Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveEarthshot Prize 2021 finalist Vinisha Umashankar ‘irons’ out a plan to save the Earth

Earthshot Prize 2021 finalist Vinisha Umashankar ‘irons’ out a plan to save the Earth

Written by: Charu Thakur

(January 12, 2022) “We have every reason to be angry. But I have no time for anger. I want to act. I am not just a girl from India. I am a girl from Earth and I am proud to be so,” smiled the pint-sized bespectacled Vinisha Umashankar at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. The student innovator, environmentalist, entrepreneur and optimist had Prince William, and other world leaders in awe. Suddenly, a toothy 15-year-old Indian environmentalist was in the reckoning.

However, this native of Tamil Nadu is not ready to rest on her laurels, and demands action. “All of us should understand that environmental issues are real and can’t be fixed later. Most importantly, they are not someone else’s problem. We all must work together to understand environmental problems and solve them before it is too late. Today’s actions matter tomorrow,” says Vinisha, who is one of the eight baton-bearers to carry the Commonwealth Games 2022 torch in India from January 12 to 15, 2022.

Being the youngest and the only school student to earn a spot among the finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2021, the TEDx speaker was invited by Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, to speak at the World Leaders’ Summit at the COP26 in November 2021. Such was the impact of her five-minute speech that global leaders like US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Bill Gates, and PM Narendra Modi gave her a standing ovation. Vinisha’s plea has since gone viral with over 30 million views.

Enriched to be in the company of the minds whose innovations and solutions are making an impact on Earth, she was apt and self-assured. “COP26 was quite critical because we have to plan actions for the next 10 years, and execute them together for a better future. I am keen to take forward what I learnt to make the Earth better,” adds the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award winner (2019).

Thinking beyond fossil fuels

Her invention of a solar-powered ironing cart became the lodestar. She was just 12 when she started designing her innovation after the idea struck when accompanying her mother to deliver ironing clothes.

Indian Environmentalist | Vinisha Umashankar | Global Indian Youth

The Solar Ironing Cart

Seeing six ironing vendors in her neighbourhood, Vinisha saw how charcoal burning is a serious threat to the environment. “They use charcoal to heat an iron box, and usually throw the burnt charcoal away with the garbage. It made me think about the number of ironing carts in India, the amount of charcoal burnt every day, and the damage done to environment,” says the SKP Vanitha International School student, who found her “eureka” in solar power which effectively substitutes charcoal. “Using renewable solar energy is the aim of my innovation,” Vinisha says in an exclusive with Global Indian.

Cleaning the air, making us breathe

The innovation won her the Children’s Climate Prize in 2020, and helped her get a slot as a finalist at The Earthshot Prize in the Clean Our Air category in 2021. “I was happy that environmental innovations like a solar ironing cart got due recognition. It can play a crucial role in reducing environmental damage and climate change. I hope my innovation motivates students to innovate on products that could help protect the environment for future generations. I am happy that the solar ironing cart is my little contribution towards an ambitious goal,” says the confident young inventor.

Vinisha Umashankar won the Children’s Climate Prize 2020.

Vinisha’s invention is built on an integral-type chassis, the ironing cart, “can be fitted with a coin-operated GSM PCO, USB charging points, and provide mobile recharging services. The solar panel doubles as the roof of the ironing cart,” she adds.

The girl who reads too much

Born in 2007 in Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu), her business consultant father and school teacher mother realised how fascinated she was by science and maths as a child. They are the wind beneath her wings, and her biggest support system. “My parents bought me many books to read, and explore,” reveals the Class 10 student, who often accompanies her parents to museums, zoological parks, botanical gardens, palaces, and forts. Her love for Nature and environment stemmed from these visits, and to country farms and animal asylums.

