Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveCheers! Bartender Aashie Bhatnagar bags People’s Choice Award at World Class 2023

Cheers! Bartender Aashie Bhatnagar bags People’s Choice Award at World Class 2023

Written by: Amrita Priya

(October 18, 2023) After an intense, two-day competition, with 12 top bartenders around the world mixing and stirring their way to the top prize, it was a big moment for the Indian bartending community when Aashie Bhatnagar was named the winner of the prestigious People’s Choice Award in World Class. One of the world’s premier bartending competitions, World Class 2023 took place in Sao Paulo in September this year, where Aashie represented India. On Day 1 of the competition, Aashie emerged as the crowd favourite from among an elite group of 50 bartenders, earning her spot in the top 12, as the only female finalist, before going on to win the coveted People’s Choice Award.

Aashie Bhatnagar

Aashie expressed her gratitude to the Indian bartending community for their support through her journey, beginning from the moment she won the Indian finals, all the way to representing the country at Sao Paulo, Brazil. “I have been overwhelmed with messages and shoutouts, offers for help and so on. Knowing they were watching from back home, and that I could make them proud, was a driving force for me. I am very grateful for the love I received and I am really very happy I could do this for you all.”

Getting inspired

It was coming across images of Jeet Rana, who had represented India at Miami in a previous World Class edition, that had ignited the fire in Aashie to fetch a laurel like him.

“It ignited a dream within me—a dream that would shape my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined,” shared the bartender who spent countless hours honing her craft at her work station, fixing errors, and pushing herself to become better in her craft. In all this endeavour she garnered immense support of team members of Cobbler & Crew – her workplace in Pune, and Mayur Marne, her colleague who has been her consistent and greatest supporter.

Aashie Bhatnagar with Mayur Marne

Fruit of persistence

Winning World Class India had been Aashie’s dream for four years. She fought hard and hustled right from the first day she stepped behind the bars to achieve this dream of hers.

Her journey with World Class started in 2021, when she competed with several talented bartenders from across India to represent the country on the global platform. Although she made it to the finals of the India competition, she eventually returned home with a dream still unfulfilled. Determined not to let this setback mark the end of her aspirations, she carried on training to win her fraternity’s most coveted trophy.

This year, after competing in several rounds of challenges that tested her mixology skills, creativity, and knowledge, she was able to emerge India’s representative to World Class, winning the title of World Class India Bartender of the Year 2023. She took a significant stride forward by bagging the People’s Choice award at the global platform, proving that persistence pays.

While announcing Aashie’s achievements, her employer Cobbler & Crew shared on social media, “When Aashie joined our team, unlike other bartenders, her life goal wasn’t to open her own bar – She wanted to represent India at World Class and last night her dream became a reality.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vikram KU (@drinkswithvikram.ku)

The 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year title was claimed by Jacob Martin from Canada.

Journey of representing India

Being chosen as India’s representative in the global competition was no small accomplishment. Following months of preparation, Aashie and 14 other bartenders endured a weekend of stiff competition.

The event was judged by a panel from around the world, including Manu Chandra, Ashish Kapur, Jenna Ba, Millie Tang and Yangdup Lama, with Aashie emerging as the World Class India Bartender of the Year 2023. “As I stand behind the bar, shaker in hand, I find myself in a world of flavours and stories. Each cocktail I craft is an expression of my soul, a piece of art meant to be savoured and enjoyed,” said the ace bartender, who is one of the stars at Pune’s Cobbler & Crew.

From Uttarakhand to the craft of mixology

Cobbler & Crew holds a special place in Aashie’s heart, as she cherishes her role as an innovation artist – the title of the position highlights the vital significance her workplace adds to the bartender’s craft.

Aashie Bhatnagar

Aashie’s career began as a guest service associate at the Oberoi Gurgaon’s bar. After that, she served as a bartender at the Kimon Club and The Ritz-Carlton in Pune. The Dehradun-girl graduated from the Kukreja Institute of Hotel Management Dehradun, and the Bar Academy of Doon.

