Global Indianstory EnvironmentalistNadia Nazar: Championing youth-led climate justice worldwide with Zero Hour

Nadia Nazar: Championing youth-led climate justice worldwide with Zero Hour

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(September 4, 2024) The daughter of a marine biologist, Nadia Nazar grew up seeing how climate change was harming animals. And eventually, she began to see what it was doing to people too. One thing led to another and in 2018, Nadia co-founded Zero Hour, a “youth-led international coimate justice organisation.” Soon after their founding, they organised the Youth Climate Summit, which included rallying hundreds of young people to march on Washington DC. Nadia’s efforts culminated in public officials signing a pledge to not refuse money from fossil fuel campaigns.

After the Summit’s success, Zero Hour chapters sprung up across the world, from LA to Portugal to India. Nadia and her co-founder, Jamie Margolin, are no longer strangers to testifying in Congress and Margolin even spoke alongside climate activist Greta Thunberg. In February 2019, Nadia addressed the House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on climate change, speaking about the impact of climate change in developing countries and low-income communities in the US. A talented artist, Nadia, who is currently at Maryland Institute College of Art, believes strongly in art as an effective tool for climate justice, and serves as Zero Hour’s art director.

Founding Zero Hour

Nadia was born and raised in Baltimore county and was in middle school when she first learned about climate change during an environmental science class. With her mother being a marine biologist, Nadia had already witnessed the devastation that climate change could cause and wondered what she could do to offer a solution. “It was really devastating because animals are not doing anything to cause the problem but they’re the ones being affected first,” Nadia told the Baltimore Sun.

The Youth Climate Summit

Over 100 young people stood together to deliver the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge to elected officials, a day that Nadia still recalls with a smile. Dozens of sister marches had taken place across the US, in a highly publicised spectacle. For 14-year old Global Indian and her co-founder Jamie Margolin, who was also a high school student, Zero Hour’s first event had been a huge success.

The Zero Hour story began when Nadia first discovered Jamie Margolin, a high school student who was working on bringing more young people into the fight against climate change. Nadia reached out and the two began to work together. “I was a very goal-oriented person and I really wanted to start this youth march,” Jamie said, shortly after the summit. “When Nadia was basically the only person reaching out to me back then, consistently coming up with ideas and being proactive, I was very excited to work with her. She shared the vision that I had and so sharing everything we built together was incredible.” They saw a manifold increase in success, though and 44 chapters of Zero Hour sprung up across the US and internationally.

The Summit happened merely weeks after Zero Hour came to be. And even if Margolin was “goal-oriented,” organising a nation-wide movement was not easy. The long hours, short deadlines and the sheer intensity of purpose left the teenagers with self-doubt and burnout. “It took a toll on my mental health,” Nadia said. “I only really started taking care of my mental health when COVID started because I finally had the time. Learning how to sleep every day made a difference.”

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Making sacrifices for a cause

However, Nadia admits that her life is drastically different from that of her peers. She sacrifices the parties, the travelling and many of the little things that are part of the high school experience. “They are hard choices to make but I make them for a reason,” she says. During Covid, she went back to the self-care basics. “None of us really prioritised rest. You would go to school, come home and do homework and then stay up all night working after that. It was not healthy for any of us. It was draining and it made the work so much harder.”

Art for climate justice

“Anyone can understand art especially if you don’t have words to communicate,” says Nadia, who had always been interested in art and painting. Now, she sees art as a highly effective tool for change, and to spread awareness. “I think it’s so important that we also talk about the emotional aspect of climate change… let’s tell the stories of how people are being affected – the anger, the anxiousness and the grief. Art has been a really good tool for that.”

