Global IndianstorySujay Sanan: Cape Town-based Indian artist’s work finds place in South Africa’s new 5 rand coin

Sujay Sanan: Cape Town-based Indian artist’s work finds place in South Africa’s new 5 rand coin

Written by: Charu Thakur

(June 9, 2023) “Kept this a secret for a while now. I am honoured to say that I was chosen as an artist to be part of this historic project. My drawing of southern right whales was selected for the new South African 5 Rand coin. From numismatists, designers, engravers, metallurgists, typographers — the many hands that worked on it to the millions of hands that will hold the coins. Most people who use this coin will never know who any of us are,” writes Sujay Sanan on Instagram. One exquisite work by the 39-year-old Cape Town-based artist has found its eternal place on South Africa-s new 5-rand coin, forever entwining his creative spirit with the essence of the nation.

Sujay Sanan

Becoming a part of South Africa’s history

It was in late 2019 when an email from SA Mint, the subsidiary of South Africa Reserve Bank, left Cape Town-based Indian artist a little perplexed. He hesitated to respond, unable to fathom why the bank was summoning him for a meeting. It was only after the gentle coaxing of his then partner and now wife that he reluctantly obliged. Days later, he found himself in the lobby of a downtown hotel where he was ushered into a room enveloped in an air of secrecy. Before him was a folder labeled ‘Top Secret’. “In the meeting, it was revealed that they are going to tell us a secret of national importance, and the government of South Africa has classified it as top secret. It is an issue of national security,” he tells Global Indian, connecting over a video call from his home on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town, where he moved a decade ago.

After signing a 40-page NDA, he learned about an open competition that invited the residents and citizens of South Africa, especially artists, to offer their portfolios and their creative essence, for an endeavour as grand as the very renewal of the nation’s currency. Sujay was among the 60-90 artists from South Africa to be chosen for the “final leg of selection for giving in the proposals for the coin.” They had two months to submit their drawings, and fulfil one condition. “What we draw could not look like any existing photograph or drawing.” Sujay was excited, as “This is part of my working ethos. I like to create from my imagination.” He carefully enclosed three sketches of the southern right whale in a folder to be judged by a panel. Just before the onset of the pandemic, it was revealed that his work was selected for the new 5-rand coin. However, it was to be kept secret. “Since the project was classified, I didn’t even tell my mum until I had to leave for Johannesburg for the launch this year,” smiles the artist.

South Africa’s new 5 rand coin

His artwork – a drawing of a southern right whale with her calf – has been immortalised in South Africa’s new 5-rand coin (replacing the wildebeest). The artist is excited to have played a small role in South Africa’s history. “To be a part of something so momentous, for there shall never be another circulation coin in my lifetime, fills me with profound awe,” muses the artist, whose aim lies not in the pursuit of fame, but in remaining perpetually relevant. “Fame can be short-lived but if you are relevant that stays forever. While perhaps a mere thousand individuals are privy to the coin’s existence, it is destined to be touched by the hands of sixty million. It’s a 5-rand coin, and so if you are poor in South Africa, there is a 100 percent chance that in the next five years, you would have used it.” He shares a poignant anecdote of encountering, in a city center parking lot, a woman who elected to preserve the new coin. “It imbued me with a sense of joy as I get to be a part of someone’s life – someone who doesn’t know me, someone I don’t know. It did spark joy that she decided to keep it and not use it. That feels like being relevant and not famous,” he adds.

The journey to witnessing his artwork adorn the circulation coin spanned three years, an achievement he calls big and small at the same time. It is akin to unwrapping a multitude of tiny presents for years to come, each holding its own significance. “There is a tiny present when I see my five-year-old son grow older and have some coins in the bank, and he will know his dad did it, that’s a tiny present for me,” beams the artist. He also fondly remembers when, for the very first time, he received his coin as change during a simple transaction at a shop, imbuing the experience with a profound sense of personal significance.

Sujay Sanan | Global Indian

Before his work made it to the coin, Sujay dedicated countless hours and weeks to meticulously refining the sketches that would bring the southern right whale to life. Deliberately choosing to depict the tender moment of calving, he sought to convey a profound message of conservation and hope. “Showing a mother and her calf in this sort of balance in the coin is a hopeful message that there will be space for the whales and metaphorically, a space for us in the future.”

The southern right whale, a baleen whale, acquired its moniker due to being considered the “right” whale to hunt, owing to its high-fat content. Once killed, their bodies floated on the water and were easier to drag to the shore during whaling. Ruthless hunting practices brought them perilously close to extinction, however with conservation efforts, the numbers have risen in the recent past.

From the orchards of Himachal to NID in Ahmedabad

The Mumbai-born’s oldest memory comes from the picturesque Kaza monastery in Spiti, where he would often marvel at the monks skillfully painting murals while listening to Buddhist chants. Growing up amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Himachal Pradesh, he developed a profound affinity for nature, wildlife, and art. “I always wanted to be an artist and wanted to work with wildlife. Before I could write, I could draw and I knew this is what I wanted to do,” he recalls. Thanks to his dad,a civil servant posted in Himachal, he ended up soaking in the beauty of the wilderness as a child. From hiking with a friend from Kalpa village to collecting apples from orchards and going on quests for mythical creatures, his upbringing was characterised by a leisurely pace of life, surrounded by majestic mountains, tranquil silence, and boundless room for imagination. “It was a very different time. You can’t live that now,” says Sujay.

This took him to the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. Always one with an appetite for risks, he ditched his BSc first year practical exam to sit for the NID interview- which he successfully passed, prompting him to withdraw from his BSc program. It was at NID that he acquired invaluable skills in critical thinking, self-reflection, and an unwavering drive for excellence. “It’s a very special place for me as I owe a lot of who I am today to what I learnt there.” At 21, he began working on substantial projects, and just two years after his graduation, he started a design studio in Delhi alongside a friend. While things seemed to be going well on the surface, deep within, he felt a persistent disconnect from his inner truth. “Design and art are very different. In design, you are working towards function – which tends to be tied to the client and the project. Art – you work towards the function of manifesting what’s in your heart and mind,” says Sujay, who gave up everything to move to South Africa in 2014 to work on art solely.

