Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveFrom Rohtak to International cricket: Shafali Verma’s story sets the right inspiration for budding players

From Rohtak to International cricket: Shafali Verma’s story sets the right inspiration for budding players

Written by: Amrita Priya

(July 13, 2022) She was quite young when she first stepped on a cricket pitch. Disguised as her brother, who was sick, Shafali Verma played at the under-12 national school championship and ended up winning the Player of the Match award. A first-class cricketer today, this Rohtak girl has carved a niche for herself in the world of cricket. The youngest Indian cricketer to play in an international match, Shafali was just 15 when she was selected to play at the Women’s 20 International Series. Interestingly, the teen prodigy became the youngest Indian half-centurion, while playing against West Indies during her debut series. Her first international series turned out to be a great one. Scoring 158 in just five matches, she became the player of the series, garnering lots of attention for her fantastic performance.

Indian Cricketer | Shafali Verma | Global Indian

Shafali Verma, Indian cricketer

By 2021, the 2004-born Haryana girl had built a good repertoire – becoming the youngest player to represent India in all three formats of international cricket at the age of 17 years. Her brilliant performances earned her a place in the Indian team up for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup, to be held in New Zealand. Global Indian looks at the extraordinary journey of this brilliant, young player.

Off her own bat

Daughter of a jewellery shop owner, Shafali has been playing cricket since she was just eight years old. The young cricketer was trained by her father, Sanjeev, who once aspired to be a cricketer himself. A strict mentor, Sanjeev devised a rigorous training schedule for his daughter. However, he would also give her a reward of ₹5 whenever Shafali would hit a sixer at the local ground. Recognising that Shafali could make an excellent cricketer, her father later made her join the Ram Narayan Cricket Club, Rohtak.

Shafali Verma representing IPL Velocity at a match in Pune

Crediting her father for her success, Shafali wrote on her social media, “I am who I am today because of my father. He has always been the most supportive and friendly dad in the world.” But, her father wasn’t her only inspiration. Not unlike other cricketers, Shafali too idolised one of the greatest cricketers of all times, Sachin Tendulkar. “The reason I took up cricket is because of Sachin sir. My family has just not idolized but worshipped him,” she had once mentioned in a post.

Shafali with her idol, Sachin Tendulkar

The journey continues…

A alumna of Mandeep Senior Secondary School, Rohtak registered yet another record to her name becoming the youngest cricketer ever to play in the final of the World Cup. Owing to her game, the cricketer moved 12 places up in the ODI batting rankings, to a career-best 36th rank.

Shafali with Indian women’s cricket team

The Indian cricketer, who is a right-handed batswoman, has played a significant role in bringing India a 2-0 lead against Sri Lanka in the ten-team league ICC Women’s Championship (IWC) 2022-25 which is in its third iteration. There are many tournaments on the bay and Shafali is in a good form to make a mark in all the matches ahead.

Even though she is quite busy, the sportsperson always manages to find time between matches and practice sessions, to connect with her fans through social media.

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Published on 13, Jul 2022

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Meet Raveena Mehta, the first indie Indian artist to perform at Cannes

(October 6, 2023) Having walked the Cannes red carpet four times in the past, Raveena Mehta recently became the first Indie Indian artist to perform at one of the leading international film festivals. The Indian-British artist and singer-songwriter grew up between Belgium, the UK, and India and works with "performance, moving image, sound and painting to consider the sociological impact of colonial legacies,” as she puts it. Starting Young Raveena Mehta was only twelve years old when she released her first commercial music album, From Deep Within, back in 2010. She has released two more since, along with 15 music videos and six singles, which are mostly RnB / Soul and music that incorporates Hindi and Urdu, a nod to her Indian roots. Born in Belgium, Mehta was ten years old when she arrived in Mumbai for the first time. “Moving to Mumbai in 2008, led me to consider the post-colonial sentiment amongst the population, leading to a more perceptive, culturally aware outlook,” she writes. In Mumbai, she studied at the prestigious American School of Bombay, before moving to London to do Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, University. The diversity of her upbringing and cultural exposure shows up in her work

perceptive, culturally aware outlook,” she writes. In Mumbai, she studied at the prestigious American School of Bombay, before moving to London to do Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, University. The diversity of her upbringing and cultural exposure shows up in her work as well, from her use of various mediums to her tendency to experiment with the music itself. She’s also a social media star, with over a million followers on Instagram.

“It has been an incredible journey so far, living in so many different countries have really brought so much perspective into my life, culturally and on a personal level,” Raveena Mehta tells Global Indian. Her interest in music began when she was five, it has always been an "undoubtedly massive" part of her life. One year later, she began training, working with Suchita Parte and Kim Chandlers, her vocal coaches in Indian classical music and Western contemporary respectively. She was always singing around the house, and would participate in school shows as a child, which she says she truly loved. “Seeing my love for it, my mum decided to enroll me in Hindustani classical lessons,” Raveena says. “After moving to Mumbai, I had the opportunity to release my first music album, this was an extremely pivotal moment in my life.” Her family stood by her throughout, and have always understood and appreciated her love for the arts. “It is not the case for everyone, so I am very grateful to be doing what I love as a career.” She’s only 26, but with over a decade of experience already, Raveena is also well-versed with the ins-and-outs of the music business around the world.

Meaningful Sojourn

Her evolution as an artist has been such an incredible journey of finding acceptance, self-belief and enabling a growth mindset. Her debut album launch, which was a big moment in her career, turned out to be transformative in many ways. “What I learnt about discipline during this time, I don’t believe anything else could have taught me,” Raveena remarks. During the pandemic, she worked with Rishi Rich and Jab Tu Hai Wahi and then with Tiger Shroff on Casanova. “Walking the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and singing in Monaco representing India is another milestone I am proud of,” says Mehta. Having worked with well-known names has given her a potpourri of interesting experiences. “Collaborating with Tiger was an incredible time - we had a lot of fun in the studio, jamming, recording and especially on the set for the music video. I admire his work ethic and humility. Working with Rishi is always a blast, he is also my mentor and close friend. He is one of the most real people I know in the industry and I do not know as many people who look out for artists in the way he does,” she adds.

Global Outlook

Having worked and performed in different countries, Mehta admits that every country and industry operates differently as people are different and the culture is different. “I would say, the industry in India is heavily guided by Bollywood and playback, however things are changing for independent artists as India continues to digitize and grow their global presence. So, of course, with the challenges it is always about making sure you are also looking for opportunities to grow and showcase yourself in the best way as an artist,” she explains.

Being Herself

The pandemic came with its share of struggle for the young artist, who lost some opportunities during that time. “I was not on the ground in India at the time either. However, I do believe everything happens for a reason, and if one door closes, two more will open. It is just about having a positive attitude and treating yourself right,” says Mehta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8IPGQM_pj4

Apart from her music skills, she spends a lot of time drawing and painting and says that it brings her a lot of peace. “I also enjoy working out and just maintaining my routine. My routine brings me a lot of clarity, which leads me to being my best self,” she adds. While she agrees that it has been a beautiful journey so far, with its shares of highs and lows that makes the journey rewarding, she has sound advice for upcoming artists. “Some of the biggest learnings through my evolution as an artist are staying true to who you are, just remaining authentic and having a vision for yourself and where you see yourself in five years. Having a path is extremely important and being consistent is the biggest part of that.” Looking ahead she has an EP ready, the entire project is produced by Rishi Rich, and she is very excited to release this body of work.

Follow her on Instagram, YouTube, Website

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Teens Nitish and Aditya Sood are uplifting the homeless in Atlanta

(August 24, 2023) Five years ago, Nitish Sood and his brother, Aditya were at the mall with their mother. Bored, the two boys stepped outside for a game of frisbee. A homeless woman sat by the entrance, as people walked past, all of them either pulling out their phones or checking their watches to avoid making eye contact with her. "We were kind of troubled by that," said Nitish Sood, who co-founded Working Together For Change, a student-run organisation that works for homeless people. "Our frisbee landed near her so we ended up striking up a conversation," said Nitish. They asked the obvious question - how did this woman come to be homeless? She responded with a question: "What do you want to be when you grow up." A doctor, Nitish said at once and to his amazement, the woman pulled out a medical degree. Just before she was placed into a residency, she returned to Atlanta to help her brother, who had been involved with gang violence. "She lost that residency. Medical school bills started piling up and suddenly, she was homeless," Nitish explained. "My brother and I learned that nearly everyone is just a step away from homelessness.

y from homelessness. We decided to do something about it."

[caption id="attachment_25031" align="aligncenter" width="478"] Nitish and Aditya Sood[/caption]

Working Together For Change

That's how Working Together for Change was born. "We wanted to interact with other homeless folk, the people we tend to avoid by checking the time or looking at our phones." They realised that they had been wrong about the average homeless person. "We seem to think of middle-aged men, maybe drunk, doing drugs and sleeping on a park bench. Mostly, we believe him to be lazy, uneducated and unambitious. But that is as far away from reality as you can possibly imagine."

Now a student at the Medical College of Georgia, Nitish Sood is doing his residency in Opthalmology. His brother, Aditya, is a junior biology and social major at Alpharetta and an MD candidate at the Emory School of Medicine. Both brothers are highly accomplished in their own right- Aditya is a black belt in karate and does research at the Neuroplasticity lab at Georgia State University. Nitish is a Presidential Scholar at Augusta University, a Coca Cola Scholar - he was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for exemplary leadership and social activism. He's also a National Merit Scholar. Both boys were born in India and moved to the US with their parents.

Currently, Working Together for Change has touched over 3,000 lives. The organisation has also raised some $1,20,000 for its cause, has mobilised some 600 volunteers and over 17,000 volunteer hours. They have organised over a dozen medical camps that screen homeless people for vision trouble, cholesterol and diabetes. WTFC even organises 'sleep-outs', to give people a taste of what it's like to sleep on the streets. All that began with the back-pack-a-thon, their first initiative.

[caption id="attachment_25033" align="aligncenter" width="2016"] Working Together for Change volunteers at their first backpack-a-thon in Augusta in 2018. Photo: Facebook[/caption]

Life on the city streets

Nearly 3000 people are homeless in Atlanta. The fact is, as Nitish and Aditya also discovered - many more people in American cities are at risk of homelessness. A shortage of affordable housing, limited employment opportunities and not enough social welfare schemes are all possible causes. According to the Atlanta Mission, some 58 percent of this homeless population reports reports symptoms of trauma and 57 percent have a chronic medical condition. The brothers were also alarmed to learn that average homeless person is under the age of 18 and that the fastest growing demographic is under the age of nine.

The Soods got into action immediately. They rallied their friends for a 'backpack-a-thon', distributing backpacks filled with essentials like hygiene products, water and socks. Through this, they also hoped to create interaction between students and the homeless community.

Setting up medical camps to building a house in Tijuana

They also created programmes for school students to interact with homeless kids in housing centres. "We gave them a chance to meet. Everyone should have the chance to have some fun," Nitish remarked.

Still, they knew that raising awareness just wouldn't do. So, they decided to host a medical camp. They didn't have doctors, locations, volunteers or work out the logistics of it, but they began work, scouting for locations, visited homeless shelters and told them that they had doctors and volunteers ready. The Soods also asked their friends to sign on.

The big day arrived with a distressing phone call. The bus ferrying the homeless people had broken down. They had doctors and volunteers waiting at the camp and no patients in sight. "We called every adult we knew to use their minivans to ferry the homeless to the camp," Ntisih said. It worked. "In the end, nobody left feeling dissatisfied. Today, we host medical camps every four months." The WTFC teams even went to Tijuana to build a house from the ground up. "It's not feasible for us to do this but WTFC represents the idea that we must do everything we can to help those in need."

