Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveArjun Sharda: Texas teen blending learning and networking with TLEEM

Arjun Sharda: Texas teen blending learning and networking with TLEEM

Written by: Amrita Priya

(June 26, 2024) ‘We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why else even be here?’ This quote of Steve Jobs is one of the favourites of Texas teen Arjun Sharda. “The thought resonates deeply with me and has become my life mission,” he tells Global Indian. Last year, the 13-year-old founded TLEEM, which stands for Technology, Leadership, Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Math to help K12 students network and excel in these fields. Within months Arjun and his team have formed 15 chapters of TLEEM across seven countries.

Inspired by Steve Jobs’ salesmanship, the teenager has even authored a book titled ‘The Salesperson’s Direction to Clients’. Pushing his limits, the youngster has been establishing himself as a social entrepreneur, author, speaker, and programmer.

Arjun Sharda

Arjun is happy about the early milestones of TLEEM. For helping K12 students build a learning network at an early age, his venture has received a $500 USD donation from the Salice Family Foundation. “This contribution will support our future programs and general operating costs. We are incredibly thankful for this generous donation,” remarks the teenager who has spoken at events like DevOpsDays Austin and DevelopersWeek as one of the youngest speakers.

Turning passion into social entrepreneurship

With TLEEM, Arjun aims to empower students to develop skills that schools might not teach by creating a learning network. “We’re tomorrow. We’re the next leaders and CEOs. If someone has a burning passion for something, they should be able to follow it, regardless of age. And I think that networking plays a big role in being able to follow it,” he remarks.

From a young age, Arjun developed a keen interest in technology, leadership, entrepreneurship, engineering, and math. He started coding at the age of seven and has since developed expertise in Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, and Java, contributing to various open-source projects available on platforms like GitHub. Some of his significant projects include Searchor, TimeConv, and Passeo. “These are being used by businesses and individuals,” he shares, adding, “I also attended an engineering class and participated in a gifted program called PACE Math where seventh-grade students studied eighth-grade mathematics.”

Arjun Sharda

However, his school did not have a club that supported his multidisciplinary interests. Determined to pursue his passions, Arjun founded a school club and named it TLEEM. In this endeavour, he received support not only from his schoolmates but also from teachers and the assistant principal of his school.

Creating milestones

When Arjun and his friends started posting about TLEEM’S activities on online forums, they were delighted to receive interest from youngsters in other parts of the globe and within a short frame of time TLEEM grew into an organisation with 15 chapters across seven countries. “We have chapters in countries like Morocco, Indonesia, Croatia, Slovakia, India, and the USA,” Arjun says. TLEEM provides options for two types of chapters – school chapters and community chapters.

Arjun Sharda

Interspersing love for technology, marketing and writing

Apart from his deep interest in technology, it was curiosity that led Arjun to self-publish the book, ‘’The Salesperson’s Direction to Clients’ which is his personal analysis of the sales data of companies such as Apple and Google.

“While searching for a new phone online, I got curious about how big companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung sell their products. For example, how does Apple manage to sell iPhones for $1,000 and make a fortune, even though Google’s Pixel or Samsung smartphones might have better technical specifications for the same price or even cheaper?” he remarks.

Intrigued, he researched and found interesting information about Apple’s marketing strategies. For instance, a simple design and easy-to-use interface attract more customers, even if another phone brand has better technical specifications, as customers want comfort. “I wrote a short book about my findings and published it in April 2023, using Amazon KDP and Draft2Digital, LLC. I was just 11 at that time,” he says.

Arjun Sharda

Support from family

Happy about his accomplishments and TLEEM’s growth, Arjun thanks his mother for being a significant contributor, especially with the paperwork required to make TLEEM a registered 501(c)(3) organisation.

Born in Santa Clara, California, Arjun lives with his parents in Austin, Texas. “My parents are from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and moved to the United States in 2008. I have an intelligent and loving brother, Arin, who will be turning four in a few days,” says the youngster, who is also a contributor to GREY Journal and the editor-in-chief of Generation Insider magazine.