2023 has been a year of awards for her as she also won the ‘Mixologist of the Year’ title at Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2023.

Follow Aashie Bhatnagar on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

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Published on 18, Oct 2023

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Jagriti Agrawal: Leading the way for AI in education

(April 17, 2024) Jagriti Agrawal, the co-founder of Kira Learning, is a woman with a mission. Her aim is to bring Computer Science and AI education to middle school and high school students, to empower teachers to teach, and students to learn, through a specially developed curriculum and AI-enabled tools. Now based in Palo Alto, the Forbes 30 Under 30 worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she helped build autonomous planning systems for NASA's Perseverence rover. However, the journey to the top wasn't a smooth one, and Jagriti began her career feeling like an outsider who was far beyond her peers... A rocky start When she first arrived at university, Jagriti had never studied Computer Science before, and signed up for an 'intro' class, designed for people like herself. However, the class was extremely difficult and she and her friends struggled with it. "It affected our self-worth for years after, because the way you're taught and your education can affect how you see yourself. That experience made me think of how education can affect self-esteem," said Jagriti. [caption id="attachment_37236" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Jagriti Agrawal[/caption] Although the seed had been planted, Jagriti Agrawal graduated from Cal Tech and joined NASA's Jet

ntent/uploads/2024/04/jagriti-2-1024x971.png" alt="Jagriti Agrawal | Kira Learning | Global Indian" width="532" height="504" /> Jagriti Agrawal[/caption]

Although the seed had been planted, Jagriti Agrawal graduated from Cal Tech and joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs, where she was part of a 30-odd member team building the Autonomous Planning Systems for the Perseverance Rover. JPL also had a fairly extensive education programme and Jagriti began teaching through this. "I had also tutored kids, especially those living in women's shelters," she says.

Pivot into education

This kindled a new passion in her and Jagriti decided to risk it all. She quit her job at NASA and went to Stanford Business School. "It was a huge pivot for me, but my experiences teaching had showed me the impact of education and that the way someone is taught can impact their self esteem. That was motivating to me," Jagriti recalls. "After three year sof working at JPL I wanted to see if I could turn this passion into a career. And I knew that Stanford had some good education classes."

She went to Stanford, she says, with an open mind, knowing the university offered good education classes. A startup still wasn't on her mind, she didn't even know anyone who worked in one. "I went with the attitude that I want to learn and work in education and help people. THat was my high level thing." At university, though, she began talking more to people at startups and learned more about them.

And it so happened that she received an email from Andrea Pasinetti, a Stanford alumni who wanted to collaborate with students for his startup. Jagriti joined him as an intern over the summer, and found in Andrea Pasinetti a strong and supportive mentor. "It's really important to surround yourself with the right mentors," she says. "He made me believe I could do it and be a co-founder, much more than I did."

Kira Learning

The AI education company recently completed its Series A funding, and raised $15 million. Their aim is empower students and teachers at the middle and high school levels in AI and CS education, through a specially designed curriculum, and a host of AI tools. "We work with professors from Stanford and Berklee who have experience in the teaching these subjects," Jagriti explains. "It's not easy to build a curriculum that's exciting and motivating."

That is the core aim of Kira Learning however - to empower and to motivate. The curriculum includes video instructions, exercises, activities and projects to facilitate learning and to also help teachers, many of whom are teaching these subjects for the first time. Jagriti's responsibilities involve leading the development of content and curriculum, improving the autograding capabilities and using AI as a teaching tool. "We are developing an AI tutor companion which will guide students when they get stuck on a problem. Our challenge is to make sure that the AI doesn't produce the wrong answer, or even produce the answer in full. We want the students to not be stuck but we also want them to learn." A beta version is nearly ready for release.