[caption id="attachment_25034" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] WTFC-YMCA-MoreHouse Medical Fair 2015. Photo: Facebook[/caption]

The root of the matter

As the years went by, Working Together For Change made a significant impact, crowdfunding thousands of dollars and setting up student chapters across the state. Still, the brothers felt that all this was addressing only the symptoms, not the disease itself. True change would mean getting the homeless people off the streets. They collaborated with United Way Ventures, setting up camps to help reintegrate them into the job market. They also set up coding camps for teens.

The journey hasn't been easy. "It has meant sleepless nights, passing up sleepovers and not being able to hang out with friends," Nitish said. "But when my brother and I started this, there was a fire lit within us. None of what we did felt like work. We were doing what we loved."

Follow Nitish and Aditya on LinkedIn and Working Together for Change on Facebook

Dancing her way to glory: Vriti Gujral is taking Kathak to new heights

(December 11, 2022) It was just to attend a rehearsal for the upcoming event that Padma Vibhushan, Pandit Birju Maharaj - one of the most eminent Kathak exponents - had come to Delhi that day. However, the events that unfolded gave the country a young and exceptionally talented Kathak dancer, Vriti Gujral, who is now taking this Indian classical dance form to the world. Impressed by the grace of then eleven-year-old Vriti, Pandit Birju Maharaj invited the young artist to perform during his show at the World Cultural Festival - a solo, seven-minute-long Kathak recital. [caption id="attachment_25245" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Vriti Gujral, Kathak exponent[/caption] The dancer, who is 16-years-old now, has since performed on various national and international stages and has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Global Child Prodigy Award. "I have been performing kathak for the past eight years. So, it is like a part of me now. It’s not that when I practice kathak only then I’m into dance, but I instead carry it into my everyday life. I have learned many things from the dance form, and it undoubtedly affects my life," the young Global Indian said during an interview. Born to dance Vriti's journey as a

instead carry it into my everyday life. I have learned many things from the dance form, and it undoubtedly affects my life," the young Global Indian said during an interview.

Born to dance

Vriti's journey as a dancer started at the age of six, when her mother enrolled her in a music institute. "My mother always wanted me to explore myself in areas beyond academics as well. So, she took me to an institute where they gave three classes - western dance, piano, and kathak. I liked the other courses, but I was fascinated by them when I saw dancers wearing ghungroo and performing kathak. That was precisely what started the spark in me. When I started learning it, I became more passionate about it. I began exploring other aspects of kathak, such as the chakras, footwork, and abhinaya," the young dancer shared.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tglveOAA2I

Soon, the youngster took to various stages and won the hearts of many maestros. However, it took a major turn in 2016, during the auditions for World Cultural Festival. Over 37,000 artists performed in Delhi during this festival, however, it was Vriti who grabbed the attention of Pt Birju Maharaj. However, all was not so rosy. The long rehearsal hours took a toll on the young dancer's health. But, Vriti was determined to brave all the odds. On the day of her performance, the dancer went on the stage with a bandaged blister, her feet throbbing in pain. "I remember my blisters were painful. But once I was on the stage, and the spotlight fell on me, I forgot all about it," she shared. Her performance at the Vasantosav festival ended with thunderous applause and earned her invitations to several other dance festivals.

Following her passion

Vriti's perfection of mudras and flawless expression earned Vriti a scholarship from the Centre of Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT), India. In 2020, the youngster received the Global Child Prodigy Award, for her exceptional dancing talent in Kathak. A student of esteemed kathak exponent, Pandit Barun Banerjee, Vriti dreams of becoming a professional dancer, just like her idol Pt. Birju Maharaj, and take kathak to a level where today's generation can not only enjoy it but also aspire for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp77ohIOGcg

"I want to be a professional classical dancer and a choreographer. I aim to take the Kathak dance form to the biggest international stages. We know that the young generation finds it difficult to relate to kathak and thinks it’s boring. I wish to break these stereotypes and ensure that they relate to it as it’s our heritage, and we have to take it ahead," the young dancer said.