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Published on 04, Sep 2024

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Scribbling his way to Broadway: Indian-origin Shreyas Ayaluri has had a fascinating journey into screenwriting

As a child, Shreyas Ayaluri would spend hours scribbling just about anything on pieces of paper. It made no sense to anyone but him. From doodles, shower thoughts, ideas, catch phrases or just to-do-lists – he would be at it for most part of the day. Once, his teacher suggested he carry a miniature note-pad to capture all his haphazard thoughts and be more efficient with his scribbling. He followed the advice religiously. Now, at 27, he continues to scribble, creates magic out of it and is unstoppable. His flair for writing has led this US-based Global Indian to become an acclaimed screenwriter. His work has been featured at some of the best screenwriting festivals in the world while he makes strides in Hollywood with his latest screenplay Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is all set to grace the silver screen in 2021. That is not all: The latest feather in his cap is writing a song for Broadway which has him on cloud nine. [caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption] An uphill climb "While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively

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[caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption]

An uphill climb

"While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Based out of Los Angeles, the youngster from Hyderabadlikes to call himself a creative addict. His journey from being a scribbler to a screenwriter is as fascinating as it can get. Only, that screenwriting was never on his mind in his early days.

"After pursuing engineering, I gave advertising a shot. I worked as a copywriter for two years, trying to quench my creative thirst. It was my stint at the advertising firm that bridged the gap between science and arts," informs Shreyas, whose life took a 180 degree turn when he saw his first piece of work splashed across a huge billboard while walking home one day. "It moved me. All those feelings, emotions that I didn’t know existed in me, gushed through my body and I just knew it," recalls Shreyas, whose work has been featured and placed at the best screenwriting festivals including the likes of The Austin Film Festival, ScreenCraft, The Script Lab, StoryPros Awards and Film Empire.

[caption id="attachment_10391" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Jeff Goldblum[/caption]

While his stint in the ad agency where he wrote ads for major F&B brands changed his perception of telling tales and selling stories, which he refers to as the first step into the hero's journey, the determined youngster leapt at an opportunity to study screenwriting and film in the US.

It’s all in the family

Growing up in a traditional South Indian family, expectations were set and choices were made for Shreyas, whose father AK Srinivas was in the Indian Air Force. The options before him were straight forward, either join the Armed Forces or pursue engineering. "Luckily, my parents got my enthusiasm and my flair. They pushed me to explore further," informs the award-winning screenwriter, who first studied screenwriting at New York Film Academy and later at University of California.

Shreyas has written four feature length screenplays, two pilots and has multiple shorts to his credit. His very first screenplay Amuse Me fetched him an award for best screenplay and is still going strong at film festivals. The screenwriter says he loves to write custom comedies with a heart, soul and a mind of its own. His latest feature is called Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is a romantic comedy. "The song I am writing for Broadway is still in production," informs Shreyas, who grew up listening to ABBA and watching movies like Top Gun over and over again. Shreyas, who has been in the US since 2018, also worked briefly with General Motors as a quality auditor.

[caption id="attachment_10392" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Shreyas with a friend[/caption]

Rooted in India

But like all successful people, Shreyas' journey came with a lot of ups and downs. "There were times when things got rough, financially, especially during the pandemic, as being an artiste is not a 9-to-5 job and one might work on a project for months without a paycheck. But one has to do what it takes to stay in the game and that’s what I did. Moonlighting and juggling different roles and working for less, it only brought me closer to my dream and made me realize that if you crave art that bad, you just have to be at it like a creative addict," says Shreyas, who did his schooling from Kennedy High and thereafter got admission in Page Academy in Hyderabad.

While at boarding school, Shreyas recalls how he would write letters to his mother Sridevi Ayaluri, telling her how much he disliked being there. "I didn’t hold back; I went on and on about how things could be different if I were back home. But what my mother remembers is how creatively I would tell that story through the letter," says Shreyas, who was the second rounder at the Austin Film festival of both 2019 and 2020 besides receiving several accolades for his work internationally.

So, what advice does Shreyas have for anyone starting off on a journey? "If anyone out there is still contemplating to take that first plunge, I say do it. It’s going to be difficult, scary and most likely you will fall. Pick yourself up, do it again and fall again. Falling may not be fun, but it’s just part of the process. I fall all the time but only I’ve learnt to bounce back quicker,” he says. Shreyas believes that every song has a story to tell and every story is a song, if understood well. "Be it stating facts or dreaming up a fiction, I try to put the right words to go with," he says adding that the one thing that helps ride the tide is his writing.

