Indian-origin Omishka Hirachund is bridging healthcare divides in South Africa
Written by: Amrita Priya
(February 10, 2024) When Omishka Hirachund was a child, her grandmother suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and was admitted to the ICU. At that tender age, she was extremely frightened to enter the ICU, and her heart shattered when her grandmother passed away. “But it sparked a passion in me to become a doctor and make a difference in patients’ lives,” Omishka shared.
Omishka, who is of Indian descent and living in Africa, went on to study medicine, viewing it not just as a career but as a means to serve society. Having completed her MBBCH at the University of Witwatersrand in 2019 and her Masters in Medical Sciences at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2023, she has been serving as the medical officer, internal medicine in the Department of Health, South Africa. She has also now aligned herself as a volunteer doctor with the #keready project – an initiative of DGMT, a South African foundation that uses mobile units to provide free health services in underdeveloped, rural communities of South Africa to promote primary healthcare.
Dr Omishka Hirachund
For her selfless service for the #keready project and other voluntary initiatives to promote healthcare and wellbeing, Omishka Hirachund was named in the annual Mail and Guardian’s ‘200 Young South Africans’ list of 2023. She was one of the 18 Indian origin changemakers to be named in the list.
The #keready initiative
The #keready mobile clinic project has been made possible through a grant from the Department of Health of the Federal Republic of Germany that DGMT received. The project is making healthcare accessible, affordable, and relatable. With her goal of making South Africa a safer place, especially for children and women, Omishka has played a vital role in the movement.
The #keready is being carried forward in association with the provincial departments of health in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape areas of South Africa. Durban based Omishka provides voluntary services in the eThekwini and the Umgungundlovu districts.
With the help of young doctors and nurses #keready is not just focussed in providing free healthcare but also uses social media channels, and podcasts to help people find the right health information. Since social media and podcasts are platforms that attract more young people,this demographic segment is receiving healthcare tips and advice, which they tend to overlook.
#keready mobile clinic
Passionate about making South Africa better
“I would like the healthcare system to support primary healthcare initiatives and ensure equitable access to healthcare for all,” remarked Omishka after being named in the ‘200 Young South Africans’ list. Minimisation of discrimination against people living with HIV, more accessible and acceptable obstetric healthcare to pregnant women, and menstrual hygiene are some of the issues that she deeply cares about.
“The gender-based violence rates and the repercussions of the violence on our society and healthcare systems are devastating. I would like South Africans to remember who they are and what we fought so hard for — equality,” says Omishka who has started the anti-substance abuse project in the Wentworth area for teenagers, in coordination with Dr Daniel Kocks and the Department of Social Development, Government of South Africa.
The young doctor serves as a volunteer Subject Matter Expert on a medical talk show aired by Megazone Radio, aiming to educate people about common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Additionally, she contributes articles on healthcare to scholarly journals.
Volunteering – a passion
Since her school days, Omishka has had a passion for volunteering. She actively participated in feeding schemes and donation campaigns organised by the Seva Bhakti Foundation in Durban and neighbouring areas. Additionally, she contributed to regular feeding and baking initiatives at the social service organisation, Aryan Benevolent Homes. Her involvement as a volunteer with St. Thomas Children’s Centre in Durban dates back to her growing up years. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the then medical student had dedicated herself to assisting people in various ways. “I was part of the mask drive organised by the department of paediatrics, King Edward Hospital, Durban,” she shared. The youngster was also part of the sanitary pad drive by Kerr House Women’s Hospice in 2021.
Driven by her life’s mission to empower disadvantaged women, Omishka has been providing donations, assistance, lectures and educational counselling workshops at the Open Door Crisis Centre supporting abused women and children. She is also a member of the Umhlanga Women’s Association which works for food relief in destitute areas.
Life beyond healthcare and future plans
Born and brought up in Durban, Omishka was a very dedicated student right from her school days. She was selected as the head girl of her school and vice house captain of the school house, and had passed the International Benchmark Tests with distinction in Mathematics, Science and English.