Sujay Sanan | Global Indian

A calling for love and art

It was love that made him take the leap of faith and move continents. He met Sophia, his now wife, at the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in Delhi and instantly knew he had found true love. Driven by a profound connection with both art and love, Sujay made the bold choice to relocate to South Africa—which evoked memories of his serene childhood amidst untamed wilderness. “I came to South Africa with a goal – to become an artist. It was nothing like the chaos of corporate life back in Delhi, instead here I experienced silence. I had no friends and the internet was sloppy back in the day, so it gave me a lot of space to go inwards,” reveals Sujay who slowly started making friends, thanks to climbing sprees. “But I never talked about my work or showed my work to anyone until my first show in 2016 in Cape Town. That’s when people finally got to see what I do.” Quite well-received, it opened a lot of doors for him in the city. “I got invited to auctions by WWF, Wavescape. Suddenly, I wasn’t so quiet in Cape Town anymore.”

These last few years, he has “analytically engaged” with different mediums. He explored watercolours exclusively, intentionally avoiding the use of white or black, “to observe the darkest and the lighter shades as colour mixes.” “I spent a year painting outdoors as a bi-weekly practice that forced me to observe colours in nature,” he adds.

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The artist, who climbs thrice a week and trains on six, also loves gardening and working on crafts projects with his son. “Living next to a national park has its perks as we often go into the forests for walks.” Sujay, who has added a feather to his cap with the new 5-rand coin, says that he still has a long way to go. “I have these large visions of what I want to create. And I am in a sort of training to become good enough to create the things I see. The best is still to come.”

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Published on 09, Jun 2023

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Into the Wild with Dr. Koustubh Sharma: Behind the scenes of snow leopard conservation

(November 24, 2023) A fresh ibex carcass was a tell-tale sign that a snow leopard was nearby. This was back in 2010, in South Gobi, Mongolia, where Dr Koustubh Sharma, the Conservation Science Director at the Snow Leopard Trust, stood with a team of seven researchers on a peninsula-shaped ridge line that dropped into a steep slope. It was mid-morning, though, an unlikely time for a snow-leopard sighting. As a colleague, Orjan, inched closer to examine the carcass, the snow leopard, which had been hiding just out of sight, jumped up on to the ledge to avoid him and found itself face-to-face with Koustubh. "He was so very surprised," Koustubh laughs, as he recalls. "I still remember that look on his face, and all the scars he carried." The snow leopard overcame its surprise and slunk away as quickly as it had appeared - Central Asia's apex predator can also be quite shy. In fact, Koustubh says, there are hardly any known encounters where a snow leopard has deliberately attacked humans. In the 15-odd years that Koustubh has worked on the conservation of the species, he has only seen it a handful of times in the wild. The animal's elusive

The animal's elusive nature was part of what drew him to it. "People work with snow leopards for years and never get to see them," he says. They melt into their terrain, making them very hard to spot and can survive in no-man’s land atop snow-covered mountains, breathing very scant air fairly comfortably.

A career in conservation

[caption id="attachment_46975" align="aligncenter" width="464"] Dr Koustubh Sharma. Photo by Xavier Augustin[/caption]

Koustubh speaks to Global Indian from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he has been based since 2017, splitting his time between his role as International Coordinator at the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Programme and as the Director for Science and Conservation at the Snow Leopard Trust. One of the species' foremost researchers and conservationists, Koustubh's work involves collaborating with policymakers, conservationists and organisations from snow leopard range countries. It means working with partner organisations and making sure that the research and field terms have all the support they need - in terms of scientific and financial resources. "There's a lot of grant writing, outreach, communication and public speaking involved," Koustubh explains. "And since a third of the world's snow leopards live within 100km from international borders, you need to work with multiple governments."

It also involves braving some of the world's harshest terrains, usually in alpine and sub-alpine zones, at elevations of between 3000 and 4,500 meters above sea level. Snow leopards have a very broad range - their habitat extends thousands of kilometres across diverse and very rugged landscapes, across the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, covering some 12 countries including Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan.

Tech as a gamechanger

A couple of decades ago, being a conservationist meant a lot of treacherous hikes to set up camera traps, and going back everyday to change film rolls and batteries. By 2004-2005, the technology had evolved to digital cameras and conservationists had to visit every six months to replace the battery, collect data and put the traps back. Today, technology has done away with the need to physically camp out in the bitter cold of the rugged Central Asian terrain.

[caption id="attachment_46976" align="aligncenter" width="629"] Testing camera traps. Photo courtesy: Dr Koustubh Sharma[/caption]

Bridging technology and conservation holds a deep fascination for Koustubh. He even appeared in a Microsoft ad, talking about how scientists at the Snow Leopard Trust use the MS’ AI tech in their research efforts. “To protect snow leopards, you need to know where they are,” he said. Camera traps capture thousands of images that need to be analysed - a task that means days of work for humans, and 10 minutes for an advanced AI.

From Bhopal to Bishkek

His association with the snow leopard feels like kismet - he was in the right place at the right time. After completing his Master’s in Physics, Koustubh moved to the Panna Tiger Reserve to do his PhD in wildlife zoology by studying the Four Horned Antelope. "Those were blissful times" he smiles. "I would go in the morning, observe the wildlife and come back. It was like earning for a hobby." Spread out over 552 km of forestland, life at Panna was not for the faint of heart. "It can be quite intense if being alone scares you," Koustubh agrees. He wasn't one to scare easily though - in college, he had picked up bird watching, because it was something he could do in Bhopal. When an overhaul of one of the city's lake required compiling bird data, Koustubh, who was a college kid then, was taken on for the project. "And that was how my association with the Bombay Natural History Society started too," he says.

