course, I am enjoying the entire process. I feel that just like Edison’s invention benefitted the world, my innovation will also greatly impact society. In 10 years, I hope every ceiling fan in the country will have these anti-suicide rods leading to a drastic fall in the incidence of suicides,” he says optimistically.

Reading and forgetting is not the solution

Intrigued with the number of suicides and their fall outs on the deceased’s kin, he adds, “From police investigations, stigma about renting such places, financial repercussions, the complications are huge.” He recently received a call from a woman who’d lost her husband to suicide by hanging, who admitted that if she had been aware of the rod, her husband would be alive.

Present and future

While Sharad has been contemplating manufacturing energy efficient fans with anti-suicide rods, he is currently swamped with orders following the reality show.

Sharad Ashani with his wife and daughter

The entrepreneur enjoys playing the tabla, reads books by Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, and Chan Kim, etc. “These books have been a guide to me in my corporate as well as entrepreneurial journey,” says Sharad, whose wife Sharada and two children Gaurav and Arpita, and their families, make life beautiful. Next on agenda, are plans to innovate on more safety products.

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Published on 23, Mar 2022

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Meet Sarbpreet Singh, who went from corporate boardrooms to writing about the immigrant Sikh experience

(February 26, 2024) A Boston-based writer, podcaster, and commentator, Sarbpreet Singh is a man who wears many hats with élan. Author of the critically acclaimed books The Story of the Sikhs 1469–1708, Night of the Restless Spirits, The Sufi’s Nightingale, and the bestselling The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia, his deeply researched books have left an imprint on many readers. Having worked for various firms, including General Electric, Lucent Technologies, Flextronics International, and AT&T Bell Labs, he made the career switch to writing in 2017. Sarbpreet Singh is the very definition of a Global Indian. Raised in Sikkim, speaking Punjabi (his mother tongue) and Nepali (the language most prevalent in Sikkim), his syncretic upbringing and outlook have ensured he imbibes the best that places and people have to offer. [caption id="attachment_49428" align="aligncenter" width="585"] Sarbpreet Singh[/caption] Love of literature Hailing from one of only two Sikh families that lived in Gangtok, Sikkim, the author was quite disconnected from his roots, both culturally and socially. He recalls, “While I had friends growing up, I struggled with feelings of isolation that came from the ‘othering’ that my visible Sikh identity provoked.” In a school culture where sporting abilities were valued highly, his indifferent soccer

nected from his roots, both culturally and socially. He recalls, “While I had friends growing up, I struggled with feelings of isolation that came from the ‘othering’ that my visible Sikh identity provoked.”

In a school culture where sporting abilities were valued highly, his indifferent soccer and track and field abilities meant that he turned to elocution, dramatics and related pursuits, which transformed into lifelong interests.

He recalls, “I always loved literature, and during my high school years, against the advice of my mentors, I decided to study English literature as an elective, something that was not recommended for a student studying science subjects. The two-year syllabus enriched me tremendously as I delved into the likes of Thomas Hardy, Samuel Butler, John Galsworthy, and, of course, Shakespeare."

Sarbpreet went on to study Engineering at The Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani. After a stint at ICIM, a Bombay-based tech company, he left for the US to study computer science at Pace University in New York.

Life in the US

The author says that he adjusted to life in the US easily. “As someone who attended elite schools in India, had a deep love of the English language, and identified with western ideas and culture, I did not have much trouble adjusting to my new life in a new country. I maintained my Sikh identity, and while my distinctive physical appearance did lead to the inevitable othering, it did not hold me back in my professional career at all,” he states.

However, Sarbpreet did change profoundly in other ways. He recounts, “My first job took me to a small suburb of the Midwestern city of Milwaukee. Quite serendipitously, a budding interest in my roots, which had started while I was in graduate school, took shape as I started spending time with young Sikhs around my age who attended the small Milwaukee Gurdwara.”