Reading Time: 8 min

Shreya and Sahana Mantha: The Charlotte girls empowering single homeless mothers economically

(November 4, 2022) The last wish from their dying grandmother, who was then battling pancreatic cancer, played a catalyst for Charlotte residents Sherya Mantha and Sahana Mantha in starting Foundation for Girls (FFG) in 2014 - a nonprofit to help underprivileged girls and women. The journey into social service began early for the Mantha sisters who were raised by their mom to help those in need. "Our mom has always encouraged us to lead a purposeful life and carve our paths. She has helped us by being our brainstorming partner and always challenging us to overcome obstacles and continue forward," Shreya tells Global Indian. While FFG has impacted over 2500 homeless mothers and their girls through coaching, workshops, and care packs, it began with Shreya tutoring sex trafficking survivors and school dropouts when she was in Class 8. "Before FFG was established, every Friday evening, I was tutoring girls between the age of 13 and 15, in Math and English, along with my father. At the same time, Sahana and mom would ensure we had enough food for the girls, as it is hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. We would leave them with enough till we met them

ather. At the same time, Sahana and mom would ensure we had enough food for the girls, as it is hard to concentrate on an empty stomach. We would leave them with enough till we met them the following week. The most important thing our mom taught us was 'treat them as just regular girls your age, and barriers will break down,' and that has how it has always been. So, our foundational principles of inclusivity and equity have much to do with how we live and lead," adds the 21-year-old.

[caption id="attachment_23775" align="aligncenter" width="708"] Shreya and Sahana Mantha co-founded Foundation for Girls[/caption]

Being a teenager herself then, she learnt it takes time to gain the trust of girls who come from "traumatic backgrounds." However, Shreya says that "consistency, care, and communication play an important role" as the transformation journey isn't easy and takes a long time. "FFG invests in girls for the long term. This also means the allocation of a coaching team and resources to match the needs of every girl and child. Many of the participants of FFG were 13-14 years old when they joined, and now they are 18-19 years. Today more than 95 percent of the girls join FFG by referral," avers Shreya.

The calling

The Mantha sisters didn't have to look far for motivation as they found their role model in their mom. "She raised both my sister and me with warmth but also strength and determination. And that’s something we carry with us daily. She’s all about positivity and about doing good things for others and doing it every day. It’s not just a once-a-month thing or a once-in-a-while thing. When you do good for people, not only do you feel good but it’s impacting them in a good way too," says Shreya, who is a senior at Stanford University, adding, "More than anything, she raised us with really strong values."

[caption id="attachment_23781" align="aligncenter" width="666"] A group photo of FFG moms[/caption]

At the age of 13, Shreya began tutoring sex trafficking survivors and school dropouts in her hometown of Charlotte. The nudge to help the marginalised women and children came from the realisation that despite being one of the US's fastest-growing cities, Charlotte is at the bottom in terms of economic mobility. That's when she and her sister Sahana started exploring their community to understand the problem at the grassroots level, realising the challenges faced by the at-risk girls. "They are insufficiently prepared economically, educationally, and emotionally to support themselves. They have low incomes and experience economic hardships, particularly as many are disproportionately disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities," adds Shreya, who understood the importance of meeting the women's needs to improve their lives as well as help them become contributing members of society.

[caption id="attachment_23779" align="aligncenter" width="840"] Shreya and Sahana Mantha with FFG mother and daughter[/caption]

"Women who span the approximate ages of 15 to 26 are in a critical period of development, with long-lasting implications for their economic security, health, and well-being. Without deliberate action, however, this period of development is likely to magnify inequality, with lasting effects through adulthood. There needed to be intentional and thoughtful approaches to provide them with the resources, relationships and recommendations needed on their journey to independence," explains the Diana Award recipient, who launched Foundation for Girls to play its part in "empowering homeless single mothers to become financially savvy, digitally capable, career confident, and socially connected for multi-generational change."

