Healthcare for all: US teen’s app improves life in rural Maharashtra
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(February 23, 2023) On a summer trip to India in 2014, Aryaman Khandelwal and his family were going by road to Chikaldara, a village in Maharashtra. The area is famous for growing corn and the family stopped at roadside stalls to try it. On the way, he saw a little boy, no more than ten years of age, carrying a sack of corn twice his size. “It was an impetus for me, something needed to change,” he said, in an interview. Then a senior at Parkland High School, Aryaman went on to found Get2Greater over the next couple of years, an AI-driven app to improve access to healthcare services.
When he saw the young boy carrying corn, it dawned on Khandelwal that life wasn’t so easy for everyone. “They had to work so hard to make do,” he said. His efforts earned him the Gloria Barron Prize in 2017, which is given to young people with significant social initiatives. “The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school,” he said, adding, “The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea interested me and I wanted to implement it.” So, in 2015, the young Global Indian began work, reaching out to family members who had worked as doctors in rural Maharashtra.
Aryaman Khandelwal
Collaboration with the MAHAN Trust
Aryaman was put in touch with the MAHAN Trust, which provided healthcare to rural parts of the state. The NGO was founded in 1997 by Dr Ashish, who wanted to improve medical care and health services to tribal communities in the Melghat region. They have set up a hospital, child care programmes, eye testing, run nutrition farms and carry out socio-economic research. Through them, Aryaman learned that “maybe 10 to 15 trained guys serve a population of 200,000,” he said.
At the time, the MAHAN Trust was training village health workers to carry out basic processes. They dealt with numerous challenges, aside from the lack of qualified doctors and healthcare workers and had to work around the system. There were many quacks, who would quit studying after a year of med school and return home as ‘healthcare providers’. People were also deeply suspicious of outsiders and western medicine alike and didn’t really want to talk to healthcare workers who arrived from elsewhere.
Locals were, however, comfortable with the trained workers, who were from their own communities, who were otherwise not fully educated. “They were trained to take basic measurements, record them and take the data to a hospital,” Aryaman explained. Doctors would review it and send back treatments or diagnoses. While the method was innovative, and showed results, it was time-consuming and could take anywhere between two weeks to two months.
Building Get2Greater
That’s where Get2Greater came in – it separates the unhealthy from the healthy, so doctors could focus on the more pressing cases. The app can record basic health metrics, compile it in order of priority and send it to doctors nearby. When he started, however, Aryaman “just had a passion and an idea.” Equipped with a basic software prototype, Aryaman sent a tablet to MAHAN in India and established a line of correspondence. “I asked them to critique the app,” he said. “I realised that India is very far away from the US! We could only speak for a few hours late at night or early in the morning. There was also very little electricity and connectivity.”
He began reaching out for collaborations. Aryaman’s proposal won him funding from Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, an entrepreneurial program run by Penn State Lehigh Valley. After numerous trials and bug fixes, Aryaman replaced English with Hindi and created a Wi-Fi component so the devices could connect to the local hospitals. He has also been in talks with the UN to help take the device to other parts of India and the world.
Aryaman, who was named 2018 US Presidential Scholar and a Coca-Colar Scholar in 2018, went on to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering in Computer Science from Princeton University. He went on to found ‘Stealth’ along with Harvard grad Dean Hathout.
When he was in grade four, Darsh Abhinay did something extraordinary. He opened the batting for his team against a well trained and experienced team in a U-18 Inter-school cricket tournament. Nine years old at the time, he hit 56 (not out) of 52 balls, stunning all those who watched him in action. His coach was so delighted with his performance that he lifted Darsh onto his shoulders and carried him out from the pitch as a mark of celebration. The kid went on to win the emerging player of the tournament award and his cricketing journey was off to a flying start. “Watching India lift the 2011 World Cup as a 6-year-old kid was the moment I decided I wanted to be there one day,” smiles cricketer Darsh Abhinay, speaking to Global Indian. Now, he plays English county cricket where he continues to pull off record-breaking feats. A triumphant season The 17-year-old, who has been practising professional cricket for last 12 years, stunned fellow cricketers and the audience alike when he went on to get 25 wickets, hit 302 runs (including three fifties with a highest score of 95) and took 11 catches in a successful season for Headstone Manor Cricket Club in the Middlesex County League
s in a successful season for Headstone Manor Cricket Club in the Middlesex County League in London last year. Darsh, a leg spinner and a right hand middle order batsmen was inducted into the Middlesex County Cricket League Hall of Fame, was pronounced as the ‘Player of the Week’ and awarded the “Best Bowling Performance of the Season” for his record breaking feat.