As a young man who was until then immersed mostly in Rock and The Blues, and disdained all forms of Indian music, he found himself drawn to Gurmat Sangeet, or Sikh sacred music.

Milwaukee was also home to a small but thriving Indian classical music community, which Sarbpreet got involved with. The twin interests in Gurmat Sangeet and Shastriya Sangeet developed into a lifelong passion, especially as he launched The Gurmat Sangeet Project, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of traditional Sikh music.

A writer by accident

As an expatriate Indian and a Sikh, Sarbpreet first encountered writings on Sikhs and the Sikh faith by chance. He explains, “While I did speak Punjabi, I never learned to read Gurmukhi and was hence limited to reading exclusively in the English language. I encountered J.D. Cunningham's History of the Sikhs and Max Marthur Macauliffe’s The Sikh Religion, finding both works to be tremendously inspiring, after which I read Khushwant Singh’s History of the Sikhs as well.”

Reading about the broad worldview of the Sikh Gurus and the trials and tribulations of eighteenth-century Sikhs as they struggled to establish their progressive faith in a society that was anything but welcoming inspired Sarbpreet tremendously.

This budding interest in Sikh history led him to writings about more recent events, most notably the tragic events of 1984. He reminisces, “Reading the PUCL/PUDR report on the Delhi massacre, an article by Madhu Kishwar titled Gangster Rule on the same topic, and most importantly, an academic paper by anthropologist Dr. Veena Das created tremendous turmoil in my heart.”

This was the spark that prompted him to write Kultar’s Mime, a long poem about four children who survived the anti-Sikh violence of 1984 and their attempts to deal with their PTSD.

After that, Sarbpreet took a long break from writing, and it wasn’t until years later that he started writing a column for the popular web magazine SikhChic in 2013. He states, “The positive response to the column inspired me to write my first book, The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia, set in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The book was a great critical and commercial success, and it launched my career as a writer.”

From tech to storytelling

He left the world of technology around 2014 and, for the next two years, focused on producing the play Kultar’s Mime, created by his daughter based on his poem. He shares, “Somewhere along this three-year journey, which took the play to six countries for 90+ performances, I made the decision to embrace storytelling completely." His epiphany came after a performance in Birmingham, UK, when a young Sikh in his late teens walked up to him and said, ‘I could never imagine that our stories could be told in this manner’. After the tour ended in 2017, he started writing in earnest.

Sarbpreet writes on topics that inspire him or catch his imagination; as his interests are varied, his books deal with different themes. He outlines it when he says, “All my work is deeply rooted in research, and I tend to immerse myself in my subject before I write a single word. For example, my latest novel, The Sufi’s Nightingale, is a retelling of the life of the poet Shah Hussain. While I tried to read everything about him that I could lay my hands on before writing the novel, I also spent a couple of years creating original compositions to sing his kafis or poems, which appear in translation in the book and are deeply embedded in the narrative.”

A man of many talents

Along with writing, Sarbpreet is also the writer-narrator of the podcast, Story of The Sikhs, which has listeners in over ninety countries. Ask him how he juggles it with writing, and he smiles. “There is really no juggling involved at all! Even though my canvas is quite broad, all my work is based on what truly inspires me. Novels, works of non-fiction, plays, poetry, podcasts, and music—all of these to me are just different modes of storytelling, with the ultimate objective of inspiring others.”

Though he has lived longer now in the US than in India, the author is rooted culturally in the Indian subcontinent. It is reflected in the food he likes, the music he listens to and the stories he writes. When not spending time with his family, he is busy with his other passions – tennis, music and literature. He is currently working on his next book, Cauldron, Sword, Victory – The Rise of the Sikhs expected to be out later this year.

Follow Sarbpreet Singh on Instagram.