Making an impact

Till now, the Mantha sisters have impacted over 2500 homeless single mothers and their children through Foundation for Girls, which now has nine chapters including California, Iowa, Washington, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Maryland, and DC, under the leadership of Sahana, who is a sophomore in high school at Providence Day School. She dipped her toes into the world of social service eight years ago when she "sourced and provided fresh food for girls who were being tutored" and later moved to teaching digital skills to FFG participants.

[caption id="attachment_23780" align="aligncenter" width="785"] Sahana Mantha with FFG moms[/caption]

Currently, the 16-year-old works on the strategy aspect to "meet the ever-expanding needs of the FFG community to maximise the multi-generational impact." The implementation of FFG technological solutions during the pandemic, enabled girls from nine states to work with coaches, regardless of their geographic location. Moreover, the teenager leads the Circle of Care program wherein she looks into the sourcing and assembly of care packages that are delivered to the moms every week.

With a team of over 75 volunteer coaches and 150 plus volunteers, FFG coaches build bridges and human connections through one-on-one coaching for transformative impact and multi-generational change. With a mission to empower homeless single and support their children, FFG "invests in women to be financially savvy, career confident, digitally capable, and socially connected."

Every challenge is an opportunity

Shreya and Sahana, who have come a long way, call FFG a learning curve. Funding to setting partnerships in new states during expansion were some of the hurdles that they had to go through together. Since the girls were still in school, getting funds for FFG was a challenge. "Our parents gave us our seed money to get everything started. Later, we learned how to write grants and get funding," reminisces Shreya, adding that FFG currently raises money from corporate sponsorships, grants, community foundations, and family-based foundations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JsgLOFccoE

The Mantha sisters call every challenge an equal opportunity to learn. The hardships made them better at every step of the journey. "Persistence and the power of collaboration are key. Having the right team and values-aligned individuals have made the impact possible," add the changemakers for whom FFG will always be their way of giving back to the society. "We hope to continue to drive long-term systemic, sustainable change for homeless single mothers and their children," chimes in Sahana.

Though they share the same goal in terms of FFG, the Mantha sisters enjoy diverse interests. While Sahana, a competitive golfer, loves exploring new cuisines, her older sister loves "listening to podcasts, watching movies, and hiking."

The sisters, who are making an impact in society with FFG, say understanding the problems in the community and identifying your role in problem-solving is the first step towards making an impact. "Begin small and take small steps every day," says Shreya while Sahana signs off adding, "Identify your partners and build your team along the way."

Follow Shreya Mantha on Linkedin
Follow Sahana Mantha on Linkedin

Reading Time: 6 min

Nabeela Syed: The Indian politician making history at US midterms

(November 15, 2022) The General Assembly of Illinois in the United States was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. As of 2022, the current General Assembly is the 102nd one. In a proud moment for India, in such a long period of its existence, Indian descent Nabeela Syed has written history by becoming the first Indian, first Muslim and its youngest member. Overjoyed with her victory in the recent election she tweeted: My name is Nabeela Syed. I am a 23-year-old Muslim, Indian-American woman. We just flipped a Republican-held suburban district. [caption id="attachment_24208" align="aligncenter" width="1001"] Nabeela Syed[/caption] The Indian-American democrat, whose parents immigrated to the USA from Hyderabad, was born and raised in Palatine, Illinois. She won the US midterm elections that concluded on 8th November 2022, defeating Chris Bos of the Republican Party, receiving 52.3 percent of the votes, and will be joining the Illinois General Assembly from January 2023. “It is important as a young Indian woman to inspire other folks (in the USA) so that we can make a mark in the country,” Nabeela said in a television interview after her win. [embed]https://twitter.com/NabeelaforIL/status/1591940528110997505?s=20&t=XYsx9oV1_TMWOc8issZmkQ[/embed] At the beginning of the campaign of the race last

vember 2022, defeating Chris Bos of the Republican Party, receiving 52.3 percent of the votes, and will be joining the Illinois General Assembly from January 2023.

