(January 22, 2023) In 2007, the year Rishabh Seen first heard the Foo Fighters and t their frontman, Dave Grohl, he knew his life had changed forever. “It was one of those moments where you just know that you’re experiencing something that will change you,” he said in an interview later. Until that point, Rishabh Seen, who belonged to an illustrious family of Hindustani musicians, had devoted himself to the classical tradition on the sitar.
Steeped in tradition
Rishabh Seen
Rishabh’s childhood in Jalandhar was spent immersed in music. His grandfather, Ustad Lachhman Singh Seen, is an acclaimed tabla maestro and music scholar, with his works preserved in the national archives. Rishabh’s father, Manu Kumar Seen, is an accomplished sitarist. Growing up in this environment, Rishabh began vocal training at the age of six and his sitar practice started four years later. Despite the family’s deep devotion to classical traditions, his father helped him understand the world of possibilities the sitar afforded him.
Still, his knowledge of what lay outside classical music remained limited and Dave Grohl came as an inspiration. “It changed my entire vision about life and music in general,” Rishabh said. “I discovered that progressive metal was based on instrument-driven songs and that is the point where Indian classical and metal meet.” His enthusiasm compounded when he realised there wasn’t anybody out there who seemed to have had the idea of sitar-metal, or even a band led by any instrument other than a guitar, keyboard or drums.
Dave Grohl and a journey of discovery
Rishabh’s own journey of discovery continued, and he went from the Foo Fighters to Slipknot and Nirvana. “It was around 2011, when I just played a metal song on the speakers. My dad, wondering what on earth was happening, came by to check on me. What was surprising was that he really enjoyed what he was listening to,” he said in an interview. Technically speaking, too, the two forms of music are very different. Hindustani classical music involves playing one scale or raaga in a 45-minute concert. With metal, a single song can contain several scales.
At first, the young Global Indian’s efforts were not well received. Metal was seen as dark and hairy, while the sitar receives reverence. His fortunes turned in 2015 when he released his first cover of Animals As Leaders’ ‘Tempting Time’. In no time, the song garnered lakhs of views. That was also the year he founded his band, Mute The Saint. They produced covers of artists like Animals as Leaders, Steven Wilson and Meshuggah and were a success. While the two genres might stand as polar opposites, to the trained and untrained year alike, Rishabh saw only common ground, a similarity “in terms of evoking an inner revolution and spreading peace.”
In 2016, Mute the Saint released a self-titled album and two years later, the second, which contained a bunch of covers of Coldplay and Foo Fighters. Rishabh has performed with singer Arijit Singh and solo headlines sitar metal shows.
(June 27, 2023) Ishaan Leonard Rao was two years old when he hummed ragas with Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was much too young to remember the experience, but it’s an anecdote he has heard many times over the years from his parents. As it happens, quite a few of Ishaan’s early musical experiences predate his memories. The young piano prodigy is the son of two virtuosos - his father, Pandit Shubhendra Rao is a sitarist and a long-time disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. His mother, Saskia Rao-de Haas is trained in both the Western and Hindustani styles, and designed the Indian cello, which she uses in her Hindustani concerts. [caption id="attachment_31469" align="aligncenter" width="697"] Ishaan Leonard Rao. Photo (and featured image) by Bandeep Singh[/caption] The young piano prodigy is not really given to talking about his achievements, which already make up quite a long list. He has trained in the piano for 12 years, and in the sitar for seven. “I was five when I fell in love with the piano and decided to make it my instrument,” he tells Global Indian. This month, during his break from Berklee, Ishaan will begin his solo tour across India, performing five concerts across
love with the piano and decided to make it my instrument,” he tells Global Indian. This month, during his break from Berklee, Ishaan will begin his solo tour across India, performing five concerts across Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai. The tour will take him to some of India's most prestigious cultural venues, including the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, the NCPA in Mumbai, the India International Centre in Delhi and the Bangalore International Centre.