Scaling up

Their biggest partnership is with the state of Tennessee, and their course has also been used by the state of Ohio. Kira Learning hopes to work at the government level and to introduce their curriculum to schools at a large scale. "We're also speaking to New York and California," Jagriti adds. That apart, the company is also setting up a presence in Asia, as well as East and West Africa.

Purpose and legacy

Driven by her purpose to empower, Jagriti says, "I hope I can be someone who helps other people believe in themselves a little more." Education, she says, has a big role to play in that. "We want to create a curriculum that makes people feel they can be who they want and do what they want. And hopefully, they will also be empathetic and kind," she smiles.

Follow Jagriti Agrawal on LinkedIn
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Pallavi Sharda: On a trans-continental voyage of cinema and culture

(November 1, 2023) “India is a theatre of culture,” remarked Pallavi Sharda, who defied the odds to become the first Australian actress with Indian roots to successfully make her mark in Bollywood. The actress, who calls herself a ‘Roving Gypsy’ travels between Mumbai, Australia, the United States and the UK carving an impressive portfolio of Bollywood and Hollywood projects. The Indo-Australian actress is considered the first leading Indian-origin actress to make her mark on both the large and small screens in Australia. An alumna of the University of Melbourne, the actress had won the title of Miss India Australia as soon she was out of school. In 2015, she was named the ‘Queen of Moomba’ alongside late Australian cricketer Shane Warne during Melbourne's largest community festival, Moomba being organised in the city since 1954. [caption id="attachment_33825" align="aligncenter" width="746"] Pallavi Sharda[/caption] In 2019, Pallavi was named on the list of the forty most influential Asian Australians at the inaugural Asian-Australian Leadership Summit. Two years later in 2021, she received the prestigious Global Arts Award from Advance - the leading global network of Australians living overseas. “For me it has always felt a bit like I’m negotiating this ongoing tension between my Indian heart and my

Two years later in 2021, she received the prestigious Global Arts Award from Advance - the leading global network of Australians living overseas. “For me it has always felt a bit like I’m negotiating this ongoing tension between my Indian heart and my Australian brain. My struggle will always be finding the sweet spot, or that place where the two are in harmony,” she had remarked.

In the actor’s shoes

“Studying in Melbourne at a school with a strong performing arts focus. I always knew I wanted to be an actress and a dancer. So I harboured this secret dream for most of my childhood and young adult life,” she said in an interview.

With dedication, the actress went on to become one of the first South Asian women to establish a career across four continents and was lucky enough to make a film appearances in the Oscar-nominated Lion in 2016.

Her introduction to the world of Australian television came with her role in the ABC drama series ‘Pulse’, for which she received the prestigious Rising Star Award from the Casting Guild of Australia. Subsequently, she was signed for prominent roles in various projects, including the British period drama ‘Beecham House’, directed by Gurinder Chadha, the ABC Australia series ‘Les Norton’ alongside David Wenham and Rebel Wilson, the Warner Bros film ‘Tom and Jerry’, and the Netflix drama series ‘The One’, The 2022 American romantic comedy film ‘Wedding Season’ directed by Tom Dey has been one of her recent projects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oJN543mDv8

Pallavi’s parents discovered her love for dancing when she was very young and enrolled her into Indian classical dance classes when she was barely three. Today she is adept in Bharatanatyam and contemporary Indian dance apart from other dance forms.

“My dad used to love Bollywood movies and music, and our home life was filled with the sounds of Bollywood and classical Indian folk music. A lot of people don't realise that there's so much Indian music and dance that’s not Bollywood. I had this pan-Indian performing arts induction in the house. It was magnetic for me,” she said.

Growing up in an environment where her grandmother was a Hindi professor, her Hindi became good despite being born and brought up in Australia. The passion for various dance forms and ability to communicate in Hind led her to pursue acting opportunities in India. Although it took some time, she eventually secured substantial roles.