Follow Arjun Sharda on LinkedIn

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 26, Jun 2024

Share with

ALSO READ

Karina Samuel: Indian-American activist helping bid adieu to plastic bags

(August 6, 2023) While many countries are feeling the heat from climate change, Florida in the US has irreversibly changed by the climate emergency, which has affected coral reefs, led to higher property values and increasing inequality for vulnerable populations in the state. The chronic coastal flooding and increased storms due to global warming left the 17-year-old Indian American activist Karina Samuel appalled, who then decided to launch the Florida chapter of Bye Bye Plastic Bags in 2019. Solution for plastic menace Bye Bye Plastic Bags is a youth-led, global organisation on a mission to reduce the amount of plastic on the planet. The initiative, which has so far mobilised more than 1000 volunteers to join over 175 coastal cleanups across the state, led Karina to win the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes for making a positive difference in the people's lives, their communities, and the environment. "I’ve always been invested in climate justice, and living in Florida, I’ve seen the effects of inequalities and how they disproportionately affect poorer communities," she told Point of Light. The Indian American teen activist, who is pursuing her Bachelor of Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is working with

org/awards/saying-bye-bye-to-plastic-pollution-teen-volunteers-to-help-underserved-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Point of Light.

The Indian American teen activist, who is pursuing her Bachelor of Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is working with her team of volunteers across Miami, Tampa and Key West to make the Florida coast healthier. "I’ve been serving as the president of the Florida chapter of Bye Bye Plastic Bags, which is an international non-profit. It’s actually based in Bali, [Indonesia], but they have chapters all over the world. So, I founded my chapter in 2019 and I’ve been doing all sorts of different environmental projects," she told Sun Sentinel.

Impact

In the last three years, they have raised several thousand dollars to donate to different environmental organisations. Moreover, they have been focused on passing pro-environment policy reforms, banning plastic bags, organising coastal cleanups and educating the community about climate change. "We’ve done lobbying with certain candidates for the 2020 election in support of the Green New Deal, educational webinars at different schools and campuses across the state and, of course, cleanups all over the state of Florida," the Global Indian added.

[caption id="attachment_22901" align="aligncenter" width="592"] Karina Samuel is an Indian American teen activist.[/caption]

The cleanups are a constant reminder that the activist needs to continue marching forward with her volunteers. "Every time we go out for clean-ups, we see the trash and negative impact people make when they are careless. We always see plastic water bottles during the cleanups. Also, soda cans and plastic wrapping from food containers and take out," she told Point of Light.

Why giving back is important

Karina, who has been championing the cause of climate change, believes that it's important to give back to the society, and knows that the power to make the change lies with youngsters like her. "I’m not the person who will feel the majority of the negative implications from climate change, and that’s why climate justice is so important. It disproportionately affects poorer communities, people who can’t go out and volunteer for change. Those who are capable of volunteering have the responsibility to go out and address these different community problems," she added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwO8Wz_EThA

Moreover, she is the vice president of Beyond Resolved, a national student-run non-profit that aims to increase diversity and inclusivity in the high school speech and debate community. Her efforts have been recognised by the Points of Light Network, Children’s Environmental Health Network and the Earth Island Institute.

Karina, who is changing her community, one plastic bag at a time, loves to play volleyball and tennis. For someone who has been volunteering for years now, she finds "satisfaction" through her work. "It’s a very satisfying feeling to know we worked together to accomplish a goal and that it went well."

Follow Karina Samuel on Linkedin

Reading Time: 4 min

Bollywood to Broadway: Actress Mahnaz Damania’s journey to ‘Life of Pi’

(May 9, 2023) The world of Broadway is experiencing an ingenious work of art at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater in New York. The Broadway house is currently home to a mesmerizing adaptation of Yann Martel's Booker Prize-winning novel, Life of Pi. Directed by Max Webster and adapted by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, the stage comes alive with various lighting, video, sound, and set elements that shift and transform throughout the performance, creating a magical world that captivates the audience. And in the middle of the ocean, with a diverse cast of 24 actors and puppeteers, is an Indian actress, Mahnaz Damania who has impressed audiences from the production's first show. The Indian stage actress has come a long way since her beginnings in the world of theater. "Sometimes I wonder to myself when we’re at the theatre, ‘Man! How did I get here?!’ And when I look back at a decade of my work I realise I’ve been so fortunate in India too to train under Faezeh Jalali working on her productions — 07/07/07 and Shikhandi – The Story of the In-Betweens — and with Rajit Kapur (Rage Productions). I feel ready as an actress because of these chances that I’m

How did I get here?!’ And when I look back at a decade of my work I realise I’ve been so fortunate in India too to train under Faezeh Jalali working on her productions — 07/07/07 and Shikhandi – The Story of the In-Betweens — and with Rajit Kapur (Rage Productions). I feel ready as an actress because of these chances that I’m very grateful for," the Global Indian said in an interview. With an unwavering passion for her craft, the actress continues to break boundaries and captivate audiences, solidifying her place as a rising star in the theater world.

