Satvika Iyer: Indian-American Young Eco-Hero promoting plant-based diet in school cafeterias
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(October 20, 2023) “Our school’s lunch menu lacked diversity in all aspects, and I couldn’t believe that the same five ingredients seemingly rotated into different meals somehow met the guidelines for a balanced meal,” says Indian-American teen Satvika Iyer, who was keen to create a healthy and sustainable food system in schools by advocating for more plant-based nutrition and better waste management. The campaign earned the Milpitas High School student 2023 International Young Eco-Hero Award. “The US government continues to subsidise systems that are inefficient and exploitative. Factory farming is one of those systems. As a high school student, I decided to break free from the ‘business as usual’ model of school food by taking a few small steps with the help of my school’s cafeteria and nutrition staff, and it led to a rewarding and lasting impact,” she said in an interview.
Satvika Iyer
Born to immigrant parents, Satvika had a hard time growing up as a vegetarian in California, and during lunchtime in school, she was asked to take pepperoni off the pizza. Despite her school catering to a 70 percent Asian population, they had only one Asian salad on the menu before featuring more plant-based options. This led to reaching the administration in her district with more plant-based options in school lunches, which set the ball rolling. “We began a district-wide Earth Day campaign to educate elementary, middle, and high school students about how and why choosing the plant-based option at school is important for combating climate change. We got incredible support from our cafeteria manager for the project,” she added as the campaign has helped serve over 2000 vegan lunches in the last year in the school.
They initially came up with a plant-based pitstop decked out with colourful posters in one corner of the cafeteria, but it gave an impression “that a plant-based meal was different from one with meat.” However, after feedback to the nutrition services staff about the placement of the plant-based options in the cafe, they were able to integrate it with a full-time cafeteria. “This experience shows that a high school cafeteria might need to be organized differently to support student participation in climate-friendly food options, and it’s our job to be flexible and try new things,” she added.
However, changing the perception of high schoolers on what they eat wasn’t a “walk in the park” as many opt for beef tacos daily. “Resistance to eating more plant-based food is usually coupled with being uninformed on the nutritional and ethical values that different foods offer,” the Global Indian said.
When asked why would school students opt for climate-friendly food, the eco-warrior said, “From an environmental standpoint, the amount of water and greenhouse gas emissions saved by choosing one plant-based meal over a meat and dairy-based entree in your cafeteria is significant.” That’s not it! Even from an ethical point of view, “each conventional beef patty represents the cruel, inhumane practices of industrial animal agriculture. The price we pay for seemingly ‘cheap’ industrial meats is animal cruelty.”
The campaign helped Satvika’s school district to introduce a permanent plant-based menu with meat-free alternatives and salad bars, in turn making a significant impact on school nutrition at her high school. The teenager, who believes that science and education can help solve global issues, shares friendly advice with other students who plan to tread a similar path. “Confront any fear with action. Instead of being overwhelmed by the daunting task ahead of you, celebrate the little wins. From reaching fellow students, finding plant-powered regulars, educating others, volunteering to help distribute meals, or even getting someone to try something from the plant-based menu just once — these are all wins and signs of progress!”
