Indian artist Sanket Jadia brings alive India’s past with his unique art form
Written by: Amrita Priya
(March 27, 2022) Sanket Jadia’s art is uniquely different: inquisitive and attempting to intervene into existing modes while also venturing into zones of uncertainty. This young Indian artist experiments with multiple disciplines in terms of both medium and form. A South Gujarat University alum, Sanket has developed a style that deals with history and events of conflict. Through his art, he attempts to explore how this depiction influences people’s perception of these images.
Sanket Jadia, artist
His unique art has earned him several recognitions. He made it to the Forbes India 30 under 30 in 2020, received the 2017 Inlaks Fine Arts Award in 2017 and was the Khoj Peers resident in 2014. The inquisitive artist admits in a conversation with Global Indian that while all recognitions are precious to him, he holds the Khoj Peers resident programme close to his heart as it was his first achievement. It also gave him the opportunity to display his work alongside the who’s who of Delhi’s art circuit. The Inlaks Fine Arts award, on the other hand, served as a milestone supporting his artistic endeavours monetarily.
Carving creativity out of chaos
The accomplished artist, who did his masters in visual arts from Ambedkar University, Delhi (2015) and bachelor’s in fine arts (painting) from VNSGU, Surat (2013), attempts to introduce contradictions within the usual scheme of perception, to interrogate reality. His choice of mediums like terracotta, clay, drawing, and digital design to convey his thoughts depends on the idea he is exploring.
Sanket’s approach towards art is an attempt to understand the way we situate ourselves in a particular context. He is an ardent fan of investigative images with an inclination towards forensic architecture as it looks at solving mysteries. He is intrigued with how documentation of historical events like war and violence creates a reference point. “As an artist, I keep exploring how narratives are created through images,” says Sanket, who focuses on India’s most significant post-independence events that caused a major shift in the country’s socio-cultural politics. The Babri Masjid demolition is one of them. This Indian artist has also been exploring different perspectives of the event, making sculptures around them.
Some of Sanket’s group participations were at 2020: A future under construction (2018), the Pune Biennale (2017), the Art Decade (2016), and the Indian Summer Festival (2016). The Peers Share (2014) and Degree Show (BFA – 2013) also showed his oeuvre.
Art, a way of life
“Since my childhood, I have been very interested in art and so decided to pursue it as a career,” says the Surat boy. He seems to have inherited his love for art from his late mother. “She had pursued commercial art and though I did not really see her practicing it, she was very supportive of my choice,” he says. Talking about his father, Rajnikant, who is an accountant, Sanket says, “He does not know how to measure the success of an artist, and as a logical human being, he associates it with finances. Seeing me earn steadily makes him happy and he is relieved at my choice of career.”
“I do not expect my art to fund my lifestyle,” says the passionate artist, who also works as a graphic designer and art teacher to earn a living. He loves to unwind over Netflix, documentaries and listening to music.
(August 24, 2022) There was a huge uproar when it was first announced that the role of Hermione Granger and Rose Granger-Weasley will be played by a person of colour in the theatrical production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Having seen Emma Watson play the part in the movies, some fans were even disappointed with the production house's decision. However, while other actresses might have been nervous about playing this part, Indian-Australian actress Manali Datar carried the role of Rose Granger-Weasley with a lot of grace and spunk. And more importantly, she was able to win over the audiences who absolutely loved her right from when the play premiered at Melbourne's Princess Theatre, in 2019. "The discussions around a person of colour playing these parts in Harry Potter did bother me initially, but I had the support of the cast and crew on board. After the show premiered, the audience saw my work and really appreciated me. Their love meant way more than any backlash there might have been," shares the Melbourne-based actress, who found out that she got the role just one day before her 20th birthday. [caption id="attachment_21197" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley. Source:
[caption id="attachment_21197" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley. Source: Twitter[/caption]
The Nashik-born actress is now gearing up to play Edna in the smash-hit musical sensation Fangirlat the Sydney Opera House. "It's surreal. As an actor, I dreamt about getting to perform at the Opera house and now it is happening. I am still soaking in that I am going to perform at the venue," Manali shares, as she connects with Global Indian.
A born actress
Like most people, Manali's parents moved to Australia in search for a better future for their kids. Growing up in various parts of the "Land Down Under", Manali loved to take part in skits and sing at school. In fact, the actress was just six years old when she played the title role in her school’s production of Alice in Wonderland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma00mi3PFug
"My parents recognised that I loved being on stage and encouraged me a lot. I was always dancing, singing, and copying accents and dialogue off TV shows and movies. I never considered a career outside of the arts. So, after I finished school, I joined the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to pursue a course in fine arts," shares the actress, who is also gifted with a beautiful voice.