The world's a stage

Currently based out of New York City, Mahnaz was born in Ahmedabad into a Parsi family. Always wanting to be an actress since a young age, she was an active part of her school and college drama societies. The actress completed her Master's in Psychology from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad, and soon landed a job as a flight attendant with Jet Airways. However, her dream of being on stage and performing a part never left her bedside.

Eventually, the actress left her job and left for New York, to do an acting course at Stella Adler Studio of Acting. And it was here that a chance meeting with Indian actor, Irrfan Khan affirmed her belief in her dreams. "I bumped into Irrfan Khan outside my acting school in NY years ago in 2010 or 2011, and I was thrilled! I exclaimed, “Oh My God It’s You!” And he goes, “Yes it is!” I told him that this is the building I study in and he’s like ‘Oh, this is where the Stella Adler acting studio is.’ And then (I don’t know why) but I asked “can I hug you?” And he said, “of course!” We continued to talk about the pros and cons of studying outside of India for the craft and then we said bye. I’ve always loved his work and wanted to work with him. Being a part of this play is the closest I’ve come so far in my career to being associated with his splendor. This is a very cherished experience for me," the actress shared. After returning to India, the actress took part as a contestant in the TV reality show Kingfisher Supermodel 2, and was later seen playing a lead part in Dharma Production's Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.

[caption id="attachment_29881" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Mahnaz getting ready for the show Shikhandi – The Story of the In-Betweens[/caption]

However, a turning point in her journey came in 2022, when her manager approached her with an interesting role in New York. While she didn't get the part she was aiming for, she landed an opportunity of a lifetime. "My manager Sana Hanible submitted my tapes for the casting call for the part of Rani, Pi’s sister in the play but originally written as his brother in the book. On the day of the call back, the director Max Webster, playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, and casting director Duncan Stewart were in," the actress said, adding, "After my audition for Rani, I was about to leave, but they called me back into the room to read for the character of Mrs. BK who plays a family friend and teacher. There was a second call back after this one and about a month or so later I got the offer letter to be in the ensemble and understudy the two characters. I was over the moon. Of course, actors mostly want to book the principal part they test for but being an understudy comes with its levels of responsibilities and challenges."

An unforgettable journey on stage

Describing her time with The American Repertory Theatre as a "great learning experience", Mahnaz shared that she thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn puppeteering from experts like Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink under the guidance of puppetry and movement director Finn Caldwell, which was essential for her role in the Broadway production.

[caption id="attachment_29883" align="aligncenter" width="657"] Mahnaz on the set Life of Pi[/caption]

"It’s been such a great learning experience for me since this is my first regional theatre stint with The American Repertory Theatre which is, oh my god, a great way to start my stage career in the US," the actress said, adding, "I also have the opportunity with this play to learn puppeteering from the likes of Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink under the expert puppetry and movement direction from Finn Caldwell."

But that is not all. The actress also voiced that being a part of this South Asian cast ensemble on the set, has put a huge responsibility on her shoulders. "This story tells such a fantastic tale of survival and resilience of the human spirit, how far we can come with what we tell ourselves to cope – to get through hardship in our lives. Having so many South Asians in the cast is a testament to this survival in a way. Being in the room with so many faces that I identify with, that know what language I’m speaking, that know the struggle of living as an immigrant and more so finding a stage and story that takes you into that world," the actress expressed.

[caption id="attachment_29884" align="aligncenter" width="634"] Mahnaz with the cast of Life of Pi[/caption]

"Sometimes, I’d look around the rehearsal space and I couldn’t believe I was actually there with so many talented people that were all experiencing the same strange but familiar feeling. I’m so proud to be a part of this unraveling of sorts of the narrative we’ve been fed all our lives (be it stage or TV) and changing it to look like the actual world we live in. The wardrobe department also extended a consulting role for me on the play which I am so happy to be assisting with," said the actress, who is skimming through scripts for her next project.