Lalita Ramakrishnan: Trailblazer in TB research honoured with the 2024 Robert Koch Prize

(November 19, 2024) In the quiet labs of the University of Cambridge and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, groundbreaking discoveries are made in the fight against one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases—tuberculosis (TB). At the centre of this transformative work is Dr Lalita Ramakrishnan, a visionary scientist and physician who has pioneered the use of freshwater fish, the zebrafish as a model organism to unravel the complexities of TB. Her journey, spanning continents and disciplines, is as inspiring as her discoveries. In November 2024, her groundbreaking contributions were recognized with the prestigious Robert Koch Prize, awarded in Berlin. This accolade, endowed with €120,000, celebrates outstanding achievements in the field of infectious disease research and is a result of her lifelong dedication to science. [caption id="attachment_60264" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Lalita Ramakrishnan with other recipients of the 2024 Robert Koch Prize, in Berlin[/caption] The Robert Koch Prize is a highly esteemed scientific award presented annually by the Robert Koch Foundation to honor exceptional contributions to scientific research. Named after Robert Koch (1843–1910), the German physician who pioneered modern bacteriology and received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1905, the award celebrates groundbreaking advancements in science. Lalita

he Robert Koch Foundation to honor exceptional contributions to scientific research. Named after Robert Koch (1843–1910), the German physician who pioneered modern bacteriology and received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1905, the award celebrates groundbreaking advancements in science.

Lalita Ramakrishnan's efforts to address the deadly impact of tuberculosis are not confined to well-resourced countries. The Global Indian collaborates closely with clinicians in high-burden regions like India, Vietnam, and Indonesia to ensure that her findings reach those most affected “Clinical work is slow no matter where you are, but in under-resourced areas, it’s even more challenging. It’s crucial to bring these innovations where they’re needed most,” she emphasised.

Tuberculosis: A global health challenge

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs but capable of impacting other parts of the body. It remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, claiming over 1.5 million lives annually, with millions more falling ill each year. TB disproportionately affects low and middle-income countries, perpetuating cycles of poverty and poor health. It's drug-resistant strains pose a growing threat to global public health efforts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ACub0wgeKo

Indian footprints in global science and health research

Driven by curiosity and ambition, many Indian researchers venture abroad to access advanced facilities, collaborate with leading global scientists, and explore cutting-edge technologies. These experiences not only enrich their expertise but also position them as key contributors to solving critical global health issues.

From pioneering affordable vaccines to advancing genomics and epidemiology, Indian scientists and researchers have consistently demonstrated excellence on the international stage. Figures like Lalita Ramakrishnan, a trailblazer in tuberculosis research, highlight India's growing influence in shaping global health solutions.

Using the freshwater fish, zebrafish as model to study TB immunity

Lalita’s journey to using zebrafish for TB research began during her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Her mentor, Stanley Falkow, discouraged her from working on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB in humans, because it grows very slowly and requires special safety precautions. Instead, he suggested she try studying Mycobacterium marinum, a close relative that infects fish and amphibians.

Curious, Lalita dug into a bacteriology manual and decided to experiment with M. marinum in zebrafish larvae. These tiny, see-through fish turned out to be perfect for her research, as their transparent bodies made it possible to watch infections unfold under a microscope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQij4xtnkx0

“When we saw granulomas, the hallmark structures of TB, forming in zebrafish, it was a eureka moment,” she said. This approach gave scientists a completely new way to understand how TB bacteria interact with the body’s immune system.

Early Influences: From India to a global stage

Lalita Ramakrishnan’s scientific journey began in Vadodara, India, where she was born in 1959 into a family of scientists. Along with her parents, her brother, Venki Ramakrishnan who is a Nobel laureate instilled in her a curiosity for science. While her mother’s battles with spinal tuberculosis left an indelible mark, exposing young Lalita to the harsh realities of the disease.

“I was only 17 when I began medical school in Baroda,” Lalita recalls, “but I soon realized that medicine alone wouldn’t satisfy my curiosity.” She later pursued a PhD in immunology at Tufts University in Boston, merging her medical training with research. “As I was doing my PhD, I saw medicine in a new light,” she shared.

