Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveIndian-British actress Priya Kansara is breaking stereotypes in the English film industry

Indian-British actress Priya Kansara is breaking stereotypes in the English film industry

Written by: Team GI Youth

(April 25, 2023) Till early 2021, Priya Kansara was still working in healthcare communications for a pharmaceutical company, while nursing her childhood dream of becoming an actress someday on the side. The youngster became an overnight star after she appeared in season two of the period drama Bridgerton for Netflix as Miss Eaton. Her critically-acclaimed in the period drama was followed by another great performance in Netflix’s The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. And quite recently, the young actress gave another stellar performance in the recently released British action-comedy film Polite Society from Nida Manzoor.

Actress | Priya Kansara | Global Indian

Referred to as the “Stars of Tomorrow” by Screen International, the British actress portrayed the part of a stunt woman in training and London schoolgirl Ria Khan, as she attempts to kidnap her older sister from her own wedding in Polite Society. “Ria is a character I would have waited for my entire career to play — it felt like she already resided in me,” the actress said in an interview, adding, “There were moments when I was playing Ria where I thought, ‘I wish I saw this growing up’.”

Chasing her dreams

As a young girl, Priya would quite often find herself staring at the TV at her home, mesmerised by the actors and actresses on screen. In fact, her passion for acting and dancing was ignited by watching Bollywood films with her mum. She started working on numerous commercials, television series, and independent films, however, despite her talent she wasn’t able to score a substantial role.

Priya played the part of Miss Eaton, in Netflix’s period drama, Bridgerton

Soon after earning a bachelor’s in science from the University College London, the youngster took up a job in the healthcare communications department of a global pharmaceutical company. Not losing faith in her dreams, Priya started attending night classes at the Identity School of Acting in London, which she continued for three years. It was quite a challenging period for the actress, who shared during various interviews that “keeping on track despite the failures” took a lot of strength. “It was nerve-wracking jumping into a career that you don’t know is going to work in your favour, but it was never a choice, it was just about timing. Acting is all I ever wanted to do,” the Global Indian said.

A scene from movie Polite Society

Encouraged by her friends and family the actress left her job in March 2021 and made it straight to an audition being held for season two of Bridgerton. While she didn’t have much hope, the actress stepped out of the audition venue after bagging an important role in the series about a few hours later. “People would say, ‘Maybe one day you’ll do something like Bridgerton.’ I felt very lucky for that to be the start,” said the actress.

A stellar journey

Though it was a small role, it was an impactful one – and having got the part after such a long wait, Priya put all her efforts into ensuring that her performance spoke volumes about her talent. And of course, it did. The young actress landed the role of Flo in Netflix’s The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. The show got a positive review on the OTT platform, and again Priya was the talk of the town for her amazing performance. And that was the turning point for Priya.

The actress who was, till now, only getting character roles in various shows and movies, got a call one morning from the writer and director Nida Manzoor, who was quite impressed by her previous performances and insisted on casting Priya in her upcoming project. That afternoon, the actress found herself in Nida’s office where the two discussed the story and script of Polite Society. After a formal audition, the actress ended up securing the lead role of Ria, a teenage girl with aspirations to be a stuntwoman, who embarks on a heist to try to stop her sister from getting married.

“It felt like she (Ria) already resided in me,” the actress said during the premier of the movie, which was held at the Sundance Film Festival. Praising her performance, several media houses described her as a “delightful newcomer”. In fact, Nida referred to Priya as “the next Tom Cruise”, as she chose to do so many of her own stunts.

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A post shared by Priya Kansara (@priyakansara)

Currently basking in the Los Angeles sun, the young actress is working through the many scripts being sent her way. “I would love to do things that are versatile and interesting and fresh, and grow as an actor,” she exclaimed when asked about her future plans.