Although she is armed with a bachelors and master’s degree in medicine along with diploma in primary emergency care and diploma in HIV Management Omishka’s educational goals are far from over. She aspires to specialise in cardiology or endocrinology.
Beyond the world of healthcare Omishka’s passions include travel, running and reading.
(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."
(March 17, 2024) In the scenic mountains of Himachal Pradesh is a river valley - Kangra - home to warm Himachali people who cherish their language and customs. The beautiful language extends its influence to Northern Punjab - where Delhi teen Navvye Anand has his familial roots. Though his family settled in Delhi, his connection to his culture and heritage remains strong through the Kangri language. Upon discovering that Kangri language was among UNESCO's list of 10 endangered languages, he felt called to take action. "I started to look for ways to revitalise the language, and focused primarily on leveraging the oral medium. Recognising the dearth of written literature in Kangri, I turned to ASR (Automated Speech Recognition) - which converts human speech into written text," he tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_36635" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Navvye Anand[/caption] Traditionally, linguistics would spend hours engaging with local people to manually transcribe oral traditions, often encountering bottlenecks due to the enormous amount of time and effort required, along with scope for human error. "ASR can be used to streamline the transcription process. Recent advancements in AI made it possible to use ASR at a much higher level than before," adds Navvye, whose project, Cross-Lingual
ttlenecks due to the enormous amount of time and effort required, along with scope for human error. "ASR can be used to streamline the transcription process. Recent advancements in AI made it possible to use ASR at a much higher level than before," adds Navvye, whose project, Cross-Lingual Automatic Speech Recognition for Endangered Languages won him The Spirit of Ramanujan Grant, worth $4800. Each year, the University of Virginia and the Templeton World Charity Organization jointly award a grant to high school students who demonstrate exceptional talent in mathematics and science.
With the grant, Navvye attended the Wolfram High School Summer Program in the US. "I learnt from Dr Steven Wolfram, who is a pioneering computer scientist and a linguist, and I had the opportunity to refine my linguistic abilities and learn more about linguistics," says the teen, who also attended Euler Circle Program on number theory. "I used the grant to support my education."
Love for words and languages
Growing up with a grandfather who was a polyglot fluent in seven languages, Navvye was attracted to words and languages like a moth to flame. "My love for languages is inherited, it played a crucial role in my upbringing," says the teen, adding, "We bonded over our common love for language, and every time I found a new Pandora's box in an unknown language, I'd walk up to him and discuss. I loved talking about languages with him. We'd often fixate upon certain peculiarities of a language - such as resemblance between shakkar (jaggery) - an Urdu word and sugar in English. My love for linguistics was innately embedded in me."
After his grandfather passed away in 2022, Navvye decided to pay him homage by working towards revitalising a dialect of his native language. Moreover, his visit to the Kangra Valley region in 2018 made him fall in love with the warmth of the people. "They always had some folklore or a story to tell and were proud of their culture and heritage. I thought it was paradoxical that Kangri was an endangered language because these people love their culture and heritage. I thought if I could unite their love with advancements in AI, then that would be a great project to start," he reveals.
Using AI to preserve Kangri
This led him to read papers from past researchers who had used ASR for other languages. One particularly intriguing study was by Emily Prud'hommeaux, an assistant professor at Boston College, who attempted to revitalise Seneca - an endangered language in the US. "Her research papers helped me understand the methodology and how researchers use ASR." Later, he reached out to Dr Shweta Chauhan, a researcher at the National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, who had curated a text corpus for the Kangri language. "She invited me to intern at her lab, and ever since she has been an invaluable mentor."