As one of the eight baton bearers from India to carry the Commonwealth Games torch and a participant at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, she is also preparing for her boards. How she strikes a balance between the acclaim, endeavours and studies evokes a smile. Her time management skills, she explains, “I sort my scholastic and co-scholastic activities a day or week in advance. I prepare a to-do list, and finish it one by one. I schedule everything meticulously so that I don’t spend too much time on a single activity – all done a little at a time rather than in one long slot! However, I listen to music, go for a walk, exercise and relax in between activities.”

A tale of many talents

Despite her hectic schedule, Vinisha finds time to unwind curling up with a book, cycling or trying her hand at photography. A yoga and gymnastics enthusiast, she has a Grade 4 electronic keyboard certification from Trinity College London too.

Vinisha Umashankar with PM Narendra Modi at COP26

Having accomplished so much so young, she advises youngsters “to believe.” “If you think that you can move a mountain with your fingers, believe that you can. What other people think of you is irrelevant. No one is in charge of your future, but you. Gain knowledge around your passion and strengths. Develop a unique set of skills that work. It is better to try and fail than just dream about achieving great things! You learn a lot by doing things and even more by failing. Do not fear failure. That’s how great people have done it,” adds the teenager, who wants to become a research scientist or a theoretical physicist in the future.

Next on agenda for the Earth Day Network Rising Star 2021, is, “To manufacture the solar ironing cart. Also, over the years, I have given over 100 interviews, 40 innovation talks, and 40 motivation speeches to over 25,000 school and college students. I will continue to inspire young minds to create an environmentally-conscious society,” says the committed teen activist.

Follow Vinisha Umashankar on Linkedin and Twitter

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 12, Jan 2022

Share with

ALSO READ

Ashwath Kaushik: Singapore based rising chess star making history and inspiring minds

(March 22, 2024) After a challenging three-hour match last month at the Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open in Switzerland, Ashwath Kaushik, a third-grade student, was on cloud nine. At just eight years, six months, and 11 days old, he made history by becoming the youngest player on record to defeat a chess grandmaster in a classical tournament match. His opponent was the 37-year-old Polish Grandmaster Jacek Stopa. “I feel very proud of my game and how I played against the grandmaster. My expectation was to win and my goal was to beat the grandmaster and get the world record,” said the Indian-origin chess player, who represents Singapore in international tournaments. At the Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open in Switzerland, he finished 12th overall. 'It's a classical contest, and I am very happy with the results,' he shared after the win. Impressive milestones at young age Before facing Stopa, Ashwath had won his opening three games at Stadthaus-Open. The tension in the game had escalated from the early stages. In the 13th move, Stopa proposed a draw, but Ashwath chose to continue. As the game approached its conclusion, the young player capitalised on a mistake made by Stopa, ultimately securing the most significant triumph of his burgeoning

ung age

Before facing Stopa, Ashwath had won his opening three games at Stadthaus-Open. The tension in the game had escalated from the early stages. In the 13th move, Stopa proposed a draw, but Ashwath chose to continue. As the game approached its conclusion, the young player capitalised on a mistake made by Stopa, ultimately securing the most significant triumph of his burgeoning career.

The youngster does not like to go for draws. “Fight till the end, even if you are losing because there is still some hope. Never give up and keep playing, try your best,” he said. “Just get to the centre and develop lots of pieces. Don't blunder pieces randomly and just develop pieces and you'll be better and your opponent will blunder pieces and then take advantage of the mistakes of your opponent," he remarked. This is part of his winning strategy, and the young player emphasises, 'Go in confident, don't take draws, and always go for the win.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s_dH6p6vio

Born in 2015, the young player has swiftly garnered recognition by securing victories in several youth tournaments. He had emerged the World Under-8 Rapid champion in 2022.

The same year, the then six-year-old had won three gold medals at the Eastern Asian Youth Championships in the Under-8 segment. A year prior to that in 2021, he had in the World Cadets Rapid Championships in Greece, and proved his talent.

“Chess is very important to me because it's fun to play. You get to think a lot, and it's good for your brain,” the young boy shared in a recent interview. The eight-year-old travels overseas multiple times a year for tournaments, and has displayed the patience and diligence by playing the game for up to five-and-a-half hours in tough tournaments.

