Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveAnushka Sen: Strengthening cultural bonds as the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism

Anushka Sen: Strengthening cultural bonds as the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism

By: Amrita Priya

(October 2, 2024) Indian actress and influencer Anushka Sen made headlines as the only Indian to feature on billboards in Korea, following her appointment as the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism last year. At just 22, Sen has garnered several accolades in both the Indian and Korean entertainment industry. Recently she got honoured for her contributions in strengthening Korea-India relations, an impressive achievement given her young age.

As the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism, Anushka has played a significant role in bridging the cultural gap between the two nations. Expressing her gratitude, she shared with her fans, “Another moment to share with you all, honoured to receive an award from CEO Mr. Hyun Woo Kim of SBA (Seoul Business Agency) for my contribution to strengthening the relationship between Korea and India.” She also thanked director Lee Jung Sub for her accomplishments. “(Realising) my dream of working in K drama, being appointed as the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism, and now getting recognized for my contribution in strengthening Korea India relationship will definitely motivate me to do more,” she added.

Indian actor | Anushka Sen | Global Indian

Anushka Sen being honoured by Seoul Business Agency CEO Hyun Woo Kim

Recently, the actress has also been in news for teaming up with the South Korean pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji, who won the silver medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. The duo is working on a global project, titled ‘Crush’ where the Olympian plays the role of a shooter alongside Anushka.

International collaborations

Anushka’s upcoming project, Asia, is a multilingual action thriller with actors from India, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Vietnam. The actress is playing the role of an assassin in the international project. “It’s truly a global endeavour, a K-film, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.” she shared.

Highlighting her admiration for Korean cinema and her excitement for the Indo-Korean collaboration, she recalled, “During the pandemic, watching K-dramas made me feel wholesome. I kept thinking about the possibility of collaborating with the Korean entertainment industry. The quality of their content is truly inspiring.”

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A post shared by Anushka Sen (@anushkasen0408)

Anushka finds many similarities between Indian and Korean cinema, particularly in how romance and family dynamics are depicted. Glad to have fulfilled her dreams of collaborating with the Korean entertainment industry she mentioned, “India and Korea share the love for culture, music, and the passion for craft.”

Anoushka’s Korean ventures include a television drama, a film, and a travel show – the achievements that led to her appointment as Honorary Ambassador of the Korean Tourism.

Starting out as a child actor

Anushka Sen began her acting career as a child actor in 2009 with Zee TV’s Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli. That same year, her first music video, Humko Hai Aasha, was released. She rose to popularity in 2012 for her role as Meher in Sab TV’s Baalveer. Since then, she has appeared in television serials like Jhansi Ki Rani, as well as in Bollywood films like Crazy Cukkad Family and Lihaaf: The Quilt. She has also acted in a short film, Sammaditthi, and appeared in several music videos.

Early Life and Education

Born in Ranchi to a Bengali family, Anushka moved to Mumbai with her family when she was not even 10. She attended Ryan International School in Kandivali, completing her higher secondary education in the commerce stream under the CBSE board.

Anushka Sen during her days as a child artist

The actor is grateful to her parents for encouraging her to explore a variety of activities such as Abacus, skating, drawing, painting, singing, and playing instruments at a young age which helped her explore her interests. “After school, I was always busy with many co-curricular activities,” recalled the youngster who has pursued a degree in filmography at Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai.

Combination of luck and hard work

For Anushka who has been in the industry for over 14 years despite being just 22, fame came early in life. A huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan, she never misses his interviews and believes his words when he says, “being surrounded by the right people at the right place at the right time helped him reach where he is.” She thinks it applies well to her own journey. “It’s a combination of luck and hard work. Without one, the other won’t work.”

Another person who inspires Anushka is Priyanka Chopra, whom she considers the brand ambassador of India to the world, and aspires to become as popular as her.

With close to 40 million followers on Instagram, Anushka wants her fans to understand that like anyone else she is human too. “I can make mistakes and experience uncertainty, confusion, and fear of the unknown just like any other youngster, as I am still growing up,” she remarked.

The influencer who calls herself an extrovert looks at social media as a journal where she can go back and see how she grew up personally and professionally, and how she evolved as a person. “I don’t look at it as business,” she mentioned.