(July 8, 2022) Staying in a run-down hotel in Tripura, near the Bangladesh border, with very poor connectivity, Shivakshi Bhattacharya was surprised to receive an early morning call from Canada. Expecting it to be a spam call, she answered to hear a woman's voice at the other end, saying, "Congratulations!" Shivakshi was officially a Schwarzman Scholar 2023 - news she received with a shocked, "Are you sure?" Yes, they assured her, they were sure, she was doing "incredible work." At the end of July, Shivakshi will join a small, very elite group of Indians who have had the opportunity to do a year-long master's in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. "It's been a tumultuous journey," Shivakshi sighs, as she calls me on a rare day off. The 26-year-old lawyer has founded numerous organisations that work with women – something she began in 2014 - as a law student. Despite having doctor parents, she decided against a career in medicine herself, because she "wanted to be in the impact sector," she tells Global Indian. Today, she runs The Laali Project, teaching entrepreneurship skills to girls from rural areas. Shivakshi is also a campaign manager in Bihar for Prashant Kishore's IPAC, a heavy-duty assignment, it seems, for
ivakshi sighs, as she calls me on a rare day off. The 26-year-old lawyer has founded numerous organisations that work with women – something she began in 2014 - as a law student. Despite having doctor parents, she decided against a career in medicine herself, because she "wanted to be in the impact sector," she tells Global Indian. Today, she runs The Laali Project, teaching entrepreneurship skills to girls from rural areas. Shivakshi is also a campaign manager in Bihar for Prashant Kishore's IPAC, a heavy-duty assignment, it seems, for it keeps her days full. She has also spent two years as a Teach for India fellow in Tughlaqabad, Delhi.
As the founder of the Hunkaar Foundation, Shivakshi has been instrumental in providing rural women access to high-quality, affordable sanitary napkins, with a business model that helps them work towards financial freedom. Her first initiative, Make India Bold, worked with spreading awareness among schoolgirls on issues like sexual harassment and abuse, impacting thousands of students in rural Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Shivakshi Bhattacharya spent her early years in Nepal, where her parents were deputed. She returned to India in time for grade eight, "because of the political struggle schools were shut, buses were being burned and there were strikes."
Her moment of reckoning came on her first day of law school in Haryana’s Sonipat district in 2014. Not long after arriving at one of the country’s top institutions - home to one of the most elite student bodies - Shivakshi dealt with sexual harassment from a fellow student. She posted about the incident on the college social media page and found support among several women who faced similar behaviour by the same student. She decided to fight, becoming the first person to file a case since the school opened in 2009. "It's very sad, more so since it's a law school where you're supposed to create an open and safe space for students."
Shivakshi soon found that fighting a case, even in such a progressive and top-tier institution was a traumatic experience. Authorities were hostile, and as were her fellow students, including women. "People went so far as to ask if I was making a complaint to get attention." She recalls men walking up to her to remark, "‘Hey, Shivakshi, if we talk to you, will you file a complaint against us?' But this was the start of my journey."
The case was resolved, albeit unsatisfactorily, with the perpetrator being handed the minimum punishment. Still, the University decided to set up a committee to hear complaints of sexual harassment. And as she struggled against the system, Shivakshi decided to work with school children and spread awareness about how to counter the various ills that plague our society.
Make India Bold
Worn out but undefeated, Shivakshi Bhattacharya visited a friend's place in Madhya Pradesh, where the latter had contacts in educational institutions. During their morning rounds to visit schools, they discovered the whole gamut of issues, from bullying and neglect to abuse. With a framework of information behind her, she returned to Haryana for college and began working with the 139 villages that surrounded her University town, focusing on private and rural schools.
"The methodology varied but the problems were more or less the same – scandalous videos, sexual abuse, casteism and classism," Shivakshi says. Surprisingly, the caste divides were greater in private schools than in their rural counterparts. "I had a very biased picture, I assumed that there would be more caste-related problems in rural schools." Irrespective of whether the school was private or rural, most children had no idea what sexual harassment meant, how to detect problematic behaviour or how to report it. Most weren't even aware of the child helpline.
Believing that early intervention is key, Shivakshi and her team formulated different training modules - for grades one to five, six to eight and nine to twelve. The programme was a roaring success, almost instantly, with some 500 students in attendance for the first session. Over the next year-and-a-half, Make India Bold impacted up to 30,000 students in and around Sonipat district. "We started getting offers - the Shiv Nadar Schools reached out to us and we signed an MoU with the Haryana government that gave us access to government schools as well," Shivakshi says.