Pallavi’s parents are IIT alumni with PhDs in science and engineering. They had migrated to Australia in the 1980s before Pallavi was born. The actresses’ early years were spent in Melbourne’s suburbs. She did her schooling from Lowther Hall in Essendon, and started pursuing her LLB and BA (Media & Communications) along with a Diploma in Modern Languages (French) at the University of Melbourne when she was just 16 years old, and graduated with an honours.

Breaking into Bollywood

She commenced her acting career in Bollywood with a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's ‘My Name Is Khan’. Her subsequent role was in the comedy-drama film, ‘Dus Tola’, alongside the acclaimed actor Manoj Vajpayee.

One of her major Bollywood films has been Besharam in which she starred opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Talking about the film she mentioned “This film had the biggest release in the country with over 4,000 screens, the cast flew around the world, and I performed in Times Square in New York to promote it.” Pallavi has also acted in ‘Hawaizaada’ and ‘Begum Jaan’.

[caption id="attachment_33826" align="aligncenter" width="763"] Pallavi Sharda with Ranbir Kapoor in the Hindi film, Besharam[/caption]

Giving back

Pallavi passionately champions the cause of India-Australia relations and the reinforcement of intercultural ties between the two nations. The Global Indian is a frequent speaker on a range of topics including Asia’s literacy, fostering multicultural understanding, women's rights, and promoting genuine representation in the arts.

She has emerged as a versatile leader in the discussions surrounding Australian Arts and Culture and has curated events like Melbourne's White Night In 2019. Pallavi has been serving on the advisory board of E-Kutir, a socially oriented enterprise based in Odisha. The actress is a dedicated advocate for sustainable development, and lays emphasis on advocating for the elimination of fast fashion.

She has also taken on the role of an ambassador for 'OZ FEST,' Australia's largest cultural festival in India.

[caption id="attachment_33827" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Pallavi Sharda[/caption]

Bringing change through Bodhini Studios

The performing artist established Bodhini Studios as a response to her personal journey of realizing her childhood dream of acting on screen while facing the unique challenges of being an Indian-origin Australian.

It’s like a coalition of individuals from around the world who share common goals, uniting to reveal the often-overlooked and underrepresented narratives and viewpoints woven into everyday tales of people. The initiative works as a dynamic and thought-provoking platform for storytelling, dismantling barriers and amplifying the voices and presence of the intricacies found in diverse identities.

“The studio tries to rejuvenate stories that were once pushed to the fringes or reduced to stereotypes. It’s like a sanctuary for artists, providing a space to bring stories, identities, and emotions that have often been considered 'othered' into the mainstream,” the studio’s website mentions. “The primary aim is to foster intercultural understanding and empathy while celebrating our shared humanity.”

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Meet Sneha Revanur, the Gen Z activist championing AI governance

(September 16, 2023) In an ever-evolving world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, a glaring gap in governance looms large. Despite the awe-inspiring strides of AI and its integration into our daily lives, governments worldwide have yet to craft the essential regulations and laws needed to both unlock AI's immense potential and guard against its unforeseen risks. There, however, is one young Indian American activist who is taking these issues head-on - Sneha Revanur. The 18-year-old student of Williams College in Massachusetts, is the founder and President of Encode Justice, the world’s first and largest youth activist group in AI. And just about a few days back, the young activist was recognised on the ‘Time AI 100,’ the magazine’s maiden list of people who work with this emerging technology and “make critical decisions on when and how to best use it." "I am working towards safeguarding human rights, you know, democracy and equity in the age of artificial intelligence," the Global Indian recently said in an interview, adding, "Encode Justice emerged from that ballot campaign with a focus on the use of AI algorithms in surveillance and the criminal justice system. It currently boasts a membership of 600 high school and

://www.globalindian.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian recently said in an interview, adding, "Encode Justice emerged from that ballot campaign with a focus on the use of AI algorithms in surveillance and the criminal justice system. It currently boasts a membership of 600 high school and college students across 30 countries."