At the Panna Tiger Reserve, he met another scientist, Dr. Raghu Chundawat, who incidentally, is the first person to complete a PhD on snow leopards, back in the 1980s. Given his background in Physics, Koustubh was fairly comfortable with numbers and he collaborated with Dr Chundawat to explore and experiment on a few methods to monitor and assess snow leopards. They tried and tested site occupancy methods - which are techniques used to determine whether a particular area or site is occupied by a certain species. These methods, which involve camera traps, surveys for tracks, scat or markings and DNA samplings were all fairly new at the time.

As he wound up his thesis, Koustubh heard about the Snow Leopard Trust. Founded in 1981 by Helen Freeman, the Snow Leopard Trust is a non-profit dedicated to the conservation of the endangered snow leopard and the preservation of its ecosystem. They were looking for a regional field biologist, someone who could stay in a remote area without worrying too much about what was happening back home. They also wanted someone to help the researchers in study designs and data analysis. Koustubh was the man for the job.

Where the wild things are

That's how Koustubh began his journeys through the wilderness of Central Asia. "My first trek was in -40 degrees," he says, when he was tasked with setting up a base station site for the first ever long-term ecological study of snow leopards in Mongolia back in 2008. He took off from Delhi, with his overcoat in his main suitcase. As the plane landed, the pilot announced that the temperature was 35 degrees Celsius. "I was like, why is everyone panicking back home? I have lived through 45 degrees Celsius. I stepped out and felt like I was being pricked by thousands of needles. I hadn't heard the 'minus'. My colleagues still make fun of me," he smiles.

Extreme weather is part of the deal, though. Snow leopards tend to live higher up in the mountains, usually above the treeline but just below where everything is totally frozen. "It is the only species that is found only in the mountains." Since prey is scarce so high up in the mountains, snow leopards wander extraordinary distances in search of food, accounting for their large home ranges. Creating and preserving a habitat is challenging, because it spans several thousands of square kilometres. "So, we work with people whose spaces overlap with the snow leopards," Koustubh explains.

Community-driven conservation

Such a large home range means snow leopard territories often overlap with that of humans. With a global population of a few thousand mature individuals, which is projected to decrease by about 10 percent by 2040, the snow leopard faces significant threats from poaching and as mentioned already, the loss of habitat due to infrastructural expansion. "So by design, all conservation work is about community engagement," Koustubh explains, adding, "By building partnerships with local communities, understanding challenges that snow leopards face and coming up with mutually agreeable solutions for people and animals alike." Humans are the main threat to snow leopards, which attack their livestock - and their livelihoods. "We have developed community-owned insurance programmes that helps protect villagers from the onslaught of loss."

Simply put, if people are losing their livestock already to disease, and then one is killed by a snow leopard or a wolf, they're going to want to take their frustration out on the predator. If farmers are losing fewer livestock, they can better withstand the loss of one or two. "In some areas we even work with communities by helping them develop handicraft products. We also help them produce honey, and initiate tourism programmes." Happy tourists can go a long way towards protecting the snow leopard, Koustubh says. "We have another programme to help communities build sustainable and conservation-oriented tourism." At the end of the day, Koustubh says, there's no replacing local skills. "You can bring in your skills and compliment them."

When he's not working, Koustubh is out stargazing on clear nights in Bishkek, to pursue his "rekindled childhood hobby" of astrophotography. I spot some equipment in the background as we speak. "I use a 70-200mm and 400mm standard canon lenses, Schmidt–Cassegrain catadioptric telescope, Doublet Refractor telescope and Newtonian telescope to photograph the night sky," he explains. His Instagram profile is peppered with pictures of Orion's Belt and the Horsehead Nebula, which appear to hold a certain fascination for him.

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Dr. Koustubh Sharma's work in snow leopard conservation bridges gaps between science, policy, and community, shaping a future where both humans and these elusive cats can thrive. His journey underscores the importance of perseverance and collaboration in the face of environmental challenges.

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Ashok Aliseril: UK-based engineer who built a plane in his backyard and now travels the world

(September 23, 2022) Freedom is magical, and it was in this very quest for enchantment that Essex-resident Ashok Aliseril Thamarakshan decided to build a four-seater airplane in his backyard in Billericay during the lockdown - to fly around the world at his convenience. What began with watching planes pass by in the skies above took the shape of curiosity to try his hand at the same. Years later, Ashok took his first flying lesson to the Isle of Wight in a microlight. It got him hooked, so much so that he thought of building a four-seater plane to take his family on adventures. "The sense of freedom that anytime the weather is good, we can go out anywhere without having to worry about airline tickets is exhilarating," Ashok tells Global Indian. Ashok and his wife Abhilasha began this labour of love together. It took them two years to come to fruition with 1600 hours of meticulous effort and £160,000. While Ashok sat through painstakingly long hours to work on his plane after wrapping up his regular shift (7 am to 3 pm) at work, Abhilasha dealt with the complicated paperwork. When asked if she was initially sold on the idea

t work, Abhilasha dealt with the complicated paperwork. When asked if she was initially sold on the idea of building an airplane, the 35-year-old says, "I was fully onboard with the build as brand new 4-seater aircraft cost £1 million upwards. And we didn't have money straightaway to buy a share in an already built airplane."

[caption id="attachment_29678" align="aligncenter" width="688"] Ashok Aliseril | Engineer | Global Indian Ashok and Abhilasha Aliseril with their daughters at the hangar (Photo courtesy: Ashok and Abhilasha Aliseril)[/caption]

Building a plane sounded like the perfect idea as the Aliserils were "saving a fortune" by not paying for their kids' nursery fees and cutting down on commuting expenses. They even put their grocery expenses on credit cards to reserve as much as they could from their salaries. However, Abhilasha's only concern was "the time it will take and whether we will be able to do it whilst working full time and having the children at home during the lockdown." Nevertheless, the family pulled it off with minor challenges and took their first trip to the Isle of Wight which was an "emotional yet positive" experience for Aliserils, who are now the proud owners of G-DIYA, named after their youngest daughter.