Indian Scientist | Robert Koch Prize Winner | Global Indian

She completed her medical residency at Tufts Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. It was during this time that her interest in TB crystallized. “TB was attractive to me because it is obviously a huge problem, but, at the same time, I found biology really fascinating,” she explained. Her postdoctoral work at Stanford University further cemented her path as she developed the zebrafish model that would become central to her groundbreaking research.

In 2001, Lalita Ramakrishnan set up her own lab at the University of Washington. There, she thrived in a dynamic research community, and her bold decision to use zebrafish led to groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped the understanding and treatment of TB.

Bridging basic science and clinical applications

Lalita’s research seamlessly bridges lab discoveries with human health implications. Her academic and professional journey also took her to Cambridge in 2014, where she joined the University of Cambridge as a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow. This move marked another chapter in her career, allowing her to work in a globally renowned research environment in the United Kingdom. Here, she continued to expand her work on host-pathogen interactions, collaborating with scientists worldwide to translate her findings into clinical solutions.

Indian Scientist | Lalita Ramakrishnan | Global Indian

Beyond TB, Lalita has used zebrafish to study leprosy, uncovering how the bacteria cause nerve damage. Her insights have broad implications for infectious diseases and human biology. “The TB bacterium has evolved with us; understanding it helps us understand ourselves,” she reflected.

Addressing public health misconceptions

One of Lalita’s most important contributions was challenging the long-held belief that a third of the world’s population has latent TB. Her research showed that most people clear the bacteria within two years, proving that latent TB isn’t a lifelong condition as previously thought. “The realisation that the true number of latent cases is much lower makes the problem more solvable,” she explained.

This discovery has major public health benefits. Instead of focusing on an overestimated number of latent cases, resources can now be directed to recent infections and vulnerable groups. “If you think a quarter of the world is infected, the challenge feels insurmountable,” Lalita said. Her findings have even influenced the World Health Organization, helping to reshape global TB strategies. Lalita’s willingness to challenge established ideas has not only transformed TB research but also inspired a new generation of scientists to think critically and creatively.

Indian Scientist | Lalita Ramakrishnan | Global Indian

Life beyond the lab

Outside the lab, Lalita finds joy in cycling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. Her global network of collaborators and former students testifies to the relationships she has built throughout her career. “Science is a team effort,” she said, “and it’s the people I’ve worked with who have made this journey so fulfilling.”

Despite her busy schedule, Lalita Ramakrishnan remains grounded, finding balance through hobbies and outdoor activities. Her love for cycling has not only kept her physically active but also allowed her to form friendships outside her professional sphere. “It’s a great way to stay connected with the world beyond science,” she shared.

A legacy of curiosity and impact

Lalita Ramakrishnan's journey has redefined TB research and inspired countless scientists. As she continues to probe the mysteries of TB, she remains hopeful about the future. “Understanding TB is not just about solving a medical problem; it’s about understanding ourselves,” she said.

Indian Scientist | Robert Koch Prize Winner | Global Indian

Through her pioneering work, Lalita Ramakrishnan has changed the narrative of TB, and illuminated a path for tackling the world’s most pressing health challenges. Her story highlights the enduring impact of science driven by compassion and curiosity. As an Indian researcher contributing significantly to global science, Lalita’s accomplishments also highlights the vital role of women in STEM, inspiring others to break barriers and pursue transformative research that benefits humanity.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Waswo X Waswo: The ‘evil orientalist’ reviving Indian miniatures

(October 15, 2022) Waswo X. Waswo arrives at our video call looking irritable. The electricity had been erratic through the day - in Udaipur, the absence of air-conditioning is a serious problem. He has just returned from San Francisco, where he gave a talk at the Asian Art Museum. "I was afraid they would ask me to state my pronouns," he tells Global Indian, only half-jokingly. Waswo is the "old fashioned liberal," not given to accepting unfairness or dogmatism without a fight. It's a personal struggle, one that has also defined him as an artist.  As we speak, he was preparing for another debate, this time in Delhi, put together by Aakshat Sinha, on 'wokeism' in art. "Of course, I'm the anti-woke contingent." His art, an intermingling of photography and miniature painting styles, is a visual treat - it reminds me always of Henri Rousseau but mirrors his journey to find his identity, as a human being and as an artist. He works in the ‘karkhana’ style, working through collaborations with local miniaturists and border painters in Udaipur, reviving their legacy, bringing the artisans who have gone without credit for generations, to the fore, in India and abroad.  In his latest