“It is important as a young Indian woman to inspire other folks (in the USA) so that we can make a mark in the country,” Nabeela said in a television interview after her win.

[embed]https://twitter.com/NabeelaforIL/status/1591940528110997505?s=20&t=XYsx9oV1_TMWOc8issZmkQ[/embed]

At the beginning of the campaign of the race last year, the budding politician had remarked in one of her social media posts, “When I was first considering running, I was shocked to learn that there had never been an Indian woman or a Muslim representing Illinois in the State Legislature.” The youngster went on to add, “It’s 2021 and it’s time that our leadership starts looking a lot more like us.”

Empowering moves

Nabeela is empowering young Muslim women to take on leadership roles within her religious community at the Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs.

Armed with a double major in political science and business from the University of California, Berkeley, the budding politician has professionally worked with several organisations like EMILY's List, America’s political action committee to raise money to elect Democrats to Congress.

[caption id="attachment_24210" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Nabeela Syed with volunteers of her campaign[/caption]

Currently, she works for a non-profit that creates various civic engagement initiatives through digital strategy, addressing issues like preventing sexual assault on college campuses, mobilising voters, and advancing gender equity. “One of the best parts is that people are sending messages from India congratulating me.

It’s incredible and humbling that the campaign gained importance beyond America,” she said in an interview after her recent win.

Proving naysayers wrong

“In our district a lot of people said that an Indian woman won’t be able to win in this kind of Republican held district,” Nabeela said, but undeterred, she pushed forward, campaigning door-to-door making people aware that she is there to work for the issues that mattered most to them. In the end, victory prevailed.

[caption id="attachment_24214" align="aligncenter" width="1181"] Nabeela just after filing a petition to include her name on the ballot on 8th March 2022. Over 2,000 community members signed the petition and dozens of volunteers circulated them[/caption]

Extremely happy with the positive outcome, she credited the voters, especially the youngsters, who came out to vote for her, proving that the ‘right wave was not as strong as it was believed to be’. “Many people in the country are in favour of reproductive healthcare freedom,” she said, remarking on one of the main agendas of her campaign that clicked.

I will always – and unequivocally – protect the right to safe and legal abortions in Illinois. And I will fight to fix our broken property tax system while keeping our schools well-resourced.

That was her campaign message, delivered loud and clear to the people she met during the past year.

Nabeela’s voluntary initiatives

Leadership, working for causes and people skills come naturally to the youngster. She served as the Campaign Manager for current Township High School District 211 School Board Member Tim Mc Gowan, helping him publicize his values of accountability, community, and equity in the schools.

[caption id="attachment_24211" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Nabeela with her supporters[/caption]

From organizing Asian American voters to flip Senate seats in Georgia, to engaging in door-to-door campaigns to help elect Democrats in Schaumburg and Palatine Nabeela has worked to advance progressive causes on both a local and national scale which has honed her politician’s skills.

Nabeela's take on Hijab

The young politician who advocates interfaith dialogue believes that it’s an individual’s right to choose when it comes to wearing hijab, just as it should be for choosing reproductive freedom. “It’s my choice to wear a hijab and no one can force me to wear it or not wear it,” she said.

I am so lucky to have that choice and I choose every single day to wear hijab and represent Muslims and be very proud of it. However, I believe that the choice is necessary and every young girl should get the right to choose.

Right from her high school days Nabeela has had some uneasy experiences with some pupils calling names but the strong girl knew how to deal with it.

In fact, it was one of the reasons people even discouraged her to contest for the elections. “People told me not to run (in the election), You are Indian and visibly a Muslim wearing hijab.” Still, the final outcome is ‘exciting’, with appreciation pouring in from ‘from people in the community, across the country, and across the world,’ turning who she is and where she comes from into a cause of record-breaking jubilation.