“As the ball was placed in my hand, my heart was pounding with anticipation. The Headstone Manor Cricket Club was about to experience something they hadn't witnessed in their 44-year-long history,” says Darsh, of that clear sunny afternoon in London when he arrived on the pitch and eventually took 10 wickets.
The budding cricketer broke the unique record of being the only fourth player next to Jim Laker, Anil Kumble and Ajaz Patel for taking 10 wickets in an innings in a test match.
How it began
It was a call from Darsh’s aunt in the UK informing him about a position opened for an overseas player that led him to London. “I found myself on the pitch merely 48 hours after I landed in London, the weight of exhaustion and jet lag tugging at my limbs. But there was an electrifying feeling coursing through my veins as I wanted to write history in my first match,” he declares.
What was as yet unknown to a 17-year-old boy from the south of India, the Middlesex County Cricket League presented its own unique challenges. With each delivery, he adapted to the conditions and started to weave his spell by learning on the spot and struck fear into his seasoned opponents.
Early training grounds
Born in Hyderabad in February 2005, Darsh’s father worked as the CAO at St Mary’s College and his mother is a HR Director at Invesco. Darsh started playing cricket when he was in third grade. “I used to come to school 45 minutes late as I had practice in the mornings. Due to this all my teachers and peers knew I was a cricketer.” Sancta Maria International School, where he was a student, was always supportive of Darsh’s cricketing journey, even giving him the freedom to miss his classes if required. Darsh did his part too, ensuring his grades never dropped. He graduated in the top five percent of his class. He even founded a sports club and won a few business competitions. From there, Darsh went on to St Mary’s College and has won several awards along the way – he was felicitated by RBL Bank in Hyderabad as part of their young leader and sportsperson campaign.
Darsh’s passion comes from his father, an avid cricketer himself. “He introduced me to cricket at the age of three. As an infant, I used to watch him play matches and would cheer him on,” says the young cricketer, who began training at the cricket academy at the age of 5. “My dad played a huge role in my cricketing journey and made lots of sacrifices. He even left his job for six years, trained and helped me learn the nuances of the game. He would even drive me to my practice sessions.” He also idolised Sachin Tendulkar and bowler Shane Warne, whom he describes as one of the best leg spinners everyday, saying, “I would watch videos of his bowling everyday.”
Overcoming obstacles
Darsh’s journey hasn’t always cheerful. “I faced obstacles that tested my resilience. I encountered injuries, unfair selection practices that kept me out of the state team, and the biggest hurdle of them all, COVID-19,” says Darsh.
When the lockdown was lifted, however, Darsh was nursing a finger injury that kept him out of action for an agonizing four months after the lockdown. “I considered quitting the sport, but with my coach's guidance, I rekindled my passion. Two months later, I stood in London, breaking records and achieving a dream I never thought was possible,” says a beaming Darsh, who has won over 40 awards for man of the series, emerging player, best fielder, best bowler and man of the match.
Darsh’s day usually starts at the crack of dawn. He is up by 5.45 am and heads straight for his cricket practice for an hour. It’s college next and once he is back home by 4, he goes to his gym after which it’s practice time again. “My mother has been telling me to include yoga in my schedule and I plan to do it soon,” says Darsh, who is looking to play more county cricket in the UK even as he is playing a few tournaments in Hyderabad presently. “My dream is to play for the country,” says the cricketer, who used to play volleyball, badminton and table tennis in school.
Darsh also has a great interest in entrepreneurship and wants to start a business of his own in future.
(May 10, 2022) A 250-member team and 1,50,000 students impacted from around the world, all in under two years. The teen changemaker Aryan Maggo founded Optiverse in August 2020, when he was a tenth-grade student at Laxmi Public School, Delhi. Now, at 18, he's gearing up to write his twelfth-grade exams and carve out his own path as an entrepreneur, like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, his two big inspirations. Aryan won the Young Achievers' Award 2021 and was named a Harvard Innovation Fellow that same year. In the summer of 2022, he will participate in LaunchX, touted as the world's top acceleration programme for students, founded by alumni of the Harvard Business School. "My interests? Oh, photography, theatre, reading and writing, entrepreneurship, I have my own YouTube channel and have been doing theatre for the last few years." Aryan rattles of a long list of hobbies without pause. Evidently, he likes to explore new things, from "basketball to tennis, I have tried it all." His desire for discovery is constant, even if he doesn't always excel at everything he does. It's all part of the journey of self-awareness - in Aryan's mind, understanding the self is the most important part of all.
ab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Aryan rattles of a long list of hobbies without pause. Evidently, he likes to explore new things, from "basketball to tennis, I have tried it all." His desire for discovery is constant, even if he doesn't always excel at everything he does. It's all part of the journey of self-awareness - in Aryan's mind, understanding the self is the most important part of all. It's also why he founded Optiverse, as a means to help students from all over the world find themselves and realise their potential.
A whiteboard stands behind him and Aryan often pauses during the conversation to make a note or two, handwritten into a book on the table beside him. "People ask me how I balance school and work and everything else. I always say, there is so much time and we waste it without realising we're doing so," he says, adding, "I have a bunch of books for different things."
How it began
Aryan had just finished his 10th grade exams and, "felt there was something missing in the students around me." The pandemic had just begun and Aryan found himself cut off from his old friends. "My peers were always talking about the things that got them down - terms like depression and anxiety were part of daily use." Pointing out that Optiverse does not in any way deal with mental health or psychological therapy, Aryan explains, "There was a lot of focus on the negative things in life. And I thought, why don't I do something to help?"
He also recalls a short composition by a junior in school, was asked to write a paragraph describing himself. The boy had written his name, his favourite food, his age and his favourite sports. "I thought, this kid probably has a good idea of who he is but he never shows it nor applies that potential. There's more to life than just academics, after all," he tellsGlobal Indian.
This is where he returns to the Socratic idea of self-awareness. Optiverse is run by students, for students and provides mentees with a six-hour course, divided equally into six sessions. They are put through a set of activities, discussions and questionnaires, acquainted with life maps and design thinking, identity building, decision making and the other parameters "necessary for character development."
Finding recognition
A group of students not yet out of high school are bound to have a hard time proving themselves - a challenge Aryan and the Optiverse team have faced many times. "A lot of our work involves making organisational pitches to potential stakeholders," says the teen changemaker. They have networked with organisations, schools, colleges and NGOs around the world. This includes Lady Gaga's The Way Foundation and a George H.W. Bush Points of Lights Awards.
Recognition comes from all over the world not just because Aryan works with students in foreign countries. Instead, the idea that is the essence of Optiverse, has merit and application that far transcends conventional borders. "Run by students, for students, we give our mentees a better perspective of their skills, strengths and talents," Aryan explains. While most of their mentees are teenagers, they do meet the occasional thirty-something too. "It's about gaining insights positively," he remarks. Optimism and positivity are their core values - baked right into the organisation's name. "We believe it's the foundation of whatever you dream of achieving," he adds.
The system itself is completely free and an advantage, Aryan says, is that the mentor and mentee are almost the same age. "Usually, you have adults counselling children and there is a sense of a gap there. With Optiverse, that is not the case - students feel safe and are willing to open up to someone their own age," he proffers. The mentor and the mentee usually do the course together, too. "The students who have benefited from us promote our work," he explains.
Collaborations are the backbone of what Optiverse does, as is training young people to put the programme forth. Trainers are brought on board by Aryan, after a month-long selection process. "They do the course themselves during that time. By the end of it, they know what question to ask and when. They know how to respond to the questions that come their way," says the entrepreneur. Through this method, the team has grown to a strength of 250, compounding the number of those who have been impacted. "We don't keep track of how many mentees we have," Aryan explains, adding, "We make note of those who were happy with the programme."
Optiverse will always be part of his life. "I see so many students starting up organisations and closing them after school or college. I don't want to do that. 30 years from now, Optiverse will remain part of my secondary life, if not my primary life," adds the teen changemaker.