He works in the ‘karkhana’ style, working through collaborations with local miniaturists and border painters in Udaipur, reviving their legacy, bringing the artisans who have gone without credit for generations, to the fore, in India and abroad. 

In his latest book, Karkhana, which will be out in November, Waswo documents his decades-long association with Indian artists - he works out of Udaipur, which has been home for the last two decades. His work comprises two styles, which often mingle with each other. There are hand-coloured digital portraits he co-creates with Rajesh Soni and the contemporary miniatures, which he conceptualises and are painted by the miniaturist R. Vijay, who also comes with a rich artistic lineage. Their collaboration of over fifteen years is a blend of genres, where Waswo himself is the protagonist, the bumbling foreigner trying to make sense of India. This extends to the miniatures, done in the Mughal, Mewar court Company School styles. 

**Udaipur – and the karkhana approach** 

Wandering through the bazaars of Udaipur, in his early days in India, Waswo fell in love with the miniatures on display in the shops. "They were generally low quality but I liked them." They were done following the karkhana style, with groups of people working on a single painting. The shopkeeper, however, announced proudly that he was the artist. Waswo learned soon enough about the artists who work quietly in the background, as they have for generations, never signing their work. When he began collaborating with R. Vijay, who comes from a long line of artists himself, Waswo had to coax him to put his name on it. "He said his name didn't belong on it and I had to push him to sign. Now, he always wants to sign his paintings." 

Waswo X Waswo first came to India in 1993 and spent 10 days here. In 1999, he came back and spent a month in Rajasthan. "That was when I started to fall in love with the place," he smiles. In the fall of 2000, he returned with his partner, Tommy, and stayed on for six months. "In 2006, I bought the home in Udaipur because I wanted to work with the craftsmen there. I see one of my jobs as finding what people are good at and trying to incorporate that into my work." 

The etymology of the karkhana, Waswo explains, goes back to ancient Persia. It's a story reminiscent of Orhan Pamuk. Karkhanas were artisans' workshops, which were brought to Delhi through the Mughal courts of Jehangir and Akbar, and miniatures were painted. "When Aurangzeb came to power, the artists were terrorised and escaped to places like Rajasthan, where they found patronage under the Maharanas of Bikaner and Jaipur," he says. It led to the founding of the Bikaneri, Alwar, and Mewar schools of art. The system continues to live on - "I didn't meet R. Vijay directly," Waswo says. "I met him through a shopkeeper."  

When he first started creating work in Rajasthan, Waswo was a photographer with a Rolleiflex and a dark room he had built for himself in Udaipur. "In the US, I used Ilford chemicals and paper and knew how things were mixed, as well as how to control water temperature. Here, the darkroom was always hot and dusty - dust is a real problem with negatives. I couldn't find the right chemicals either." The time had come to go digital and Waswo bought himself an Epson 2700, the first high-end digital printer in Rajasthan. "I met Rajesh Soni around this time, he saw the black and white photos I was printing up and said he could paint them." His grandfather, Prabhulal Verma, was a photographer for Maharaja Bhopar Singh of Mewar. "I pushed Rajesh to colour the photographs and one thing led to another." It resulted in a collaboration that lasted over 15 years.  

 The Campbellian struggle  

"Through my paintings, I have learned to look at myself and question myself," Waswo tells me. "When I started, I was taking photos and writing poems, always with the idea that I would go back to the US and exhibit them. India was my subject and not my audience." He attracted quite a bit of criticism from the west, however, for his supposedly "white gaze." He was told he was "editing out modern India and keeping people blind to the truth."  