Firmly believing that people should not be discriminated against because of their faith, the young politician is humbled with her amazing victory, and is all geared up to fulfill the promises that she made to people during her year-long campaign.

Follow Nabeela Syed on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Harshit Godha is making farming popular amongst youngsters with knowledge of avocado cultivation from Israel

(July 28, 2022) In 2020 the total trade value of avocados, fresh or dried was $6.69 billion with the United States, Netherland, France, Spain, and Germany as top importers. The idea of cultivating the fruit had first come to Harshit during his time in the UK, where he was doing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Bath University. All the avocados that he purchased there were imported from Israel. The student of business management was drawn to adopting what he saw as a rare venture in India. If people in Israel could grow and export avocado despite the hot weather, so could he in India, he thought. However, before taking the idea forward and investing money, the Bhopal youngster thought a ‘hundred times a day’ because he was about to embark upon a less-trodden path. Farming as a profession is as it is not very popular amongst youngsters of India. [caption id="attachment_19974" align="aligncenter" width="869"] Harshit Godha[/caption] He did not know anybody in Bhopal or for that matter in the entire Madhya Pradesh who was doing avocado farming. The cultivation of this fitness fruit is very limited in India. “It is produced in South India’s coffee estates and in some parts of

ita-1.jpg" alt="Indian Farmer | Harshit Godha | Global Indian " width="869" height="489" /> Harshit Godha[/caption]

He did not know anybody in Bhopal or for that matter in the entire Madhya Pradesh who was doing avocado farming. The cultivation of this fitness fruit is very limited in India. “It is produced in South India’s coffee estates and in some parts of Sikkim but the quality is not at par with what is in demand in the export market, the ones I used to get in the UK,” remarks Harshit in a conversation with Global Indian. Harshit is cultivating export quality avocados, which also come with a longer shelf like and include types that aren’t often seen in India.

Tryst with Israel

The budding agriculturalist started approaching farmers and exporters in Israel because he wanted to learn all about premiere-quality avocado farming before dabbling in it himself. At last, one farmer, Benny Weiss responded and agreed to teach him the tricks of the trade, inviting him to his kibbutz (village) named Maagan. Harshit calls him, his mentor. “He was very helpful right from the beginning and even came to pick me up from the airport.”

Harshit could not work there as he was on a tourist visa but stayed in Israel for a month to learn all about avocado cultivation. Starting his day early in the morning, making notes in the orchards, asking numerous questions in between, the youngster used to head to meet the experts - nursery owners, irrigation experts, exporters, and farmers with his mentor to get hands-on training.

[caption id="attachment_20002" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Harshit with his mentor, Benny Weiss[/caption]

Later, Weiss also travelled to India to do soil testing, water testing, and to study the climatic conditions to guide Harshit on the varieties that would be suitable to grow in his city.

“I am nurturing plants of five varieties. Black-skinned avocados – Hass and Lambhass, and green-skinned avocados – Pinkerton, Ettinger, and Reed,” says Harshit who is farming under the brand name, Indo-Israel Avocado. “I imported 1800 avocado plants from Israel as there is no commercial avocado nursery in India,” he informs. "The plants will take three years to bear fruit and thereafter the orchard would become a valuable asset, bearing fruits for the next 50 years,” says the 26-year-old agriculturalist.

Family support

Harshit’s grandfather, father, and brother are lawyers but the youngster always had an interest in business with his uncle in real estate development and consultancy. The alumnus of DPS Bhopal was therefore mentally prepared to enter the real estate space. “My sudden inclination for farming was a surprise to my family, and to myself, too,” he says. However, he got their support in terms of funds and land for farming. They did not attempt to stop him but encouraged him to remain involved with the real estate business, apart from the avocados he was cultivating on five acres of family land.

Documenting the journey

Harshit has been devoting time not only to the two business ventures but also to a third passion – documenting his journey of cultivating a scarcely-grown foreign fruit in India on his YouTube channel. It has another segment – an interview with experts in which he invites stalwarts in avocado farming from different parts of the world to share their expertise on growing the Mexican fruit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diYeS5wtk4k

The channel and his social media posts have garnered a huge interest in growing the fruit. People across India from Arunachal Pradesh to Punjab have ordered avocado seedlings which Harshit has imported from Israel. The 4,000 seedlings that he is nurturing in his nursery are all sold out. He would get it delivered after a year when they are old enough to be transferred to new soils.

Lessons on the way

Being a trailblazer has its own pros and cons. A vital piece of information that he gathered in the trade is that the Indian Government allows the import of avocados and avocado plants but not avocado seeds. Had that been the case, it would have made Harshit’s journey far simpler, cheaper, and hassle-free. Instead, he had to order plants, which came at an exorbitant cost. “Added to that there are multiple challenges in getting licenses, permits, and being in sync with the custom process of importing. For me the entire process was very stressful as there was no step-by-step guide that I could have followed,” he says. He has applied for including the seeds in the import list but the authorities have not taken the decision yet.

Efforts will bear fruit

Harshit is very optimistic about his choice of the venture. “Avocados are the fastest growing category in the fruit industry. The demand is driven by the health and diet community. People following vegan and keto diets swear by the superfruit due to its health benefits,” he remarks. Listing the positives he says – “It regulates hormones, contains good fats just like olive oil, and is good for the heart. “All the cafes in big cities and tourist places have some of the other specialty with avocado on the menu these days.”

Just as there is a huge demand for alphonso even when numerous cheaper varieties of mangoes flood the market, Harshit believes that his premium product will claim its share of the market both in India and abroad. He has also forayed into farming of dragon fruit, another favourite of the health conscious.

Follow Harshit Godha on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

How young racers are putting Indian motorsports on the global map

(May 5, 2023) The news of Indian racer Jehan Daruvala joining the reigning Formula 2 champions MP Motorsport for the 2023 season sent ripples of anticipation among motorsports fans, as he became the second Indian racer to join Kush Maini for the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship season as he races for Campos Racing. The sport, which found its popularity in India in the 90s, has spurred the racing aspirations of many. Of course, the memory of Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher wheel to wheel with Jean Alesi in a tarmac crunch to the chequered flag at the 1995 Europe Grand Prix, is still among the most memorable moments for racing aficionados, etched in many minds. Finally, India too has taken to a sport that is not cricket. Many youngsters are training, learning, and being mentored to be the next Schumacher (or close), and it is a sign of the growing popularity of motorsports in India. Ten years after that 1995 scene, Coimbatore-born Narain Karthikeyan scripted history by becoming the first Indian to debut at Formula 1, inspiring the current generation to get behind the wheel of a mean machine that can go insanely fast around a corner. [caption id="attachment_29785"

n id="attachment_29785" align="aligncenter" width="646"] Jehan Daruvala[/caption]

The adrenaline rush, blind cuts, and need for speed keep every racer revving. However, the lack of sponsors and expensive gear often play spoilsport, thus nipping many dreams in the bud. Perhaps, this most expensive sport in the world is finding stable footing in India with a handful of young Indians revving up at the start line, and pushing the gas pedal on greater accomplishments.

The young blood

This April, 25-year-old Arjun Maini, and his team Haupt Racing got their first podium in the bronze category of the GT World Challenge Europe in Monza. Being his First Race of the Championship, getting a podium "meant a lot" to this young Indian racer.

The Bengaluru boy started with go-karts when he was eight, thanks to his racer dad Gautam Maini, who once participated in the national championships. It was in 2011 that the racer made headlines when he won the Sahara Force India's One from a Billion talent, and since then there has been no looking back for this lad.

[caption id="attachment_29786" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Arjun Maini[/caption]

If Arjun is vrooming through unchartered territory with each of his races, his younger brother Kush Maini, too, is busy taking the legacy forward. He recently won his first-ever Formula 2 podium with a third-place finish in Melbourne. Sharing a photo, he tweeted, "P3 in today’s @Formula2 sprint race! Thank you @CamposRacing for the great car. Looking forward to the feature race."

P3 in today’s @Formula2 sprint race! Thank you @CamposRacing for the great car. Looking forward to the feature race 🇮🇳👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/1659pCfrBH

— Kush Maini (@kmainiofficial) April 1, 2023

Following the footsteps of his brother, the 22-year-old began his journey with the national karting championship before graduating to cars in 2015. In no time, he made waves in the European racing circuits by competing in the Italian Formula 4 championship, and British Formula 3 championship. However, it was the 2021 Formula 3 Asian Championship where his team Mumbai Falcons did the unthinkable by clinching third place at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. “The year 2021 Asian F3 Championship has not been the smoothest of rides, had a lot of engine issues throughout the campaign and some unlucky moments but all the credit goes to @mumbaifalcons who never stopped believing in my capability and we finished off the championship strong with a podium. A historic moment for Indian motorsports and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of it,” he wrote on his Instagram after the historic podium finish.

A Universe of opportunities

If the Maini brothers found inspiration through their father, 20-year-old Formula 4 racer Yash Aradhya’s love for motorsport stemmed from his need for speed. The recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, Yash’s passion began at nine years of age, and despite no family background in motorsport, the teenager dived into the game out of sheer love. “I started with karting and here I am,” the Bengaluru-born teenager tells Global Indian.

Each year, new names crop up, and sponsors are at the heart of this expensive sport, and a deep bank balance too. “Motorsports is an expensive sport but I wouldn’t say the same anymore as opportunities are being given at the grassroots level. You have a chance of being picked up and taken forward as long as it’s backed by the performance that helps the sponsors and investors put their faith in you,” adds Yash, who has dreams of becoming a Formula 1 racer.

[caption id="attachment_8740" align="aligncenter" width="452"] Yash Aradhya at French Formula 4 2020.[/caption]

It’s been a decade since Indian racer Karun Chandok turned up the heat on the racing track in Formula 1, but new blood is now gearing up to test the waters by putting themselves on the biggest platform. It’s the plethora of opportunities that have made these youngsters confident in their skills and talent. “The new generation is quite lucky as there are so many opportunities for us in India, and the costs are low. We get the European standard of racing in India with European drivers coming in and giving us the best exposure and opportunity to prove ourselves and gain experience,” adds Aradhya.

Like Yash, Jehan Daruvala, too, was just nine when he found motorsports. Spanish Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso kept Jehan glued to the Formula 1 track as a child. Now, a decade later, like his racing hero, he is all set to knock on the doors of Formula 1. At the cusp of achieving his childhood dream, the 24-year-old has come a long way. From excelling in karting championships across Europe in 2013 to transitioning to cars in 2015, he has proven his mettle time and again. So much so that he has found a fan in Arjuna Award-winner and racer Gaurav Gill. “Jehan is doing great at the world level in Formula racing,” says Gaurav Gill, who won the Asia Pacific Rally Championship thrice and Indian National Rally Championship six times.

The future is bright

It was in the early 2000s that Gill started competing at the national level, and in the past two decades, this 41-year-old racer has seen the Indian motorsport scene evolve. “Motorsport has evolved from being a hobby to a career sport, especially after my Arjuna Award. The younger generation can now look at it being a full-time job/sport,” says Gill.

Gill, who calls motorsports an ever-evolving sport, is excited about the future. “New technology, new drivers, and hopefully more corporate involvement are what we can expect in the future. We need to break away from cricket being sold as the only sport in India. We see so many Olympians now, and I hope to see lots more motorsport engagements soon,” says the racer who has started his school to groom aspiring racers to hone their skills.

As more and more Indian-origin youth foray into the world of motorsports, India is finally ready to get past the chequered flag once again in the international circuit. One race at a time.

Follow Yash Aaradhya on Instagram
Follow Jehan Daruvala on Twitter
Follow Arjun Maini on Twitter
Follow Kush Maini on Twitter

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