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A post shared by Anushka Sen (@anushkasen0408)

Love for South Korea

For Anushka, having a large fan following in South Korea, just like in India, feels ‘surreal.’ As the brand ambassador of Korean Tourism, she loves the people of Korea for their warm-heartedness.

The Mumbai-based actor loves shooting in South Korea. “The people there are just as accepting as Indians. In India, we treat guests like gods, and similarly, in Korea, they make you feel like one of their own. I have never felt alienated in South Korea,’ she remarked.

Follow Anushka Sen on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
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Published on 02, Oct 2024

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How ‘Jalsa’ star Surya Kasibhatla brought about Bollywood’s big leap

(October 31, 2022) In the opening scene of Jalsa, a neurodivergent, teenage boy makes a video on how to bowl. Inspiration had come from Surya Kasibhatla himself, who plays the role of Ayush and is the first actor with cerebral palsy to be in a Bollywood film. Surya, who liked to post videos of his own on YouTube, made one with cricket tips. Auditions and a serendipitous discovery Ultimately, the video would lead the Jalsa team to him. After over two months of auditions, where over 150 Indian kids with cerebral palsy were put through rounds of specially-designed auditions, they zeroed in on Surya Kasibhatla. The actor was flown down from America, with precautions made all through the journey, both on and off the sets. [caption id="attachment_23630" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Surya Kasibhatla and Vidya Balan in Jalsa[/caption] Jalsa has received acclaim the world over, with Kasibhatla's performance singled out for praise. It's the first time a person with cerebral palsy has acted in a Hindi movie. "Whether that is me or not, is a secondary aspect," Kasibhatla told Forbes Magazine. Much of this was driven by casting director Anmol Ahuja, who had Kasibhatla flown down from America. Ahuja's early brief had

he first time a person with cerebral palsy has acted in a Hindi movie. "Whether that is me or not, is a secondary aspect," Kasibhatla told Forbes Magazine.

Much of this was driven by casting director Anmol Ahuja, who had Kasibhatla flown down from America. Ahuja's early brief had been to cast a neurodivergent actor and he began a hunt for actors along with Deepak Agarwal, another member of the team. They spotted actors in Doha, South Africa and Mumbai. At the same time, they also looked for kids with a background in theatre, a reluctant back-up plan. Eventually, they knew they had found what they were looking for in Surya Kasibhatla. Precautions were in place on and off the sets, to ensure that the young Global Indian felt at home.

The debutant who made history

Surya's newfound stardom does little to hide the excited, star struck 13-year-old, for whom working with Vidya Balan was one of the highlights of the experience.

"I have always loved Vidya ma'am's acting," he told the Hindustan Times in an interview. "Working with Vidya ma'am was more than a dream come true and absolutely delightful. She was very loving and caring and I had a gala time working with her. She is my favourite actress."

Dreams of the silver screen

Surya was four years old when he first decided he wanted to be an actor. Born in Hyderabad, Surya and his parents faced the immediate challenges of a raising a neurodivergent child. "There is a long way for societies to become completely exclusive," he said, in the HT interview. There are schools, however, which make the effort. Daksha School in Hyderabad, where Surya studied, is one of them and for that he is always grateful.

Growing up, his parents ensured that their son was never treated differently. His father, who is an IT professional, migrated to the United States when Surya was still young, although he was, by then, a big fan of Bollywood and Telegu cinema. Surya told the BBC he lives in a "happy and engaged family environment at home and is part of all decision-making on important matters pertaining to him."

By the age of 13, when he was chosen for the role, Surya was doing software development, having shown an early talent for computer programming, music, movies and sports. Word of the role in Jalsa came from his physiotherapists in India, who reached out to his parents.

In the Maximum City

It was the cricket video that did the trick. "The moment we saw that video, we knew we had to get him," Ahuja told Film Companion. He then got on a video call with director Suresh Triveni before being cast in the role.

The film team also re-visited Ayush's character, re-working the script to establish as many similarities as they could between him and Kasibhatla. Long dialogues were removed - they were not in keeping with the typical style of speech for someone with cerebral palsy.

The making of Jalsa was a complex and layered process. Acting, Surya found, harder than he had imagined. When he arrived in Mumbai, he was started off with film workshops and working through the role with director Suresh Triveni, who has a neurodivergent family member himself.