Extraordinary talent

No one in Ashwath’s family plays chess and it was a surprise for his parents to see their son getting such a fine grip of the game at such a tender age. After discovering the game at the age of four the young player would spend hours engrossed in it. “It’s surreal as there isn’t really any sports tradition in our families” Ashwath’s father Kaushik Sriram said in an interview with Chess.com.

When he was introduced to the game by his parents, Kaushik had quickly surpassed their skills and had even outplayed his grandparents. Recognising their son’s extraordinary talent, his parents enrolled him in chess lessons to further hone the game’s tactics.

He ‘has a photographic memory’, Ashwath’s father said. “He solves long complex puzzles visually. He finished GM Jacob Aagaard’s entire Grandmaster series recently without using a board,” he added.

Ashwath also loves building LEGO in his leisure time. However, chess always remains on top of his priority list.

[caption id="attachment_36776" align="aligncenter" width="389"] Ashwath Kaushik[/caption]

Dedication and support

The young player who aspires to become a world champion, was so focussed since the beginning that he could play chess all day. Looking at his extraordinary talent his father had approached some of the best coaches in Singapore, who readily agreed to train the youngster looking at his talent. Amongst Ashwath’s trainers are Kevin Goh Wei Ming, a grandmaster and CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation.

“He is tactically very sharp, mainly due to lots of practice and we are trying to build his strategic understanding,” Goh remarked in an interview. Ashwath has also received training from grandmasters Thomas Luther and Andrey Kvon. A member of the Under-14 squad of Singapore, Ashwath considers Late Soviet-Latvian chess legend Mikhail Tal his idol.

He receives constant support from his parents and his school, Overseas Family School in Pasir Ris. Interestingly, he is keen on introducing his four-year-old brother to the game of chess as well. Like any child, he has his favourites, such as Juicy Drop candy, and enjoys family outings to the Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios Singapore.

The Indian-origin player had moved to Singapore with his parents in 2017 when he was barely two years old.

ALSO READ | Praggnanandhaa: The prince of chess and Arjuna awardee 2022

Reading Time: 5 mins

From winning championship at 9 to becoming a chess grandmaster at 17: SL Narayanan’s incredible journey

SL Narayanan was all of nine when the board game with 64 black and white squares grabbed his attention. It was at this young age that he learnt that the knight in chess moves multiple squares each time while the pawn moves forward one square. Such was his passion for the game that he aced it and won his first championship that same year. This taste of victory gave Narayanan enough drive to pursue the game professionally and eight years later, he became India's 40th chess Grandmaster at the age of 17. Cut to 2021, Narayanan is still making India proud at the international level when he recently finished second at the ChessMood Open in Armenia. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for this 23-year-old who got enough time to improve his game. "I was very happy with my performance at the ChessMood Open. I played some quality games and was very happy to see the result of my work during this pandemic. It was my first visit to Armenia and I am glad I could keep a positive memory about the tournament. And this indeed motivates me to work even harder," he told Global Indian in an interview.

indian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian in an interview.

While the chess grandmaster is upping his game with every tournament but he had to overcome many challenges to reach the top.

A chance encounter with chess

Born in 1998 in Kerala, Narayanan was just nine when he first accompanied his mother to a chess tournament at her office and watched with rapt attention as she played the game. Sensing his curiosity, one of his mom's colleagues introduced him to the rules of the game. Intrigued by the world of chess, he returned to the tournament the next year with his mother and tried his hand. He managed to impress his opponent with his moves; he noticed the kid's potential and insisted his mother give Narayanan proper training. "Consequently, under the guidance of P Sreekumar, who was the former Kerala State Champion, I started my first lessons of the game. I learned the game in a systematic way and also started participating in district weekly events," he says.