Follow Vriti Gujral on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube

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Transcendental prodigy: 70 world records, three honorary doctorates and 200 awards – K Prisha is the youngest yoga guru of the visually impaired

(July 20, 2022) Thirteen-year-old K Prisha is often addressed as "Dr Prisha" in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and rightly so. The prodigy has been honoured with not just one but three honorary doctorates for her spectacular achievements in yoga and social service — from the University of Jerusalem Medical College & Hospitals, Vellore (2019), Indian Empire University, Chennai (2021), and World Tamil University of USA (2021). [caption id="attachment_19534" align="aligncenter" width="599"] K Prisha, yoga prodigy[/caption] In 2018 and again in 2019, Prisha brought home the gold in the international yoga championships held in Mayalsia and Thailand. She’s also the youngest yoga teacher for the blind and has been certified by the NCPCR, government of India and holds up to 70 world records for a plethora of skills – yoga, swimming, blind-folded cycling, skating, ambidextrous writing, solving the Rubik’s Cube, Aqua Yoga and more. Global University, Missouri, USA, recognised Prisha as the youngest person to hold the maximum number of world records. This little bundle of talent has even written a book, Yoga Indrae Seivom Inbum Peruvom, in Tamil, highlighting the benefits of the 5,000-year-old ancient Indian therapy to prevent and cure three common diseases – diabetes, asthma, and blood pressure. [caption id="attachment_19535" align="aligncenter" width="831"] Prisha's room-full of awards[/caption] Such

ognised Prisha as the youngest person to hold the maximum number of world records. This little bundle of talent has even written a book, Yoga Indrae Seivom Inbum Peruvom, in Tamil, highlighting the benefits of the 5,000-year-old ancient Indian therapy to prevent and cure three common diseases – diabetes, asthma, and blood pressure.

[caption id="attachment_19535" align="aligncenter" width="831"] Prisha's room-full of awards[/caption]

Such is her command of yoga therapy that people in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry flock to her for treatment and workshops. "Yoga improves immunity, stamina, and focus." I have been doing it since I was one-year-old, "Prisha tells Global Indian. It has helped her "get superpowers," she says, claiming she can "bend a spoon if I want by looking at it (telekinesis)." She’s so attuned to her senses and surroundings that she can ride a bicycle or cook blindfolded.

I can body scan for healing diseases and also make future predictions with the deep focus that I have attained from yoga and meditation - K Prisha

Teacher and healer who is sought by many

The youngster, who has an impressive collection of over 200 medals, awards, and certificates that she bagged in state-wide, national, and international competitions and events, teaches yoga every day to the visually-challenged. She has also been teaching the elderly in old age homes, and NCC cadets, apart from conducting numerous workshops for people from different walks of life. With her guidance, visually challenged students have found a drastic improvement in their eyesight. Schoolkids have also enhanced their focus, and the elderly and those who suffered from COVID-19 are able to lead healthier lives. One of her visually impaired students even went on to break a world record in yoga.

[caption id="attachment_19541" align="aligncenter" width="654"] Prisha with her visually impaired students[/caption]

It all started at home...

Yoga flows in the family. Since Prisha's mother, G Devi Priya, a lawyer by qualification and a yoga teacher by passion, was deeply seeped in it, the prodigy started showing interest in it when she was just one year old. She could do some asanas even before she could walk. The legacy starts with her grandmother, who is a professor of Yoga in Pondicherry. So far, Devi Priya has been her first and only guru, under whose guidance the teen has made extraordinary achievements.

Despite being a gold-medalist in law and MSc in naturopathy and yoga, Devi Priya has been completely focused on managing her multi-talented daughter’s schedules, travelling with her for workshops and competitions.

Her father, Karthik Rajendran, is a businessman and sports enthusiast who has inspired Prisha to excel in sports and martial arts like tennis and karate. At the age of seven, she participated in state and national level crossbow shooting and won gold medal in both. The multi-talented teen has a blue belt in karate and has won several competitions in it as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfkTKEO3Gz0

However, the love for yoga surpasses all. "I want to become a doctor of naturopathy and spread awareness of yoga throughout the world," says the teenager, who has been invited as a judge at the National Youth Festival conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and as chief guest to an event at Nehru Yuva Kendra, a Government of India entity. The youngster’s list of achievements never seems to end. She has been invited to several television programmes covering her extraordinary talent, and has been leaving people awestruck with her ability to instantly choreograph any dance number while possessing a great ear for music.