The innovation in ASR allows linguists to record conversations in their natural environment and to capture their essence without manually digitising any oral medium. Explaining the process, Navvye elaborates that a regular mic can be fed into the ASR model which helps give an accurate transcription. The audio is being converted into text via ASR. "Currently, the accuracy stands at 85 percent, and over time, my aim is to gather additional data and enhance the system to achieve a target accuracy of 95 percent." The project operates on two fronts - one, where Navvye personally collects data by recording conversations using ASR, and second, where he connects with local translators who send audio transcriptions to him using ASR. "This allows me to build a robust audio repertoire. Additionally, I'm partnering with the Indian government through their Bhashini program, leveraging their resources to collect more Kangri data. I'm looking forward to expanding the audio repertoire as it will provide vast dataset to further fine-tune the model with improved accuracy."
When Navvye started he was only 15, but his passion to translate his dream into reality kept him going along with the support of his parents and the people of Kangra. However, along the way he encountered some technical hiccups in his journey, primarily related to data collection, cleaning, model selection and fine-tuning. "After experimenting with other models, I settled for Open AI's Whisper, which is the state-of-the-art speech recognition model. It is difficult to bring a simple idea to fruition but when the cause is noble, people will support you," he adds.
In the last two years, Navvye's work has empowered various translators by connecting them to MNCs operating in the Kangri domain. "I've helped a couple of translators gather the requisite information to contact Lenovo, created their LinkedIn profile, and filled out technical documents for them," says Navvye, who is also creating awareness about the importance of the Kangri language among school children. Ask him the potential reason behind Kangri being an endangered language, he promptly replies, "More people are now speaking Hindi as compared to Kangri as they are dissuaded from speaking their native dialect due to globalisation. It's not considered cool enough - something we need to counter," says the teen.
Proud to be preserving his ancestor's fading language, Navvye says the fruit of labour has been immense but the job isn't finished yet. "There is a long way to go but I'm happy with the way it's been going. I'm honoured to join the efforts to the preservation of my language which is a rich amalgamation of history and discourse," adds Navvye. As he plans to join the California Institute of Technology this fall, he wants to stay committed to the project, confident in his ability to utilise the power of technology to further work towards the project remotely. "I will have a proper support system to enhance my knowledge. I already have a new idea about classifying dialects using embeddings which can help clusters different dialects and identify them," reveals Navvye, adding that it can be used as a model for other languages.
Imparting advice to fellow teenagers, Navvye asks them to stop being afraid of taking the leap of faith. "Being afraid of failure is a sign of failure itself," he says, adding, "Don't worry if it will work out or not, you will find your way. In case, it doesn't work out, you will learn something new in the process. Maybe you can tweak it so that it works better in the future."
(September 13, 2024) When 19-year-old Josh Roy presented his AI-implemented solution for the genetic modification of whiteflies, at the 2024 TKS Focus Hackathon, it emerged as the global winner, beating over 400 competitors from 300 cities and 80 teams. His solution aims to combat the devastating impact of Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) on cassava plants, an essential food staple in the tropics, and address food insecurity. This groundbreaking project, validated by leaders such as the Global Head of Data Science at GSK, was showcased at London Tech Week 2024, which attracted over 45,000 attendees. It also earned Josh a scholarship to the prestigious Villars Institute's inaugural ecopreneurship program. Josh is in active discussions with researchers, NGOs, and technology companies to bring his solution to market and positively impact millions of lives. This November, the US-based youngster would be flying to West Africa to receive the prestigious Global Entrepreneurs Award. “I am due to collect the award in-person in the world's first entrepreneurship village in Akure, Nigeria, where the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and billionaire Mrs. Folorunso Alakija would be present as guests of honour,” he tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_39224" align="aligncenter" width="508"] Josh
would be present as guests of honour,” he tells Global Indian.
[caption id="attachment_39224" align="aligncenter" width="508"] Josh Roy at the London Tech Week[/caption]
There’s more to Josh’s personality. A passionate musician and host of The CapitalTycoon Podcast, where he engages with successful innovators, he was also the first student in the UK to complete a music GCSE in tabla. 'Tabla is one of the main focuses in my life alongside entrepreneurship. If you think about it, the two go hand in hand, as both require the ability to think creatively,' he remarks.