"This programme will have a classical piano repertoire, with Hindustani and Carnatic-inspired music," Ishaan says. "And some jazz I picked up last year at Berklee, along with some South American influences. I have really tried to show who I am as a musician," he adds. His journey is only just beginning, but Ishaan is already crafting a style that is uniquely his own, inspired by his deep knowledge of Hindustani and Western classical music, as well as the many influences he encountered travelling with his parents as they performed around the world. In this concert, he will also combine elements of modal jazz, which has been studying at University, with ragas, as he explores John Coltrane (Naima), Dave Brubeck (Rondo A La Turk).
Growing up in Delhi, music was always "a given for Ishaan Leonard Rao, which is not surprising, all things considered. “I didn't know anything else through my childhood," he remarks. Music isn't merely a part of Ishaan’s world, something he loves or is good at - it is life itself. He was listening to music even before he was born and doesn't even recall the first time he picked up an instrument. By the time he met Pandit Ravi Shankar, he had learned around 15 ragas, even though he was still a toddler. "My parents had taught me ragas by then, not necessarily in a regimented way but I had learned how to identify them.” When they sang him to sleep as a child, the lullaby would be based on a particular raga. It came naturally to him too.
"The unique combination of Hindustani and Western classical music has shaped me so that I can understand music quite intuitively. Indian music teaches you how to train your ear in relation to other notes, if you hear a 'sa', you know every other note in relation to that. Western music shapes your understanding of absolute pitch." Although he's comfortable with sheet music, the piano prodigy is happiest playing by ear.
That wasn't all. Ishaan would also accompany his parents across the world, and has been meeting people from different cultures and heritages for as long as he can remember. "Hindustani and Western classical music are the most familiar to me but I have never really confined myself to a genre," he says. From the time he was born till about the age of 15, Ishaan was on the road with his parents for a "good three to five months of the year." Having a South Indian father and a Dutch mother also lent itself to cultural exploration - "I grew up speaking Kannada with my father and Dutch with my mum. And then I was travelling a lot. I became used to different cultures, am cognizant of my cultural heritage and find it very easy to acclimatise and feel at at home in either part of the world." It lent itself also to his explorations as a musician.
[caption id="attachment_31452" align="aligncenter" width="363"] Pandit Ravi Shankar with Ishaan[/caption]
A love story with the piano
Ishaan began training in the piano at the age of six, and showed great talent for it. “I have had four teachers along the way - Justin McCarthy, Raj Bhimani, Svetlana Radashkevich and Dimitris Lambrianos,” he says. He has also has also taken master classes by Polish pianist Raphael Lustchevsky, French pianist Martine Dellenbach and Dutch pianist Marianne Boer. Ishaan dedicated himself to the piano, going to class once a week and spending a couple of hours a day practicing. By the time he entered his teens, he knew beyond doubt that he wanted to be a pianist, not just a musician. "I'm really focussed on my instrument and I'm still in that process of completely mastery. That's not something you ever really achieve, but you work as hard as you can to get there," he says. And while he doesn’t claim mastery, Ishaan went on to become the youngest Indian ever to finish the ABRSM Grade 8 exam and the youngest to receive the ARSM performance diploma at the age of 12.
The young piano prodigy gave his first concert at the age of nine, performing the first movement of a Mozart sonata and a piece by Chopin. It's a big achievement for someone so young, but he quickly says, "They weren't particularly complex pieces. As a child, you tend to progress quite quickly through technical difficulty. Bringing out the music from that is as much of a journey," he explains. "Being a classical pianist is about a lot more than technical mastery. He went on to perform in India, France and Australia before making his New York concert debut at the age of 14, as part of the Chhandayan All Night Concert at the Society for Ethical Cultures.
Bending genres, breaking rules
He names Chopin, Debussy and Bach as composers he admires deeply but Ishaan doesn't want to confine himself in any way. It's why he chose Berklee College over a conservatory like say, Juilliard. "I love the traditional piano repertoire but I don't want to be confined to it. I'm in the process of developing my own musical voice, I would say." At Berklee, he has trained in modal jazz, and is also in a Klezmer ensemble.
His parents always encouraged the exploration. "When I was growing up, I quite liked just following the path that was set for me. I didn't realise that I instinctively wanted to go outside the path and break those rules. But you have to know the rules to break them. Over the last year, even though my primary focus has been on my classical repertoire, I feel a lot more comfortable with my own expression through them, rather than playing them the way they are supposed to be played." This exploration also includes adapting the piano to ragas, although he does so differently from his mother, who designed the Indian cello to create an instrument better suited to playing Hindustani classical music.