Yoga for a good life

The standard eight student of Meena Shankar Vidyalaya School, Tirunelveli, looks at her passion to teach yoga as a vehicle of the common good, so that even the vulnerable, like the differently-abled, can benefit and lead a wholesome life. Her dream is impressive — to adopt a village and teach yoga to everyone there.

[caption id="attachment_19546" align="aligncenter" width="847"] Prisha participating in a yoga competition, a few years ago[/caption]

In August 2022, the golden girl of yoga will be heading to Malaysia for a 16-day workshop organised by the Malaysian Association for the Blind. In the same month, she will be travelling to Dubai to receive the Global Child Prodigy award, which will be conferred to 99 other youngsters from across the globe.

Follow K Prisha on Facebook

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Arpit Dhupar: Saving environment by turning rice stubble into biodegradable packaging

(February 8, 2024) Each year, Delhi/NCR greets the sunrise under a heavy smog blanket, pushing the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) into the alarming red zone. This concerning situation is a result of the burning of crop residues in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, which contributes to 26 percent of the capital's air pollution. This led IIT grads Arpit Dhupar and Anand Bodh to form Dharaksha - a startup that specialises in converting rice stubble into biodegradable packaging. Started in 2019, the deep-tech startup uses a biotechnology process to produce packaging material capable of biodegrading within 60 days under standard soil conditions. [caption id="attachment_35688" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Arpit Dhupar[/caption] It all began when an innocent drawing from his nephew made Arpit think hard. A typical scenery painting had all the elements - the sun, the mountains, the sky, and birds - but the sky was coloured grey as opposed to the blue that took him aback. "We shouldn’t live in a world where we have to explain to kids that the sky should be painted blue. It should be a given," the Forbes 30 Under 30 said in an interview. The painting gave him some food for thought, and

dn’t live in a world where we have to explain to kids that the sky should be painted blue. It should be a given," the Forbes 30 Under 30 said in an interview. The painting gave him some food for thought, and he began building a startup that could help keep the skies blue.

It was during his sabbatical from work that he travelled through the remote villages of Punjab and Haryana to understand the grim issue of stubble burning. Upon his interactions with locals, he found that farmers were keen to get rid of the leftover crop as it was of no use to them. Due to high moisture, they can't be used for fuel as well. So he came up with the idea of using baler machines to compress and stack the stubble and began working on Dharaksha with Anand Bodh. To solve the stubble-burning crisis, he decided to use mushrooms to degrade the stubble, which led him to conceive a biodegradable material like thermocol. Arpit realised that harvesting mushrooms on the stubble gave strength to the structure. "This wasn’t a waste material but could be a usable one. Through bio fabrication, we could use the stubble waste to create a material similar to thermocol, but one that was biodegradable," he added.

Upon some research, he found that thermocol is worse than plastic, and burning it releases toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and about 90 different hazardous chemicals. "It's shocking how little conversation there is around this material." Explaining the process, he says that once the stubble makes it to the factory, it's sterilised and the mushroom culture is added. "The mycelium grows, forming a sort of interlocked structure that holds the material in place. This makes it strong, so no resin needs to be added. The mix is then put into the oven, where the mushrooms are neutralised," he elaborated.

This led to the making of a packaging material that's flameproof and can endure high moisture conditions. Interestingly, each piece of material produced helps prevent 250 tonnes of thermocol from making it into landfills. "We have formed internal software and processes which enables us to keep track of each unit produced from Day 0 till the end of its life cycle. Each unit produced holds a separate identity in our systems. We manufacture 20,000 pieces per month currently and are scaling up 5x in the next few months," said Anand, adding that companies like Dabur, V-Guard, Pernod Ricard, Nestle, Fyllo, Gourmet Jars are their customers.

"I started the venture with the aim of making the skies blue. I feel satisfied that we are making a difference,” he added.

Follow Arpit Dhupar on LinkedIn