[caption id="attachment_15245" align="aligncenter" width="486"] A young SL Narayanan up against top GM Parimarjan Negi.[/caption]

While Narayanan was mastering chess with each game, he would often ask his parents about his future in the game. The question of who would he become if he continued playing well often crossed his mind. "They [my parents] had one clear name to look up to - Vishwanathan Anand. Once I got to know about him through his games and news reports, I knew I had a role model," he adds. Soon, he fell in love with chess as it was the game's individuality that attracted him. "The rules are the same for everyone but you play according to your understanding/strategy and that's what made it colourful for me," says the grandmaster.

Nudging support from family

The 23-year-old is now among the top 10 chess players in India, and his career is testament to his family's support and commitment to the game. "My father was a government contractor but he quit his job when I started playing so that he could travel with me for tournaments," he reveals. His mother, who introduced him to the game, was among his biggest supporters as she was the sole breadwinner in the family for the longest time. The Grandmaster from Kerala also found support in his sister who gave up her dream of being a chess player in order to let him succeed. "My sister was also a very good chess player. She has participated in several national events and was the Delhi University zonal champion in 2017. We both trained under the same coach together for a while. However, my parents could only back one of us as our financial background wasn't great; one of us had to step back to pave the way for the other. Since I was a bit more talented and hard working, she decided to take a step back," adds Narayanan.

[caption id="attachment_15250" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] Grandmaster SL Narayanan[/caption]

The chess player's endeavours were not only supported by his family but even his school backed him. Narayanan studied at St Thomas Residential school till 8th standard and then moved to St Mary's Higher Secondary School to focus more on his game. Despite his hectic schedule, the 23-year-old was able to strike a balance between his studies and chess, all thanks to the support of his teachers.

Checkmate by challenges

Narayanan was quite young when he started learning from former Kerala State Champion, P Sreekumar and later trained under IM Varghese Koshy and GM Praveen Thipsay. But it hasn't been an easy journey from him as financial aid has always been a constraint. "Initially, I didn't get any proper training, opportunities or support to better my game despite being a strong and hardworking player. My parents took loans from several institutions to give me good training and help me participate in tournaments. If I had gotten proper training when I was young, like the players of similar age now get, it would have helped me create a strong foundation which I could build on," says the English Literature graduate from Mar Ivanios College.

[caption id="attachment_15246" align="aligncenter" width="1038"] SL Narayanan at World Junior Chess Championship 2016[/caption]

In 2016, the year Narayanan won gold in the Asian junior blitz chess championship, crowdfunding came to his rescue. "I was contacted by the social platform - Milaap after they came to know about me through one of the dailies. Later, they started crowdfunding and raised around ₹1.15 lakh which was indeed helpful for me. I believe crowdfunding is a reliable way to raise funds especially in a third world country like India," adds Narayanan.

He didn't find much support from the government either apart from the time when he became a grandmaster. "Since then I have not received any support from either the State or Central Government. Even when I went to one of the administrators, he ridiculed me and asked if chess was even a game; that was so disheartening," he reveals.

A journey worth remembering

Despite many challenges and setbacks, Narayanan has been able to pull himself through all of it for the sheer love of the game. From winning his first championship in 2007 to becoming a grandmaster, he has come a long way. "There have been a lot of thrilling moments in the journey with some tournaments working for me and others working completely against me. But I still enjoy the process of working on a game and the concept that builds the game."

[caption id="attachment_15247" align="aligncenter" width="601"] SL Narayanan[/caption]

For this Global Indian, chess is more than a game as he says it has helped him in shaping his character. The grandmaster is confident in the future of the sport and its players. "I could easily say that chess could help the young generation to instill in them life qualities as well as problem solving capabilities which will benefit them immensely," he signs off.