"Being able to talk to so many people who had suffered for years - the energy drove me. I kept knocking on people's doors, going to the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare every day for 15 days." It was a "bottom-up approach," starting with the students, and then moving up the ladder. In 2015-16, during an internship with the Ministry of Education in Kashmir, she gave training sessions to school principals as well.
Hunkaar Foundation
As she did the rounds of Haryana's villages, visiting anganwadis was a routine part of the agenda. Most were shut. In one village, Shivakshi Bhattacharya met seven women who had been shunned by the community for undergoing hysterectomies. "They were a group of about 28 women who had become destitute because they couldn’t bear children," Shivakshi adds.
It led her to consider working with menstrual health in rural areas, an idea that would become the Hunkaar Foundation. The organisation used a microfinance model and collaborated with a biodegradable napkin manufacturer, who helped bring in imported napkins from Korea, for ₹18 instead of ₹85.
After an early round of fundraising for seed money, the Hunkaar Foundation procured the first batch of sanitary napkins which were given to a group of seven girls, who had to drop out of school after they reached puberty. "We wanted to ensure some degree of financial independence for them," Shivakshi explains. The girls sold the napkins and cultivated a source of income, while the fathers and brothers couldn't object as "the customers were women and the girls didn't have to leave their homes." Her seed fund was returned in full six months later and was taken to the next village.
Staying true to her working model, Shivakshi sets up the process and then steps away. "I want to work on multiple things and besides, these projects belong to the people for whom I started them."
With 30 women across different villages, hundreds of girls have access to affordable, high-quality sanitary napkins. Another, unintended consequence was the restoration of anganwadis in Sonipat district. "When we first arrived, they weren't functioning at all." They filed multiple petitions under India's Right to Information (RTI) Act, to no avail. However, the children of the now-empowered women began using them as places of learning.
The Laali Project
Although emboldened by the success of the Hunkaar Foundation, Shivakshi Bhattacharya understood that menstrual health is one piece in a much larger puzzle. "I also understand that change is incremental," she remarks. "You can't walk in to a village as an alien and tell them to change the way they live. Instead, we enable them to create the change themselves."
So, The Laali Project was founded, aimed at bringing entrepreneurship models to students. The foundation works with 15 organisations and has also partnered with the Child Support Initiative, Nigeria and Unity Effect, Germany . "I made training a curriculum objective," she says. The training has a multi-pronged approach - menstrual health, gender sensitisation and sex education make up one module, social and emotional learning is the next. Entrepreneurship skills are a section on their own and include lessons on design thinking and soft policy skills.
The pilot project was run in collaboration with Goonj, a Delhi-based NGO that undertakes disaster relief, humanitarian aid and community development. "The founder, Meenakshi ma'am, helped me a lot," Shivakshi says. Before she logs off, she makes special mention of one of her most cherished outcomes: "Four grade nine students have their own organisation - a learning centre where they teach men about menstrual health. The founder was the shyest girl in class, afraid to even say a word when she first came in. Today, she's teaching men."
Over the past two years, 14-year-old Ayush Singh has found himself flooded with job offers, each trying to outdo one other with exorbitant pay packets and an assortment of benefits. His 10-hour course on Free Code Camp is nearing the coveted 'one million views' mark - "It's at 800k so far," he ventures, with the shy grin that rarely leaves his face. The course was even recommended by MIT on their official Twitter page. As his peers navigate the heady ups and downs of being a teenager, Ayush is already at the forefront of the proverbial bleeding edge, a known name in the Machine Learning and data science space. Thousands of students have attended his ML001 course, he has been a data scientist intern at Artifact and he is one of the world's youngest data scientists and Machine Learning Engineers – when we speak, he had just quit his job at ZenML, a German startup that 'productivises' machine learning and was all set to begin a new stint as a data scientist at Replayed. A recent YouTube chat with content creator Ishan Sharma, enticingly titled "14-year-old Prodigy Coder says IIT Bombay is his backup," has already neared the half-million views
ews mark - and it's not just clickbait, either. He receives plenty of advice telling him to take the IIT route and he shuns it all. "I will definitely go to college, I want the experience, but I would like it to be MIT or Stanford," Ayush tells Global Indian in an interview. The big ticket offers come in from the MLOps companies around the world, Ayush likes to pick and choose, preferring startups to bigger firms and foreign companies to Indian ones.