For the love of planes

While growing up in Alappuzha in Kerala, Ashok loved taking things apart and later reassembling them. This passion led him to pursue mechanical engineering at Palakkad Engineering College in Kerala, which ignited in him a passion for automobile engineering which he ended up pursuing at the University of Hertfordshire, UK in 2006. Now an engineer with Ford, he met Abhilasha, a data analyst, online and the two tied the knot in 2011. Over the years, he did work on some cars in the driveways but it was the light aircraft in the sky that intrigued him. And when the couple moved to Billericay in 2013, he would often find himself immensely distracted by the planes, which always looked "liberating." However, work and the birth of their first daughter, Tara, kept him too occupied to go forward with the plan of exploring the opportunity of learning to fly, until Abhilasha gifted him a 30-minute flying experience.

[caption id="attachment_29679" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Engineer | Ashok Aliseril | Global Indian G-DIYA, a four-seater built by Ashok Aliseril (Photo courtesy: Ashok and Abhilasha Aliseril)[/caption]

"I used to look at the skies during the weekends gazing at the aircrafts flying above. My first flight was a 30-minute trial lesson and in the second, which was along with the instructor, we took off and landed at the Isle of Wight. It was the sense of freedom that came with just being able to take off, got me hooked," adds the 39-year-old. In no time, he applied for a standard Europe-wide pilot’s license which requires 45 hours of flying time.

The real deal

However, the anticipation of taking his wife and two daughters on adventures was nipped in the bud as Ashok could only find two-seaters, while the four-seaters available were either obsolete or very expensive. That's when Ashok decided to build a plane, and he zeroed in on Sling TSi. "Jabiru J430, Vans RV10, and Sling TSi were the three options that could be done in the UK as a home built. Obviously, there are options that you can buy outright but they are really old aircraft and if you want to buy something new, you have to fork out quite a bit of money," he explains.

[caption id="attachment_29695" align="aligncenter" width="694"] Ashok Aliseril Sling TSi in the making (Photo courtesy: Ashok and Abhilasha Aliseril)[/caption]

He first saw the Sling TSi (a four-seater) listed on the Light Aircraft Association website, "but the model wasn't available in the UK or anywhere in Europe. So, I had to go to South Africa to test fly one." Impressed with its functioning, Ashok was moreover amazed by its making - with two fuel tanks that hold 88 liters of the petrol, the kind people put in their cars, and burns around 20 liters an hour. Ashok was sold. Fresh off the plane from Johannesburg, he ordered the plane's £3,500 tail kit, and in between started building a hangar in his spacious backyard with the help of friends and £700.

Building with love

Around the same time, the lockdown was announced in the UK in 2020, and Aliserils were left to build the plane on their own. He was working with a seven-part kit that came with instructions for assembling on DropBox and all the while, he did as much research as he could, even referring to YouTube videos. After the tail, the wings arrived, and with the help of their six-year-old daughter, Tara, who helped with unpacking, Ashok was able to build the plane in two years. But with constant delays in the arrival of kits due to Covid, Ashok had to deal with his share of challenges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7TpYTTaAfo

"The biggest challenges were mostly psychological - looking at the scale of the project, you sometimes times think that it is never going to finish. But you need to make a little bit of meaningful progress each day to reach your goal," he says, adding, "Project management is another big part of it as you get these individual kits and there will be parts that are damaged or not matching or on back order, so you start on the job but you cannot finish it until you get the next part. Logistics and project management are a big aspect of this built."

Off to see the world

After months of working on his labour of love, Ashok started the engine of the plane for the first time in June 2021, and it was in February 2022 that G-DIYA finally made it to the skies. Calling the first trip to Isle of Wight an exhilarating experience, Abhilasha adds, "The girls were also able to see what we have achieved so, that they can get involved with aviation early on their lives. It’s something Ashok and I didn't have when we were younger as childhood was very different back in the 80s."

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The Aliserils have already been to Manchester, Skegness and the Isle of Wight in the UK and France, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Czech Republic in Europe on G-DIYA, are in love with the freedom. "The freedom and independence to take off wherever you want, as long as it’s well within the distance, of course, makes it all worth it," signs off Abhilasha.

Video courtesy: SlingUK

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Reading Time: 6 min

‘App’lying thought to mental health: Breathe easy with just a click

With mental health woes increasing across the world owing to the pandemic, click on any of these apps & bring mindfulness back into your life. (March 26, 2022) Deloitte Global predicts that in 2022 global spending on mobile mental health apps will reach close to $500 million. Even though visiting a mental health professional is still stigmatised in India, apps today make mental healthcare accessible. Some help integrate holistic mental and physical self-care into their daily routines, others offer meditative practices, and even others that create sounding boards. Amidst the wane of the third wave of covid-19 in India, the incidence of depression and mental health issues has risen exponentially, and will continue to rise, according to experts. “India has nearly 200 million people with mental health needs, and lots of barriers to access high-quality professional support.” Dr Amit Malik, CEO, InnerHour Like him, app developers and other mental experts have taken notice, resulting in a gamut of mental health apps that provide not only support, but privacy too. Global Indian turns the spotlight on some of these apps that promote mental health anytime, anywhere. 1. Let's Meditate Founder: Sagar Vasnani Google Play Store Rating – 4.8 Downloads – 1M+ The

n-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian turns the spotlight on some of these apps that promote mental health anytime, anywhere.