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Published on 25, Apr 2023

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How language redeemer Shruti Rijhwani mines your language with AI &ML

(March 23, 2022) Humans aren’t the best at preservation. Case in point, the world as we know it. Now, fathom how a country like India, that had 1,100 languages, has lost 220 forever. That 20 percent is just skimming the tip of this nadir – Across the world too, the findings are concerning. Over 1,500 endangered languages will no longer be spoken by the end of this century. Or that of the world’s 7,000 recognised languages, around half are currently endangered. Language redeemer Shruti Rijhwani decided to address this lacuna, and preserve them. The Pittsburg-based coding whiz used algorithms to preserve languages like Hokkaido Ainu (spoken among few elderly Japanese), Griko (Italiot Greek), Yakkha (from Nepal and Sikkim) and Kwak'wala (estimates state only 200 speak it fluently in Western Canada). Way back in 2011, a young girl aspired for a career in technology. She was to travel to Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, for a BSc in computer science. There, she strengthened her foundation and ambled along to Carnegie Mellon University for an MS in language technologies, followed by a PhD in the same at the School of Computer Science. About to graduate in May 2022, Shruti Rijhwani

022, Shruti Rijhwani was awarded the Forbes 30 under 30 2022. Her metier was restoring lost languages using artificial intelligence and machine learning. In that, restoring world history. The Bloomberg PhD fellow first got interested in languages as a preppy research intern at Microsoft Research (2015).

[caption id="attachment_13118" align="aligncenter" width="522"] Shruti Rijhwani[/caption]

Now, busying with her final thesis, to graduate as a PhD, Shruti Rijhwani speaks from Pittsburgh to Global Indian, “My PhD thesis at CMU encompasses my research on developing machine learning algorithms to improve the accuracy of extracting text in endangered languages from printed books - those endangered. The books and documents in these languages do not have a digital format. My research works towards improving automatic digitisation using machine learning and natural language processing,” explains the traditionalist whose was honoured by Forbes in the science category.

A girl who loved computers

Brought up in Bengaluru, India, her parents and sister, while away from her, are a constant source of motivation. “I really miss my family in India,” says the language champion.

Not just her family, Shruti, misses her visits to India before Covid-19 hit, “I really miss the food – I always look forward to visiting my favourite restaurants in Bengaluru whenever I visit my family,” says the NLP expert.

For laymen, Shruti explains this quest into languages and tech that led her to becoming a research fellow at Microsoft Research then Bloomberg AI, publishing innumerable papers, to then getting consumed into the world of languages.

“I became interested in NLP after an internship at Microsoft Research in Bengaluru,” says Shruti, who then realised that many existing language technologies support a limited number of languages as opposed to being able to support the 7,000+ languages in the world.

“Many communities that speak endangered languages want language technologies that work well for their language, but it’s challenging. My project tries to build algorithms that work well for endangered languages in collaboration with linguists and endangered language communities,” explains the language redeemer.

At heart, a language expert

For Rijhwani, the primary technical challenge was that most state-of-the-art NLP methods rely on a large amount text resources, or data for ML – which endangered languages don’t have. “My research helps overcome a part of this challenge by developing techniques that perform well without much data,” she explains.

As complex as it sounds, the language redeemer breaks it down. “The algorithms take scanned images of non-digitised books and handwritten documents, automatically recognise characters, and produce digitised text. The recognition sees the algorithm looking at the shape of each character, and trying to match it to an existing pattern,” explains Shruti excitedly. While the recognition is not perfect, she has developed algorithms to automatically correct errors using NLP techniques through patterns that correct them.

Incredibly honored to be recognized on the 2022 @Forbes 30 under 30 list in Science!

✨*HUGE* thanks to my collaborators and mentors, @mulix, @anas_ant, @gneubig
✨More about my recent work: https://t.co/Qbum8a2qvL @ForbesUnder30 #ForbesUnder30 https://t.co/xfdWhMffXP

— Shruti Rijhwani (@shrutirij) December 2, 2021

Elaborating on NLP, the 29-year-old explains that it is broad name for technologies that enable the understanding of human languages by computers. “There are multiple applications - automatically translating text (eg, Google Translate), searching the web, or automatic question- answer. Some work I did early in my PhD builds NLP models for automatically processing entities in human language (like location and person names). Now, I am using NLP techniques to improve text extraction accuracy for endangered languages,” adds the PhD student who is grateful for her mentor Graham Neubig’s guidance.

Those early days as a research intern, at Microsoft Research inspired Shruti to apply for a PhD. “During two summers, I worked as a research intern at Bloomberg AI. I enjoyed both, it gave me a good sense of how NLP research works. It also brought about collaborations with researchers at Bloomberg, leading to published research papers,” she adds.

Creating a niche

The Forbes 30 under 30 reveals that she had a fairly normal childhood, grew up in a space where independence was respected. Though not drawn to science as a child, Shruti enjoyed computer programming. Now, graduating in May, deep in her dissertation, and a final project on improving text extracting from endangered language texts, she loves working in her beautiful office, writing code, doing data analysis, or talking with collaborators! “The environment at CMU is exciting for research as many students are working on diverse and challenging problems, so it’s fun to learn about and discuss different research ideas,” says the language restorer.

Shruti loves a challenge, Thus working on difficult research problems is hugely motivational. “I’m not afraid to run from a challenge. I enjoy taking up risky projects. I believe my projects have significant practical or real-world impact,” explains this student for life.

Her dream job predictably also involves being able to develop ML and natural language processing algorithms to solve large-scale and real-life or practical challenges. “I want to develop NLP models and techniques to expand technologies to more languages and tasks, supporting populations that don’t have access to them,” says the coder.

The adventurer behind the coder

All coding and no play is also not what Shruti prescribes to. “I love spending time outdoors: I often go hiking in Pittsburgh, there are so many amazing state and city parks. For a vacation, I’d go near the ocean as I love snorkelling and I’m a certified scuba diver,” says the language redeemer.

During Covid-19, Shruti discovered a talent for woodwork – even bought a few power tools, and ended up building multiple pieces of furniture and décor.

Her long-term partner is her constant source of support through school and now PhD. “He is incredible at helping me balance work and life, ensuring I take breaks and enjoy life outside of research,” reveals the ML and AI language whiz who wants students to enter stem, especially girls. “Science and stem research is awesome! It’s an exciting career, technologies are being rapidly developed and it’s a lot of fun to learn, and discover new things every day. It’s challenging no doubt, this direction, but it’s absolutely rewarding,” concludes the language redeemer.

Follow Shruti Rijhwani on Twitter and Linkedin

Reading Time: 6 min

From plastic bans to global advocacy: How Madhvi Chittoor is leading the way

(December 8, 2024) At just five years old, Madhvi Chittoor watched a documentary about a Pacific island covered in plastic waste. Birds were eating trash, fish swam in polluted water, and the beauty of the island was destroyed. For Madhvi, this was more than just upsetting—it was a moment that changed her life. “I told my mom, This is so sad. I want to do something,’” she said. Madhvi, now 13, has turned that moment into a mission. Growing up in Arvada, Colorado, she has become a well-known environmental activist. Her efforts to protect the planet have reached her community, her state, and even international stages, including Time's Kid of the Year 2024 Honoree List. [caption id="attachment_40832" align="aligncenter" width="694"] Madhvi Chittoor[/caption] Starting with Plastic Pollution Madhvi's first fight was against plastic waste. She and her mother, Lalitha, woked together to organise river cleanups and raise awareness about single-use plastics. At just seven years old, Madhvi convinced Jefferson County Public Schools to stop using Styrofoam lunch trays and switch to compostable ones. This change kept 7.6 million trays out of landfills each year and earned her the nickname “No-Styrofoam Ninja.” She didn't stop there. In 2021, Madhvi pushed for a statewide

tyrofoam lunch trays and switch to compostable ones. This change kept 7.6 million trays out of landfills each year and earned her the nickname “No-Styrofoam Ninja.”

She didn't stop there. In 2021, Madhvi pushed for a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam containers. She worked with mayors, gathered signatures, and spoke at public events. “If they say no once, keep going and keep asking,” she encouraged others. Her hard work paid off when Colorado passed the law, a big win for the environment.

Taking on Fossil Fuels

As Madhvi learned more about plastic pollution, she discovered its link to fossil fuels. This led her to focus on the bigger issue of fossil fuel development. Two years later, she and her mother began fighting against Civitas, a company that planned to drill 166 oil and gas wells near Aurora, Colorado. “My rights as a child for clean air, clean water, clean soil, clean food, and great health are at jeopardy,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_40834" align="aligncenter" width="629"] Madhvi Chittoor with her mom[/caption]

Madhvi attended hearings, studied environmental reports, and rallied the community to speak out against the project. She told the state’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission, “Pollution knows no borders,” urging them to prioritise health and the environment over profits. Although the project was approved with conditions, Madhvi vowed to keep fighting.

Speaking to the World

Madhvi’s work has taken her beyond Colorado. In 2022, she became the youngest advisor to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. She has also founded her nonprofit, Madhvi4EcoEthics, to help spread her message of protecting the planet.

She even presented her ideas to Vice President Kamala Harris, sharing her Global Plastic Policy Campaign. This campaign influenced the US to support a global plastics treaty, a step forward in reducing plastic waste worldwide.

[caption id="attachment_40831" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Madhvi Chittoor[/caption]

Recognized by TIME Magazine

In 2024, Madhvi’s dedication was recognized by TIME magazine, which named her one of its “Kid of the Year” honorees. The award celebrated her leadership in environmental activism and her efforts to inspire others. Colorado Governor Jared Polis praised her work, saying, “We are proud to have young people like Madhvi who are working to protect this place we love now and for future generations”

For Madhvi, the recognition wasn’t a reason to stop. “There’s still more that needs to be banned, like [PFAS] in toilet paper and cleaning products,” she said, highlighting her plans to continue advocating for change.

A Team Effort with Her Mom

Much of Madhvi’s success is due to the support of her mother, Lalitha. Lalitha left her career in tech to help Madhvi full-time. She manages emails, sets up meetings, and helps Madhvi prepare for speeches and events. “Our interests have matched,” Lalitha said, reflecting on how their teamwork has strengthened Madhvi’s efforts.

Looking Ahead

Despite all her achievements, Madhvi stays grounded. She balances her activism with hobbies like playing the violin, writing music, and practicing martial arts. She also dreams of becoming a doctor one day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78rDI6wIjUw

Even as she considers her future, Madhvi remains committed to her cause. “I will keep fighting against every single well,” she said about the Civitas project, showing her determination to stand up for the environment

Madhvi’s journey shows how one person, no matter how young, can make a difference. Starting with a simple desire to help, she has become a strong voice for protecting the planet. As Madhvi puts it, “We are the guardians of the Earth. It’s our responsibility to take care of it for future generations.”

Follow Madhavi Chittoor on LinkedIn
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Eighteen-year-old prodigy Janhavi tells it like it is, in nine accents

(May 19, 2022) Having completed her senior secondary school at the mere age of 13 Janhavi went on to become a 16-year-old graduate after finishing her undergraduate studies at Delhi University. The prodigy from Samalkha, a town 19 km south of Panipat is popularly known as the ‘wonder girl’ for not only her academic accomplishments but also her ability to speak English in nine accents – British, American, Polish, Received Pronunciation, Canadian, Scottish, Australian, Norfolk, and Cockney. [caption id="attachment_16891" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Janhavi Panwar[/caption] Raised in a traditional Haryanvi environment, Janhavi's abilities are mystifying. She takes a more down-to-earth view, however, saying they have nothing to do with the “inborn skills” that people believe she possesses. “Good parenting and my own curiosity led me to explore different aspects. Developing my skills came from practice,” she states, in an interview with Global Indian. She did, however, show prodigious capabilities, even as a baby. “At the age of one-and-a-half, my vocabulary consisted of 500 English words.” The dream that came true Growing up, she learned of her father’s struggles to find a job. A highly erudite man – a double MA and an MPhil, which he possessed, made him stand out in the small town

with Global Indian. She did, however, show prodigious capabilities, even as a baby. “At the age of one-and-a-half, my vocabulary consisted of 500 English words.”

The dream that came true

Growing up, she learned of her father’s struggles to find a job. A highly erudite man – a double MA and an MPhil, which he possessed, made him stand out in the small town he called home. Still, work was never easy to come by, especially in Delhi-NCR, “as his communication skills in the English language weren’t so good, despite him knowing the subject,” Janhavi explains.

Deeply let down by the rejections, he made up his mind that his own children wouldn’t suffer like him. He decided they would be well-versed in spoken English, to thrive in a society where the language is so revered.

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

“When I was born, I became a means of experimentation for him. He started working on developing my English skills, right from the beginning, making sure that I converse in no other language with him,” she says.

Skilling up

“YouTube has played a big role in helping me master the accents,” she remarks. “I am studying phonetic transcriptions now in my master's but have learned and practiced accents through phonetics transcriptions a long time ago,” says the former student of Asha Deep Senior Secondary School. By the age of nine, she would spend hours practicing her accents in English, even though the medium of learning at school was either Hindi or Haryanvi.

Her father, Brij Mohan is now a government school teacher while her mother Sanjana teaches in a private school. The ‘wonder girl’, who graduated with an undergraduate degree in English literature from DU, is about to finish her master's from Kurukshetra University. “I enjoyed my time as a DU student, organising elections and being the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) spokesperson. I did want to do a master’s in the UK but the pandemic messed up my plans,” she says.