He’s an unusual prodigy. Until the pandemic, he lived an affluent, suburban life with his family in Patna. When Covid-19 hit and businesses collapsed, his father was among those who took a fall, leaving the family in a very tough situation, financially. "We went from having every luxury in the world to wondering where our next meal was coming from and watching relatives and friends distance themselves," Ayush says. The situation was dire - the IIT-JEE route didn’t seem like an option.
So, Ayush got to work. He began cold emailing founders and networking on LinkedIn, trying his hand first at web and android development, both spaces crowded by enthusiastic teenagers. There was no dearth of critics telling him not to enter the tech space, that he "wouldn't even get ₹10,000 per month." Luckily, he chose not to listen. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are budding, complex spaces, requiring skills that can't be learned through a couple of crash courses or on YouTube. He did spend a lot of time on the latter "but there's so much more to learn than can be done through videos," Ayush explains. "I would read numerous books, even on a single topic, to bring myself to a professional level."
He began by learning Python, picking up a copy of Python For Geeks (Muhammad Asif), graduating to O'Reily's Robust Python and then to more advanced design patterns. He also had to learn the Math. "I did Algebra, Linear Algebra, Calculus from Khan Academy," Ayush explains. He found he had a knack for data science and machine learning - "From coding, I jumped to machine learning and deep learning." So far, he's read over 20 books on the subject.
He dedicated “24 hours a day to do this." He would wake up at 5 am and spend anywhere between 10 and 16 hours studying, apart from the five or six hours that he had to give to school. When the time came to return to campus, he would carry his books with him.
Wooing employers
Building a profile and upping his skills was one thing but landing a job was a whole new challenge. He could impress his potential employers with his skills but predictably enough, was told that he was too young. Cold-emailing worked well and he chose startups believing they’d be open to taking a chance. That’s how he found a post by ZenML on LinkedIn. "I emailed the founder, Adam. I highlighted my skills and although I didn’t know much about MLOps at the time, I had prepared a project that aligned with the company's aim." The founder replied and Ayush was put through two sets of interviews - a coding interview and a 'take home challenge'. He got the job and is now experienced at conducting interviews himself. What's the trick, though?
Unleashing the entrepreneur within
His ability to think differently, learn new skills and get companies to hire him at the age of 13 is, arguably, a great entrepreneurial talent in itself. But he has struck out on his own - aside from his full-time job, school and the freelance assignments he takes on, Ayush is also building his own startup, Antern with co-founders Tushar Vaswani and Priyanshu Bhattacharjee. He describes Antern as the ‘Netflix of Education’. "We're leveraging AI and ML for the education space," he says. Taking off from the massive success of his MIT-recommended course on Free Code Camp, the company is launching 'nano degrees', certificate courses that are in-depth versions of the free course. The company launched on June 20 and also involves an AR/VR master course.
"I started with a basic machine learning course and thought, let's do this on a large scale," Ayush says. He met his co-founder, Tushar, through the YouTube comment box. Antern harnesses an AI assistant that can assess a student’s performance every week and answer complex Codex questions.
Ayush is also building Schema, a platform that caters to content creators. More than half of content creators don't understand the analytical tools that gauge performance. Schema will retrieve data by analysing all social media platforms to provide a comprehensive report on performance and how the customers are responding. "You will also be able to segment your customers and target them specifically," he says.
He also prefers to work with companies abroad. "Indian companies treat you like a kid," says Ayush. "Even if they hire you, they give you repetitive tasks that they don't want to do. At ZenML, I was treated like a core member; I was even involved in the company's retreat where the founders were making decisions. They focus on your skills and give you unique tasks. Indian startups tend to focus on their growth but companies like ZenML know that their growth involves mine too."