1. Let's Meditate

Founder: Sagar Vasnani

Google Play Store Rating – 4.8

Downloads – 1M+

The app provides a distinctive solution to address unmet user needs in the meditation app market. Let's Meditate does away with the clutter and goes straight to the guided meditation. Users can choose from a curated list of guided meditation tracks catering to a wide variety of topics to suit every situation, including anxiety, body scans, healing, sleep, etc. One can take a quick break from routine with meditation tracks as short as five minutes, or recharge for 40 minutes.

2. Sadhguru App

Founder: Isha Foundation

Google Play Store Rating – 4.7

Downloads – 1M+

Spiritual guru Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation has designed an app to help overcome anxiety, stress and discover lasting calm and joy, in just a few minutes a day. To enjoy a drop of spirituality in life, the app offers daily quotes and wisdom videos, the latest articles and podcasts. It offers a wide range of choices with the newest videos on topics ranging from yoga, spirituality, business success, relationships, health, fitness, and living a joyful and stress-free life.

[embed]https://twitter.com/SadhguruJV/status/1489204927314362369?s=20&t=hpB4yH-yl98rItIg_XbYJQ[/embed]

3. Wysa

Founder: Jo Agarwal

Google Play Store Rating – 4.7

Downloads – 1M+

Wysa has been built with the belief that in the context of mental health, the world is on fire, and there are no fire brigades coming. Working to put a fire extinguisher in every pocket with Wysa, their ‘emotionally sensitive’ AI bot has already saved close to 30 lives. It assures certified clinical safety and peer-reviewed efficacy. The app uses cognitive-behavioural techniques backed by science and handpicked by therapists to help build mental resilience. Every conversation is based on techniques published in peer-reviewed clinical research.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Jo4dev/status/1390514255229702144?s=20&t=t3IBC3BT-I-8MQcgNbodAw[/embed]

4. Think Right.me

Founder: Rajan Navami and BK Shivani

Google Play Store Rating – 4.6

Downloads – 1M+

This digital mindfulness platform was started by the house of JetSynthesys. It is a one-stop destination for users seeking mindfulness, meditation and positivity. ThinkRight.me is anchored by globally-acclaimed emotional and spiritual mentor BK Sister Shivani. The platform has eight masters on board - Behzad Randeria, Luca Garcia Giurgi, Mona Doctor, Vatsal Doctor Gregory, Tyagi Shurjo, Rishad, Benaisha, and Vidisha Kaushal. These masters guide users on their journey of mental and emotional wellbeing encompassing varied aspects of mindfulness like leadership training, master spirit, holistic psychotherapist, emotional, mental and integrated wellbeing, arts and sounds, energy medicine, accessible yoga leading to radical transformation.

5. Inner hour

Founder: Dr Amit Malik and Neha Kirpal

Google Play Store Rating – 4.4

Downloads – 1M+

Founded by Dr Amit Malik, InnerHour aims to help people get into the habit of making themselves a priority. InnerHour is looking to disrupt the psychological wellness/mental health provision. The healthcare has significant experience in India and internationally, alongside expertise in building and running large-scale healthcare businesses and delivering health online. One can connect with a qualified InnerHour therapist or psychiatrist to get professional support on one’s mental health journey.

6. Fitternity

Founder: Neha Motwani

Google Play Store Rating – 4.3

Downloads – 100 K+

A marketplace for preventive healthcare services that uses technology, personalisation and a partner network of over 12,000 service providers to enable users to discover and book fitness services. It’s founded with the belief system that everyone wants to be happy, and mental wellness has an important role to play in achieving that goal. Keeping in mind the current situation of the world with the covid-19 pandemic, people are feeling stressed and anxious. Mental wellness, however, requires some effort, in the same way, physical health does and the app can ensure overall wellness of both body and mind.

[embed]https://twitter.com/FitternityIndia/status/1497193569039556613?s=20&t=lhY9ydyjGgwl7h3L7KRviQ[/embed]

7. Jumping Minds

Founded: Ariba Khan

Google Play Store Rating – 4.3

Downloads – 50 K+

Jumping Minds is a deep tech mental health app powered by an engaged community, smart AI bot, and self-care tools. It is an anonymous, smart chat platform to connect with people and provide a safe, non-judgmental space so they can express themselves. They call this 'Friend's Therapy', and believe it can make a person feel better instantly.

8. Pinky Mind

Founder: Stephen K Chaco

Google Play Store Rating – 4.0

Downloads – 50 K+

PinkyMind is an online holistic mental wellbeing platform with great UI and features to keep anxiety, depression, stress relief at bay. Users can enjoy a one-to-one anonymous online session with a certified psychologist, for starters. They can also manage anxiety through a range of puzzles, games and curated videos and connect with the app’s Love Guru to ask questions on relationships.

[embed]https://twitter.com/pinkymindapp/status/1367076051529179137?s=20&t=GBbQ5sAaDWQpE_4j5Xb6Ww[/embed]

9. YourDost

Founder: Richa Singh and Puneet Manuja

Google Play Store Rating – 3.9

Downloads – 10 K+

It is an online counselling and emotional wellness coach, through which people can connect over chat, audio, video or through in-person sessions. There are over 2,000 articles, videos and self-assessments, recurring awareness and group sessions held both online and onsite, customised programmes on maternity, Posh, smoking cessation and lots more. Users can also get a quarterly, anonymous report on usage and insights and can connect with experts to discuss personal and professional issues.