Follow Mahnaz Damania Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 mins

Adeetya Jain: Equipping young minds with financial literacy through Ecobyte Kids

(October 25, 2024) At just 17 years old, Mumbai-based Adeetya Jain, a senior at Rahul International School, is not your typical high school student. Trained under entrepreneur Namita Thapar, of Shark Tank fame, at her Thapar’s Entrepreneurship Academy, he is building a platform poised to change how children learn about money. As the founder of Ecobyte Kids, a pioneering initiative aimed at making financial literacy accessible to children, Adeetya is on a mission to empower the next generation with the knowledge they need to navigate the world of finance. The platform's journey began during the pandemic and has since evolved. With the vision of blending education and technology, Adeetya Jain is now making use of AI to transform Ecobyte Kids into a personalized financial literacy hub. “Our goal is not just to make finance and economics interesting, but also to make them accessible for children across India,” Adeetya shares with Global Indian. A vision born in the pandemic The idea for Ecobyte Kids came to life toward the end of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021. While the world was struggling to adjust to the new normal, Adeetya saw an opportunity to create something impactful. "We started building a team with

img class="aligncenter wp-image-40001 size-full" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AJ.webp" alt="Indian youth | Adeetya Jain | Global Indian " width="438" height="577" />

A vision born in the pandemic

The idea for Ecobyte Kids came to life toward the end of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021. While the world was struggling to adjust to the new normal, Adeetya saw an opportunity to create something impactful. "We started building a team with the goal of creating a Market Viable Product (MVP) and were able to do it in eight months right after," says the youngster who now leads a team of 30 young volunteers who are below 18.

Initially, Ecobyte Kids was conceived as a fun, digital newsletter aimed at teaching financial literacy to kids between the ages of 9 and 16. “To make financial news and information interesting for children, we created a sample four-page newsletter that was graphic and funky but at the same time enriched with simplified economics and finance concepts,” Adeetya shares. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and this small project quickly grew into a full-fledged venture. “Soon we positioned ourselves as a digital media startup for finance and economics with a niche target audience,” tells the young entrepreneur.

From newsletter to tech-backed learning solution

Ecobyte Kids is steadily evolving. Today, the platform is transitioning into an AI and Machine Learning-powered financial literacy hub. “Our focus on content creation remains intact,” Adeetya says, “But we have started exploring and executing a lot of tech-based initiatives to deliver our content.”

He and his team are working on personalized learning modules that adapt to different age groups, ensuring that younger kids receive simpler explanations while older children are introduced to more complex financial concepts. “To put it simply, the level of jargon and intensity of concepts will vary even in the 9-16-year-old age group,” Adeetya explains.

One of the upcoming features of Ecobyte Kids includes an AI-powered chatbot and a natural language processor, which will help users easily access simplified financial knowledge. “Our digital solutions, including the chatbot, will only provide verifiable, easy-to-understand and accurate content,” Adeetya shares.

In addition, his venture is working on delivering content in multiple Indian languages, ensuring it can reach children from different linguistic backgrounds.

Entrepreneurship in the DNA

“For me, entrepreneurship is the most viable extracurricular activity. It is something I derive a lot of joy from - almost an escape from the rigorous academia in high school,” says Adeetya, for whom entrepreneurship also runs in the family. Both of his parents are successful entrepreneurs, and their example inspired him from an early age. "My parents are originally from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, who came to Mumbai to study and then established their entrepreneurial ventures,” says the youngster, whose mother runs an interior designing firm, while his father has his own pharmaceutical company.”

Their entrepreneurial drive has been a constant source of inspiration for Adeetya, encouraging him to take risks and follow his own path. “They have truly guided me along the way, and I certainly derive inspiration from them to take risks and to continuously innovate.”

Shark Tank fame Namita Thapar – a mentor

It wasn’t just his family who inspired him. Adeetya credits entrepreneur Namita Thapar for playing a key role in his development as a business enthusiast. “Namita Mam has been a vital part of my entrepreneurial journey under whose tutelage I launched my first startup, RootsUp,” Adeetya says. "She has given valuable inputs which have greatly influenced the products and services Ecobyte Kids provides today.”