Learning on the job

"The best and toughest part of the film was doing justice to the role... Being in the scene is harder than many people think, but the pre-shoot workshops as well as the team on the sets made me comfortable." Among them was his co-star Vidya Balan, he taught him the art of emoting in every scene.

Kasibhatla himself was more than happy to do the work.

Inclusivity on the sets

"Nobody from the team treated me differently," Surya said. "I was one among them. I was absolutely comfortable while shooting for Jalsa. Right from my travel logistics to the accommodation, food, local travel, everything was a seamless experience."

Follow Surya Kasibhatla on Instagram.

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Licypriya Kangujam: The 12-year-old activist storms COP28 Summit, demanding end to fossil fuels

(December 15, 2023) The COP28 Summit in Dubai saw quite a spectacle unfold on its stage when Indian climate activist Licypriya Kangujam stormed at an ongoing conference with a placard asking to end the use of fossil fuels. The sign read, "End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future." She later delivered a short speech before being escorted off the stage. However, her brazenness earned her a round of applause from the audience. Even COP28 Director-General Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi admired her enthusiasm and encouraged the audience present at the event to give Kangujam another round of applause. The 12-year-old activist from Manipur soon took to X to share a video and wrote, "They detained me for over 30 minutes after this protest. My only crime- Asking to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, the top cause of climate crisis today. Now they kicked me out of COP28." Here is the full video of my protest today disrupting the UN High Level Plenary Session of #COP28UAE. They detained me for over 30 minutes after this protest. My only crime- Asking to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, the top cause of climate crisis today. Now they kicked me out of COP28. pic.twitter.com/ToPIJ3K9zM —

his protest. My only crime- Asking to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, the top cause of climate crisis today. Now they kicked me out of COP28. pic.twitter.com/ToPIJ3K9zM

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) December 11, 2023

In another post, she added, "What is the reason to cease my badge for protesting against the fossil fuels? If you're really standing against the fossil fuels, then you must support me and you must immediately release my badges. This is gross violation and abuse of Child Rights in the UN premises which is against the UN principle. I have the rights to raise my voice at UN."

Dear Mr @antonioguterres Sir @simonstiell Sir,
What is the reason to cease my @UNFCCC #COP28UAE badge for protesting against the fossil fuels? If you're really standing against the fossil fuels, then you must support me and you must immediately release my badges. This is gross… pic.twitter.com/NgfT0ElJ5J

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) December 11, 2023

As soon as the COP28 Summit wrapped up, fossil fuels became a central focus. Soon the world leaders adopted Phase Out Fossil Fuel at COP28, however, Licipriya believes this isn't enough and more needs to be done.

Finally, World leaders adopted to start the beginning of the end of fossil fuels in #COP28UAE. But this is still not enough.

This black era should end now. pic.twitter.com/Ja4GfHuhMU

— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) December 13, 2023

This isn't the first time that Licypriya has raised her voice against climate crisis. At COP 27 Egypt too, she had an iconic moment when she determinedly questioned UK's climate minister Zac Goldsmith about the climate activists who were detained in the United Kingdom following protests against environment policies. This sudden confrontation made headlines, and Licypriya was praised for standing up to world leaders and asking pertinent questions.

She might be just 12 but Licypriya has been raising her voice against the climate crisis since she was six. Hailing from Manipur, she saw the devastating effects of cyclones like Fani and Titli in Bhubaneswar at a young age, and this prompted her to take up climate activism. In few years, she has become one of the leading faces in the world of child climate activists.

An activist in the making

Born in the carbon-negative state of Manipur, her relocation to Bhubaneswar triggered her interest in climate change at a young age after she witnessed the destruction caused by two devastating cyclones Titli in 2018 and Fani in 2019, when they hit the eastern coastal region. "Many people lost their lives. Many children lost their parents and many people became homeless," she said during a TedTalk, adding that she couldn't sleep or eat for days. This emotion was exacerbated when she moved to Delhi a year later, as her life was completely "messed up" owing to the air pollution and heat wave crisis. All these incidents prompted her to become a child climate activist.