Diving in the world of AI

Originally from San Jose in Silicon Valley, the young activist started getting involved in tech advocacy when she was just 15. In 2020, she volunteered for a campaign that stopped a law in California that wanted to replace cash bail with a computer system. She got interested in it when she read an article in The New York Times about a clever AI chatbot. Lately, people have been worried that generative AI might trick and control people, and they're also concerned about a more advanced type of AI called "artificial general intelligence."

Speaking about her involvement in the campaign in California, the activist shared, "I came across an investigation into an algorithm called COMPAS, which is a risk assessment tool used to evaluate whether a defendant is at risk of committing further crimes or recidivating in the period between their arrest and sentencing. That really was my first encounter with this realm of algorithmic injustice and the existence of AI bias. What I found out through that investigation was that the algorithm was actually twice as likely to rate Black defendants as high risk even when they weren't going to commit any future crimes. We oftentimes perceive technology as perfectly scientific, objective, and neutral, but in reality, it's actually amplifying and encoding the existing systems of oppression. That really shocked me. Later, when I found out that there was a ballot measure in my home state of California in the US that would have expanded the use of the same sort of algorithms, I knew I had to do something."

[caption id="attachment_33104" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Sneha is a student of Williams College in Massachusetts[/caption]

The activist adds, "I was outraged to see that there was almost no youth involvement in fighting the measure and there was no organised pushback to it. So, I decided to jump onto the scene and we formed Encode Justice and our first initiative was focussed on fighting that ballot measure, California Proposition 25. After dedicated organising and advocating we were able to eventually defeat the measure by a 13 percent margin. That was a pretty energising victory for all of us."

Leading the way

In her inaugural year as a college freshman, Sneha couldn't help but observe the swift integration of the term "ChatGPT" into the daily vocabulary of our world. It struck her as a compelling development, one that bore witness to the remarkable adaptability of Generation Z in embracing generative AI tools. For the activist, this newfound omnipresence of AI in her generation's lives seemed to beckon an essential question: if they were at the forefront of its utilisation, should they not also play a pivotal role in shaping its regulatory landscape?

[caption id="attachment_33105" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Sneha speaking at a conference held at the White House[/caption]

"Our generation possesses probably the highest rates of digital literacy, we have been exposed to technology all of our lives; it's always been at our fingertips. And I think that it gives us a unique understanding of human-computer interaction, our relationship with technology, and also how it shapes our worldview. And that's why I think it is important for young people across the world to talk about this new technology and its long-term impact on society at large," the activist shared.

In 2022, the activist took a leading role in orchestrating an open letter, urging congressional leaders and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to integrate the perspectives of the younger generation into AI oversight and advisory boards. Her advocacy didn't go unnoticed; shortly thereafter, she received an invitation to participate in a high-level roundtable conversation on artificial intelligence, graciously hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris. “For the first time, young people were being treated as the critical stakeholders that we are when it comes to regulating AI and really understanding its impacts on society,” she told Time, "We are the next generation of users, consumers, advocates, and developers, and we deserve a seat at the table.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnfumRZL0Go

Talking about her future plans, the activist mentioned, "I am planning to continue to expand our current initiative to ban facial recognition. I also hope to continue to expand internationally and to elevate diverse perspectives, especially perspectives from the Global South, on AI development. I wish to reach out to more and more young people - especially through Encode Justice's workshop programmes."