The western gaze, it seemed, wanted to see the crippling poverty, the starving children, and the dirty streets, not the moments of poignant beauty in which Waswo found inspiration. "I have always taken photos based on pictorialism, I like beautiful landscapes and common people - I like them as people. They have a lot of self-worth and awareness of that self-worth too." Coming from the US, where so many children are born to single parents, he found a deep appreciation of the Indian family structure." His critics, however, decided he was demeaning India.  

Struggles against postmodernism and the 'evil orientalist' 

He has always been a rebel, however, never given to conforming, either to the left or the right. In the US, in Wisconsin where he grew up in a Christian home, he came to terms with being gay. "I was very much on the left then, fighting for gay rights. I even made a speech to the Senate." In India, the struggle against the western system continued, albeit on the opposite side this time. "It has been a battle," Waswo admits. "I have been battling post-modernism for a long time, much before Jordan Peterson started talking about it." 

As he struggled to find himself and stay true to the artist within, Waswo found a solution - introducing himself into his works. Several series of miniatures were born of this - The Secret Life of Waswo X Waswo, Early Work with R. Vijay, A Dream in Bundi, and Lost. "I introduced myself into my work," he says. "He's the bumbling foreigner in India. The outsider doesn't understand where he is but still has an appreciation for the wonder, beauty, and kindness of people. He has grown into his own man now."  

Sometimes, he's the "evil Orientalist," a role he plays gleefully and to the hilt. In other words, he's wearing a fedora and a suit, chasing butterflies or squinting disapprovingly through his spectacles at a scene that is poetically, spectacularly Indian. In the series, The Observationist at Leisure in a Stolen Garden, he's also chased by a crocodile. Waswo and I go back many years and although I have seen his work for a long time, at first glance, I confuse him with the French master, Henri Rousseau. Waswo looks pleased when I tell him this. "He's one of my favourite painters. He's an outsider, who taught himself how to paint. He never even went to the Tropics, although he paints them extensively. I'm the same. I have no degree in fine art, I'm a photographer." The artists he works with are "very naive," far removed from the elitism of the art circles. "The artists were trained by other miniaturists but don't have academic backgrounds like many others in the art scene."  

The India Art Fair 

Waswo is now also working on a solo booth at the India Art Fair. He shows me around the works as we speak and sends me a photo of artists working on gold leaf linings. This series is a shift from Waswo's usual work. His artist, Chirag Kumawat, specialises in both realism and miniatures. "We're combining hard-core realism with miniature elements, it will be something nobody has seen before." Even Kalki, the god of destruction, makes an appearance in the paintings. "The world is changing at a very rapid pace. With the advent of AI, shifting politics, climate change, and pandemics, we are at a crossroads. Kalki makes an appearance because this is a time of chaos and we have to wait and see what emerges in the new era." 

Follow Waswo on Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 8 mins

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

(February 13, 2023) She was only 16 when she made her way to the US to study at Georgetown University, and "after 17 years on an alphabet soup of visas to become a US citizen", Pramila Jayapal was lucky enough to have the "opportunity to live the American dream" - something that's still a distant dream for many immigrants today. And now she is set to make this dream a reality for many immigrants as the Indian-American Congresswoman has been named Ranking Member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee's panel on Immigration, making her the first immigrant to serve in a leadership role for the subcommittee. "It is extremely meaningful to me that I will now be in this position to better move the needle and re-center our broken immigration system around dignity, humanity, and justice," she said. Interestingly, she is the first immigrant to serve in a leadership role for the subcommittee. "As the first South Asian woman elected to the US House of Representatives and one of only two dozen naturalised citizens in Congress, I am honoured and humbled to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement," added the 57-year-old

dded the 57-year-old who is representing the 7th Congressional District of Washington State.