What the future holds
“The biography of Steve Jobs was the first big book I read," Aryan smiles. That happened soon after his tenth grade, around the time he started Optiverse. "He is a visionary." Then there's Elon Musk, the unpredictable billionaire who dabbles in everything from space to social media - a maverick quality that Aryan no doubt admires. "Entrepreneurship is where I see myself," the teen changemaker speaks with great conviction. "I see myself being part of many startups which also work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals."
This summer, he will head off to LaunchX to build a startup from scratch. "I have a 100 percent scholarship," adds the teen changemaker. During the programme, he will begin with a business pitch and have a business that's ready to launch by the end of the month-long programme. With mentorship from experts all through.
OptiverseX is his latest endeavour, an ambitious bid to bring 50 student organisations together around the same table, fighting for all SDGs under one proverbial roof. "Lots of people and businesses focus on one or more SDGs. Here, will be working with all at the same time," he concludes.
(July 8, 2022) Staying in a run-down hotel in Tripura, near the Bangladesh border, with very poor connectivity, Shivakshi Bhattacharya was surprised to receive an early morning call from Canada. Expecting it to be a spam call, she answered to hear a woman's voice at the other end, saying, "Congratulations!" Shivakshi was officially a Schwarzman Scholar 2023 - news she received with a shocked, "Are you sure?" Yes, they assured her, they were sure, she was doing "incredible work." At the end of July, Shivakshi will join a small, very elite group of Indians who have had the opportunity to do a year-long master's in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. "It's been a tumultuous journey," Shivakshi sighs, as she calls me on a rare day off. The 26-year-old lawyer has founded numerous organisations that work with women – something she began in 2014 - as a law student. Despite having doctor parents, she decided against a career in medicine herself, because she "wanted to be in the impact sector," she tells Global Indian. Today, she runs The Laali Project, teaching entrepreneurship skills to girls from rural areas. Shivakshi is also a campaign manager in Bihar for Prashant Kishore's IPAC, a heavy-duty assignment, it seems, for
ivakshi sighs, as she calls me on a rare day off. The 26-year-old lawyer has founded numerous organisations that work with women – something she began in 2014 - as a law student. Despite having doctor parents, she decided against a career in medicine herself, because she "wanted to be in the impact sector," she tells Global Indian. Today, she runs The Laali Project, teaching entrepreneurship skills to girls from rural areas. Shivakshi is also a campaign manager in Bihar for Prashant Kishore's IPAC, a heavy-duty assignment, it seems, for it keeps her days full. She has also spent two years as a Teach for India fellow in Tughlaqabad, Delhi.
As the founder of the Hunkaar Foundation, Shivakshi has been instrumental in providing rural women access to high-quality, affordable sanitary napkins, with a business model that helps them work towards financial freedom. Her first initiative, Make India Bold, worked with spreading awareness among schoolgirls on issues like sexual harassment and abuse, impacting thousands of students in rural Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Shivakshi Bhattacharya spent her early years in Nepal, where her parents were deputed. She returned to India in time for grade eight, "because of the political struggle schools were shut, buses were being burned and there were strikes."
Her moment of reckoning came on her first day of law school in Haryana’s Sonipat district in 2014. Not long after arriving at one of the country’s top institutions - home to one of the most elite student bodies - Shivakshi dealt with sexual harassment from a fellow student. She posted about the incident on the college social media page and found support among several women who faced similar behaviour by the same student. She decided to fight, becoming the first person to file a case since the school opened in 2009. "It's very sad, more so since it's a law school where you're supposed to create an open and safe space for students."
Shivakshi soon found that fighting a case, even in such a progressive and top-tier institution was a traumatic experience. Authorities were hostile, and as were her fellow students, including women. "People went so far as to ask if I was making a complaint to get attention." She recalls men walking up to her to remark, "‘Hey, Shivakshi, if we talk to you, will you file a complaint against us?' But this was the start of my journey."
The case was resolved, albeit unsatisfactorily, with the perpetrator being handed the minimum punishment. Still, the University decided to set up a committee to hear complaints of sexual harassment. And as she struggled against the system, Shivakshi decided to work with school children and spread awareness about how to counter the various ills that plague our society.
Make India Bold
Worn out but undefeated, Shivakshi Bhattacharya visited a friend's place in Madhya Pradesh, where the latter had contacts in educational institutions. During their morning rounds to visit schools, they discovered the whole gamut of issues, from bullying and neglect to abuse. With a framework of information behind her, she returned to Haryana for college and began working with the 139 villages that surrounded her University town, focusing on private and rural schools.
"The methodology varied but the problems were more or less the same – scandalous videos, sexual abuse, casteism and classism," Shivakshi says. Surprisingly, the caste divides were greater in private schools than in their rural counterparts. "I had a very biased picture, I assumed that there would be more caste-related problems in rural schools." Irrespective of whether the school was private or rural, most children had no idea what sexual harassment meant, how to detect problematic behaviour or how to report it. Most weren't even aware of the child helpline.
Believing that early intervention is key, Shivakshi and her team formulated different training modules - for grades one to five, six to eight and nine to twelve. The programme was a roaring success, almost instantly, with some 500 students in attendance for the first session. Over the next year-and-a-half, Make India Bold impacted up to 30,000 students in and around Sonipat district. "We started getting offers - the Shiv Nadar Schools reached out to us and we signed an MoU with the Haryana government that gave us access to government schools as well," Shivakshi says.
"Being able to talk to so many people who had suffered for years - the energy drove me. I kept knocking on people's doors, going to the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare every day for 15 days." It was a "bottom-up approach," starting with the students, and then moving up the ladder. In 2015-16, during an internship with the Ministry of Education in Kashmir, she gave training sessions to school principals as well.
Hunkaar Foundation
As she did the rounds of Haryana's villages, visiting anganwadis was a routine part of the agenda. Most were shut. In one village, Shivakshi Bhattacharya met seven women who had been shunned by the community for undergoing hysterectomies. "They were a group of about 28 women who had become destitute because they couldn’t bear children," Shivakshi adds.
It led her to consider working with menstrual health in rural areas, an idea that would become the Hunkaar Foundation. The organisation used a microfinance model and collaborated with a biodegradable napkin manufacturer, who helped bring in imported napkins from Korea, for ₹18 instead of ₹85.
After an early round of fundraising for seed money, the Hunkaar Foundation procured the first batch of sanitary napkins which were given to a group of seven girls, who had to drop out of school after they reached puberty. "We wanted to ensure some degree of financial independence for them," Shivakshi explains. The girls sold the napkins and cultivated a source of income, while the fathers and brothers couldn't object as "the customers were women and the girls didn't have to leave their homes." Her seed fund was returned in full six months later and was taken to the next village.
Staying true to her working model, Shivakshi sets up the process and then steps away. "I want to work on multiple things and besides, these projects belong to the people for whom I started them."
With 30 women across different villages, hundreds of girls have access to affordable, high-quality sanitary napkins. Another, unintended consequence was the restoration of anganwadis in Sonipat district. "When we first arrived, they weren't functioning at all." They filed multiple petitions under India's Right to Information (RTI) Act, to no avail. However, the children of the now-empowered women began using them as places of learning.
The Laali Project
Although emboldened by the success of the Hunkaar Foundation, Shivakshi Bhattacharya understood that menstrual health is one piece in a much larger puzzle. "I also understand that change is incremental," she remarks. "You can't walk in to a village as an alien and tell them to change the way they live. Instead, we enable them to create the change themselves."
So, The Laali Project was founded, aimed at bringing entrepreneurship models to students. The foundation works with 15 organisations and has also partnered with the Child Support Initiative, Nigeria and Unity Effect, Germany . "I made training a curriculum objective," she says. The training has a multi-pronged approach - menstrual health, gender sensitisation and sex education make up one module, social and emotional learning is the next. Entrepreneurship skills are a section on their own and include lessons on design thinking and soft policy skills.
The pilot project was run in collaboration with Goonj, a Delhi-based NGO that undertakes disaster relief, humanitarian aid and community development. "The founder, Meenakshi ma'am, helped me a lot," Shivakshi says. Before she logs off, she makes special mention of one of her most cherished outcomes: "Four grade nine students have their own organisation - a learning centre where they teach men about menstrual health. The founder was the shyest girl in class, afraid to even say a word when she first came in. Today, she's teaching men."