Dabbling in AI-powered innovation, music and podcasting
The British-born innovator describes himself as ‘a design engineer at the intersection of business, tech, and product design’ and is passionate about creating solutions to make the world a better place. As the developer of AI-powered innovations, he also identifies as an AI ethicist and is working on an AI-powered tabla tutor prototype designed to train students at all levels, aiming to revolutionize tabla education.
When asked how he balances his academics, music and other interests he smiles, “I don't know if I balance it well, and I'm not sure I'm at the stage to offer advice on how to find balance in my work. As my mentor John Spence told me, "If you genuinely enjoy and are obsessed with what you're working on, that's what you should be doing." I believe it's this sense of enjoyment I get from these projects that keeps them from feeling tedious or time-consuming."
Josh looks at each aspect of his life as complementary rather than separate. For instance, he looks at his podcast as an avenue to explore new ideas while engaging with successful innovators who provide insights that often benefit in his own entrepreneurial ventures.
The Indian-origin innovator who was born and brought up in the UK, received training in Tabla by Kuljit Bhamra MBE. “My passion for the tabla offers a creative outlet that recharges me mentally, which is essential when juggling high-pressure projects,” he remarks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xxT7frsjtE
He has chosen an alternative education path through The Knowledge Society (TKS), where learning is deeply integrated with hands-on, real-world problem solving. “This flexible approach has allowed me to dedicate time to all my passions,” he mentions.
Josh got the opportunity to enroll in the two-year TKS programme after bagging the Unicorn Scholarship, which is only awarded to 20 students annually. He ranked in the top 0.06% of the 31,298 students who applied in the most recent batch. Its acceptance rate is far lower than that of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Combatting Cassava Mosaic Disease to address food insecurity
It all started with an upbringing that focused on seva. Even before he turned 10, Josh started volunteering with food banksand distributing meals to underprivileged elderly people. This sparked his commitment to tackling food insecurity. While he was still in school, the opportunities to attend tech conferences opened his eyes to technology’s potential. Later, a few Hackathon victories fuelled his desire to work on the problem of food insecurity all the more, and he came up with the AI-optimized tool for the genetic modification of whiteflies - engineered to combat the devastating impact of Cassava Mosaic Disease that has potential to benefit35 million Nigerians.
Cassava is a calorie-rich vegetable and the third-largest source of carbohydrates in food in the tropics, after rice and maize, making it an important staple. In African Cassava Mosaic Virus is a plant virus that infects cassava plants, causing mosaic symptoms on leaves and leading to significant yield losses in regions where cassava is a major food source. It is primarily transmitted through infected cassava stem cuttings and by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. When Josh came to know how millions of people in Nigeria suffer from food insecurity due to the Cassava Mosaic Disease, the AI enthusiast got drawn to solve a solution to the problem, and came up with an AI-driven gene editing solution for the genetic modification of whiteflies that cause the Cassava Mosaic Disease.
[caption id="attachment_39225" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Josh during the Villars Institute's mentorship programme[/caption]
Later, the week-long mentorship he received from ecopreneurs and scientists — pioneers in their respective fields — as part of his scholarship to the prestigious Villars Institute broadened his horizons. “With guidance from experts like Sofia de Meyer and Sofia Khwaja-Horekens, I've refined my food insecurity project, focusing on key stakeholders. Meeting people like the chief economist of Mars Inc. Bruno Roche and my mentor Jini Sebakunzi was an honour, and the experience deepened my connection with nature, and problems in its realm,” he says.
Work in progress
“The next steps involve collaborating with agricultural institutions in Nigeria and across Africa to conduct field trials of the modified whiteflies. This will help demonstrate the tool's effectiveness in real-world conditions. We are also working on partnerships with government bodies and NGOs to create awareness and ensure smooth adoption of this innovation. Once proven in field tests, scaling the technology will involve aligning with policymakers, farmers, and supply chain partners to ensure it reaches the 35 million Nigerians who stand to benefit,” tells Josh.
For the youngster, the goal is to not only combat CMD but to create a sustainable model that can be replicated across different regions suffering from crop diseases, ensuring long-term food security.
“My Father was my support for me from the beginning of my unconventional path and encouraged me going against cultural expectations by working to solve humanity's biggest problems through entrepreneurship or should I say, ecopreneurship,” he remarks.
Other projects
Josh has worked onother AIprojects like Project Dynamo while pursuing a consulting challenge with The Knowledge Society (TKS). “It's an initiative I launched to train NGO students in climate change problem-solving and systems thinking, partnering with SOS Children's Villages, India. This project also leveraged AI to translate educational content into regional languages, making it more accessible across diverse communities,” he informs.
Additionally, he has worked alongside Google for another TKS Challenge in AI-driven initiatives, for addressing problems like information overload that its employees face.
Josh Roy understands the importance of quality mentorship and has actively pursued it from business leaders.
Determined to reach out to John Spence, the Chairman of Karma Group Global, the youngster tried over 100 email variations until he successfully connected with Spence. “I was inspired by the experience he created at Karma so I was determined to get his mentorship for entrepreneurship. I tried 100 different variations of emails with trial and error as it was hard to find, until his personal hotmail email worked when I found it through a chrome extension,” he says.
This persistence led to a year and a half of valuable email exchanges, culminating in a phone call. “Since then, Spence has been reading my monthly newsletter where I update him and my other mentors on my personal growth. I consider him and his philosophies an influence in my projects and business endeavours. Persistence won at the end,” remarks Josh who loves speaking opportunities.
In addition to Spence, Josh has built strong relationships with other mentors like Kabir Mathur CEO and co-founder, Leen and Manoj Thacker, entrepreneur, and ambassador of Innovaud Swiss. He connected with Kabir during a family trip to Egypt and with Manoj through a friend's introduction. “Both mentors have been instrumental in guiding my journey, with Kabir even nominating me for The Diana Award and supporting my case for an O-1 visa in the US,” he says. Josh’s persistence to seek guidance have earned him mentorships that continue to shape his entrepreneurial path.
In the shoes of a mentor
One of the youngster’s moments of pride has been getting into the shoes of a mentor of 300 youngsters at Toronto in AI and gene editing for 1517 Fund's annual summit.
“I got the opportunity to mentor alongside a panel of 15 other mentors consisting of Zach Laberge (18-year-old founder of Frenter, who raised over three million CAD), Danielle Stratchman (co-founder, Thiel Fellowship) and Michael Patrick-Gibson (author of Paper Belt on Fire),” tells Josh adding, “I recall a Neuralink intern, Kyrylo Kalashnikov, attending the office hours I was hosting. Gaining exposure to some of the brightest minds in North America was both humbling and inspiring. It felt like they were the true mentors, even though I had the label of mentor for a day!”
[caption id="attachment_39228" align="aligncenter" width="497"] Josh during 1517 Fund's office hour[/caption]
The migration story and future
Born in Tooting, London Josh hails from a family with roots in Kolkata. He was raised in Ascot for most of his life, as well as in Lambeth. His mother is a singer-songwriter who was born in London, and did schooling both in India and the UK. His father is a corporate professional who was born and raised in Kolkata. This March, the youngster moved to the US along with his father who got a new job posting. “I decided to relocate with him and pursue my entrepreneurial dreams in the US,” he says.
In the short-term, Josh’s priorities are clear and twofold: "Radical collaboration with agricultural engineers, scientists and farmers to refine and implement my solutions, ensuring credibility and scalability. Secondly, to earn my O-1 Visa that will allow me to better pursue my entrepreneurial endeavours in the US." He is happy that he received his OCI last month.
With prestigious awards, recognitions, scholarships and mentorship the youngster is confident of making his entrepreneurial dream in America come true.