Getting into the crux 

Janhavi tends to immerse herself completely into anything she sets heart on to achieve. These days, she spends her time in the library but her perfectionist streak has always been with her. Growing up, she would spend hours as a six-year-old watching YouTube videos and English news channels. She would work constantly on polishing her accents, refusing to go to bed until she got them right. In fact, she wouldn’t sleep until every item on her to-do list was ticked.

[caption id="attachment_16893" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Janhavi with her father and foreign tourists to India[/caption]

Frequent travels to tourist spots like Red Fort, India Gate, and Taj Mahal to meet people of different nationalities was part of the training regimen set by her father. “The foreigners’ accents would intrigue me,” Janhavi recalls. “By the time I was nine, I was watching BBC and CNN and mimicking the anchors.” Not only was she blessed with an ear for accents, she had a photographic memory too. “If you play two television channels simultaneously, with different news programmes happening, I can repeat both the reports entirely, in the respective accent, even weeks afterwards. I can enter a flashback and recall the details.” No wonder, then, that the prodigy appeared for her class 10 board exams when she was 11!

 The milestones…

Now at 18, Janhavi is set to finish her master’s progamme in English literature and is a sought-after motivational speaker who has conducted numerous sessions over the last five years. She had given her first motivational speech at the Bombay Institute of Public Administration to an audience of 150 IAS officers. 

Janhavi finds non-STEM subjects her true calling, even when at the age of 10 she was not only a student of class 10 but also helping her classmates with their science lessons. “To appear in the board examinations at that age became possible after a meeting with the then CM of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda who after talking to me for more than an hour permitted me to appear for the exams under the Haryana State Board of School Education.” Due to her ability to grasp quickly, she has completed two classes in a single year finishing the syllabus of each class in six months flat.

[caption id="attachment_16895" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Janhavi being honoured by Governor of Haryana and Punjab[/caption]

Even when she took her standard 12 board exams in humanities, Janhavi finished her study of non-medical science syllabus out of love for garnering additional knowledge.

Active in motivating

The avid reader of autobiographies, books on the conscious mind, and spirituality started getting recognized for her insights at the age of 13, receiving invitations for giving motivational speeches, and for conducting sessions and seminars. “I have trained staff of MNCs in metros, and government institutions apart from students of several educational institutions,” she informs.

The youngster, who once wanted to be an anchor, was invited to BBC’s Delhi office for an interview. “The anchor said, ‘if you want to join BBC, the door is open for you’,” smiles the wonder girl, remarking “Now I want to take up entrepreneurship in the training space, once I finish my Ph.D. in English literature.” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Dyuv-TpDM

With too much on her plate at the moment, she plans to write a book sometime in the future. For now, the prodigy has been relishing the pleasure of being an English songwriter, singing her songs. Through her YouTube channel, which has eight lakh subscribers, she has been on a spree of creating motivational videos for people so that they touch the highs of their lives and combat their lows successfully. “My curiosity keeps me going. Waking up and doing something new each day keeps me ticking.”

“When I am with friends and relatives, I am a different person altogether. I talk with them in Haryanvi with a pure Haryanvi accent, and prefer not to show the other side of my personality,” says the prodigy who is an inspiration to her younger sister, Saanvi.

Follow Janhavi Panwar on Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu: Nature lover Illinois teenager on a mission to summit all seven peaks

(January 7, 2023) At 18000 feet above sea level, Illinois-based Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu stopped feeling her feet. With no insulated boots to keep her warm, she felt "like a thousand needles were poking at the same time." Having arrived at the Mt Everest base a day before, Saanvi was excited for her trek to Kala Patthar, known for its incredible views of Mount Everest. But it was unlike any of the treks she had ever been on. The mountaineers who were happily sitting by the fire the night before were airlifted in helicopters the next day. "The uncertainty due to altitude" hit her hard during the trek, but it was her mental strength that kept her going. Despite reaching a stage when she stopped feeling her feet, she kept walking. "I kept thinking about getting to the top and kept reminding myself why I was doing this," says the teenager for whom the ascent was the first step towards her goal of climbing all seven summits someday. [caption id="attachment_26243" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu on her way to Kala Patthar[/caption] She was only six when she began going on hikes, and in the last nine years, she has hiked over

ta Mylavarapu | Global Indian" width="1080" height="810" /> Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu on her way to Kala Patthar[/caption]

She was only six when she began going on hikes, and in the last nine years, she has hiked over 25 national parks in the US and most recently made it to the top of Mt Whitney through Mountaineer's route. But her passion for hiking comes with a purpose. The Independence High School student is on a mission to inspire teenagers to be close to nature. "The best things in life are free - sunlight, water, air, soil. I want people to spend more time in nature. We don't need to save the planet. We just need to stop spoiling it," Saanvi tells Global Indian.