Follow SL Narayanan on Twitter

Reading Time: 7 min

Riddhi Javali: Eradicating period poverty by educating and helping rural school girls

(September 28, 2024) A newspaper article about Shuchi Scheme - a menstrual hygiene project by the Karnataka government that distributes free sanitary pads for school girls - coming to a halt owing to Covid-19 shifted something in the then 14-year-old Riddhi Javali. Being a teenager herself, the Bengaluru resident understood the problems that girls in villages would be facing due to this unforeseen circumstance. "Despite coming from a privileged background, kids like me were having an issue procuring the essential items. So with the Shuchi scheme coming to an abrupt stop, it was hard for me to even fathom the kind of problems the adolescent girls in villages would be facing, as discussing periods is still considered a taboo," says changemaker Riddhi, who then decided to start Project Repeat - an effort to provide young girls in rural areas with safe and sustainable menstrual hygiene products like reusable cloth pads. What began as an idea to help the adolescent school girls in nearby villages of Bengaluru has now transformed into a movement that is spread across the state of Karnataka, and has so far impacted 400 government school girls in rural areas. "It has been quite a journey for me,"

w transformed into a movement that is spread across the state of Karnataka, and has so far impacted 400 government school girls in rural areas. "It has been quite a journey for me," the DPS Bangalore South student tells Global Indian, adding, "Knowing that my efforts are helping the girls, gives me immense satisfaction and reaffirms that I am on the right path."

[caption id="attachment_25201" align="aligncenter" width="413"] Riddhi Javali is the founder of Project Repeat[/caption]

A newspaper clipping that changed it all

A newspaper article stating around 19.29 lakh government school girls were awaiting sanitary pads after the Shuchi scheme was stalled, made Riddhi jump into action. The closure of schools due to Covid-19 deprived lakhs of young girls of sanitary napkins and Riddhi was keen to find a solution. Understanding that the disposable sanitary pads provided by the government harm the environment, she knew that sustainable menstrual products were the answer. She had three options - biodegradable pads, menstrual cups, or cloth pads - to choose from to begin the journey. She zeroed in on cloth pads as they are cost-efficient, eco-friendly, and could be washed and reused for up to five years.

"Initially, the plan was to employ rural women who could make cloth pads by procuring waste cloth from cloth factories. However, the proposal was busted when I was told that a medical grade cloth was needed for the process," reveals the 19-year-old who had to think on her feet, and immediately started looking for NGOs who make cloth pad kids. That's when she came across Giocare. "I ordered the first batch of 50 cloth pad kits from my pocket money and got in touch with Srinavasa V sir, the Block Resource Coordinator for Dept of School Education and Literacy Government of Karnataka. He took me to a government school in Harrohalli village on the outskirts of Bengaluru, my first visit," adds Riddhi, who distributed cloth pads to the girls and educated them on menstruation.

[caption id="attachment_25202" align="aligncenter" width="739"] Riddhi interacting with girls at Karnataka Public School in Harohalli[/caption]

In a country where menstruation is still a taboo topic and around 23 percent of girls drop out of school upon reaching puberty, getting the girls to open up was a task for Riddhi. "They were extremely shy. But with each school interaction, things started to get better and more streamlined. However, what struck me the most was their problems. Some told me that their school washrooms would get blocked girls would try to flush their pads, and that the government wouldn’t repair them for months," says Riddhi, adding, "Others informed me that garbage collectors won't pick up pads, and later the piles of pads were either burned or buried."

A challenging project

The first few trips were an eye-opener for the teenager, who was keen to help. But funding was a challenge that kept prolonging the task at hand. "After spending my pocket money initially, I realised that this wasn't a long-term solution. That's when I started an online fundraiser, while it was family and friends who started contributing at first. But later, we did a tie-up with Ladies Cosmo Circle Bengaluru who funded us for one school," says the changemaker, who believes that people are all for spreading awareness but still think twice before contributing money. "That's the reason I continue with my campaigns so that the funds keep pouring in," she adds, stating that she now has a team of volunteers who help spread awareness by constantly contributing to the website as well as their Instagram page.