Staying grounded
He sees himself "building my own multi-million-dollar company" five years down the line. Entrepreneurship is the plan. His father tells him, "Your work shouldn't be just for one family. Do it for 1000 families, just like Ratan Tata." Ayush has kept his word, helping young people find good jobs.
At home, his parents are immensely proud of their talented son. They advise him to keep going, even when he fails and to remain humble. "Because I have seen rock bottom and I will never forget what that was like.”
The future of ML, AI and Deep Learning
It's a promising area, Ayush says. "Machine Learning, Deep Learning and AI will create millions of jobs all over the world. But they won't be able to find talented developers." Companies might be willing to pay handsome salaries but expect something in return. "It's not just about learning some coding," he says. "There is a paucity of talented developers. People who say they know ML know how to use an API and build an algorithm but it's important to know what works where. And when an algorithm doesn't work, how do you tweak your data to make it happen?"
He can't stress the importance of domain knowledge enough. "The jobs are there and will pay well but will remain untaken. You can't succeed in AI and ML if you don't know Maths because that's what it is, at its core. And then, you need to code. It's not enough to just use the buzzwords and think you know the subject."
(February 22, 2023) When Prakrithi Suresh was barely two years old, her parents were overjoyed to hear her humming the Carnatic song she had heard her father practice. Carnatic music had been in her family for generations, starting with her paternal grandfather. They were trained vocalists although none had pursued it as a career. Prakrithi’s hereditary inclinations were celebrated and encouraged by her parents and when she was three-and-a-half years old, she began her training. [caption id="attachment_27731" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Prakrithi Suresh[/caption] Now fifteen, this Sharjah-based vocalist is a known face in UAE’s musical circuit, with many stage performances to her credit. Not only is she a gifted singer, she is also a talented Bharatanatyam dancer who has been training under the best gurus in UAE since she was four. While there are invitations for conferences and participation in music fests round the year, Prakrithi connects her gift of singing and dancing with spirituality. “I sing and dance just for the spiritual connection. My sole goal is to spread divinity, and to make everybody realise that it’s the ultimate supreme that all of us has to surrender to,” the young artist says in an interview with Global Indian. “My parents
e there are invitations for conferences and participation in music fests round the year, Prakrithi connects her gift of singing and dancing with spirituality. “I sing and dance just for the spiritual connection. My sole goal is to spread divinity, and to make everybody realise that it’s the ultimate supreme that all of us has to surrender to,” the young artist says in an interview with Global Indian.
“My parents have been very supportive and have never pressurised me about academics,” remarks Prakrithi, crediting them for her achievements so far.
Making a name
At the UAE’s national Margazhi fest 2019, Prakrithi bagged the overall champion award for excelling in all six categories of Carnatic vocal competitions. In 2020 she came second in an International Carnatic dance and music competition, which saw participation from around the world.
[caption id="attachment_27735" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Prakrithi Suresh with childrens’ book author Elisabetta Dami[/caption]
She has also received the Geronimo Stilton Foundation's medallion from its founder, the childrens’ book author Elisabetta Dami, at the Sharjah International Book Fair, for upholding the legacy of Indian traditional art forms even while living abroad.
The musical journey
Having begun her Carnatic vocal training as a toddler, the teenager is grateful to have trained under some of the best gurus in India and the UAE. She started learning formally from her guru, Palakkad Rajesh Kesav, and went on to learn from Dr Amruta Sankaranarayanan, who is the daughter and disciple of Padma Bhusan, Sangeetha Kalanithi T V Sankaranarayanan.
The fifteen-year-old is now receiving advanced training from Dr Maithli Krishnan, professor of music, SRC College Trichy. As they are in different countries, the guru and shishya connect with each other online.