A childhood hobby turns into a passion

The Chicago-born girl was five when she first saw her dad's sparkling eyes after he returned from a hike. As a young girl, it got her excited to see that a hike made her dad this happy, and soon the family ended up taking a road trip together to Tennessee Kentucky to visit Mammoth Cave National Park. "Being in nature changed the way I view the world. My mom, who has chronic issues, has been my inspiration as I saw her going through transformative change, thanks to being in nature," she adds. Soon, it became a regular affair, and every holiday season, the Mylavarapus would take off to a new national park. While most of her friends would go to beaches and resorts, she was the only one going on hikes. "For us, it was a great family bonding time."

[caption id="attachment_26242" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu[/caption]

What began as a passion for nature soon took the form of a purpose when in elementary school, Saanvi was introduced to climate change. However, the first thing that came to her mind as a 10-year-old was, "but my lifestyle is sustainable." And she kept wondering why? "Some research helped me understand that as a nature lover, I had a lower carbon footprint and it's also helping heal my mind, body, and soul. That's when I realised that everyone can make a connection with nature." This led her to start an Instagram page which she uses to inspire more youngsters to take their heads out of the screens and revel in the beauty of nature.

Choosing nature over technology

Her first brush with nature began at an age when she was yet to be swarmed into the world of digital media. And it was this that helped her find her rhythm in a chaotic world. "Since I'd be hiking and backpacking for weeks in areas where there was no mobile connectivity, I realised how little things we need to be happy. I don't use electronics much. In fact, walking in nature is more entertaining to me than social media."

Saanvi, who is a National Park Trust Student Ambassador, never misses a chance to help kids understand how they can contribute to nature. "The new generation is engulfed in technology, and I want to encourage them to go out. Instead of breathing recycled indoor air, go out and breathe fresh air. Spend more time in nature, and help the planet at the same time."

Making it to the top

This love for hiking later translated into a passion for mountain climbing, and she did start on the right food with Kala Patthar and Mt Whitney. "I think that high to be on the top of the world is true. It is unimaginable happiness," she beams, adding, "In the end, everything seems worth it, even the pain. Because you want to do this all over again." But it isn't a cakewalk as Saanvi has been hiking for years and does rock climbing three-four times a week. "I am in the cross-country team of my school. But more than physical, one also needs to focus on mental strength." So, what keeps her motivated to keep marching forward even during strenuous climbs? "My favourite food," she laughs, adding, "I keep thinking of these two fast-food places in the US that I go to for a taco and a burrito. That's how I keep myself motivated."

It's been nine years since Saanvi has been hiking, and she calls her parents the wind beneath her wings. While her dad Naveen, who is a bank manager, got her interested in hiking, she calls her mom an inspiration. "Even on days that I felt like giving up, they kept pushing me and helped me get past my mental blocks." Still, in Class 11, Saanvi is yet to find her future road map but wants to be either a doctor or a marine biologist. However, at some point in life, she sees herself just hiking. For someone who loves hiking, is learning Kuchipudi, and is a trained violinist and a Carnatic singer, Saanvi likes to strike a balance. "I focus on what I'm passionate about."

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A post shared by Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu (@chalkbagsntents)

Ask her for a piece of advice, and the teenager says, "Simple changes can go a long way, and help reduce carbon footprint and climate change drastically. Earth is a couple of billion years old, and our life span as a human is 70-80 years. So, in these years, explore the earth as much as you can."

Follow Saanvi Sita Mylavarapu on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 min

Darsh Abhinay: The Hyderabad lad breaking records in English county cricket

When he was in grade four, Darsh Abhinay did something extraordinary. He opened the batting for his team against a well trained and experienced team in a U-18 Inter-school cricket tournament. Nine years old at the time, he hit 56 (not out) of 52 balls, stunning all those who watched him in action. His coach was so delighted with his performance that he lifted Darsh onto his shoulders and carried him out from the pitch as a mark of celebration. The kid went on to win the emerging player of the tournament award and his cricketing journey was off to a flying start. “Watching India lift the 2011 World Cup as a 6-year-old kid was the moment I decided I wanted to be there one day,” smiles cricketer Darsh Abhinay, speaking to Global Indian. Now, he plays English county cricket where he continues to pull off record-breaking feats. A triumphant season The 17-year-old, who has been practising professional cricket for last 12 years, stunned fellow cricketers and the audience alike when he went on to get 25 wickets, hit 302 runs (including three fifties with a highest score of 95) and took 11 catches in a successful season for Headstone Manor Cricket Club in the Middlesex County League

s in a successful season for Headstone Manor Cricket Club in the Middlesex County League in London last year. Darsh, a leg spinner and a right hand middle order batsmen was inducted into the Middlesex County Cricket League Hall of Fame, was pronounced as the ‘Player of the Week’ and awarded the “Best Bowling Performance of the Season” for his record breaking feat.

“As the ball was placed in my hand, my heart was pounding with anticipation. The Headstone Manor Cricket Club was about to experience something they hadn't witnessed in their 44-year-long history,” says Darsh, of that clear sunny afternoon in London when he arrived on the pitch and eventually took 10 wickets.

[caption id="attachment_34446" align="aligncenter" width="414"] Darsh Abhinay[/caption]

The budding cricketer broke the unique record of being the only fourth player next to Jim Laker, Anil Kumble and Ajaz Patel for taking 10 wickets in an innings in a test match.

How it began

It was a call from Darsh’s aunt in the UK informing him about a position opened for an overseas player that led him to London. “I found myself on the pitch merely 48 hours after I landed in London, the weight of exhaustion and jet lag tugging at my limbs. But there was an electrifying feeling coursing through my veins as I wanted to write history in my first match,” he declares.

What was as yet unknown to a 17-year-old boy from the south of India, the Middlesex County Cricket League presented its own unique challenges. With each delivery, he adapted to the conditions and started to weave his spell by learning on the spot and struck fear into his seasoned opponents.

Early training grounds

Born in Hyderabad in February 2005, Darsh’s father worked as the CAO at St Mary’s College and his mother is a HR Director at Invesco. Darsh started playing cricket when he was in third grade. “I used to come to school 45 minutes late as I had practice in the mornings. Due to this all my teachers and peers knew I was a cricketer.” Sancta Maria International School, where he was a student, was always supportive of Darsh’s cricketing journey, even giving him the freedom to miss his classes if required. Darsh did his part too, ensuring his grades never dropped. He graduated in the top five percent of his class. He even founded a sports club and won a few business competitions. From there, Darsh went on to St Mary’s College and has won several awards along the way – he was felicitated by RBL Bank in Hyderabad as part of their young leader and sportsperson campaign.

Darsh’s passion comes from his father, an avid cricketer himself. “He introduced me to cricket at the age of three. As an infant, I used to watch him play matches and would cheer him on,” says the young cricketer, who began training at the cricket academy at the age of 5. “My dad played a huge role in my cricketing journey and made lots of sacrifices. He even left his job for six years, trained and helped me learn the nuances of the game. He would even drive me to my practice sessions.” He also idolised Sachin Tendulkar and bowler Shane Warne, whom he describes as one of the best leg spinners everyday, saying, “I would watch videos of his bowling everyday.”

Overcoming obstacles

Darsh’s journey hasn’t always cheerful. “I faced obstacles that tested my resilience. I encountered injuries, unfair selection practices that kept me out of the state team, and the biggest hurdle of them all, COVID-19,” says Darsh.

When the lockdown was lifted, however, Darsh was nursing a finger injury that kept him out of action for an agonizing four months after the lockdown. “I considered quitting the sport, but with my coach's guidance, I rekindled my passion. Two months later, I stood in London, breaking records and achieving a dream I never thought was possible,” says a beaming Darsh, who has won over 40 awards for man of the series, emerging player, best fielder, best bowler and man of the match.

Darsh’s day usually starts at the crack of dawn. He is up by 5.45 am and heads straight for his cricket practice for an hour. It’s college next and once he is back home by 4, he goes to his gym after which it’s practice time again. “My mother has been telling me to include yoga in my schedule and I plan to do it soon,” says Darsh, who is looking to play more county cricket in the UK even as he is playing a few tournaments in Hyderabad presently. “My dream is to play for the country,” says the cricketer, who used to play volleyball, badminton and table tennis in school.

Darsh also has a great interest in entrepreneurship and wants to start a business of his own in future.

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Written by: Team GI Youth

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