(January 24, 2022) Alpine skier Aanchal Thakur does not recall how she fell in love with skiing. She does, however, remember when her feet were strapped to two wooden planks, and was given two sticks to manoeuvre on the snow. “I was five-years-old and I have been skiing ever since,” smiles the slalom champion. The Manali girl, all of 25, created history by winning a bronze medal in the giant slalom category at the Federation Internationale de Ski meet at Kolasin, Montenegro in December 2021. That made her the first-ever Indian to win a medal at the event. It was Aanchal’s second medal, internationally. The first, another bronze, she won at the 2018 Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup held in Turkey. The little girl from the hills "My generation could never think of winning international tournaments. Now, we are slowly gaining confidence. When I won the bronze in Turkey, my father couldn’t believe I had won. Competing against the best is what matters,” says Aanchal. The Alpine skier recalls how she joined the event despite a deep cut on her hand (while ‘tuning’ her skis earlier). The girl with a never-say-die attitude learnt skiing in Burua, Solan Valley. On her seventh
The girl with a never-say-die attitude learnt skiing in Burua, Solan Valley. On her seventh birthday, seeing her potential, her father, Roshan Lal Thakur gifted her, the first professionally made skis. She was hooked.
“I fell in love with skiing and gliding through the snow at high speeds. I would keep challenging myself to go faster,” smiles the girl who awaits winter so she can ski. Her father, a skiing instructor, and her brother (a professional skier) are her constant teachers and guides.
A risky sport, Aanchal admits, “Coming down the hill at high speeds, there are bound to be falls. It is a risky sport, but that's part of the game. A risk of back and leg injuries are always on my mind."
From Solan to Youth Olympics
In India, winter sports like skiing, snowboarding and skating are limited to Manali, Sikkim, Gulmarg and Kashmir. “We hardly have any winter sporting events covered in the media as there aren’t many competitions too," mulls the alpine skier.
Her father, who owns an adventure company in Manali, had organised some events, and Aanchal feels the scenario can progress if there is awareness.
The DAV College (Chandigarh) graduate, Aanchal has been representing India in skiing competitions since school. At just 15, she took part at the Winter Youth Olympics Games at Innsbruck 2012 (Austria). Declared the best skier at the National Ski and Snowboard Championship 2020 (Manali), she came first in the giant slalom, and second in the Khelo India National Winter Games, 2021, Gulmarg.
Training is what keeps her in the running - Aanchal went to Switzerland in 2011, coached under Heera Lal, a former Olympian, and became the first Indian to participate in the Winter Youth Olympics 2012. “I still get goosebumps thinking about the moment when I held India’s flag at the opening ceremony,” she tells Global Indian.
Competing with international athletes can be “demotivating,” but the alpine skier is thankful that her father frequently reminds her of her stellar achievements - how far she has come, and the road ahead. “He would repeatedly say, ‘remember you have come from a place where people are still not aware of the sport,’” smiles the slalom champ.
Skiing is also an expensive sport. Just the skiing equipment costs ₹5 lakh, and training ₹20 lakh as it is overseas since India does not get enough snow, or for extended periods. “Getting sponsors or support in India is difficult as winter sports is yet to make a mark," she says, adding, "My father saved some money for my training. Crowdfunding has helped too. Many people have contributed to buying equipment or for my training abroad.” Incidentally, Thakur’s Instagram has been the most effective to gather funds.
It takes courage, and dedication
An early riser, Aanchal devotes two hours to outdoor training, another hour in the gym to build her core. She religiously follows Lindsey Caroline Vonn, American former World Cup alpine ski racer. Aanchal was training with her brother Himanshu in Austria for the past few months to prepare for the Winter Olympics at Beijing 2022. Sad that she missed some qualifiers, she reveals, “I participated in a few races, but there was a lockdown in Austria due to the third wave. So, I missed out on a few competitive events that would have seen me participate at Beijing.”