Adeetya first met Namita during the online interview session of the Thapar’s Entrepreneurship Academy's (TEA) incubator program. “After getting accepted in the program, we bonded over my startup idea and pitch-deck development over the length of the program which was in an online mode due to the pandemic.” She later added him to the Thapar Entrepreneur Academy’s Star Alumni Group which increased their interactions. The youngster calls her his ‘go-to mentor’.

As part of the TEA Incubator Program, where he won the Best Pitch Award, Adeetya Jain received prize money to run the startup. Though RootsUp didn’t pan out due to resource and time constraints, the experience gave Adeetya valuable insight into the world of startups and set the stage for Ecobyte Kids. “However, I feel that the idea of RootsUp is still relevant, and I would love to pick it up again in the future,” he says.

Balancing academics and other initiatives

For the high school student, balancing schoolwork with running a startup is no easy task, but Adeetya has found ways to manage both. “Up to 10th grade, managing studies and entrepreneurial ventures is not much of a challenge if you remain consistent,” the 12th grade student says. But with the added pressure of competitive exams and university applications, Adeetya has had to perfect the art of time management.

“Dabbling between academics and activities of interest not only requires desperation but also the ability to pull all-nighters,” he admits. His dedication to both his studies and his venture has paid off, due to the support he has received from teachers and family. “I have received a tremendous amount of support from my family members and all my teachers in school and coaching institute,” he says, also expressing gratitude to Prem Ranjan, a professor at his coaching institute.

A passion for writing, arts, and social work

In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Adeetya Jain is a talented writer and an avid lover of the arts. He is a three-time winner of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition and is currently working on publishing his anthology of poems. “I certainly had a knack for writing. I always appreciated unabridged literature and have been an avid reader - a trait my mother instilled in me,” he says.

Adeetya’s love for writing extends to his work at Ecobyte Kids, where he contributes to the content creation efforts. He also enjoys drama, debate, collecting stamps and coins and participating in occasional plays in Mumbai. “Apart from this I love debate and MUNs and have been part of the Indian National Camp for debate.”

Adeetya is also part of SpecsAid, a student-run vision-correction initiative that has collected, refurbished, and distributed over 5,000 spectacles for those in need. This initiative has been featured in print and radio.

What’s next for Ecobyte Kids?

Looking ahead, Adeetya Jain and his team have ambitious plans for Ecobyte Kids. “We are hoping to launch our print media vertical soon,” he shares, informing that the team is trying to bring on board a group of undergraduate students with backgrounds in economics and finance, currently attending leading universities, to provide advice on relevant content development.”

For him Ecobyte Kids is more than just a venture - it’s a movement to educate and empower the next generation to become financially literate. Talking about his career goals he says, “I certainly wish to continue as an entrepreneur. I have always been attached to tech and finance and would most probably continue developing and executing ideas in that field.”

How is financial literacy important for youngsters?

Better Money Management: Learn to budget, save, and spend wisely.
Smart Decision-Making: Make informed financial choices.
Understand Current Affairs: Stay updated on financial news and trends.
Student Loan Awareness: Understand how loans work, including interest rates and repayment options.
Understand Debt: Manage credit cards responsibly.
Early Investing: Start building wealth through savings and investments.
Financial Independence: Gain the skills to manage personal finances independently.

Follow Adeetya Jain on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Apsara Iyer: The first Indian-origin female president of Harvard Law Review

(March 22, 2023) In 1990, when former US President Barack Obama was in his second year at Harvard Law School, he created history by becoming the first black president of the Harvard Law Review – a monthly journal comprising 2500 pages per volume published every month from November to June. This year, history has been made once more by Apsara Iyer, who became the first Indian-origin female to be elected the president of the prestigious journal in its 137-year history. The second year student succeeded Priscila Coronado and has begun her full-time volunteer position as editor-in-chief, supervising the law review’s team of nearly 80 editors. “Since joining the Law Review, I have been inspired by her (Priscila Coronado’s) skilful management, compassion, and capacity to build vibrant, inclusive communities. I am so grateful that we ‘Volume 137’ inherit her legacy, and I am honoured to continue building on this important work over the next year,” said Apsara after being elected. [embed]https://twitter.com/Harvard_Law/status/1622264234221486080?s=20[/embed] Overseeing a rich legacy Launched in 1887, by former Supreme Court judge Justice Louis D. Brandeis, the Harvard Law Review is an entirely student-edited journal. It is the world’s most impactful student law journal, among the 143 published around