The world's a stage
After a successful run in the United Kingdom and the United States, when the Wizarding World decided to bring Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to Australia in 2017, Manali was in the last year of her bachelor's and decided to audition for the role of Rose Granger-Weasley after much encouragement from her teachers. "They required an actress of colour, who was not too tall. I fit well in the character's description," she shares.
[caption id="attachment_21198" align="aligncenter" width="702"] A still from the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Source: Twitter[/caption]
However, it wasn’t a cake walk for the actress as it took her almost a year to finally make it to the audience. "I went in for the first round of audition and was called in four times to read scenes for Rose. The whole process of getting the job was about six to seven months. I was so thrilled when they told me that I got the part," the actress recalls, adding that the prep work took another six months before the cast was fully ready to hit the stage.
Though her nervousness was palpable in the beginning, the jitters faded away after seeing the audience’s reaction. “It was a difficult job. We did a show daily and I had no time left for myself on most days. However, getting to meet the audience after the show was the biggest stress buster for me. I have received so many gifts and handwritten letters from the fans. Interestingly, there were a couple of Indian girls in the audience and they came to tell me how much they liked my performance. These incidents are very rewarding," she adds.
Calling the production of Harry Potter, a "steep learning curve", she reveals that it not only helped her improve her acting chops but also gave a sneak-peek into the theatre industry from the set. In 2022, Manali played the title role in the super successful White Pearl by Sydney Theatre Company, which was a comedy play about a skin bleaching ad gone wrong. "I played the part of Priya Singh. The production helped me strengthen my relationship with India and realise my identity. I understood a lot about myself and my roots through that experience," shares the actress, who is aspiring to be on the silver screen in the upcoming years.
(September 20, 2023) "In India, 58.5 million people are entrepreneurs and only 14 percent are women," says Smrithi, founder, Shika Creations. "I have always wanted to make an impact on society, that's what puts a smile on my face when I go to sleep at night. When someone tells us that they are leading a better life because of us, I do a little dance," laughs the mild-mannered entrepreneur, as she breaks into her trademark wide grin. The 23-year-old began making terracotta jewellery back in 2016, when she was only 15. She took the leap into entrepreneurship as a teenager, and founded Shika Creations, which now has a client base around the world, and through which Smrithi has helped women across India have their own livelihoods by training them in the art of making terracotta jewellery. In 2022, she placed third at the Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards. What's more, as she works to bring innovation into her product, the Global Indian hopes to promote this ancient art, with its rich heritage dating back thousands of years and showcase the relevance of Indian traditions in the modern-day demand for sustainable, eco-friendly fashion. [caption id="attachment_33167" align="aligncenter" width="764"] Smrithi S[/caption] Discovering an ancient
Terracotta jewellery has a rich and ancient history in India, tracing its origins all the way back to the Harappan civilisation. Terracotta, which literally means "baked earth" in Italian, is a type of earthenware clay that has been used for thousands of years in India for various purposes, including pottery, sculpture and jewellery. The tradition has continued over the centuries, with jewellery from West Bengal featuring intricate and delicate craftsmanship, while South Indian styles have vivid colours and robust designs.
Smrithi's first brush with the tradition came when she was in the ninth grade. Always passionate about the arts, she would try and learn something new every year, during her summer break. When she was 14, she attended a two-day workshop on terracotta jewellery making and found she enjoyed the process." Terracotta is made from natural clay and follows a four-step process. First, it is moulded into the desired shape and the design is created and left to dry. When it is dry, it is brittle and has to be baked, then painted," she explained. Smrithi continued to practice at home, and learning more about the tradition's rich history only sparked her passion more. She wondered if she could turn her hobby into a business idea.
Turning a hobby into a business
When she first floated the idea of entrepreneurship to her family, they worried for her. Raised in a fairly typical Tamilian household in Coimbatore, her father, a professor, believed in studying well to earn well, and entrepreneurship was too big of a risk. Smrithi pleaded with her dad, promising to giving up the business if her academics suffered. When she finally had his permission, Smrithi began small and approached a nearby crafts store asking them to stock her handmade terracotta jewellery. Again, the shop owner said she was too young, and didn't want to risk giving her a chance. She persisted, however, until he said yes.
Everyday, she would head to the store after school, to see if she had managed to sell anything. For weeks, she returned home disappointed. Her parents stood by her, however, and so did her college. "I sit with her everyday when she is working. If she is feeling low, I pull her up a bit," said Smrithi's mother proudly, in an interview. "She's a very responsible entrepreneur and wants to empower women," her father remarks. "We see her stressed often because balancing education and business is very difficult. But when she makes a plan she gets it done. She's a very hard worker and I hope that all her dreams come true."
Learning to thrive
Success did not come overnight and Smriti waited for weeks to see her first sale. "In the beginning I was following the prototype of traditional terracotta designs," Smrithi explains. "I was also making those products and there were lots of others like me. My products did not stand out and I faced a lot of problems." One setback, she realised, was in exactly this - seeing terracotta as completely traditional. "I started introducing more modern elements into my work," she says. "Metal jewellery was fashionable and also kundan stone. So I brought both those elements into my work, I blended metal and terracotta, kundan stone and terracotta." She even went onto create a full, traditional bridal set using terracotta.
In those early days, her products targetted only women. Smrithi knew she had to widen her customer base to keep her business sustainable. "I branched out into home decor, and started making wind chimes, fridge magnets, wall hangings and caricatures. I would even make customised terracotta portraits of people," she says. By this time, Smrithi was studying fashion technology at the PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore. When the lockdown was imposed due to the pandemic, Smrithi spent two months building up her stock. Orders had also begun pouring in from around the world - the US, UK, Singapore and Malaysia, apart from different parts of India.
Social impact
Smrithi first understood the social change she could bring about when she was approached by Bosch's social wing. "They conduct free workshops in villages, so I went to do hands on training for 15 women in rural areas," Smrithi says. "Now, these women are making jewellery and selling it on Instagram." During the pandemic, she continued to take lessons on terracotta jewellery making through Google Meet and Zoom.
Building a flourishing business and committing to making a social impact didn't mean Smrithi let her academic career go to seed. "She maintained a 9.13 CGPA throughout," said one of her teachers from college. It meant a busy schedule - "College began at 8.30 am and after that, I would come home, take a small nap and begin my day as an entrepreneur," Smrithi says. She also had to learn business lessons through experience, as nobody in her immediate family came from that background. "But I love arts and crafts and I want to make a social impact. That puts a smile on my face. Also, my parents and sister are pillars of support. Whenever I am down, they give me the courage to move forward."
(June 11, 2023) "I want to finish my Ph.D. by the time I get my driver's license," says a ten-year-old Tanishq Mathew Abraham, who began college at the age of seven. And now at 19, he has become one of the world's youngest Ph.D. holders as he graduates from the University of California, Davis on June 15. For someone who began community college at the age of seven, Tanishq embarked on an academic path that defied conventional norms. A huge congratulations to @iScienceLuvr on another incredible achievement! We have been following him along his whole academic journey at UC Davis and are so proud of him. 🎉#UCDavisGrad https://t.co/PumuzaJtjO — UC Davis (@ucdavis) June 7, 2023 Born to Dr. Taji Abraham, a veterinarian researcher, and Bijou Abraham, a software engineer in Sacramento, the Indian American was always fascinated by books. As young as four, he started devouring library books on dinosaurs and space as it was something that fascinated him. And when he ran out of books to read, he started googling. One such search landed him at UC Berkley's Palaeontology Museum. Unable to curtail his excitement, he went to the museum to hear a paleontologist speak. "I sat on the
Born to Dr. Taji Abraham, a veterinarian researcher, and Bijou Abraham, a software engineer in Sacramento, the Indian American was always fascinated by books. As young as four, he started devouring library books on dinosaurs and space as it was something that fascinated him. And when he ran out of books to read, he started googling. One such search landed him at UC Berkley's Palaeontology Museum. Unable to curtail his excitement, he went to the museum to hear a paleontologist speak. "I sat on the front row as an excited 6-year-old waiting for a magic show to start and after the speech, I had questions so the speaker invited me to his office to speak more about his research and show me some of the fossils. I got a chance to hold 65 million old dinosaur bones," the Global Indian revealed in a TEDx Talk.
After his first visit to UC Berkley, Tanishq was "infected with incurable learning virus." He soon began searching for nearby colleges that might offer palaeontology classes. While he did end up finding one but was turned down because of his age. But this didn't deter him. "By the time I was seven, middle and high school materials were boring for me, so I begged my parents to take me to college classes. After being turned down several times, my parents finally found a Geology professor who agreed to let me on his course. My mom took the class and I tagged along with her, sitting in the front row, soaking it all in," he said.
[caption id="attachment_30971" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Tanishq attending classes with his mom[/caption]
He took the exam along with his mom, and both scored an A, which convinced the professor of his abilities who persuaded the Dean of Counselling to let him take the next class for credit, as an advanced education student. "I got permission from my school principal and the dean. That was the beginning of college for me." He credits his Geology profesasor for "being the angel in disguise" to get him started. He then enrolled in an Astronomy course along with his mom. "I was seven and my classmates thought that I was there because my mom couldn't find a babysitter," he smiled, adding, "Some were surprised when I would answer questions or join class discussions."
After taking two on-campus courses, he switched to an online course during summer break. That very summer his astronomy professor proposed to start an astronomy club at American River College. "The next year I felt more confident, and at age eight, I took more courses and helped my Geology professor deliver a couple of lectures. We officially opened the astronomy club and I was the founding vice president. During that year, I was featured on a documentary show called Prodigies. After its release, people from across the world contacted me for my persistence and confidence and I was happy that at such a young age I was a role model to young and old students."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3FopGY6Fc
By the time Tanishq turned 12, he had already amassed an impressive educational repertoire, which culminated in his acceptance into the prestigious University of California, Davis. While most children his age were navigating middle school, Tanishq was preparing to dive headfirst into the world of higher education. Undeterred by his young age, he pursued an undergraduate degree at the renowned institution, embarking on a remarkable academic odyssey. "When I started at seven taking college classes was just for fun. Later on, I decided to take on an associate degree in science and then transfer to a four-year university as an advanced education student," added the teenager who graduated at the age of 14.
He possessed a deep-rooted curiosity about the world around him, leading him to explore various disciplines and fields of study. It was this interdisciplinary approach that laid the foundation for his groundbreaking research in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its application in medicine. As a testament to his visionary thinking, Tanishq founded MedARC, a medical AI research organisation focused on training foundation models for medicine. Recognising the immense potential of AI in revolutionising healthcare, Tanishq sought to harness its power by using generative AI in microscope viewing and the causes and effects of diseases. "I think we are now in the AI revolution, and I want to continue to be a part of it," he said.
And now at 19, he is set to receive his Ph.D. His doctorate journey involved defending his dissertation which explored how medical professionals diagnose diseases and advanced algorithms that may enable doctors to make more accurate and timely diagnoses.
Very excited to share the news that I successfully defended my PhD research today! 🥳🎉
— Tanishq Mathew Abraham (@iScienceLuvr) May 12, 2023
Tanishq's story serves as a beacon of hope for future generations, encouraging young minds to dare to dream big and challenge societal norms. It highlights the transformative power of education and the importance of nurturing young talent.
(May 17, 2022) "It all started when I was 14," announces Mannat Choudhary, all smiles as she logs in for her interview with Global Indian. The vivacious teenager, now at home preparing for her Class 12 board exam, is fairly relaxed about the upcoming exam - she's already an incoming freshman at the University of Cincinnati, she says. A social entrepreneur at 17, she is the founder of Change In Us, which works towards protecting child rights in her home state, Chandigarh. Mannat has been recognised for her work in the same field by the government of Punjab, having served as the Ambassador for the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR). She was also awarded by the government of India as a student mentor. On National Girl Child Day, Mannat was among a group of twenty girls handpicked from across the country for the National Girl Child Award. Now, she's all set to begin her studies in quantum biology, paving the way for what she hopes will be a career in research. In September 2022, she will also be part of the Civics Unplugged Fellowship, for future Gen Z social entrepreneurs, run by Duke University. "I'm also a
er 2022, she will also be part of the Civics Unplugged Fellowship, for future Gen Z social entrepreneurs, run by Duke University. "I'm also a summer trainee at Girls Who Code," says Mannat, who can code in C, C++ and is also learning Python.
"Entrepreneurs aren't made in a day," says the young social entrepreneur, who is a member of the Harvard Crimson Youth Entrepreneurship Society and a fellow under the Global Citizen Year Academy, run by alumni from the Stanford and Harvard business schools. "I got a full scholarship for the latter," Mannat says, proudly. Her early forays into social entrepreneurship were, no doubt, the reason for Mannat's entry into some of the top entrepreneurship societies. To her, however, it means a great deal more, a question she answered in her application for Global Citizen Year Academy.
Student topper and ambassador for child rights
Returning, however, to where her story began - Mannat, who was a tri-city topper in the Class 10 board exam in 2019-20, found herself briefly in the spotlight. "I was published in the newspaper then, for the first time ever," she says. Soon after, she received a call from the CCPCR, telling her she had been nominated to be an ambassador for child rights for the state government. "There were three of us and the other two were, coincidentally, both fencers," says Mannat. "I was the only one from the academic side of things."
Taking over as ambassador for child rights, Mannat quickly became involved with the government's Girls India project. The project, aimed at bringing opportunities to those who don't have them, opened Mannat's eyes too, in ways she never expected. "I never knew I had this quality," she remarks. "I didn't know I had it in me to actually reach other people."
Bridging disparities through the Girls India Project
The Girls India Project, which was aimed at bridging the gap between private and public schools, found great success under Mannat's participation.
"When we talk about things like MUNs, public debates and leadership programmes - these opportunities are only available to private school students. Their government school counterparts know nothing about them." Mannat began building collaborations between private and government schools in Chandigarh.
"The private school students would train government school kids in debate skills, how to speak in public and learn about international relations as well," says Mannat. When they found that disparities aren't limited to opportunities, Mannat also began organising trips for private school students to visit government schools and understand first-hand what was lacking. "I wasn't sure if it would work on not," Mannat admits. "But it worked so well that the schools continued collaborating even outside the MUNs."
Despite the success of the project, there was no denying that it had taken nearly two years to implement. "Girls India was launched in 2019 but came into effect in 2021," says Mannat. "It took so long that I began to think, 'there must be a more efficient way than this'." Mannat quit her role as Ambassador in March 2022 but continues to work with the CCPCR.
On the frontlines of the pandemic
Not long after Mannat had assumed her role as Ambassador in 2020, the pandemic closed the country down. Mannat, who had just finished her Class 10 exams at the time, was determined to use every moment - she collaborated with Studio Matrix, an organisation working on ground to link people with Covid-related needs to those who could fulfill them.
"I was on ground collecting data all the time," Mannat says. She recalls working all the time, often besieged with panic calls late into the night. Calls which never, as a matter of principle, went ignored or unresolved if she could help it. "Even if we got a call at 1 am with someone saying 'ki Mannat, 20 oxygen concentrators ki zaroorat hai', I would help them get it done. I wouldn't sleep until I resolved it," she explains.
Change in Us
Watching their young ambassador in action, CCPCR Chairperson soon decided to felicitate Mannat. "I was awarded by the governor of Punjab as the 'best ambassador'", says Mannat. "The first award was for CCPCR and the second for the Girls India project." All this was in 2021, as Mannat entered her sixteenth year. By this time, she had already founded Change in Us, in tandem with her responsibilities as CCPCR ambassador.
Working under the guidance of CCPCR, Mannat went on to launch Change In Us, her own organisation designed to make a positive impact in the lives of children. The project did so well, Mannat expanded to Meerut and other parts of UP. Work mainly involved educating kids on child rights, in collaboration with schools, through webinars and other sessions. "As a child, what are my rights," says Mannat. "That's what I want my peers to know. We hold quizzes and other activities in schools to acquaint students with the rights they have in society."
Mannat would also accompany her mother, an employee with the social welfare department in Chandigarh, as she visited slum areas in the city. "These kids were stuck at home but unlike us, they didn't have phones to attend online classes," says Mannat, who roped in a friend to visit the slums every Sunday with her to take lessons for the kids there.
Access to mental healthcare for students
Mannat is currently working with a friend, Ananya Jain, from Georgia Tech. The goal? To create an app-based platform for young people to discuss their mental health. It will also offer guidance to budding young entrepreneurs, customised advice on goal preparation and career goals as well as the importance of civic engagement. "We're planning to launch this soon after our board exams," Mannat says, adding, "We want it to be free, because we're catering to students who might not be able to afford to pay."
Finding her own path
The journey hasn't always been smooth sailing. Apart from the guidance she received from a handful of mentors, Mannat discovered that the Indian education system isn't geared for those who want to break out of the mould. She was told often to give up on attending science fairs and concentrate on her studies instead. At home, however, her exacting parents, both government employees, have fuelled her motivation to excel. "My mum has done a lot for me and worked so hard to make sure I do well," Mannat smiles. "They will never be fully satisfied with me though and it gives me the zeal I need to do better because I want to please them."