[embed]https://twitter.com/yourdost/status/1443469879160422403?s=20&t=hpB4yH-yl98rItIg_XbYJQ[/embed]

10. Now & Me

Founder: Drishti Gupta and Bani Singh

Google Play Store Rating – 3.3

Downloads – 5 K+

The mission behind Now & Me is to be free of stigma and judgment. It’s a safe space for people from all walks of life to take the first step towards accepting their feelings and talking about them. It is also a crisis helpline for anyone who needs immediate help. The long term goal is to make mental wellbeing a priority for everyone by providing solutions that allow easier access, and increased awareness. "Only really good and positive vibes, filled with warmth, hugs and everything kind" is what the app assures.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Chef Lakhan Jethani brings Japan’s Shoji Ryori cuisine to India

(January 14, 2024) Chef Lakhan Jethani has always had a fascination for all things Japan; especially its cuisine. He is well-versed in all aspects of this fascinating country and its culture – from the Shoji Ryori cuisine of the monks to the principle of working with five ingredients only. [caption id="attachment_48256" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Chef Lakhan Jethani[/caption] Though he is not a fluent speaker of Japanese, he understands the language fairly well. One word he would have heard most often for the food he cooks would have to be ‘Oishii’ which means delicious. And, if you look at his picture, he could pass off as a young man hailing from Japan due to his genetic heritage, as his great-grandmother had roots in the North East of India. This is just as well, because he has completely immersed himself in Japanese cuisine, and continues to delve deeper into it. Early days of cooking In an exclusive with Global Indian, the 34-year-old Chef Lakhan, a partner and the head chef at Mizu Izakaya, an upmarket Japanese restaurant, remembers, “When I was around 12, I would go for tuitions with other kids from my building. Once I made tomato baskets – with the flesh

an exclusive with Global Indian, the 34-year-old Chef Lakhan, a partner and the head chef at Mizu Izakaya, an upmarket Japanese restaurant, remembers, “When I was around 12, I would go for tuitions with other kids from my building. Once I made tomato baskets – with the flesh scooped out, filled with fruit pieces, and tossed in salt, pepper, and chaat masala. I took them for everyone at the tuitions; that is my first memory of cooking.”

[caption id="attachment_48257" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Chef | Lakhan Jethani | Global Indian Hokkaido Grilled Scallops with Mentaiako[/caption]

At 17, after finishing his 12th grade in the IB curriculum, Chef Lakhan enrolled at the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Montreux, Switzerland. He recalls the unusual manner in which they were taught there. “The college had a beautiful five-star hotel which the students managed. The kitchen batch guys would run the kitchen, the housekeeping ones would make the beds for all of us and the cafeteria batch managed everything at the two cafeterias. We were taught everything in a practical way. I also got into a couple of internships during breaks. I worked at Zenzi in Mumbai for six months and for the second internship, at the Marina and Ocean Club Kitchen at Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

"It is a town that is similar to Miami but smaller. After going back to Switzerland, I did one more internship at the JW Marriott and several weekend part-time jobs at different kitchens. I came back to India after I completed my bachelor’s degree and launched IBar, an upscale cocktail and gastro pub that served food that was better than what is usually served at pubs. This was in Bandra Reclamation, behind Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai.”

Making a strong foundation

The chef ran IBar for five-and-a-half years and the stint convinced him more than ever, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life in the kitchen. But that meant he needed to have some more certifications under his chef’s hat. “I had to study for three more levels, especially in bakery and pastry if I wanted to be a chef. At 26, I went to the International Centre for Culinary Arts, Dubai to do a specialisation course. After that, I joined Chef Thomas at Bombay Canteen.”

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A post shared by Mizu Izakaya 🏮 (@mizuizakaya)

Underlying this entire career path was a deep and abiding interest in Japanese philosophy, culture, and food. He says, “I liked origami since I was a kid, and Japanese philosophy, how they treated their ingredients and their approach towards Mother Earth. I used to dream of studying and working there so I found my way to Japan for some culinary studies.”

Here, Chef Lakhan worked with Daisuke Namura, a third-generation chef who headed Sougo in Tokyo. Namura had worked earlier with the restaurant Daigo, started by his grandfather, which was a two-Michelin star restaurant. Namura was the chef's mentor. He recalls, “Namura worked at his family restaurant for ten years. The food and ambiance there were very formal and extremely culture-driven. He launched Sougo as a more relaxed place and he is best known for his contemporary creations that have reinterpreted Shojin Ryori cuisine.”

[caption id="attachment_48258" align="aligncenter" width="553"] Chef | Lakhan Jethani | Global Indian Ramen Saporro[/caption]

The cuisine there was Japanese at heart but creative. “The restaurant followed a rule of five – five flavours – salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami, the fifth taste. The colours he worked with were black and white, red, yellow, and green. These flavours are drawn from ingredients to provide balanced nutrition to the body and equilibrium to the mind. He was also a teacher at the local university; I learnt a lot from him in three months. I also did a course on how to make Soba noodles – which are made from buckwheat flour or kuttu atta as it is known in India. I plan to launch these noodles here at Mizu soon where they will be made in-house and hand-cut.”

Fun and food, the Japanese way

On his return, in 2018, the chef set up a test kitchen to work on the ideas he had based on his learnings. He then wanted to go to Russia to learn some more. But, his childhood friend Vedant Mallik, with whom he had made plans during their early years that they would set up a restaurant together, intervened and suggested they should work on that dream instead of Chef Lakhan going off to foreign shores again.

[caption id="attachment_48259" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Chef | Lakhan Jethani | Global Indian Mizu Negroni[/caption]

In 2019, the friends decided to launch Mizu Izakaya in Khar, in suburban Mumbai. The name means relaxed, fun, upscale dining. After COVID, they are back in the game and 80 percent of their ingredients are sourced from Japan. The chef adds however that, “We are very conscious of our carbon footprint, so what can be sourced locally, like crabs and prawns, we get from here. In keeping with this principle, we also work on recipes to eliminate wastage. So, the vegetable waste from a California roll is fermented and made into a hot sauce. The kitchen staff have to devise recipes using the ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. This is an annual task for them.”