(November 14, 2023) Divyakriti Singh has not been back home in the last two years. She missed all the festivals and other important events, which she would have otherwise celebrated with her family at their home in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It’s sacrifices like this and many more, that helped her gallop towards a historic victory which equestrians across the world will forever remember. She was among the four-member contingent that won India the historic gold at the Asian Games 2023, held at Hangzhou, China recently. “We definitely dreamt of a podium finish but to win the gold medal is surreal, it’s extraordinary and it should be like that,” smiles Divyakriti, in an exclusive with Global Indian. The historic win was the end result of hard training for years, perseverance, sacrifices and above all, the indomitable will to shine for India. “All the sacrifices we made are a small price to pay for the things we get to do,” says the 23-year-old, who is on cloud nine post the team’s win. She scored 68.176 in Asian Games. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divyakriti Singh Rathore (@divyakritisinghrathore) The victory marked the first time in 41 years that India has achieved
The victory marked the first time in 41 years that India has achieved the feat. “The best three scores were counted from our team and I'm very happy that I was able to contribute to that,” says Divyakriti who was honoured with Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Award for Young Achiever in the field of Sport at The Sawai Jaipur Awards 2023.
In Europe
For the last three years, Divyakriti has been living in Europe, preparing for the Asian Games. “I've been based in Denmark and then in Germany. I have been very involved with the daily routine of my horses. I'm in the stable every day, all days of the week,” informs the equestrienne, who visited Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Florida, USA as part of her training.
Her routine hardly changed during her training years. Divyakriti’s day would start at 5 am sharp and she would head straight for the stable. Even during the peak Europe winter, she would not compromise on her schedule.
The young rider currently holds the number one spot in Asia and ranks an impressive 14th globally, according to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Global Dressage rankings.
The Rathore Family
Born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Divyakriti was in seventh grade when she started horse riding. By 12, she was completely involved in equestrian sports and went on to receive numerous individual and team medals at various events including the Junior National Equestrian Championships and All India IPSC equestrian competitions. “Horses are my passion and that motivates me to be a better rider. It keeps me focused on the sport and I’m grateful that I get to do something that I love,” says the alumni of Mayo College Girls School in Ajmer.
A student of psychology in Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, Divyakriti is the daughter of Vikram Singh Rathore, a retired Army officer and Alka TejSingh. She has an elder sibling, Digvijay Singh. The Rathore family have been into horse riding for decades. “My entire family was present at the stands cheering for me at the Asian Game. It was a very proud moment for all of us,” says Divyakriti, beaming with pride. Even her grandparents from both mothers and fathers side have also been connected to horses.
Adrenaline Rush
She describes her horse, Adrenaline as a superstar. “He is my best friend and made my dreams come true. Together, we were able to deliver a personal best score which helped Team India clinch the gold medal,” says Divyakriti.
Initially, when she arrived in Europe, Divyakriti was training with a different horse but was not comfortable with him. At that stable, Adrenaline was already the super star. An international dressage rider from Denmark Helene Melsen, who bred the horse, asked her to try Adrenaline for the Asian games. “Once I rode him, the connect was instant and that was the beginning of our partnership,” she says.
Adrenaline, who weighs around 700 kg, has a mind of his own, says the equestrienne. “We have a bond based on trust, which we built through the time I spent at the stables,” says the accomplished equestrienne. She makes it a point to take her horse out for walks and feeds and grooms him. “He even gets a treat after rides, no matter the result,” she says.
Adrenaline, like all other horses, senses everything. “So the key is to be confident and give your horse the confidence,” says the India Today Woman Summit Awardee.
Lessons learned
There are ups and downs in every athlete's journey and Divyakriti is no exception. “If there is one thing that I've learned from my career, it is that do not fret over things that you can't control. Horse riding has taught me that,” smiles the youngster, who has previously represented the country in Europe and national competitions across the country.
She won the IPA Junior National Polo Championship Winner twice, in 2016 and 2017. She won the gold in the Junior National Equestrian Championship at Kolkata in 2018-2019 at Kolkata, India. In the 2019-2020 Junior National Equestrian Championship at Bangalore. she won the silver.
Prior to the Asian Games, she and her team members underwent a tough selection process. “Our federation had chalked out a set of selection criteria which required us to do the selection trials in Europe. Those trials were international competitions where we were competing against the best riders from all over the world,” she says, adding that it gave her good exposure.