(June 5, 2024) A few days ago, Bruhat Soma found himself in a whirlwind of confetti as the audience erupted in cheers, as he became the 28th Indian American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 12-year-old from Tampa in Florida spelled 29 words correctly out of 30 in 90 seconds in the tiebreaker spell-off round to clinch the trophy. A huge moment for the Indian-American kid for whom this year's win was his third attempt at the national level. "When I won, I was excited, I was really happy because for the past one year, I've been working really hard. So, when I just won, it was like a dream come true," said Bruhat, after winning the title. His spell-off sprint earned him the 2024 Scripps Cup, along with a grand prize of $50,000 after he significantly outperformed his competitor, Faizan Zaki, a sixth grader from Dallas who correctly spelled 20 words. During the final stage of the Spelling Bee, all eyes were glued to the screen as Soma accurately spelled "Hoofddorp" and Zaki spelled "nicuri," both advancing to the next round. [caption id="attachment_38092" align="aligncenter" width="815"] Bruha Soma wins 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee[/caption] It's been months that
om/youth//wp-content/uploads/2024/06/bruhat2-1024x576.jpg" alt="Bruhat Soma | Global Indian" width="815" height="458" /> Bruha Soma wins 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee[/caption]
It's been months that he has preparing for a spell off with his dad Srinivas Soma, who would prepare a list of 30 words for him to practice daily. "I was very nervous when I found out that there would be a spell off. My heart was pumping very fast but then I knew that I have been preparing spell offs every day for six months with my dad. So, I knew I was ready and I had to try my best to win. When Dr Bailey announced I got 29 correct, I was surprised because the last record was 22," he said. That's when Bruhat realised that he had a chance at winning the competition and it was "pretty exciting."
Along with studying with his father, he also used SpellPundit, a favourite tool among top spellers. Additionally, he relied on the dictionary, worked with a spelling coach, and created his own list of challenging words to target his weak areas. He entered in the competition with a clear goal and unwavering confidence as Bruhat knew he had prepared well for this moment. "I feel like working for it is the hardest part. But I was able to do it because I really wanted that trophy, and now I finally have it," the Global Indian said.
[caption id="attachment_38094" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Bruhat Soma with his parents[/caption]
The seventh grader, however, plans to donate the entire $50,000 prize money for a cause. "I am yet to decide, but it will definitely be for a good cause," says Bruhat.
Ever since becoming the spelling bee champion, congratulatory messages have been pouring from across the world, including his relatives in India. "It's pretty exciting that all my relatives back in India were rooting for me," said the boy who hails from Telangana. He plans to return to India soon to attend a family wedding, and meet his extended family. "I would also want to meet some of the Indian basketball players, in case there are any."
At the age of 12, he is not only proficient in spellings but has already memorised 80 percent of the Bhagavad Gita. "I did this program called Pragya and it taught me 700 shlokas from Bhagavad Gita," said the boy, who got more focussed on preparing for the spelling bee. But now he plans to return to his study of Bhagavad Gita.
Interestingly, before getting on the big stage of the spelling bee contest, Bruhat found himself chanting a shloka from the Bhagavad Gita, something that helped him stay focussed during the competition as he believed a divine power was looking after him. "The God is what makes everything happen."
Apart from his love for words, the multi-talented kid loves a game of basketball, and calls LeBron James his favourite player. He also enjoys e playing badminton, ping-pong, and the snare drum in his middle school band.
With his big win, Bruhat plans to relax this summer, play some basketball and maybe go on a vacation. He has already chalked out his career path, and wants to be a doctor. "This championship will help me get into a good university to study medicine."
Indian American kids have been winning spelling bee contests for many years, showing their hard work and skill. In 1985, Balu Natrajan, a then eighth grader from Chicago became the first Indian American to win the the National Spelling Bee competition in Washington. The foundation proved fruitful for many Indian-American kids in the past decades. According to Pawan Dhingra, professor of sociology and American Studies at Amherst College, the success of Indian-Americans at the Scripps National Spelling Bee stems from the firm commitment of their families to spend the kind of time and money needed to prepare their kids. “These children are not just brilliant in spellings, they also excel in geography, mathematics and other academic competitions”, Dhingra wrote in The Conversation. Now, Bruhat Soma is the newest champion in this long line of winners. His victory highlights his effort and talent, as well as the strong focus on education in the Indian American community. Bruhat's success continues the tradition of Indian American excellence in these competitions.
Manali Datar as Rose Granger-Weasley. Source: Twitter[/caption]
A still from the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Source: Twitter[/caption]
Smrithi S[/caption]
Tanishq attending classes with his mom[/caption]
Bruhat Soma with his parents[/caption]