) skilful management, compassion, and capacity to build vibrant, inclusive communities. I am so grateful that we ‘Volume 137’ inherit her legacy, and I am honoured to continue building on this important work over the next year,” said Apsara after being elected.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Harvard_Law/status/1622264234221486080?s=20[/embed]

Overseeing a rich legacy

Launched in 1887, by former Supreme Court judge Justice Louis D. Brandeis, the Harvard Law Review is an entirely student-edited journal. It is the world’s most impactful student law journal, among the 143 published around the world.

According to the Review’s website, “the journal is designed to be an effective research tool for practicing lawyers and students of law.” Apart from student contributions, the review features write-ups from professors, judges, and solicits who contribute articles, analysis of leading cases, comments on recent decisions by courts and developments in the field of law. The students on the team follow a rigorous editorial process to produce the hefty annual volume.

Apsara’s academic journey

The Indian-American law student graduated from the Yale University in 2016 with a B.A. in math, economics, and Spanish. She went on to do an MPhil in Economics at the University of Oxford as a Clarendon Scholar.

She enrolled in Harvard Law School in 2020 and became a part of the editorial team of the Harvard Law Review.

“Apsara has changed the lives of many editors for the better, and I know she will continue to do so, “said Priscila, Apsara’s predecessor. “From the start, she has impressed her fellow editors with her remarkable intelligence, thoughtfulness, warmth, and fierce advocacy. The Law Review is extremely lucky to have her lead this institution,” she added.

[caption id="attachment_28636" align="aligncenter" width="515"] Apsara Iyer[/caption]

The Global Indian is associated with the International Human Rights Clinic of Harvard and is a member of the South Asian Law Students Association.

The art crime investigator

A deep interest in indigenous communities and archaeology led Apsara to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU), after she completed her MPhil.

At ATU, she became deeply engaged in investigating art crime and repatriation, coordinating with international and federal law-enforcement authorities to repatriate more than 1,100 stolen works of art to 15 countries.

“Several of these objects were from India,” she said, in an interview with Mid-Day, “I was the lead analyst on many investigations concerning trafficking networks operating in India and Southeast Asia,” she revealed.

[caption id="attachment_28637" align="aligncenter" width="886"] Apsara Iyer with ATU team[/caption]

Among her first cases at the District Attorney’s office was one involving a Nataraja idol, stolen from the Punnainallur Mariamman temple in Thanjavur. “Over the next three years, I worked tirelessly with the lead prosecutor to uncover new evidences, witnesses, and investigative leads. Our work single-handedly resulted in the return of the Nataraja to the Government of India,” she explained. “In such cases, I have seen first-hand how the communities had maintained hope and prayed for years for the relics to be returned,” she added.

The Indian-origin law student’s favourite memories from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit are of organising repatriation ceremonies to return stolen objects to their lawful owners.

At the intersection of archaeology and law

Apsara’s interest in history and antiquities was first kindled in high school, when she worked on an archaeological excavation site in Peru. When she joined Yale, her research was focused on the value of cultural heritage.

“During one of my field research projects in India, I had the opportunity to visit a site that had been looted. I distinctly remember that while I was at the site, someone asked me, ‘What are you going to do about this?’ she recounted in the Mid-Day interview. “This wake-up call led me to work in law to address the issue of antiquities trafficking,” she revealed.

[caption id="attachment_28639" align="aligncenter" width="754"] Apsara Iyer with ATU team[/caption]

Apsara’s commitment towards fighting illicit antiquities trafficking has been so strong, that she even took a leave of absence from Harvard Law School in 2021-22 to return to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, where she worked on an international antiquity trafficking investigation case as the deputy of the ATU.

In the future, Apsara aims to work at the intersection of law and archaeology. “I would love to continue working in this space (archaeology), probably in a prosecutorial role, possibly in an international court,” she had said, in an interview published in Harvard Law Today, a news portal of Harvard Law School.

Born to Tamil parents who moved to USA before her birth, Apsara grew up in Indiana. Apart from being exemplary in studies she is good at art and is a trained boxer.