The talented disciple is also a teacher to two four-year-old pupils who have started learning Carnatic vocals from her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgXvAuGr0uw
The teen vocalist’s portfolio comprises an impressive collection of music videos on her YouTube channel. The aesthetically-shot videos have been shot by her musically-inclined engineer father.
“I do not have any motive of earning money from my performances, nor do I want to spend money on creating music videos and that’s why my father films them,” she says. Her innocent smile hides great maturity.
Prakrithi’s mother, who worked as a scientist before her daughter was born, has played a great role in evoking the sense of divinity in Carnatic vocal and Bharatanatyam for the teenager. “I am spiritually inclined and do not perform for fame,” she says, adding, “It’s my mother who tells me how I can do better if I am spiritually connected to my art.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUzCqqc6LDw
The path of Bharatanatyam
Whether it is Carnatic music or Bharatanatyam, Prakrithi finds tranquillity and peace in both. While Carnatic music is a way of seeking enlightenment, Bharatanatyam is sadhana for her.
“Bharatanatyam is like uniting the soul with the absolute soul,” she says, adding, “Coming from a spiritual country like India, where the realization of consciousness or spirit has been the supreme goal of life, it is no wonder that the oldest dance form of the country, Bharatanatyam is nothing but a form of Sadhana.”
Prakrithi had started basic training of the dance form in 2013 under her guruSahadevan of Kalakshetra, Sharjah who is the discipline of Rukmini Devi Arundale. Currently she is honing her skills under guru Girish Kumar, the disciple of Kalamandalam Chandrika who is the disciple of the veteran actress Vaijayantimala.
Apart from performing in various events in UAE and in functions organised by the Indian consulate of Dubai and Indian Association Sharjah; the youngster has performed in two Natyanjali’s in India as well.
On a different note…
A student of Sharjah’s Amity Private School, when Prakrithi is not busy studying or practicing, she can be found playing musical notes on her guitar or keyboard. “I have taught myself to sing English songs and play western instruments,” she shares.
Looking forward to soon start her high school, the artistic teenager has already decided her professional path. “I want to become a veterinary doctor, quite opposite to what people would think,” she smiles.
(June 30, 2024) Indo-Canadian actor Pavia Siddhu has been traveling from one festival to another with the cast and crew of the film Dear Jassi, which had its US premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in California this year. Last year, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it won the Platform Prize. Since then, it has been screened in multiple locations across Canada, India, London, Hong Kong, Sweden, and other places. Garnering international acclaim, the film is based on the real love story of a Canadian girl and a young auto rickshaw driver from Punjab. "I am happy that people are discussing Jassi and the true story from 30 years ago," remarked the debutant actor Pavia who portrays the title character in the movie. [caption id="attachment_38452" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Pavia Sidhu[/caption] Inspired by real life heart-wrenching love story Directed by filmmaker Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, the film's story is set in the 1990s. During a visit to her extended family in Punjab, Indo-Canadian Jassi - played by Pavia Sidhu - meets auto rickshaw driver Sukhwinder - played by Yugam Sood, who lives down the street. The sweethearts fall deeply in love, but when Jassi sees
Directed by filmmaker Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, the film's story is set in the 1990s. During a visit to her extended family in Punjab, Indo-Canadian Jassi - played by Pavia Sidhu - meets auto rickshaw driver Sukhwinder - played by Yugam Sood, who lives down the street. The sweethearts fall deeply in love, but when Jassi sees her family lashing out at one of her cousin’s suitors, she realises there’s no easy way to pursue their relationship, and secretly marries Sukhwinder in a gurdwara.
After returning back to Canada, she kept the marriage hidden from her family while continuing to communicate and support Sukhwinder financially. A year later, her family discovered the marriage and disapproved because of the stark difference in social status, and the fact that Sukhwinder belonged to the same Sidhu clan, making the marriage traditionally forbidden.