[caption id="attachment_25203" align="aligncenter" width="500"] A girl student with cloth pad kit at Government High School, Attihalli[/caption]

While Riddhi now has an army of volunteers who help her with Project Repeat, when she started, it was a one-man or in her case, one-woman show. "For two years, I was the only one who was visiting the schools, giving presentations, raising funds, and even updating the website. But soon the word spread, and like-minded people came forward to lend their support and skills," adds the changemaker. However, it was an uphill task for Riddhi, who had to not only push herself out of her comfort zone but also had to fight the age bias. Recalling an incident, the changemaker says, "I remember once I had finished giving a presentation in one of the schools when one of the teachers told the students that it was my mom who was behind Project Repeat and doing everything. I had to correct her and say that I was the one spearheading this, while my parents were there for moral support."

[caption id="attachment_25204" align="aligncenter" width="783"] Riddhi Javali giving a presentation about menstrual hygiene at Government School Attihalli[/caption]

Plans of expansion

However, these challenges have only made her more determined to work towards period poverty. After having impacted 9-10 government schools in Karnataka, she has now begun creating awareness about menstruation in her school as well. "We have started with Class 7 and Class 8 where boys and girls educate both boys and girls," says the Class 11 student, who has plans of expanding Project Repeat to parts of Tamil Nadu. "Since my mother is from the state, I am comfortable with the language, and can reach out to school girls in rural areas." However, her ultimate aim is for Project Repeat to reach every corner of India, and get more girls and young women out of period poverty. "As little girls, we are so ashamed of periods that not many speak about them openly. So it is important to change this mindset at a young age, as these are the formative years," adds the teen changemaker.

Riddhi calls her software engineer parents the wind beneath her wings, always letting her "explore and discover things." "From pushing me to do better to being present at every school visit despite their busy schedules, they have been huge pillars of support for me," says a grateful Riddhi who loves unwinding by cooking, reading books, playing badminton, and learning Carnatic music.

[caption id="attachment_25205" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Riddhi Javali giving Project Repeat cloth pad kit to a government school girl[/caption]

Riddhi, who began following her passion at the age of 14, advises young people to take the first step. "If you have a slight inkling about what you want to do, take that first step. At times, that's the hardest part but once you do it, things start to fall in place," the changemaker signs off, adding, "Always believe in yourself."

Follow Riddhi Javali on Linkedin
Follow Project Repeat on Instagram

Tanay Jain: Upcycling textile waste to stitch garments for the underprivileged kids

(January 26, 2024) Up to 7800 kilotonnes of textile waste gets accumulated in India each year with pre-consumer waste making for a steep 42 percent, out of which 17 percent ends up in landfills. Seeing piles of wasted fabric stacked in corners of his dad's Kolkata-based textile factory (Onaya Fashions) led to the birth of the Onaya Foundation in 2018 with a mission to give textile waste a second lease of life. They upcycle discarded textile waste into garments for underprivileged children. "Till now we have reached out to 6000 children with the help of NGOs and have upcycled 5500-6000 meters of cloth," Tanay tells Global Indian. What began as donations by family members and friends to the underprivileged on special occasions grew during the lockdown when it opened its doors to the world owing to Tanay's vision of expansion. "We often visited orphanages during birthdays and donated clothes. But during the lockdown, we decided to open this idea to the world, where people could donate garments made from upcycled textile waste to the underserved," reveals the 18-year-old, who is studying B.Com (H) at Sriram College of Commerce. Conceptualised by his aunt Vandana Jain in 2018, the foundation expanded its

Sriram College of Commerce. Conceptualised by his aunt Vandana Jain in 2018, the foundation expanded its horizon in 2020 upon Tanay's behest. It began with making an Instagram page to invite keen donors. "They could contact us and we would find an NGO near their place, contact them, take details of the number of children, their age and sizes, and make clothes for them using the textile waste generated from my dad's factory," says Tanay.