[caption id="attachment_34649" align="aligncenter" width="469"] Licypriya Kangujam[/caption]

She was five when she first heard the terms 'climate change' and 'natural disasters' while accompanying her dad to raise funds for the Nepal earthquake 2015 victims that made her concerned about the environment. However, she refers to the United Nations Disaster Conference in Mongolia in July 2018 as a "life-changing event" as it made her start her own organisation The Child Movement at the age of six, to call on world leaders to take immediate climate action to save the planet. Over the years, it has become a people's movement for climate justice in India and abroad. "I travelled to over 32 countries as a part of my movement and spoke in more than 400 institutions on climate change," she said.

Making a difference, one step at a time

In 2019, she protested outside the Parliament in the capital demanding three things - to pass the climate change law in the parliament as soon as possible, to make climate education compulsory in every school in India, and to ensure plantations of minimum of 10 trees by every student in India. Her efforts yielded result as Gujarat and Rajasthan have made climate change a compulsory subject in the school education curriculum, thus making India the second country after Italy to do so. "Climate education is very important if we really would like to fight the climate crisis. Adults are not doing enough already, and I don’t have much faith in them to come to the frontline and save our planet and future. The last hope is children. If we include climate education in schools, then we can fight climate change from the grassroots," she told the Harvard International Review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szzUdfG9-Xw

She has yet again made headlines for taking the COP28 stage by storm. The girl, who likes to swim, paint and watch her favourite cartoon, Doraemon, in her free time, never misses a chance to accept invitations to speak at schools and conferences about climate change. Though she is only 12, she thinks age is just a number. "Many people told me that I’m too young to get involved in such activism, but … I strongly believe that children can lead the change. We need to keep speaking up about the climate crisis and … to hold lawmakers accountable for their political decisions," she told Washington Post.

Follow Licypriya Kangujam on X and Instagram

Dance Marathon: Shrusti Sudhir Jagtap breaks Guinness World Record

(June 18, 2023) Srushti Sudhir Jagtap, a 16-year-old student hailing from Latur in Maharashtra, etched her name in history by achieving a remarkable feat, shattering the previous Guinness record for the longest individual dance marathon. With an extraordinary duration of 127 hours, she surpassed the previous milestone of 126 hours established by Nepalese dancer Bandana Nepal five years back in 2018. “After dancing for five days straight, Srushti Sudhir Jagtap (India) has broken the record for the longest dance marathon by an individual,” reported the Guinness World Records (GWR) website. [caption id="attachment_31198" align="aligncenter" width="898"] Shrusti's record-breaking attempt[/caption] The youngster's record-breaking dance marathon started on the morning of May 29 and continued until the afternoon of June 3 at her school auditorium, where an enthusiastic crowd of supporters kept her spirits alive. Determined to break the record, the Latur teenager had held two practice sessions of non-stop 126 hours of dancing before making the official attempt. “Due to strong practice, I was familiar with all the changes in my mind and body, so I was calm and composed until the end,” Shrusti said. The youngster showcased the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India in her five-day-long performance. Perseverance and record-breaking performance

atur teenager had held two practice sessions of non-stop 126 hours of dancing before making the official attempt. “Due to strong practice, I was familiar with all the changes in my mind and body, so I was calm and composed until the end,” Shrusti said.

The youngster showcased the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India in her five-day-long performance.

Perseverance and record-breaking performance

Srushti’s remarkable journey as a dancer and record-breaker exemplifies her unyielding determination, passion, and patriotism.

From a young age, she displayed extraordinary talent and a profound admiration for Indian culture. Her aspiration to represent her country through dance motivated her to take on the formidable challenge of surpassing the record for the longest dance marathon. “I wanted to promote Indian culture,” the teen said.

To prepare herself physically, mentally, and spiritually for the dance marathon, she had been following an intense training regimen. Her daily routine included up to four hours of guided meditation, six hours of dance practice, and three hours of additional exercises.

As part of her preparation, she slept at 10 in the night and woke up at three in the morning every day for 15 months.

Finding support

It was under the guidance of her grandfather and the unwavering support of her parents that Srushti embarked on a rigorous training regimen, diligently preparing her mind and body for the awe-inspiring achievement that awaited her.

Her parents, Sudhir and Sanjivani Jagtap, who are both teachers, played a pivotal role in her journey. Looking at the extraordinary talent of their daughter, they had fostered the virtue of hard work since a young age so that she does well in what she loves the most.

Her grandfather, Baban Mane, also has a crucial role to play in the youngster’s feat. He taught her Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep), a form of guided meditation, which helped Srushti to develop exceptional control over her mind and body. “It gave me control over sleep,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_31191" align="aligncenter" width="842"] Jampacked auditorium where people thronged to see her achieve the feat[/caption]

Years of training

Born in 2007, the teenager’s feat is the result of years of training combined with the support and encouragement of a nurturing family.

Shrusti has been dancing since a young age and has won many awards and accolades along the way including the Asia Book of Records for 24 hours nonstop Lavani (folk dance of Maharashtra) in 2021.

During the official dance marathon where she shattered the record, she captivated the audience with Kathak dance performances. Though the atmosphere buzzed with excitement as Shrusti was coming closer to her goal, there were moments when she felt exhausted. To keep her refreshed, her parents sprayed water on her face during the event from time to time.

“As per our guidelines for ‘longest marathon’ records, the participant is permitted a five-minute rest break for every continuous hour of activity. These rest breaks can be accumulated if not taken. They were the only times Srushti could sleep or use the bathroom during the attempt,” the GWR website mentioned.

The youngster used to take rest breaks at midnights using the time to nap or talk to her parents to refresh her mind.

Besides coffee, she did not take any stimulants to stay awake. “Coconut water and chocolates also helped me to stay fresh,” she remarked.

[caption id="attachment_31190" align="aligncenter" width="793"] Shrusti has won several awards and accolades since childhood for her dance performances[/caption]

Triumph over challenges

The dance marathon presented its fair share of challenges, especially on the final day, when the continuous dancing took its toll on Srushti's body. The physical and mental exhaustion became more evident. However, she persevered, maintaining an unwavering focus on her goal.

It was a mentally and physically demanding feat, nonetheless the dancer’s extensive practice and thorough preparation enabled her to stay composed and calm until the very end.

A student at Podar International School, Latur, Srushti Sudhir Jagtap peacefully slept for one whole day after achieving her goal.

Follow Shrusti Sudhir Jagtap on Instagram

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Shanya Gill on inventing a rapid-fire detection device: It can save a lot of lives

(January 16, 2024) A regular crisp afternoon in San Jose, California in 2022 turned into horror when a restaurant burned down to ashes after a fire incident. The then 12-year-old Shanya Gill saw the tragedy unfold in the restaurant behind her home, which left her unsettled. Despite the smoke detector, the restaurant officials were able to raise an alarm only after considerable damage was done, and despite incessant efforts to control the situation, the fire ended up engulfing the entire restaurant. The incident shocked the entire neighbourhood but on Shanya it left a lasting impact. A STEM student who's always looking for possible solutions to world problems, she decided to come up with a rapid-fire detection device - an invention that won her the Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND Award. "The tragedy prompted me to create a device that could detect fires at an earlier stage, preventing similar incidents in the future," she tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_35262" align="aligncenter" width="631"] Shanya Gill[/caption] The seventh grader at Miller Middle School understood the need for a "more efficient fire detection system", and came up with a solution that's more effective than a smoke alarm. "What distinguishes my fire detection device from traditional smoke

t="473" /> Shanya Gill[/caption]

The seventh grader at Miller Middle School understood the need for a "more efficient fire detection system", and came up with a solution that's more effective than a smoke alarm. "What distinguishes my fire detection device from traditional smoke alarms is that smoke detectors react only when smoke is present, often indicating a fire at a more advanced and dangerous stage. In contrast, my system, relying on code and a thermal camera, detects unattended fires much earlier in their development," she explains.

It all began a few weeks after the fire. One day while studying she discovered something interesting about thermal cameras - they can show where homes are losing heat in the winter. Curious, she started looking into whether these cameras could find house fires faster than regular smoke detectors and realised that "an early warning" can help save many lives.

A STEM lover

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, her parents - a doctor and a computer scientist- moved to the US in their early 20s for job opportunities. Carving a dream life for themselves in the US, they have been keen to support their daughter in her endeavours. "Their unwavering emotional support has played a crucial role in my journey," says the teen innovator. Growing up in California, "where STEM opportunities abound", she was always interested in science and technology. "My passion for these fields solidified through participation in regional science fairs, where I could combine my love for science and building things," adds Shanya.