Jassi’s family tried to persuade her to divorce Sukhwinder by offering material possessions and then resorting to physical violence. When those attempts failed, they coerced her into signing false criminal accusations against Sukhwinder, under the pretence that it would help him come to Canada. Finding out their true plans, Jassi later contacted Indian officials to retract the false accusations, explaining that she was forced to sign them.
[caption id="attachment_38453" align="aligncenter" width="758"] Pavia Sidhu and Yugam Sood in a still from the movie 'Dear Jassi'[/caption]
With the help of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Jassi escaped and flew to India in May 2000, to reunite with Sukhwinder. In June the same year, they were kidnapped by hitmen hired by her mother and uncle. While Sukhwinder was beaten, Jassi was taken to an abandoned farmhouse and murdered. Her mother and uncle were arrested in 2012.
Although it’s a heavy story, the film has its share of humour that audiences have enjoyed, along with the good storytelling and nuanced performances of the debutant actors. "I loved getting into the character. I think it made me a better person because she (Jassi) was full of love and full of light. I had to really tap into that version of myself, and I really enjoyed that. I loved the character," Pavia said after one of the screenings of the movie.
From law to acting
Pavia began college at the age of 15 through the Robinson's Gifted Program, graduating as the second-highest ranked student in her class. At 18, she enrolled at UCLA School of Law, graduating in 2022 as its youngest student. During this time, she also won the Miss Sunfair Competition, a notable beauty pageant.
“I was focused on pursuing law,” she mentioned in an interview following the Red Sea Film Festival in Canada. Despite having acting experience in some shows, the Indian-origin actress never imagined landing a role in a film that would gain international recognition.
[caption id="attachment_38454" align="aligncenter" width="497"] Pavia Sidhu at UCLA LAW public affairs discussion as Miss Sunfair in 2022[/caption]
However, her mother always believed in Pavia's potential in acting and sent an audition tape of hers to India upon learning that filmmaker Tarsem Singh Dhandwar was seeking talent from Canada for the role of Jassi. Looking at Pavia's tape, Dhandwar engaged in phone conversations with her and ultimately cast her as the lead.
“I wasn't sure what I was landing into when I boarded the flight from Canada to India for the two-month shoot,” she remarked. Upon arrival in India, she met the film's cast and crew for the first time and quickly bonded with them. “Exploring Amritsar, one of India's greatest cities, was an experience that I can’t express in words,” she added, talking about the best part of the shoot.
(November 10, 2022 ) At 20, Lukanand Kshetrimayum is not just the first runner up at the 14th Mr International 2022 pageant but also a filmmaker with 12 years of experience. With his winning performance at the global pageantry platform, he is being counted amongst the stars of Manipur - Mary Kom, Meerabhai Chanu and Ashalata Devi. It was after a gap of three years that Mr International returned, owing to pandemic, with the last one held in Manila, Philippines in 2019. [caption id="attachment_24048" align="aligncenter" width="629"] Lukanand Kshetrimayum[/caption] For the young lad, each platform - be it films or pageant - is a podium of advocacy. Minutes after winning the title at Cubao, Quizon City, Philippines, he told the media: Through my films, I indulge in advocacy for sensitive issues relevant to society like mental health of children, and drug abuse. This competition provided me an opportunity to take advocacy to a global platform. Coincidentally, it was in the Philippines that 28 years ago Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe, becoming the first Indian to win the coveted pageant. The youngster from Manipur looks up to her as a role model who has since been an inspiration to a whole
e issues relevant to society like mental health of children, and drug abuse. This competition provided me an opportunity to take advocacy to a global platform.
Coincidentally, it was in the Philippines that 28 years ago Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe, becoming the first Indian to win the coveted pageant. The youngster from Manipur looks up to her as a role model who has since been an inspiration to a whole generation of people trying to make India proud in the world of pageantry.
“I feel very lucky that people of India are supporting me, it’s their love that I am progressing so much,” said Lukanand about the love and encouragement he got from the Indian diaspora in the Philippines. Though his parents couldn't make it, his aunt flew from India to cheer for him on his big day.