(January 21, 2022) What do you do when you’re fascinated with the world of startups but don’t have a tech background or the business know-how? Launch a podcast that addresses this knowledge gap. At least that’s what Indian venture capitalist Jivraj Singh Sachar did. The Kolkata-based 23-year-old launched his now hugely popular business podcast Indian Silicon Valley back in August 2020 to help answer questions like how to build a successful business. Today, with about 90 episodes in the bag, Indian Silicon Valley has been consistently ranking in the top 10 business podcasts on Spotify. And the Indian venture capitalist has managed to also feature about 30 percent of the country’s unicorns. For Jivraj, the motive behind Indian Silicon Valley (which has an active listener base of over 75,000) was simple: create a content repository for budding entrepreneurs and get valuable information and tips from industry experts. To that effect, Jivraj has so far featured several of India’s successful founders, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. While he is not hosting his podcast, so far, a one-man show, he is working his way around the world of venture capital at his day job with AngelList India, where he prescribes to the philosophies of Naval Ravikanth and Utsav Somani. A podcast to help startups, start up! Born
alists. While he is not hosting his podcast, so far, a one-man show, he is working his way around the world of venture capital at his day job with AngelList India, where he prescribes to the philosophies of Naval Ravikanth and Utsav Somani.
A podcast to help startups, start up!
Born into a Sikh household settled in Kolkata, Jivraj had the typical middle-class upbringing. His father runs a business in the wood space and his mother works in the fashion industry, while his sister works with E&Y.
The Indian venture capitalist, who spent most of his formative years studying in Kolkata’s St Xavier’s College, tells Global Indian, “Like any typical middle-class family our aspirations were to focus on our studies, excel academically and eventually get a degree in engineering. However, in high school, a whole new world of opportunities opened up to me. I began to get more involved in co-curricular activities like debating and realised that there was life beyond just academics.” This was a period when he was quite active in the college TeDx scene too.
The Indian venture capitalist eventually chose to do his graduation in commerce from the same institution where he’d done his schooling, and graduated in 2020. During his college years, he was actively involved in clubs and launched a few himself too. “I found myself drawn to entrepreneurship, and wondered more and more about what it took to set up a successful business. I wanted to know the how behind several success stories out there,” smiles the Indian venture capitalist, adding that Kolkata as a city was not very entrepreneurial in nature.
That’s when he decided to launch his podcast - To build a content repository for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build a business. The podcast, which usually lasts anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour, has Jivraj speaking to industry leaders to try and democratise industry knowledge for people his age. Some of the people he’s featured so far include Jaydeep Barman of Rebel Foods, Ashwini Ashok of Mad Street Den, Sai Srinivas of Mobile Premier League, Vikram Chopra of Cars24, Kabeer Biswas of Dunzo, and Abhay Hanjura of Licious, among others. He has also interviewed managing partners of major venture funds such as Accel India, Sequoia Capital India, and Light Speed, to name a few.
Completely bootstrapped, the only investments Jivraj had to put into Indian Silicon Valley was to buy a good quality mic and laptop. “Revenue generation was never the idea behind the podcast. I was curious about how to build a business and since I didn’t come from a tech background, I thought the best way to gain that knowledge would be by interviewing industry insiders. That’s how the podcast came about,” says the Indian venture capitalist, adding that today, he also features experts from the Bay Area, UK, Netherlands and Bangladesh.
Aired weekly, his podcasts have Jivraj quiz industry leaders on how to go about tactical things, pull off valuations, establish culture in the company, and how to startup in the first place. “I want to equip the masses with the tools to start their own company and contribute to the Indian Silicon Valley and economy,” smiles Indian venture capitalist.
All in a day’s work
On the professional front, Jivraj began working with AngelList India in December 2020; at the time he was one of the youngest employees. Today, he works in the venture operations team, and looks at investor relations. “I look up to Naval’s ideologies and principals. I also have great respect for Utsav, the India partner. At 33, he's one of the youngest investors in the country,” says the Indian venture capitalist, who is also an avid reader and loves to play table tennis when he isn’t reading up to understand the world of investments better.
A cricket and sport buff, the Indian venture capitalist also loves travelling with friends, and on occasion, adding adventure to the mix.
As his podcast continues to gain steam, Jivraj hopes that in the next few years Indian Silicon Valley becomes one of the most widely heard podcasts in the world. “I truly believe that innovation in India should not be restricted, it should be showcased to the world. And I hope we can do that through Indian Silicon Valley,” he signs off.
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Shivakshi Bhattacharya. Photo: 