[caption id="attachment_35462" align="aligncenter" width="548"] Tanay Jain[/caption]

In no time, the orders started coming in bulk, especially during the festive season. The contractual karigars stitch kurtas for boys and kurtis for girls at a nominal charge of ₹200. "We wanted to pay the marginalised karigars during Covid-19, especially when they needed an additional source of income," says the teenager, whose foundation has till now made multiple donations to 50-60 NGOs across West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Assam. "We supply the karigars with textile waste which is mostly cloth patches and depending on their creativity and ingenuity, they make a kurta/kurti out of it." Tanay says that through the Onaya Foundation, the children at NGOs are getting to wear new garments on their birthdays, "something that wasn't happening before, and makes it special for them too."

The dream of being a social entrepreneur

Born in a business family, Tanay was witness to many dining table conversations that revolved around textiles. But seeing his family inclined towards serving society, he had decided at a young age that social entrepreneurship was the way forward. "I wanted to create an impact in the society through my work. However, I was too young to understand what I wanted to partake in until the lockdown happened, and I became more interested in the work that The Onaya Foundation is doing," says the teenager, whose foundation has made over 7000-8000 donations till now from their factory waste. "You can imagine the kind of textile waste that's generated from the factories that operate on a larger scale."

The positive impact

In the last few years, the Onaya Foundation has made a positive impact not only in the lives of underprivileged kids but the environment as well, especially in the times of fast fashion when a lot of textile waste makes it to landfills, thus causing environmental hazards. Their foundation looks into pre-consumption waste that is accumulated during the making of a garment. "Our idea was to start a cycle where the yarn or the fabric comes from nature and we give back to nature by upcycling textile waste. Moreover, we have also planted saplings and trees from the surplus funds we have received through donations," explains Tanay.

Started as the Katran Foundation in 2018, they have recently renamed it the Onaya Foundation. "The reason we have incorporated it under the Onaya Fashions is that it gives us a lot of resources to market it, create more impact, and formalise the structure. That's what we plan to do in the next two years," reveals Tanay, who looks into the marketing, awareness, and donation drives. His aunt, on the other hand, handles manufacturing and upcycling.

[caption id="attachment_35463" align="aligncenter" width="293"] Tanay with his aunt Vandana Jain[/caption]

Dwelling on the challenges that Tanay faced during the process, he says not getting enough donations was heartbreaking. "Also, creating awareness on textile waste and donations at a student level when people don't take you seriously was a constant struggle," he says, adding, "People often question your motivation thinking you are doing it for your CV. But since I had no inclination to study abroad and no external motive, people understood that it was of personal value to me," says Tanay for whom the entire experience has been humbling. "It has made me understand my privileges and how I can use them for the betterment of the society."

Sustainable fashion is the future

Ask if India is ready for sustainable fashion, the teenager says, "Things have improved in the last few years but it was difficult for us to spread awareness as people had no idea about textile waste causing environmental concerns." At the same time, he is happy that many companies are now championing the cause in the textile industry. "Some people are ready to pay a 20 percent premium for clothes that are sustainable than those that cause environmental hazards. At the same time, it's at a level where people are privileged. In a country like India, people have affordability issues as they care more about the price of the product than its impact. The kind of donations we are doing with The Onaya Foundation is done on a small level but when you look at the problem from a bigger lens, many people still cannot afford two meals a day in India, which puts a lot of things into perspective. I am grateful that the awareness is being spread but there is a long way to go," he signs off.

Follow Tanay Jain on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 min

Appams in the Big Apple: Sarah Thomas dishes up Malayali food in NYC

(October 6, 2022) Ten days ago, a post by writer Amitav Ghosh, who is quite the foodie, appeared on my Instagram feed. It was a glowing recommendation, along with a photograph, of a young chef, with Ghosh writing, "Great spread of pre-wedding Malayali food by Sarah Thomas and Hunter Jamison... If you are in the NYC area and longing for some spicy Malayali food." One assumes this would be the work of a veteran chef, Ghosh is, after all, one of the most celebrated names in the literary world. It was, however, a very youthful young woman who appeared on screen for the interview with Global Indian. "I'm 23 years old," Chef Sarah Thomas says. "I began my catering business in January 2021." Today, the young Global Indian works 20 hours on some days, making up to 50 dishes at a time. Growing up in New Jersey, where her parents moved from Kerala, Sarah's diet always comprised of home-cooked Malayali staples. "My mom would wake up at 5 am to cook for the whole family every day. It would make me angry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon

ry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon after college, however, when she moved away from home, she found herself craving her mother's cooking and simply couldn't find a suitable substitute. "What is available is either fusion or very high-end. The simple, traditional dishes were impossible to find. I simply wasn't tasting what I was getting at home," she says. Sarah decided to try her hand at it, setting up 'Sugar Dosa' on Shef, an online platform for people to order authentic, homemade meals made by local, certified chefs from around the world.

Straddling two worlds

Although her parents remained more or less rooted in their native culture, Sarah felt quite separated from it. "I'm only Malayali ethnically, I tell people that too. I don't speak the language as well as I should." She was a serious teen, studying medicine as so many Indian kids in the US do. Sarah realised soon enough that it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life and decided she would much rather teach yoga. "After I studied and did all my exams, I realised what I was doing didn't feel authentic to me. My parents worked hard to bring me here and the idea behind doing so was to see a different way of life - that's part of being American too." So, she turned to her decade-long association with yoga. "My father is a yoga teacher, he had studied at the Sivananda Institute. I learned from him when I was young and we would also teach together," she says.

In college, much to the alarm of her traditional parents, she chose a course in acting and creative writing. After that, she moved to NYC, signing up as a teacher with a yoga studio and working on writing short stories as well, in which she talked about life as an Indian growing up in America. "I found I didn't like the Western style of yoga, though. Here, the fear of cultural appropriation is a big deal, and yoga is seen as just a workout. Writing is also extremely competitive." Her three-year stint at the yoga studio ended unpleasantly when it became involved in a tax that "ruined the perception of yoga."

Food from home

[caption id="attachment_22655" align="aligncenter" width="335"] Sarah's Beef Ularthiyathu[/caption]

In 2020, when she created a platform for Malayali food on Shef, there was huge interest almost immediately. "I was the only one there making appams and egg curry," she smiles. She makes the batter by hand, substituting toddy, which she simply cannot get in the US, with yeast. "It works just as well," she says. The spice mixes are also hand-ground and she travels to New Jersey, which is home to a large Indian diaspora and major department stores that specialise in Indian ingredients, to buy what she needs. The Malabar Chicken Curry, appam and egg curry, and the famous Kerala beef fry (for private customers) are all in high demand.

Amitav Ghosh was among those who found her online. He ordered once and then again, after which he messaged Sarah, asking her if she would be willing to cater an event. "I didn't know it was the day of his son's wedding, he told me it was for a wedding party. I ended up catering this big meal for them right before they got married. It was also my first huge party." As she found her feet - Sarah is now expanding into a professional kitchen - she found, through yoga, writing, and cooking, a way to "tell my story without having to do anything out of the way. When I catered Mr. Ghosh's event, people already knew what I did and where I came from."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amitav Ghosh (@amitav_ghosh1)

What lies ahead

Sarah now plans to set up her own 'Malayali cafe' in the Lower East End, with doubles as a yoga studio. "That way, I can do both. To me, cooking is a form of yoga too. Here, yoga is a physical activity and is rarely paired with mindful practice, meditation, or the correct ways of eating," she says. Having studied meditation from former experts who learned from Osho back in the 1970s, Sarah's method of teaching yoga is to prepare the body for meditation.

"All of it is coming together for me," she says, as she concludes. "There are more South Indians here than ever before and I'm more emboldened now to share what I do and put a plate in front of someone. A lot of people come from India to New York and tell me they haven't eaten this kind of Malayali food for years. I'm happy doing this, instead of taking a more traditional path."

Follow Sarah's Sugar Dosa on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins