Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveIn Tune with India: German singer CassMae mesmerises PM Modi and Sadhguru with Indian Songs

In Tune with India: German singer CassMae mesmerises PM Modi and Sadhguru with Indian Songs

Written by: Amrita Priya

(March 09, 2024) When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the German singer-songwriter Cassandra Mae Spittmann and her mother at Palladam in Tamil Nadu last month, the 21-year-old vocalist, who was born blind, performed Achyutam Keshavam and Tamil song Sivamayamaga for him. The video of PM Modi enjoying her songs went viral in no time. Popular as CassMae, the singer, who was on her maiden visit to India, has garnered praise from people across the country for her flawless Indian renditions on social media.

This month PM Modi conferred the ‘best international creator’ award to CassMae at the inaugural National Creators Award ceremony for online content creators. Earlier this year, the vocalist gained widespread attention for her rendition of Ram Ayenge ahead of the Ram Temple’s consecration ceremony in Ayodhya in January.

CassMae

However, this isn’t the first time that she has left people awestruck with her renditions. In 2023, CassMae earned recognition and a large following for her fusion and Indian devotional music. So much so that her Tamil songs and devotional Indian tracks caught the attention of netizens, earning her a mention in the PM’s radio programme, Mann ki Baat. “What a sweet voice! Through the emotions reflected in every word, we can feel her love for God. If I disclose that this melodious voice belongs to a daughter from Germany, perhaps you will be even more surprised! The name of this daughter is – Cassandra Mae Spittmann,” he had remarked on his show.

Exceptional fluency in languages

Known for possessing unique abilities, CassMae has a talent for learning languages, effortlessly picking up Indian songs just through repeated listening. “I can sing in 12 Indian languages but love singing in Sanskrit and South Indian languages the most,” she told PM Modi. Apart from German and English, CassMae is also fluent in French and Spanish.

Moreover, her singing prowess extends beyond Hindi. The German singer also fluently sings in Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, Assamese, and Bengali, surprising many with her linguistic and musical prowess. Her deep affection for India is evident even though she visited the country for the very first time this year.

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A post shared by Cassandra Mae Spittmann (@cassmaeofficial)

Powerhouse of talents

According to her website, a young CassMae would use her feet for orientation. Later, she switched to playing the African drum after realising she was drumming too hard on the ground. At the age of three, CassMae became fascinated with Chopin, and began improvising on the piano, and eventually started singing her own songs.

She used her own lyrics to build a deep connection with her audience, allowing them to understand her inner feelings. “When she experienced bullying, she wrote her intimate song ‘Bullies’ to cope with her situation and instantly won the national songwriting contest of the Berliner Festspiele in 2015. This appreciation made her stronger,” mentions her website.

Gaining recognition

As word of CassMae’s talent spread, she started getting offers to appear on radio and TV shows in Germany, and even worked with international artists. She participated in shows like ‘Dein Song,’ reaching the finale with her song ‘Going Home.’ CassMae received a scholarship for the Summer Performance Program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, in the USA, winning the Songwriter’s Showcase with ‘The Way I Am.’

CassMae during one of her performances

Upon her return from the US, she got the opportunity to work on the title song for the ‘Prix Jeunesse International 2018’ – the children’s television’s most engaging and rewarding professional training exercise in Germany involving producers, executives and researchers from all over the world.

ALSO READ: Gaiea Sanskrit: British by birth, Indian by soul

Discovering Indian music in the US

During her time in the US, CassMae had her first tryst with Indian music and was instantly captivated by its beauty. “I felt so struck by it that I began my research as soon as I got back home and then found the treasure of Bollywood songs,” CassMae shared in an interview. “At first I tried to learn some couple of phrases and words in Hindi to actually get the language and pronunciation right because I wanted to sing along to the songs, and yeah I listened to many songs and then I dared to finally sing them on social media, and gained some recognition,” the self-taught learner remarked.

I simply love Indian languages, Indian culture, Indian music, and Indian people.

CassMae

The singer also plays Tabla. She joined the Tabla Ensemble of the Anubhab Academy of Cologne in Germany, and continues to explore oriental sounds and languages and plays at Indian concerts, and yoga retreats in her country.

Lata Mangeshkar’s songs fascinates her the most and she considers them as a source of learning Indian songs. She can even fluently recite the slokas and mantras. “I listen to bhajans every day and focus a lot on hearing and learning that way,” she remarked.

In the world of music

In 2018, Cassandra formed a project band, winning the Young Talents band contest and opening the Eier mit Speck Festival in Germany. Create Music, a music company in Germany, helped her produce her first Hindi-Pop original. As a singer-songwriter she was also working on contract with Kick The Flame Publishing in Leipzig.

In 2019, CassMae produced her debut album ‘Past Life’ with GOLOW and performed at events like the ‘Tag der Begegnung – Sommerblut Kulturfestival’ in Cologne and the Chalabre Serenade Festival in France.

Two years later, the young singer released her EP, ‘Number 14,’ winning the pop category of the UK’s songwriting contest and reached the semifinals of the International Songwriting Contest.

In 2022, CassMae won the Christmas Special of the TV show ‘Dein Song’ with her original ‘Gib mir Frieden’. The momentum continued into 2023, marked by notable professional collaborations and significant acknowledgments in India, including a mention in Mann Ki Baat. Advocating for an inclusive society, CassMae lent her voice to events like the Jahresempfang of Jürgen Dusel and joined RAMPD in 2023.

The dawn of 2024 brought more opportunities for the talented singer as she embarked on a meaningful journey to India, a country close to her heart, where she met with prominent figures like PM Modi and Sadhguru. Their praise and admiration further accentuated CassMae’s growing influence and impact.

Follow Cassandra Mae Spittmann on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and her website

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Published on 09, Mar 2024

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Alana Meenakshi: Chess prodigy receives Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2023

(February 2, 2023) Alana Meenakshi Kolagatla was barely four when she first got the feel of the king, queen, rook, bishop, and pawn on the chess board. The child hardly had any understanding of the game, yet she was just about able to arrange the pieces in order. By the time she turned six, the chess prodigy began playing professionally. Success followed her everywhere ever since. Having won several locals, national and international championships — of which she admittedly has lost the count — Alana, now 11, has been making all the right moves. Recently, the Vishakhapatnam girl received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2023 for exceptional achievement in sports category, making her one of the eleven children who were selected for the award this year. PM Narendra Modi praised the chess prodigy and tweeted, "Meet Kumari Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi, a distinguished chess player and now, a Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee. Her successes in chess have made her shine in various competitions globally. Her accomplishments will certainly inspire upcoming chess players." Meet Kumari Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi, a distinguished chess player and now, a Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee. Her successes in chess have made her shine

antri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee. Her successes in chess have made her shine in various competitions globally. Her accomplishments will certainly inspire upcoming chess players. pic.twitter.com/Xod9zR3dlA

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 24, 2023

“I want to become a grandmaster as soon as possible," declares Alana Meenakshi, the World No.1 in the Under-11 girls' category, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_21903" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi, chess prodigy[/caption]

Since 2018, Alana has taken the world of chess by storm with her consistent performance. She continued her winning streak by adding gold, silver, and bronze medals to the country's tally and went on to bag the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title when she played in Sri Lanka in 2018. “Sometimes when you're winning, you just feel you're winning and let go of it and end up losing the game or end up in a draw. I have never really kept track of how many games I won and lost,” informs the chess prodigy, who has travelled to Albania, China, Sri Lanka, Serbia, and Hungary among other countries for her tournaments, besides vacations. Her father, Madhu Kolagatla is a businessman, and her mother Dr Aparna Kolagatla is a scientist and a career counsellor.

A move in the right direction

The chess prodigy from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, who was also the world No 2 in the Under-10 category (December 2022) before she made it to the top, finds chess a very lonely game. “Sometimes you feel very bored, just like you're looking at 64 squares with 32 pieces. And if you don't enjoy what's going on, you don't understand what's going on,” says the chess mastermind. But at the end of the day, she says, the combinations and the tactics in the game are what draw her towards it. “People feel that chess is very hard to play and only smart people can play the game. But that's not true. If you play chess, you will become smarter. It's actually the opposite,” smiles the class VI student of Timpany school, Visakhapatanam.

[caption id="attachment_21904" align="aligncenter" width="616"] The young prodigy with all her medals and trophies[/caption]

Alana plays chess every day. “I need to work a lot to reach a certain level. I practice for about 8 hours a day. So usually it's like four to six hours coaching and then maybe two hours games and then two hours I work by myself,” informs Alana, who occasionally takes a break from the game when she is overstressed. When it comes to tournaments, her games last up to six hours.

So what does it take to become a professional chess player like her? “Hard work, talent, and seriousness. One should be willing to work a lot, even though sometimes it gets very stressful. Strategy and confidence will keep you going in the game,” feels this huge Potterhead, who has read all Harry Potter books.

She is now trying yoga and meditation to beat the stress. “My parents recommended it and though I am trying my best for the past few weeks, it feels boring sometimes,” she laughs. Before every tournament, she makes sure to check who she is playing against, prepare against them and make note of their weaknesses and strengths.

Alana’s achievements have made her parents and friends proud of her. “It feels great when family members and friends tell others that I am an international chess player and stuff like that. Parents, sometimes say I could have done better after a particular tournament,” says the prodigy, who lists her win in her first international chess in Sri Lanka as one of the major highlights of her journey so far.

Beyond the chequered world

Besides chess, Alana likes to play tennis. "I actually play tennis just for physical fitness, go swimming, and indulge in basketball once in a while," says Alana, who likes to watch all the action stuff on Netflix.

Ask her if she comes across children who love Chess, the Vizag girl feels that people should start playing chess because it develops intellectual skills, calculations, and quick reflexes. "People don't play chess because they think it's very hard and boring, but I don't think so. There are a few people who are interested in chess, who are around my age, plus or minus a few years, but many are not," says Alana, whose elder brother Dhruv is a tennis player.

What else does Alana like to do? "Fashion designing interests me but I am not very sure. I am still in VI grade so I have another three to four more years to decide," informs the champ, who like most kids her age, loves Dario for Wimpy Kid as well. She is a huge fan of Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Justin Bieber as well. Alana makes it a point to visit as many places as places while on a foreign trip. Recently, she was in Budapest where she visited the castle, Parliament, and many more places to understand its history and rich culture.

"Kids should do more something creative than just watching TV or spending time on mobile phones. They should go out and play or, try some arts and crafts. Maybe, they should try learning a new thing like chess," is her message to children her age.

Reading Time: 6 min

Uday Bhatia: Diana Awardee helping illuminate households in rural India

(July 19, 2023) It was in the spring break of 2022 that the then 16-year-old Uday Bhatia embarked on a school project. His destination was the village of Bichpuri in Uttar Pradesh, where he aimed to mentor 30 students on financial literacy and ways to earn a sustainable livelihood. Little did he know that this endeavour would profoundly impact the lives of the village residents. It all began when his students turned up without homework the following day. When inquired, he learned about the frequent power outages plaguing the area, lasting between 6 to 8 hours each day, making it impossible for the students to finish their assignments. "The only alternative they had was kerosene lamps, which I found was harmful due to the release of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Additionally, they posed risks of respiratory problems and eye irritation," Uday tells Global Indian. Motivated by the discovery, Uday delved into research and found that an inverter costs ₹10,000, the amount equivalent to the average income of many households in the village. This pushed him to find a low-cost solution, which he did with an emergency inverter bulb capable of providing 10 hours of power backup. The ground-breaking invention,

emergency inverter bulb capable of providing 10 hours of power backup. The ground-breaking invention, that has illuminated 5000 households till now in five states, earned him the Diana Award 2023.

[caption id="attachment_32012" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Uday Bhatia is the founder of Uday Electric[/caption]

A low-cost solution for power outages

Initially, he had no sense of direction but only a strong will to find a low-cost solution for people of Bichpuri. This led him to comb through reams of information and explore varied options like solar panels and hydropower before zeroing in on power storage system - a technology he describes simple yet complex. "I started using a lithium-ion rechargeable cell. How the bulb works is that when it's connected to a power source, the energy gets stored in the cell. During a power outage, the stored energy from the cell powers the bulb, ensuring it continues to glow," reveals Uday, who reached the solution after working on seven-eight prototypes.

However, one problem still loomed large - the limited backup time of three hours. That's when he tapped into his expertise in computer science to devise a solution. Leveraging his skills, he developed a pulse width modulation technique in conjunction with dynamic lumen technology. By implementing this approach, he found a way to extend the backup duration. "The algorithm enables one to adjust the bulb's brightness according to their requirement. The lower the brightness, the longer the backup. For instance, if someone desires a brightness level of 9 watts, they could adjust the bulb's settings from 12 watts to 9 watts, thereby granting them the freedom to control the brightness and the backup duration," says Uday who is happy that his technology caters to people across all demographics.

“For a longer backup, we decrease the brightness of the bulb. The algorithm helps the user have an optimum level of brightness based on his needs. If someone needs a 9-watt brightness, they can move it from 12 watts to 9 watts, thus giving them the freedom to control the brightness and the backup," adds Uday who is happy that his technology caters to people across all demographics. "In Uttar Pradesh, people are using it at a lower brightness, while in the Himalayas, since a new hydropower plant has come up, people are using it at a higher brightness."

The beginning of Uday Electric

It was after 24 prototypes that Uday arrived at the 10-hour backup. However, the journey over the past year has been nothing short of captivating for Uday. It all began with his humble experiments conducted on his terrace, eventually culminating in the establishment of Uday Electric in June 2022. The brand name was chosen as a blend of Uday's luminous technology and a personal touch, inspired by the meaning of his name, which signifies the rising of the sun. "I thought people in the villages would easily connect with it."

The dire situation in Bichpuri served as a catalyst for Uday's journey into sustainable energy solutions, leading to the birth of Uday Electric. Their tagline, "Bijli gul fir bhi ujaala full," encapsulates their mission. The initial six months were dedicated to intensive research and development, and later they organised their first donation drive in Kabadi Bazar in Dehradun, followed by another collaboration with the Aasra Foundation.

Uday was only 16 when he started Uday Electric, and for the most part has been the sole army behind the work, apart from an outsourcing company that helps with manufacturing. But now he plans to get an in-house team into place and start full-fledged manufacturing.

Creating brand value

Being a teenager, age did play a spoiler, however, the entrepreneur recognises the significance of brand value as a crucial stepping stone for any business. "In order to gain trust, we would offer one-year warranty for our bulbs, surpassing the standard six-month warranty provided by others. Though we were a loss-reading company initially, we distributed free bulbs to retailers for testing purposes." His resilience proved instrumental in navigating the challenges, ultimately illuminating 5000 households across Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana and Kerala. As a novice, he pursued three strategies - cold calling retailers in different markets to gauge demand, advertising on platforms like India Mart and conducting on-location surveys in places like Manesar industrial area and Kabadi Bazaar in Dehradun.

Uday firmly justifies the price of ₹250 for his bulbs, emphasising that he is not in direct competition with other bulbs on the market but rather with expensive power storage systems. "You either buy an inverter which costs a lot in comparison to the price of the bulb." At the onset, he bootstrapped the business, starting with an initial investment of ₹17,000 from which he produced the first 100 bulbs. "Initially, we started with the profit-making incentive and later used the sales reserves to do donation drives, since we wanted to check the consumer response first."

Making an impact

In a short span, Uday Electric has made a significant and positive impact on the lives of individuals in rural India. His vision as a value creator is to ensure that every household in rural areas has access to sufficient lighting. "And in places where electricity is yet to reach, I want to illuminate them with the help of renewable energy," he says, adding, "Uday Electric is not just a bulb but I see ourselves getting into renewable energy soon."

Uday recently received the prestigious Diana Award 2023, and while he is grateful for the recognition, he believes that the true validation for his work lies in the number of households he has illuminated. Since third grade, he was keen to run a business, as he was inspired by his dad and uncle, both entrepreneurs. "Uday Electric is my second venture, my first venture was an edtech marketplace for finding a tutor called FindOurTutor.com that I started during the pandemic," says the teenager who wants to do a double major in economics and computer science.

Uday loves to gym, run and swim in his free time, and is keen to take Uday Electric to new heights in the near future. He advises youngsters "to put your best foot forward and never give up. That's how you make a successful business."

Follow Uday Bhatia on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 min

‘App’lying thought: Teen changemaker Karthik Ramu innovates for elder care

(March 19, 2022) If you have a proclivity for tech, one of two things can happen: You can turn that knowledge into a solution; or you, learn and create an ecosystem striving higher. For teen changemaker Karthik Ramu, it was a coupling of both these that helped him solve the hugely ignored elder care problem in the US. Deep in the throes of his freshman year at the University of Virginia, his grandfather in Coimbatore fell ill. The Virginia-based boy and his family were on tenterhooks. Nothing worth something is going to be easy. One day you get someone interested, another day you are rejected - continuing to innovate with focused understanding is important. - Karthik Ramu, teen innovator and global teen leader Witnessing angst and uncertainty, Karthik set out on a path to research on elder care, get data, and he and his classmate Kushi launched AmityConnect. The mobile platform helps families monitor elders’ health by aggregating real-time health data from smart medical devices (smartwatches, etc). Honoured as a global teen leader by We Are Family Foundation (2021),

he and his classmate Kushi launched AmityConnect. The mobile platform helps families monitor elders’ health by aggregating real-time health data from smart medical devices (smartwatches, etc). Honoured as a global teen leader by We Are Family Foundation (2021), he also won the T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge award and was chosen among the top 30 changemakers. The enterprising teen changemaker is direct, has a weakness about numbering his pointers, to then tackle each head on.

[caption id="attachment_12886" align="aligncenter" width="355"] Karthik Ramu, co-founder, AmityConnect[/caption]

When an idea was born

The Tamilian born in North Carolina is as close to his Coimbatore-born parents' roots as he is to his Indian-American culture. The single child’s upbringing was also entrenched in tech as his father is an IT consultant, and his mother helps at their firm. AmityConnect was initiated in 2018-19 at his stem-based magnate high school. An entrepreneurship computer science programme piqued his curiosity, and he ideated on a solution with the potential to impact society.

“The biggest problem for our team was our grandparents – they had medical emergencies. I saw my grandfather suffer a heart attack. We felt distant and unaware, and were unable to offer the best care,” says teen changemaker Karthik Ramu in an interview with Global Indian. Putting his thinking cap on, the co-founder realised that the need for elder care was critical. His grandfather recovered, and a quest began to solve this oft-forgotten need – “Did you know that the elderly population is expected to double globally from 900 million to 2 billion in 2050 – it shook me,” adds the 19-year-old.

Caring for the aged

About one in six people in the US are elderly – with chronic conditions. Often, families and caretakers are left in the dark, and unable to give pertinent care. Initially, they created an app that aggregates data from medical devices but soon realised the larger problem – the data was inaccessible to caretakers, family, etc.

AmityConnect was born as a simple yet ground-breaking way to care for the elderly – simplifying data from devices to send updates on health, and using AI to predict trends — the idea was pitched to tech competitions. Seven family members were roped in to test the app, and it emerged that it was perfect for senior-living facilities. Amity, meaning peace and calm, is Karthik’s way of connecting everyone together for elder care – a peace emanating prospect, no doubt.

The app data also helps predict medical emergencies. “The data we are aggregating shows a trend in medical vitals, thus with AI and ML, we are able to predict heart attacks, etc. We tried to create an AI model to help senior living facilities prep for emergencies,” explains the serious-minded teen changemaker.

The team is also streamlining the way senior living facilities work (often outdated). Families get elders’ health updates at their fingertips with a feature that allows senior living staff to convey data. The beta testing during Covid-19’s peak saw them partner with 20-30 Apple Fitbits. Slowly understanding and smoothening glitches, the focus is on funding, development and growing the team. They also won a competition judged and created by Tim Draper, a renowned venture capitalist in the US, winning $16,000 -$17,000 funding. The goal is to triple funding, launch and tap into the 40,000 to 50,000 US-based senior living communities.

[caption id="attachment_13038" align="aligncenter" width="839"] Karthik Ramu, co-founder, AmityConnect with his friends[/caption]

The only way is up

Expanding the team, they brought in WWDC scholars (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference) – Don, from Singapore and Nick from Netherlands. In the pre-launch stage, Karthik is now busy with school and wants to study MBA (economics and computers science). A part of him longs for the traditional setup of families in India, where primary caregivers are family members, but he accepts that the US is different.

Starting up is tough, and he believes he has the resilience and strength of purpose to succeed, “Nothing worth something is going to be easy. One day you get someone interested, another day you are rejected - continuing to innovate with focused understanding is important - How can I impact others? I realise that the only things that stay are your ideas and work,” says the very mature teen changemaker.

His “India” is a bustling cornucopia - active and alive. Those yearly trips are precious. Fluent in Tamil, Karthik adds, “I speak to my grandparents often. When we go to India, we visit the village. I’ve been brought very Indian, and that has helped me in many ways. Acknowledging the other parts of you, and your identity is helpful, and makes one unique.”

Projects, and more projects

Left to his own skillset, his parents are supportive but noninterfering. “Their goal is to guide me in the right direction – whether to pitch at competitions or a willingness to drive me there, they motivate me. At the same time, I am doing these different ventures, helping out with different entrepreneurship projects so they ensure I balance it all,” smiles Karthik, who hopes to graduate and devote time developing AmityConnect, and ultimately be his own boss.

His parents are unaware of his projects, “They joke that I never tell them anything, but they end up being pleasantly surprised and proud,” adds the teen changemaker.

Quiet, contemplative, his close-knit friends’ circle helps him spread those bookish wings further. The 5’10’’ basketball player is thankful to his teachers – “Ms Schmidt, Ms Dorothy, who were a guiding force to help me get the right resources. Cliff Weitzman (founder and CEO, Speechify, an AI-powered text to speech platform), who has a YouTube channel inspired me with his writing. He knows what it is to be a student entrepreneur, and grow a 100-plus team to generate revenue,” says the basketball aficionado.

Another mentor, Drew Bartkiewicz (in the top 100 influential people by Goldman Sachs) from We Are Family Foundation is a mentor. The teen changemaker says, “His immense experience in scaling app-based companies – helped us immensely.”

Covid-19 was Karthik’s, “time to introspect, create his own values and understand where he is, and where he wants to go.” Yes, for a freshman, the teen changemaker philosophises too.

Follow Karthik Ramu on Linkedin

Bhangra to Ballet: How Delhi boy Kamal Singh made it to UK’s theatre troupe

(January 3, 2023) At the opening night of Brecon Festival Ballet this Christmas, an Indian took centrestage as the main lead in Nutcracker - the world's most popular ballet - to perform to packed houses in Wales. Amid the thunderous applause, he couldn't help but reminisce the time he first saw a ballet in a Bollywood film. And now six years later, the dream of performing ballet has come true for Delhi-born Kamal Singh. He had never heard of ballet ever until he watched a Bollywood film on his small television at his home in Vikaspuri on a balmy afternoon in 2016. A sweet twist of fate put him in the company of the Imperial Fernando Ballet School that changed the trajectory of his life and made him take those steps toward his dream. Then a 17-year-old, whose father is an e-rickshaw driver in Delhi, he was bewitched by the ballet dancers and wanted to try it for himself. Five years later, he became the first Indian to be selected to study at the English National Ballet School in the UK. [caption id="attachment_26066" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Kamal Singh is an Indian ballerino[/caption] The 23-year-old, who made it to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under

wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kamal2.jpg" alt="Ballet | Kamal Singh | Global Indian" width="574" height="718" /> Kamal Singh is an Indian ballerino[/caption]

The 23-year-old, who made it to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, fought not just social stigma but economic hurdles to make his dream come true. "Coming from a humble background, where I couldn't afford fees for ballet school to now performing in the UK, I am living my dream. Taking a leap of faith, knowing that I can back it up with hard work is what changed the game for me," Kamal tells Global Indian from London.

How Bollywood gave him wings to fly

Growing up, the family survived on his father's meager income that came from working two jobs - being an e-rickshaw driver in Delhi and making charpais (benches), Kamal believed for the longest time that he wasn't allowed to dream. "While growing up, I was obsessed with fitness and would spend hours running and training in local parks. I even learnt Gatka (Sikh martial art) for six years, and was a part of local jatha (group), where I participated in competitions," says Kamal.

[caption id="attachment_26068" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Kamal Singh is English National Ballet School graduate.[/caption]

Financial crunches were the norm at home but his parents never pressurised him into chipping in through odd jobs. At the same time, his life was confined to the alleys of Vikaspuri. "I didn't dream big till I was 17." For someone who loved watching dance reality shows, and was often the first one to break into a dance at weddings, his love for dancing remained personal. Until a Bollywood film changed the course of his life forever.

At 17, he watched Remo D'Souza's dance film ABCD: Anybody Can Dance, and the ballet piece stirred something inside this then-teenager, who couldn't stop thinking about this dance form. Being a Sikh, Singh always broke into bhangra at every party or wedding, but the fluid elegance of ballet drew him in and he spent the next few days watching ballet videos online. "I had never seen something like this before. I vividly remember, at that moment I told myself that I have to do something. As if some energy was pulling me. Ballet chose me to be a dancer. Moving from bhangra to ballet, it was a turning point for me," he adds. This newfound passion led him to Imperial Fernando Ballet Company in Delhi. Founded by Mario Fernando Aguilera, a ballet dancer from Argentina, who starred as a choreographer in ABCD, the center seemed to be the perfect place to start.

[caption id="attachment_26069" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Kamal Singh is the first Indian to make it to English Ballet School[/caption]

However, the dance school's fees were beyond Kamal's means as his dad was already working two jobs to support his family: ballet tuition was a luxury they simply couldn't afford. Aguilera, seeing the boy’s agility and flexibility (at the trial class), developed over years of running and stretching in his local park, knew that he had discovered an exceptional talent and wasn't ready to let go of a prodigy like him. He offered him a full scholarship. The rigorous training sessions were no cakewalk and Kamal had to give his 100 percent to make the cut. "I would train for 6-7 hours daily, as I had so much to learn. Most kids begin training at the age of four-five, while I was kickstarting my journey at 17. So, I had to cram all the knowledge into a short span of time. I had to prove myself and make sure that I was deserving to be at the ballet school."

From Russia, with love

Over the next three years, he completely immersed himself in the training, and his efforts paid off when he was accepted for a summer program at the historic Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St Petersburg in 2019, where he was cast as a soloist in a production called Gayaneh. For someone, who loved the Russian style of ballet, going to Russia was nothing short of a dream come true. "I was the first Indian ever to make it to Vaganova Academy, and those two months were life-changing. It was my first time outside of India, and I had to prove to myself and my teachers that I am worthy of it. Though those months were quite challenging, they also gave me the confidence that I can do well in ballet."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imi6rlZczIE

This confidence nudged him to apply for a Professional Trainee programme at London's English National Ballet School. His watershed moment arrived when he was accepted to the prestigious ballet school, making him the first Indian ever to achieve the feat. Being one among a pool of 10 talents selected from around the world, Kamal had a moment of pride. But the course's hefty price tag did play a spoiler.

Crowdfunding came to his rescue

A year-long course at the ballet school costs £8000, and he had to turn to crowdfunding to pay for his fees and other expenses. Fortunately, he found support from actor Kunal Kapoor, who is also the co-founder of Ketto, the crowdfunding platform. The actor used his star power and social media to spread the word on behalf of the young dancer. This prompted Hrithik Roshan to pledge £3000 to the fund. Within a few weeks, his fund reached £18000.

[caption id="attachment_26067" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Kamal Singh during one of his performances[/caption]

"I couldn't believe that this was happening to me. It felt like angels were around me, and blessing me. Though studying in London was a dream, I had the initial jitters about how I will manage on my own. However, I found London people to be warm and friendly. And when I explored South Hall, it felt like I was right in India," laughs the ballerino.

Kamal is happy that his journey is an inspiration for many. "I just followed my instinct, and it has brought me here. I feel humbled if people are getting inspired by my story." But his journey wouldn't have been the same, had it not for his mentor Fernando Aguilera. "Finding a good teacher who believes in you more than you believe in yourself is so important." However, he also affirms that hard work and self-confidence can "beat any odds". "We often compare ourselves to others, without realising that we all have a different journey. And it's crucial to accept yourself."

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The ballerino, who is currently touring in the UK on his Global Talent Visa, wants to perform across the globe. But his ultimate dream, when he has enough expertise and funds, is to make ballets on Indian epics. "I want to explore and express Indian culture through ballet." The last six years have moved Kamal from the streets of Delhi to the opera houses in the UK, and he believes ballet helped him blossom. "Old Kamal was small-minded. My thinking was limited to Vikaspuri, but now I feel I can do anything. Every day I am learning and evolving, and this has made me realise, anything can happen if we put our best foot forward," he signs off.

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Reading Time: 6 min

Turning waste into watts: Innovator Adyant Bhavsar’s ingenious solution to environmental challenges

(December 2, 2023) Often sparked by dry weather, strong winds, or human actions, wildfires have been wreaking havoc on our forests where countless plants and animals thrive. Sadly, the increasing number and strength of wildfires are putting vital ecosystems at risk, endangering the web of life that relies on them. While these fires have become very common in various parts of the world, Adyant Bhavsar's hometown California has seen some terrible wildfires over the last few years. And that is what motivated this seventh-grade innovator to design a machine that could convert waste mechanical energy into electricity through triboelectrification and electrostatic induction. "California has been rocked by several devastating wildfires over the years, and thus the state has hundreds of cameras and sensors set up to monitor wildfires and other disasters. This got me thinking," the innovator said during a recent interview, adding, "To increase the reliability, these devices would need a sustainable energy supply that does not need frequent recharging or replacing.” In his search for renewable energy options, Adyant stumbled upon something called a triboelectric nanogenerator. This gadget turns mechanical energy into electricity. When two thin, adjacent objects move apart or rub against each other, electrons move between

for renewable energy options, Adyant stumbled upon something called a triboelectric nanogenerator. This gadget turns mechanical energy into electricity. When two thin, adjacent objects move apart or rub against each other, electrons move between them, creating an electric charge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxf3ddyxS5I

For this brilliant idea, the Global Indian recently won the Lemelson Award for Invention, at the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovators' Challenge (JIC), 2023. "My equipment is a novel invention that uses a nanogenerator to increase sustainability and reliability. This competition gave me a great confidence boost and encouraged me to continue striving towards greatness. I am most excited about the challenges and want to work together with fellow like-minded peers to be able to solve some real-world problems," says the innovator who also won a prize amount of $10,000 along with the award.

Not just a science guy

Raised in San Jose, California, Adyant has consistently demonstrated academic excellence. Although aspiring to pursue a career in the sciences, this young innovator's true passion lies within the pages of books. An avid reader, Adyant started reading when he was just three years old. By six, he had finished reading the Harry Potter series and many of the Magic Tree House and Box Car series books. Interestingly, the innovator is the author of a children's fantasy fiction book, The Mystery at Beartown Campsite.

Mostly busy with his science projects and experiments, Adyant enjoys reading, writing, piano, basketball, tennis, speech, and debate, during his free time. "These hobbies enable me to express myself, gain diverse perspectives, and positively influence others with my ideas,” said the innovator, who has also won several writing awards. The youngster wishes to become an environmental engineer. “I want to contribute my skills toward finding solutions for environmental challenges, such as deforestation and pollution. I plan on trying to implement the sustainable generator that I invented in more places worldwide and to reach out to people, who are working on the same technology across the globe, to help drive the ship away from fossil fuels and towards more renewable resources,” he said.

Saving the environment

After doing weeks and weeks of research about his experiment on his "waste to wattage" project, the innovator first built his own triboelectric nanogenerator, by placing two wooden planks together with springs in between. The innovator assembled each plank with layers of various materials connected to electrodes. These material pairings encompassed glass with Teflon, Kapton with human hair, wool with PVC, and paper with cotton. Adyant conducted five trials for each combination, pressing the top plank to bring the material layers into contact.

As the materials touched and separated, they exchanged electrons, resulting in an induced current. Adyant also varied the surface area for each material pairing, discovering that Kapton, an electronic film paired with human hair, generated the most electricity. Increasing the surface area for all materials led to a linear growth in electrical output. Additionally, the innovator incorporated a capacitor into the circuit to store the generated electric charge, successfully accumulating enough energy to power a 1.79-volt light-emitting diode (LED). “This triboelectric nanogenerator is lightweight, low-cost, eco-friendly, and customisable," the innovator explained, adding, "Figuring out how to amplify to power high-voltage electronics would further optimise my triboelectric nanogenerator. I might also try connecting several of them and explore other methods of generating triboelectricity."

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Reading Time: 6 mins