The making of fire detection device

But it was the fire at the restaurant in her neighbourhood that nudged her to find a solution. During her research, she stumbled upon statistics that proved that smoke detectors weren't as reliable as she thought them to be. "This further motivated me to find a solution." She spent countless hours working on the initial design which turned out to be a failure owing to loopholes in the code. "This setback prompted me to reevaluate my approach and led to my second attempt where I refined the code." Highlighting a crucial lesson she learnt from the experience, she says, "is the importance of maintaining motivation throughout the process. Celebrating the small victories in my code, no matter how incremental, proved to be a key strategy in overcoming challenges and keeping the project on track."

It all began when she stumbled upon an online video where a man used thermal cameras to find the loopholes in the heating system in his home. Snubbing it initially as an expensive affair, upon more research, she found that the thermal camera being used was quite cheap. "My idea for an early fire detection system was already known, and seeing this cheap thermal camera allowed me to tie temperature and fires together," reveals Shanya.

Finally, she came up with a device that has a thermal camera and a Raspberry Pi, "with the latter being coded to evaluate images sent by the camera and determine the fire's status - whether it is attended or unattended." Explaining the process, she says, "The device uses temperature and motion(seeing how a part of an image changes temperature) to detect fires and humans, therefore allowing the device to know whether there is a human and a fire in a scene(attended fire) or just a fire in a scene(unattended fire)."

With an impressive accuracy rate in the range of ninety percent, she plans to incorporate AI in her device to eliminate false positives as well as other factors such as pets. "If put in the marketplace, I believe that this device, with improvements, can alert the user of a fire before it becomes a threat, and I believe it can save a lot of lives," she adds.

International recognition

Shanya, who describes herself as "independent, persevering, and happy", received top honours in the foremost middle school STEM competition sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific and the Society for Science, and won a cash prize of $25,000 for her innovation. Calling it a moment of gratitude, she says, "It instilled confidence in my abilities."

Imparting a nugget of advice, she asks youngsters "to stick to your passions and to undertake a long-term project because that teaches you a lot." The Indian-American teen is a champion swimmer, water polo, and table tennis player, and aspires to be self-employed and invent new things. "I feel this gives me the ability to be creative and not be trapped in a box," she signs off.

Follow Shanya Gill on LinkedIn

Jeeva Senthilnathan: The Indian American 2021 Global Teen Leader steering change

An Indian girl is hoping to change the unbearable plight of being in Colorado - through leadership, mental health awareness, and as a voice against sexual harassment. Even though it has not been even sailing for Jeeva Senthilnathan, the 18-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, she has persevered. Today, as a global teen leader, game changer and leader for the community at Parker, Colorado, Jeeva continues to inspire. Winner of the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) STAR Scholarship, the National Honor Society Top 24 Scholarship (the only student from Colorado), and lauded by the Nile Rodger’s We Are Family Foundation, the introvert is an activist at heart . The girl who ran for Parker Town Council, and a former council member at one time is now focusing on helping Afghans in the US seek asylum, and getting them to register to vote. Among her most fulfilling endeavors, is starting Privando, an organization that works to solve the deep-seated malaise when it comes to sexual harassment and the rape crisis in India. She researched on mental health used electroencephalography (EEG) waves to identify cognitive abilities, levels of motivation, and consciousness in teenagers. Inspired by the emergency blue lights boxes used on university campuses to

EEG) waves to identify cognitive abilities, levels of motivation, and consciousness in teenagers. Inspired by the emergency blue lights boxes used on university campuses to create a gadget that creates a network for women to receive help in life-threatening or unsafe situations, Jeeva tells Global Indian, “We mobilized young women in India from village huts to city slums to build a coalition that would not only fight against such incidents, but also create a private network for victims to heal. Privando has been able to obtain $5,000, and is currently working on developing wearable technology: it has saved more than 1,000 women from human trafficking.”