Follow Sneha Revanur on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram

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Saurabh Netravalkar: The software engineer who bowls over the U.S. cricketing world

(September 9, 2023) We seldom come across a successful professional cricketer who has an equally successful career outside the realm of sports. A principal member of technical staff at Oracle, Saurabh Netravalkar is one such rare cricketer. The India-born is an ace sportstar who has has even captained the USA national team, representing the United States in international cricket. He juggles his corporate role and also plays for the Washington Freedom, an American professional Twenty20 cricket team that competes in the Major League Cricket (MLC). It’s not easy to excel in two very demanding jobs. Saurabh works odd hours on tours and even on his team bus to meet his corporate responsibilities. A left-arm medium-fast bowler, Saurabh recently won the ‘Player of the Match’ award in an MLC match with San Francisco Unicorns emerging as the standout performer. [caption id="attachment_32972" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Saurabh Netravalkar[/caption] Not new to outstanding performances, Saurabh has been India's highest wicket taker in the 2010 Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand, and was the man of the series in the tri-nations U-19 tournament in South Africa. The Mumbai-born was also named the best junior cricketer in India in 2009/10. When his cricketing career was just taking

dian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SN.jpg" alt="Indian Crickter | Saurabh Netravalkar | Global Indian" width="574" height="643" /> Saurabh Netravalkar[/caption]

Not new to outstanding performances, Saurabh has been India's highest wicket taker in the 2010 Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand, and was the man of the series in the tri-nations U-19 tournament in South Africa. The Mumbai-born was also named the best junior cricketer in India in 2009/10.

When his cricketing career was just taking off in India, he had moved to the US to pursue his higher studies.

Choosing academics over sports

When someone possesses a brilliant academic record in computer science engineering from one of the nation’s premier institutions, lucrative and stable employment opportunities abroad provide a constant allure. This led Saurabh, an alumnus of the Sardar Patel Institute of Technology in Mumbai to pursue his masters abroad, that too at an Ivy League school, and subsequently bag a lucrative job at Oracle.

However, the cricketer in him was not able to stay away from the sport for long. With his dedication, coupled with luck, he has become a prominent cricketer in the United States in a short span of time. Saurabh has been efficiently giving action-packed performances with his ability to effortlessly swing the ball in both directions.

[caption id="attachment_32967" align="aligncenter" width="518"] Saurabh Netravalkar in action[/caption]

The hard decision

He was 23 when he had to take the crucial decision regarding his career path. The Mumbai boy, who had already proven his mettle as a skilled left-arm pacer, ultimately opted to prioritise further education in the United States, relinquishing his aspirations of a cricketing career in India. This decision came two years after his inaugural match in the Mumbai Ranji Trophy back in 2013, where he played against Karnataka, a match that also featured his former India Under-19 teammate, KL Rahul.

“It was a very emotional decision for me to leave cricket behind and come to the US to pursue higher education,” the Mumbai-born cricketer said in an interview.

Unforgettable experiences

For Saurabh, his experiences in his short but successful cricketing career in India are significant. Those experiences have helped him to charter a fresh path in the world of U.S. cricket.

[caption id="attachment_32980" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Saurabh Netravalkar with Cricket Stalwarts in 2013-14[/caption]

He cherishes participating in the BCCI Corporate Trophy as a member of the Air India team under the leadership of the renowned Indian cricketer of that era, Yuvraj Singh. Other present-day Indian cricket stars like Suresh Raina were also part of the tournament. “My performance in that competition was commendable, and it played a pivotal role in my selection for the India Under-19 squad,” he shared. He had made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy.

While K.L. Rahul, along with fellow participants of the 2010 U-19 World Cup such as Mayank Agarwal and Jaydev Unadkat, embarked on their journey towards representing the senior Indian cricket team and securing IPL contracts, Saurabh went on to pursue a master's degree in computer science at Cornell University.

Once a sportsman, always a sportsman

After completing his masters and entering the corporate world, the software engineer has been able to find a foothold in the United States team, and play with some of the current top players. “It was always a dream to play against top international players and test my abilities. I am really grateful to get that chance finally," said the Global Indian who loves singing to the tunes of his guitar.

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A post shared by Saurabh Netravalkar (@saurabh_netra)

Saurabh has been balancing his passion and full-time job successfully. “I am a software engineer, so I have to mostly code. The timings are flexible, which is a good thing about this profession. So, I can work at my own time,” he remarked. “My goal in cricket and life is to keep on scaling up and to be consistent,” he added.

In Saurabh Netravalkar, cricket enthusiasts and the diaspora find a remarkable example of someone representing India's beloved sport on an international stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5MOiJVBwaE&t=13s

Follow Saurabh Netravalkar on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

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Indian talent Aria rides the Hallyu wave as second K-Pop star

(September 20, 2024) The Hallyu Wave, a cultural movement from South Korea, has captured the world's attention with its catchy music, impressive dance moves, and powerful storytelling. This wave, led by the global popularity of K-Pop, has made a strong impact in India. From the busy streets of Mumbai to the peaceful areas of Kerala, Indians have embraced K-Pop with great enthusiasm, turning it into a cultural craze. The energetic performances of K-Pop groups, blending music, dance, and fashion, have connected with Indian youth, creating a passion that crosses borders. In the growing K-Pop craze in India, Gauthami, known by her stage name Aria, has become a shining example of determination and dreams. Coming from Kerala, Aria is the second Indian to join a K-Pop group, following Sriya Lenka’s groundbreaking success. Her story reflects the hopes of many Indian fans who have passionately followed K-Pop and dreamed of being part of its exciting world. It was in April 2023 that Aria made a stunning debut with the girl group X:in that released its first album Keeping the Fire. Getting attention for her nationality, she said, "I thought people from India would be giving me all the attention but it turned

l the attention but it turned out that people from all over the world are showering with me love and support. I was surprised but at the same time feel grateful."

[caption id="attachment_39352" align="aligncenter" width="610"] Aria[/caption]

Born in 2003, Gauthami was always interested in the performing arts. It was this love that led her to the big screen. As an eight-year-old, she appeared in the 2011 Malayalam court drama Melvilasom, where she played the role of an adopted daughter of a Dalit soldier who is accused of killing another soldier on duty. While she was in awe of her first tryst with the cinematic world, growing up, like many Indian teenagers, she too fell in love with K-Pop. It was BTS that prompted her to pursue her journey in K-Pop. "Their songs are very meaningful and there is this one song Tomorrow that resonated with me. That song inspires you to do what you want to do," the Global Indian said in an interview.

Keen to try her luck in K-Pop, she applied for online auditions. For a two-minute clip (vocals plus dance), she prepared for two months because she wanted to give her all. Explaining the process, she reveals that one can find the links to the auditions on the Instagram page of the K-pop companies. She emphasises the need to focus on the quality of the audio and video while submitting online auditions. Being a professionally untrained singer, it was pure love for music that kept her listening to music and singing more of it.

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A post shared by X:IN 엑신 (@x.in_official)

Upon her selection, she flew down to Seoul in October 2022 to train for six months. "I was terrified as I was now part of an entirely new world. Also, I was given my debut song on the very first day of the training, so we jumped right into practicing our debut song," she said. It was during one such practice session that her producer realised that she was good at rapping, and that's how she moved from being a vocalist to a rapper in the band.

Moving from the known comfort of her culture and home to Korea was a little overwhelming for this K-Pop star initially. But over some time, she started enjoying the Korean lifestyle and culture. "At many times, I found things harder to be than I thought but never did I think of returning to India as I had come so far for nothing." Interestingly, she became the first Indian to have hit the Korean live stage, which is nothing short of historic. "It was my dream and I am so grateful that I could realise it."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxunv8l446U

The 21-year-old, who has begun her K-Pop journey with X:in, wants her girl band to enter the Billboard Charts in the near future. But as an individual artiste, she wants to do a lot of music and also try acting. "I'm open to offers from K-dramas and Bollywood."

Aria's achievement not only marks a new chapter in the story of the Hallyu Wave in India but also represents cross-cultural unity, where music and rhythms go beyond language barriers, bringing fans together in joyful celebration and admiration.

Follow X:in on Instagram

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