The current food trend in Japan is Shojin Ryori cuisine – temple food cooked by monks. Sans any onion and garlic, it can be compared to Jain or sattvik food. But that is where the similarity ends. Chef Lakhan says, “This cuisine is becoming more and more prominent as it is quite different from other parts of the world. I have taken Shojin Ryori to the next level in my menu where the veg ramen has no ginger and garlic and the Shojin Dashi broth is made with seaweed and mushrooms. I also try and apply the rule of five to my veg and non-veg dishes.”

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A post shared by Lakhan Jethani (@samurai_cook)

Since he has worked with practically all kinds of ingredients, which is the one he likes the most? He says promptly, “Eggs. They are one of my favourite ingredients as you can cook an egg in a hundred different ways. It is so tasty no matter which way you cook it.”

**Desi khana goes global**

The chef innovates with Japanese cuisine and introduces influences from Indian cuisine as well. He says, “I switch to Indian ingredients when I can; when we were not able to source Japanese lemons, I started using the gondoraj lemon which comes from West Bengal and the North East. The salmon and gondoraj truffle is one of our star dishes. I also have a smoked garam masala sauce that I use for our Hamachi carpaccio. In our desserts, we use the Alphonso mango for our kakigori which is outstanding, as are the strawberries we get here.”

[caption id="attachment_48260" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Chef | Lakhan Jethani | Global Indian Chef Lakhan with his friend and partner, Vedant Mallik[/caption]

Speaking of global trends, Chef Lakhan believes that currently, Japanese food dominates the world of eating out, especially fine dining. But vouches that “Indian and South East Asian cuisines like Taiwanese are going to be the next big thing. Regional Indian food is already becoming popular with so many chefs and restaurants winning Michelin stars. Chefs like Himanshu Saini are pushing boundaries – you only have to see how pani puri is driven into various formats to know how much Indian food has scored on the world stage.”

And even as the young chef keeps going back to Japan to work at sushi joints to brush up on his knowledge, what he comes back and creates, transforms into sheer art.

While travelling, Chef Lakhan likes to eat at:

Sougo, Yakuo, Diago, all in Tokyo: Seasonal tasting menus
Matsunozushi, Tokyo: Aanago fish
Torigin, Ginza, Tokyo: Taukune skewers
Masque, Mumbai: Chef Varun’s tasting menu
Bandra Born, Mumbai: East Indian crab dip and pav brioche
Hashida: Singapore: the signature hand roll and edamame espuma parfait
Sg Low, Singapore: Mentaiko mac and cheese

Follow Chef Lakhan Jethani and Mizu Izakaya on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

From the US to Switzerland: How Indians rule the roost

(May 1, 2022) India has the largest diaspora in the world - over 13 million Indians live outside the country, with 17 million individuals of Indian origin. While they are known to be skilled IT professionals, several Indian-origin politicians have earned important designations in governments worldwide. According to the latest report by Indispora, a US-based nonprofit community of global Indian diaspora leaders from various backgrounds and professions, more than 200 persons of Indian-origin hold the highest positions around 15 countries - which included elected officials, diplomats, legislators, heads of central banks and senior civil servants. They also listed over 60 leaders, who hold cabinet positions in various countries. Global Indian takes a look at few notable politicians, who have made their mark as immigrants or children of immigrants. Kamala Harris – vice-president of the United States During a civil rights protest on the Berkeley campus, when Shyamala Gopalan asked her toddler daughter “What do you want?” she replied, “Fweedom!” [caption id="attachment_23845" align="aligncenter" width="597"] Kamala Harris, vice president of the United States[/caption] Today, the journey of Kamala Harris is an inspiring story of many firsts. Probably one of the most famous Indian-origin politicians in history, Kamala is not just a woman, but

Kamala-Harris.jpg" alt="" width="597" height="896" /> Kamala Harris, vice president of the United States[/caption]

Today, the journey of Kamala Harris is an inspiring story of many firsts. Probably one of the most famous Indian-origin politicians in history, Kamala is not just a woman, but also the first Black and first Indian-American vice-president of the United States. Born in Oakland, California to parents who emigrated from India and Jamaica, Kamala and her sister, Maya, grew up embracing both their South Asian and Black heritages. But it was her mother, a breast cancer scientist and pioneer in her own right, who instilled a strong sense of justice in Kamala from a young age. Her parents took the little Kamala to civil rights demonstrations and introduced role models—ranging from Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall to civil rights leader Constance Baker Motley—whose work motivated her to become a prosecutor.

In 2010, Kamala was elected as the first African American and first woman to serve as California’s attorney-general. Six years later she was elected as a senator for California, becoming only the second African-American woman to ever be elected to the US senate. Because of the politician's commitment to fighting injustice, her eloquence, and capabilities for leadership and governance, President-elect Joseph R Biden chose Harris as his running mate in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-cbGOYjBfU&t=103s

Since her attorney-general days, Kamala rallies for women’s rights — supporting women in our workforce, addressing the maternal health crisis, and defending reproductive rights. During one of her many famous speeches, Kamala told the Generation Equality Forum at a summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron that gender equality was paramount to strengthening democracy. “Use the tools for democracy, whether that is the freedom of speech or the freedom to vote. And if you do not yet have those freedoms, fight for them and know we will fight alongside you,” the politician said, adding, “If we want to strengthen democracy, we must fight for gender equality. Because here is the truth: Democracy is strongest when everyone participates, it is weaker when people are left out.”

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Leo Varadkar - Tánaiste and minister for enterprise, trade and employment, Ireland

Leo Varadkar knew since early childhood he wanted to enter politics - announcing to his mother’s friends he would be minister for health at just seven. Born to Dr Ashok Varadkar and Miriam Howell, in Dublin, Leo became the first Indian-origin, openly gay and youngest-ever Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) in 2017.

[caption id="attachment_23846" align="aligncenter" width="581"] Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste of Ireland[/caption]

Currently serving as the Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) and minister for enterprise, trade and employment, Leo studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, where he was an active member of the campus Young Fine Gael organisation, and also served as the vice-president of the youth organisation of the European People’s Party, an amalgam of dozens of centre-right youth political groups from across Europe. In 2007, at age 28, the politician emerged on the national stage by winning election to the Dáil representing Dublin West.