Follow Apsara Iyer on Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Vish: UK’s first Bollywood busker brings patriotic music to London streets on Independence Day

(August 15, 2024) “In the midst of all these riots in London, we still managed to get Indians and Pakistanis to sing together for the 78th Independence Day,” the UK-based singer Vish shared with his fans, posting a video of people grooving to the tunes of Maa Tujhe Salaam. In another video that he shared, the Bollywood busker mentioned, “When Indians and Pakistanis sing together in London, 'Jai Ho'. Let’s share this video to spread love and unity. We need each other in these hard times.” Anti-immigration protests and far-right riots have been occurring in England and Northern Ireland since 30 July 2024. Despite these challenges, as the countdown to the Independence Day of India and Pakistan began, Vish managed to bring smiles to the faces of the diaspora. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vish (@vish.music) Last year, around this time too, his video of patriotic songs on the streets of the United Kingdom in honour of the 77th Indian Independence Day had captured the attention of social media users worldwide. The mesmerising performance was widely shared and praised, earning the artist immense love, admiration, and popularity. Melody on streets and stage Popular for

0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-ktLgkNVDS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vish (@vish.music)

Last year, around this time too, his video of patriotic songs on the streets of the United Kingdom in honour of the 77th Indian Independence Day had captured the attention of social media users worldwide. The mesmerising performance was widely shared and praised, earning the artist immense love, admiration, and popularity.

Melody on streets and stage

Popular for his engaging performances, the UK-based singer has earned appreciation from artists like rapper Badshah, playback singers Ash King and Diljit Dosanjh, and anchor/actor Maniesh Paul, who have sung alongside him during his street performances in the UK.

Vish's social media following boasts of his widespread appeal, with over 523,000 followers on Instagram and 351,000 followers on YouTube.

Apart from busking, the singer has also performed at the opening of Vishal & Shekhar concert at Wembley Arena in London and has appeared at Javed Ali's show at Indigo at The O2.

The busker whose street performances have taken him all over the UK wishes to make a mark in Bollywood as a playback singer someday. "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop," believes the Arijit Singh fan.

[caption id="attachment_38829" align="aligncenter" width="458"] Vish with Aamir Khan who was part of the audience at one of his shows[/caption]

Punjabi boy in the UK

Vishal Mattu hails from Punjab and took up singing on the streets (busking), a common practice in the United Kingdom, after being encouraged by his girlfriend. From singing along to English songs by popular artists like Justin Bieber and Drake, back home in India to busking with Bollywood classics and chart-toppers in the UK, Vish has come a long way with his guitar and stereo.

“I always wanted to be an English language singer,” he shared, naming Harry Styles among his many inspirations.

It was only after gaining appreciation for his Bollywood songs that he developed a passion for them. “I have become more interested in Bollywood beats after I began busking in the UK. I used to sing English songs, and people began coming up to me on the streets requesting Bollywood music. I did sing a few and got excellent feedback thereafter,” he shared talking about his journey.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vish (@vish.music)

UK's first Bollywood busker

Since 2022, Vish has been gaining recognition and has branded himself as the UK’s first Bollywood busker. He cherishes the precious moments of passers-by singing and dancing along to his melodies, often playing late-night, kicking off at 11 pm and going on until 3 am over the weekends.

Even though the English people don’t understand the wordings of Hindi songs, they still enjoy the melodies, and a lot of them recognise songs from Shah Rukh Khan movies, he shared. Their spontaneous gestures are something that the singer cherishes the most.

However not all performing endeavours end on happy notes. Like other street performers, he has had some nasty encounters too. “Well, there will always be those who dislike you and can be harsh, but you must remain strong. You must understand how to handle the circumstances without engaging in conflict. I have had a lot of unpleasant situations in these two years, but I never got into a fight.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28cxg7_GkO8

The 28-year-old has also released a music video titled ‘Wait’ in which he has sung a Punjabi song composed and written by himself. Another of his music videos is set to be released soon. While his wait for playback opportunities in Bollywood continues, the singer is hopeful of creating a mark someday with his creative ideas, love songs and club music in India’s film industry.

Follow Vish Music an Instagram and YouTube
Discover More Inspiring Stories

Reading Time: 5 mins