[caption id="attachment_24049" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Lukanand during the national costume round at the 14th Mr International pageant[/caption]
Filmmaker at eight
Lukanand entered the world of film direction when he was just eight, becoming the youngest filmmaker in Manipur. He used to even write the script and lyrics, without getting exhausted with the entire process of filmmaking at that tender age.
The student of Maria Montessori Senior Secondary School, Imphal had participated and won in CBSE filmmaking competitions during his school days. It's under the banner of ‘Marvels of North East India’ that CBSE runs these competitions to promote awareness about culture and traditions of the north eastern states, awarding winners of short films with cash prizes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OsU74PBYxQ
This served as an impetus for the young boy to begin a career in filmmaking quite early in life. Since films shot on mobile phones were also acceptable by CBSE, he shot his first few films on his mobile phone. This soon translated into a passion for filmmaking and governed the future course of direction for the Imphal boy. He ended up directing Manipuri teleplays like Ram Lakshman (2010), Thambel Parang (2010) and T.A.K (2011), along with Manipuri documentaries like Sangai (2013).
It was in 2014 that he shifted gears to feature films and made his directorial debut with Asengba Saktam in 2014. His last film Meitan Araba, which was released at the Manipur State Development Society in Imphal in 2019, bagged two Manipuri State Film Awards and seven Sahitya Seva Samiti Manipuri Film awards.
Being a jack of all trades, he even released some Manipuri songs - Emotionless (2014), Hanglanu (2021), and Laibak Pheida (2021). In between, he picked up modelling assignments and print shoots for apparel brands and also won some local pageants.
[caption id="attachment_24050" align="aligncenter" width="865"] Lukanand welcomed at his school[/caption]
For someone who began making films at a young age, he isn't camera shy. And Mr International 2022 was a culmination of sorts for the young lad.
Living every moment
“I have enjoyed every moment backstage and on stage,” he said, talking about the time he spent in the Philippines with 34 other contestants from all over the globe. The rich experiences that the pageant provided embodied the essence of winning for the multifaceted youngster who loved Philippines’ hospitality. He looks forward to strengthening the ties between the two countries through cultural exchange initiatives.
It's good progress for Indians to represent themselves on global platforms and leave a mark. India loves progress.
The youngster who feels that winning is just the tip of the iceberg. More than winning, what one does after that to serve the community is what matters.
Apart from Sushmita Sen, he idolises reigning Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu who is using her success at the global pageant for the benefit of others. “There should not be objectification of beauty. Looks should be skin deep and about giving voices to the issues bothering the community.”
It's not about the individual – but society
“All 35 of us are winners. We are from different communities and religions, it’s just that one of us took the crown home,” said the model who looked at the final outcome as not any personal win rather an opportunity to do impactful work for the society.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIzG-bQwYuQ
The youngster, who started modelling in 2016, not just makes films but also organises workshops and free scholarship programmes in film making to empower the youth to have a career in the industry.
Proud of his country
Lukanand returned to a rousing welcome from the people of Imphal.
The youngster who is not just in love with his state but his entire country, said to the media minutes after his win:
Indians are warm people. Despite differences, we learn from diversity of each other. I am very proud of where I come from.
The Manipur boy believes in fighting negativity and looks at setbacks as a step to bounce higher. He hopes for more youngsters to embrace pageantry with a larger purpose of impacting the society in a positive way.
Connoisseur of regional cinema
“We need to inspire ourselves. We are looking at perfection around, but perfection comes from within you,” says the youngster who finds Bollywood a good industry and commercially viable too but at the same time stresses on the need of promoting the regional industries that are unheard of like the Manipuri film industry. “People are working hard equally whether it is Bollywood or regional cinema, so such industries should also be encouraged.”
Now that he is back, the youngster is looking forward to growing, learning and experimenting more in filmmaking and also eating spicier food after months of being on a strict diet.