Often called the Celtic Tiger, Leo has been able to pull Ireland out of an economic crisis, and incorporated a road map for achieving a low carbon economy. During his first address as Taoiseach, Leo said that his government would be “one of the new European centres.” Given Ireland’s staunchly Catholic past, Leo’s sexuality was always a talking point across the globe. However, the Taoiseach believes that Irish society is changing. During an earlier interview, he had said, “I think other people, perhaps people braver than me, who campaigned for equal rights before the law changed things for me - To them I’m very grateful. But it does add additional responsibility on me, that I do want to use the office that I now hold to advance equality of opportunity, to advance the concepts of equal rights before the law. That’s not just for people from the LGBT community here in Ireland, but also in Northern Ireland, and around the world where such rights are under threat.”

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Harjit Sajjan - minister of international development, Canada

The first Sikh Canadian to command a Canadian Army reserve regiment, and later becoming the country’s minister of national defence, Harjit Sajjan has been one of the most beloved ministers of Canada. The politician, who was born in Punjab in 1970, immigrated to Canada with his family when he was five years old. He grew up in South Vancouver, and benefitted from everything the area’s diverse and culturally rich community has to offer.

[caption id="attachment_23847" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Harjit Sajjan, minister of international development of Canada[/caption]

At the age of 19, Harjit joined the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) as a trooper and was commissioned as an officer in 1991. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and was deployed overseas four times in the course of his career: once to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three times to Afghanistan. In 2011, he became the first Sikh to command a Canadian Army reserve regiment. Harjit was also a part of the Vancouver Police Department, before being elected for the riding of Vancouver South during the 2015 federal election.

During one of his interviews, Harjit had said that he hopes his years in uniform will help motivate the troops, and maybe Canadians in general. “If someone looks at that image and thinks, ‘Wow, if this guy can do this stuff, I can too,’ then I’ve inspired people along the way, which has always been my goal,” the politician said, adding, “But it is just a picture, and life has a way of humbling you if you have any type of arrogance.”

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Vivian Balakrishnan - minister for foreign affairs, Singapore

A doctor by profession, an activist at heart, Vivian Balakrishnan serves as the minister for foreign affairs in the Singapore government. Born in 1961 to an Indian Tamil father and a Chinese mother with ancestry from Fuqing, Vivian has raised his voice against injustice since childhood. The politician, who studied medicine at the National University of Singapore, was elected president of the student’s union (NUSSU 1981 to 1983), and chairman of NUSSU (1984 to 1985).

[caption id="attachment_23848" align="aligncenter" width="695"] Vivian Balakrishnan, minister for foreign affairs, Singapore[/caption]

Following his dream Vivian then pursued postgraduate specialist training in ophthalmology and was admitted as a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1991. However as soon as he returned to Singapore he started noticing the many problems his people faced. While he has made many famous speeches, one of the most liked videos is of a 29-year-old Vivian debating the then newly elected PAP MP K Shanmugam on Lee Kuan Yew’s remarks that questioned the loyalty of Malay Singaporeans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPHD72AKGn4

In the 2001 general election, Vivian was elected as a member of parliament for Holland – Bukit Timah GRC, and in January 2002, he was appointed minister of state at the ministry of national development. An environmentalist, Vivian has been aiming for sustainable development in Singapore. “Singapore is both a small island developing states (SIDS) and a city-state. Since independence 50 years ago, we have pursued sustainable development. Despite, and perhaps because of, our natural constraints, we had to achieve economic progress whilst preserving a good living environment. Although we have one of the world’s highest population densities, we have maintained our greenery and biodiversity, and enhanced our citizens’ quality of life. This year, we were honoured that our Singapore Botanic Gardens was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site," the politician had said while representing Singapore at the UN SDG conference.

Though a hardworking politician, Vivian is also a devoted family man. Married to Joy Balakrishnan, the politician is father to one daughter and three sons.

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Nik Gugger - member of the national council, Switzerland

In 1970, a Malayali woman gave birth to a baby boy in Udupi, Karnataka, and told the doctor to give her child for adoption to a family that will look after him well, before abandoning the newborn. Five decades later that child, now known as Niklaus-Samuel Gugger, became the first Indian to be elected to the Switzerland parliament. Within a week of his abandonment, Gugger was adopted by a Swiss couple — Fritz and Elizbeth Gugger. His new parents took him to Kerala when he was just 15 days old, and they lived there for around four years before moving to their native in Switzerland.

[caption id="attachment_23849" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Nik Gugger, member of the national council, Switzerland[/caption]

Through his father’s work at the Uetendorfberg Foundation, which offers housing and work opportunities for people with hearing, speech and multiple impairments, Nik came into contact with disabled people early on. After finishing his school, Nik did pioneering work in the development of school social work and was a member of the working group for the development of the model for open youth work in Winterthur. At the same time, he studied social work and social management at the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz from 1995 to 1999. Since his adoptive parents were not rich enough to finance his higher studies, Nik had to drive trucks and work as a gardener to pay his fees.

Soon after he finished graduation, he became a member of the central board of the Swiss Evangelical People's Party (EPP). From 2014 to 2017, he was a member of the Zurich Cantonal Council, and in the 2017 National Council elections, Nik Gugger made it to the first substitute seat. Currently, the politician is a member of the Foreign Policy Commission and also a member of the Council of Europe.

A devoted father of three, the politician is deeply connected to his roots, and often visits Thalassery in Kerala – a place he calls his hometown. He also founded the aid organisation, Gundert Foundation, in Thalassery, which is committed to modern education for children of all castes. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nik launched a fundraising campaign to enable ventilator purchases in Odisha.

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Reading Time: 9 mins