Rooted in India

Her mother, a microbiologist from Chennai, and father, a software developer from Vellore, immigrated to the US in 1998. From Ohio, to Illinois, and finally Colorado, the Senthilnathans were in search of a job for her mother. Learning how it was to be discriminated due to race and color, her “very White school” lacked diversity. She was bullied frequently, and unable to cope, she developed hypothyroidism in second grade, was on medication, and battled depression in sixth grade. “I was quiet, known as the ‘goody-two shoes’ in school. I wasn’t good at public speaking as I lacked confidence,” she says. Taking the challenge head on, she started debating through high school, regardless of the brickbats, sneers, and laughs. Now, the bespectacled girl’s gentle smile exudes wisdom, “I worked hard on issues I cared about, and concentrated on no one but myself. I was my only competition.”

Today, she feels integrated (tied to her Indian roots) rather than assimilated (Americanized). Having parents that helped her believe, and persevere helped her change her circumstances, and life. She and her elder sister Lakshmi Priya saw their parents working long hours. “It helped me challenge myself. I understood the hardships they went through to give us better lives. I realized that I have to work hard to give meaning to my parents’ struggles. Now, I have decided to not work under anyone. I want to lead by becoming my own boss,” she declares.

Turning the spotlight on mental health

Working on mental health started in high school, and while working at Colorado State Capitol in state representative Tom Sullivan’s office, Jeeva saw states passing a legislation on students having to take off mental health days. This made her question America’s standard of education.

“My research became even more important after my greatest mentor, best friend and big brother Jai Rajagopal lost his battle against depression during my first run for office. I will always be thankful to Jai because he lifted me to greater heights unequivocally, and took good care of me in the most difficult times. My first government job was also because of Jai, and I will remember him every time I run for a new office,” Jeeva says.

Covid warrior

During COVID-19 Jeeva started a donation drive to provide oxygen cylinders and oxygen tanks to prepare of India’s third wave, with the Privando team. Jeeva also helped fund students from the High School Democrats of America with online training on larger campaign positions and winning strategies with 10 hours paid work with the help of a grant from Blue Future, an organization that helps mobilize young people to work on campaigns within America. “I took leadership to provide students a stipend while working for a state race – House District 44 in Colorado. I wanted to provide a virtual opportunity for students who needed experience for college applications,” she adds.

Speaking against gun violence while she was working on her first campaign with Simone Aiken (who ran for House District 44 in 2018), and at Tom Sullivan’s office, she explains, “The Extreme Risk Protection Order, also known as ERPO and Red Flag Law, was the legislation inputted to take away firearms temporarily from the mentally ill. The legislation was opposed by Sullivan’s Republican colleagues, though Republican Sherriff Tony Spurlock favored it, and stressed the need for the legislation to assist the police force.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAePNe1hhpE[/embed]

Empowering women

The PEO STAR Scholar at Littleton (Colorado), is using Privando to empower women, and is the only student in Colorado to be the National Honor’s Society Finalist, a Top 24 Scholar, for which she was awarded $5,625.

As part of the Global Teen Leader program, she worked with over 40 global teen leaders in the summer of 2021 and bounced off new progressive ideas. Jeeva formed a deep friendship with Malawian Chmba Chilemba, Youth To The Front Manager, and facilitator for the Just Peace Summit. “She is an inspiration – so sincere, working hard to solve child marriages in Africa. She DJs in her free time,” she adds.

She is grateful that Colorado Early College Parker (high school) helped her focus on important matters – she received college credits, an associate’s degree for a guaranteed transfer at Colorado School Of Mines. “I was given $2,100 per semester as a full-time student allowing me to pay for half of my bachelor’s degree when I transferred my courses at CECP,” says the mechanical engineering student.

Eye on the future

A voracious reader, Jeeva loves sitting in libraries, devouring books, or watching Netflix. The adrenaline seeker can be seen car racing in Colorado. Next on Jeeva’s to do list is to continue to spread Privando’s reach, finish an MBA and Juris Doctorate. “I have a dream to run for Congress once I turn 25, in the House of Representatives.” Solemn advice? “This world is an ugly place, and our earlier generations created a competitive lifestyle. Students trying to find their way should not forget to live life to the fullest. Make families, education, and being your own boss in something passionate a priority. Stop comparing, focus on yourself. I would love to guide anyone (jeeva4parker.com).

High goals for a girl whose mentors – former state representative Jonathan Singer, Emily Hiltz, and Lindsey Rasmussen instilled in her belief and purpose.

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