Back to Manali, Thakur hopes to make it to the next Olympics and the World Skiing Championship in March 2023 (Austria). “I have been upset about not qualifying for this Olympics, but my family has been keeping my spirits up. My brother says skiing is all about moving forward. So, I want to look at the brighter side and hone my skills to prepare for my next race,” says the avid football fan who loves CR7 - Cristiano Ronaldo.
(January 31, 2024) Amid the hustle and bustle of Kolkata emerges a story of resilience, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of making a difference. Meet Amey Agarwal, a youngster who has not only won over a 15-year battle with nephrotic syndrome but has also transformed his personal struggle into an inspiration for others. Amey's commitment to raising awareness and providing assistance for those affected by nephrotic syndrome gave birth to Nephrophile - a nonprofit - which has till now helped 300 families and even earned him a Diana Award. Amey's journey with nephrotic syndrome, a condition causing the kidneys to leak large amounts of protein into the urine, began at a tender age. For 15 years, he battled the challenges that the condition brought with it but instead of succumbing to the adversity, he emerged stronger, driven by a deep-seated belief that every child, irrespective of their economic circumstances, deserves a chance to become an adult. [caption id="attachment_35533" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Amey Agarwal[/caption] Helping people affected by Nephrotic syndrome In his pursuit of making a meaningful impact, the 17-year-old founded Nephrohelp, a charitable community dedicated to supporting children suffering from nephrotic syndrome. His vision goes beyond mere sympathy; it is a
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In his pursuit of making a meaningful impact, the 17-year-old founded Nephrohelp, a charitable community dedicated to supporting children suffering from nephrotic syndrome. His vision goes beyond mere sympathy; it is a mission to bring about positive changes in the lives of vulnerable families grappling with the harsh realities of this condition. The heart of Nephrohelp lies in its commitment to facilitating kidney transplants and providing essential support for those in need.
Through the relentless efforts of Amey and his team, the organisation has successfully raised funds and sponsorships, enabling life-changing kidney transplants for two children. "We are more than obliged and happy to help Warisha Khan (14 yrs) and Gaurav Mukherjee (13 yrs) by taking initiative in providing them all the medical necessities under the mentorship and guidance of Dr Rajiv Sinha, Professor & HOD of Pediatric Nephrology Division and thank him for extending his support for this noble cause," the student of St. Xavier's Collegiate School said in a statement.
The powerful impact
Beyond transplantation support, Nephrohelp has touched the lives of over 300 families by providing essential medicines and necessities. During COVID-19 pandemic, his compassion extended further as his organisation donated masks to hospitals, ensuring the safety of frontline workers. The impact of Nephrohelp is not confined to immediate assistance as his team organised awareness campaigns and health check-up camps, spreading knowledge about nephrotic syndrome and offering preventive healthcare to communities.
His dedication and selfless service to bring about transformative change has helped him earn Diana Award 2023 - which speaks volumes about his dedication, resilience, and the positive ripple effect his work has on communities. It is his commitment to education and awareness that have played an important role in his journey as a young changemaker. Recognising the need to inform and empower, Amey co-authored a book Nephrohelp’s Guide to Nephrotic Syndrome, published in both Hindi and Bengali, to raise awareness on nephrotic syndrome. Of them, he donated over 2500 books in rural areas to not only provide valuable insights into the condition but also serve as a guide for others who may be navigating similar challenges.
Amey's advocacy extends beyond the immediate impact of Nephrohelp as his efforts have made nephrotic syndrome visible on a broader scale, challenging societal perceptions and fostering understanding about the struggles faced by those with this condition. In a world where compassion often takes a backseat, he has become a force that transcends boundaries, making a profound difference in the lives of many. He is now committed to provide treatment to over 200 children each year, which reflects his dedication to accessible healthcare.
His vision for a world where every child has the opportunity to grow into adulthood fuels the organisation's initiatives and inspires others to join the cause. In a society that often overlooks the struggles of those with chronic conditions, Amey proves that one person's belief in making a difference can indeed change the world.
Congralutions Dr Omishaka well done.mayygod give u the strength to continue your wonderful service to the community