Pramila Jayapal

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

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

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

Pramila Jayapal | Global Indian | Indian American

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

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

Pramila Jayapal | Global Indian | Indian American

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

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

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Bishwadeep Moitra and Iris Strill: The Indian-French couple empowering Afghan refugee women

(January 19, 2023) One of the crowded alleys in Malviya Nagar takes you to the workshop of Silaiwali - a place that's a world of its own for the many Hazara women who fled the atrocities of the Taliban to make a temporary home in the heart of New Delhi. Sitting among a handful of benches and chairs with the whirring of the sewing machines in the background, one can see many Afghan refugee women busy sewing and crocheting a pile of upcycled fabric into beautiful dolls. It's been four years since the social enterprise Silaiwali came into existence, and till now has given employment to more than 120 Afghan refugee women. The brainchild of a former visual journalist Bishwadeep Moitra and his French wife Iris Strill, a product designer, Silaiwali upcycles waste fabric generated from apparel scraps to create handcrafted decorations by Afghan woman refugees in India. "Ecology and solidarity - our mission is to bring these two together. Our motto is A Stitch Against Waste. A Stitch for Freedom. We are not just making an effort to save the environment from textile waste but also helping marginalised artisans live a dignified life," Bishwadeep tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_34097" align="aligncenter"

t="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_34097" align="aligncenter" width="855"] Silaiwali | Global Indian | Afghan Refugee Women Afghan refugee women at Silaiwali workshop[/caption]

Since the late 1970s, India has given shelter to Afghan refugees, and each year, more Afghanis make their way to New Delhi in the hope of a better life. Currently home to around 30,000 Afghan refugees, South Delhi is bustling with the marginalised community that's looking to start afresh in a new country. And Silaiwali is helping Afghan refugee women give another shot at life.

"Coming from a conservative society, these women mostly never left their homes before stepping into Delhi. But now they want to help their kids have a better life," adds Bishwadeep. Since Malviya Nagar is the hub for many of these refugees, Bishwadeep and Iris knew they had to take their workshop to them. In no time, their craft has found an audience in France, Korea, Japan, Germany, and other parts of the world. So much so that their skills caught the eye of the French luxury fashion house Chloé, who collaborated with Silaiwali for an exclusive range of rag dolls. "Hazara women are known for their embroidery skills, and now they are using the same craft for a wider audience, and it's helping them live a dignified life in India," adds Bishwadeep, who decided to start the venture in 2018 with his wife, after quitting a two-decade-long career in media.

Afghan refugee women | Global Indian | Silaiwali

Journalist-turned-entrepreneur

Having arrived in Delhi as a teenager from Ludhiana where his dad was posted, he never got the chance to complete his graduation owing to the violence that erupted in the capital during the Sikh riots of 1984. Though he did join an engineering course for a year, he gave up soon to start working in a printing unit. Designing was something that intrigued Bishwadeep, so he ended up joining India Today as a graphic designer in the early 90s, and later became one of the founding members of Outlook magazine during its launch in 1995. In the coming years, he rose to the ranks of Executive Editor. "For 21 years, I designed the cover of Outlook magazine and did stories. It was a free-thinking magazine, and I loved my work." However, in 2016, he decided to hang up his boots in the world of full-time journalism as boredom had slowly started crawling into the daily work. "I had done whatever I had to do."

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It was during his time in Outlook that he met his now-wife Iris at Sivananda Yoga Centre in Delhi in 2006. "Like most foreigners, she was interested in yoga, and that's how we first met at the yoga studio," laughs Bishwadeep, adding that she has been visiting India since 1999, and has years of experience in crafts and fashion, "training artisans in making design-oriented products." It was during her long years of working in India as a consultant to fashion brands that she came across the problem of textile waste and realised upcycling was the solution. "Moreover, she had worked with Afghan refugee women who were a part of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) livelihood initiatives. That's how the idea of working with refugees struck us," reveals Bishwadeep, who has been married to Iris for 13 years now.

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The dolls that make Silaiwali unique

The idea of integrating upcycling with empowering skilled Afghan refugee women gave birth to Silaiwali - a social enterprise with a purpose, and also the concept of selling rag dolls. "Growing up, almost every individual at some time has played with a rag doll. Many people who are now parents played with one, while many kids made one as a part of crafts class or DIY programs." The hand-made dolls are a far cry from the plastic ones available in the market and provide an emotional connection along with celebrating cultural diversity. "Our dolls are for an audience that's conscious about sustainability, peace, equality, and the environment. We wanted to sell a product that has a back story to tell. We are using waste material as the fabric for the dolls which are made by skilled marginalised women who ran away from terrorism, and the income is helping them sustain in a new country."

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While the very first year got Silaiwali a huge order from a US fashion brand COS to make 50,000 key chains using waste fabric, making Afghan women work in a structured environment was one of their biggest challenges. "Since they come from a conservative society where their skills were never used commercially before, getting them to work in professional production was demanding. The products are made for high-concept stores across Europe, they demand high quality of production, and so everything has to be perfect." However, Bishwadeep is grateful that though the women are not trained, they are doing really well and their work is loved by all.

Empowering Afghan refugee women

Leaving the comfort of their country, they have moved to India in search of a better life, and hence, winning their trust was the first thing for Iris and Bishwadeep. "We had to make them feel safe. That was the first step. Even our workshop is like a zenana that provides them a haven." He credits Iris for her charm and personality which played a factor in making these women feel at home. "The way she handled them as a fellow worker and not an owner, made her stand apart. She is a Westerner and believes in treating the worker with dignity. She never misses a chance to ask the women for an opinion on the product as their input is equally vital." While Bishwadeep looks into the administration, marketing, communication, packaging, and graphic designing part, Iris' core focus is the product.

[caption id="attachment_34098" align="aligncenter" width="859"] Silaiwali | Global Indian | Afghan refugee women Iris Strill with an Afghan refugee woman at Silaiwali workshop[/caption]

Currently, 70 Afghan refugee women work with Silaiwali, a number that has gone down drastically from 120 last year. "For most Afghan refugees, India is a transit as they wish to migrate to Australia, Canada, or the US. Last year, Canada invited 1.4 million refugees, and 60 women from Silaiwali, along with their families migrated to Canada. It was heartbreaking to lose our artisans but it's a big gain for them as they get citizenship rights in those countries." Working with Silaiwali has empowered these refugee women who have now become key decision makers in their otherwise patriarchal families. "They are earning a livelihood from the skills they traditionally have. It has instilled a sense of confidence in them and now moving to a new country, they are ready to take on work and new challenges with more gusto and self-awareness of their skillset."

The path ahead

Over the last few years, Silaiwali has found collaboration with big brands like Uniqlo, Chloé, and Ulla Johnson. "In 2022, we partnered with Uniqlo, and had 50 pop-ups around the world including Milan, Paris, and London," says the 57-year-old who bid adieu to journalism to dive into entrepreneurship. "Working on a complex business right now, journalism seemed like a walk in the park," he laughs. From manufacturing to selling to working with the UN, he calls the work "wheel within wheels." When Bishwadeep began, he had no idea about export or how to run a business. For him, the last four years have been a learning curve. Though Silaiwali is bootstrapped, he has plans of scaling up. "We have only tapped into 2-3 percent of the world market. We are keen to go much bigger shortly through social media and exhibitions."

[caption id="attachment_34099" align="aligncenter" width="663"] Silaiwali | Global Indian | Afghan refugee women Silaiwali employs Afghan refugee women[/caption]

After the success of the India chapter of Silawali, Bishwadeep and Iris wish to replicate the model in countries like France. "The concept of upcycling and empowering marginalised communities of the region remains the blueprint for every chapter." With many of their artisans having moved to Canada, Bishwadeep wants to start one chapter in Montreal. "The trained Afghan women who have now migrated to Canada can restart what they were doing."

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You can place order for the dolls on their website

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