Ishaan Leonard Rao's musical journey is a testament to his exceptional talent, dedication, and diverse musical influences. From his early exposure to Hindustani and Western classical music to his explorations in jazz and fusion genres at Berklee College, Ishaan has developed a unique musical voice that reflects his deep understanding of different traditions. His commitment to his instrument, the piano, is evident in his achievements and performances at a remarkably young age. With a blend of technical mastery and artistic expression, the piano prodigy is poised to make significant contributions to the world of music and continue to carve his own path as a musician.
(February 3, 2023) When Apoorva Panidapu was invited to NBC National TV show Genius Junior, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris in 2018, her excellent performance in mental math created a buzz. Her effortless execution of complex math problems on the American television show established that the talented youngster is one among a select few internationally. Since then, she has been popularly referred to as the human calculator. The seventeen-year-old high-schooler Apoorva of San Jose, California is not just a math genius. She wears many hats, and is well-known for her abilities in STEAM - an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) model. The student, teacher, mathematician, artist, social entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker loves helping kids around the world. [caption id="attachment_27111" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Apoorva Panidapu[/caption] Apoorva has received several global awards in mathematics such as the prestigious Davidson Fellow Laureate, Steven S Strogatz Prize for Math Communication, Spirit of Ramanujan Fellowship, and 2020 Global Child Prodigy Award. Home-schooled since grade six, Apoorva tells Global Indian, “When I was younger, my parents noticed that I loved puzzles and numbers. They realised that I was learning math at a faster pace than what a
hild Prodigy Award. Home-schooled since grade six, Apoorva tells Global Indian, “When I was younger, my parents noticed that I loved puzzles and numbers. They realised that I was learning math at a faster pace than what a traditional public school could accommodate.”
The math prodigy’s foray into the world of art
The multi-talented youngster is an enthusiastic artist who loves to oil paint and sketch portraits. She is the founder of Apoorva Panidapu’s Art Gallery, an online platform through which she shares her artwork and raises funds for charity and social impact. Her paintings and stories have been featured on platforms like Ellen & Cheerio's, ‘One Million Acts of Good’, Artists for Peace, and Stone Soup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An6m2Oa3Sdk
The grand prize winner of the NASA Langley Research Center’s Centennial Student Art Contest while talking about her exceptional achievements and choice of home-schooling mentions, “It gave me the chance to forge my educational path, learn at my own pace and work on exciting projects.”
The exceptional path
A genius in mathematics, Apoorva started taking college classes at age 11 and has since completed several upper-division and graduate-level mathematics courses with a keen interest in number theory. As the youngest researcher in the institution, she attended the prestigious highly selective Canada/USA Mathcamp and the University of Virginia REU both in 2020 as well as 2021. “I am grateful to have worked with world-renowned mathematicians, and to have co-authored six number theory research papers,” she tells.
Apoorva executes complex problems with mental math using the abacus method of calculation, a technique that relies on an ancient tool. “I started my journey in math through abacus when I was 5 or 6 years old,” she says. “It’s just a different way of thinking about computation, adding, subtracting – all the operations,” she adds.
The STEAM enthusiast believes in giving back
A recipient of the Diana Award, Apoorva has also received six Presidential Volunteer Service Awards between 2016 – 2022 for her initiatives. She has been speaking on global platforms encouraging girls, gender minorities, and youth to pursue STEAM fearlessly. Apoorva is a global ambassador for GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup), through which she encourages girls between the age of eight to 12 from diverse backgrounds to pursue leadership and careers in the field of technology.
[caption id="attachment_27114" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Apoorva has just received commendation from California State Senate which was presented by Senator Dave Cortese[/caption]
Since she was 10, the philanthropic youngster has been using her talents to help underprivileged children with the mission to encourage them to use their gifts to make a difference in the world. “I have helped raise more than $50,000 to support children around the world by using the gifts in math and art,” Apoorva reveals.
The prodigy donates the money she makes through tutoring in math to help schools for visually impaired and tribal children in India. “I have very open conversations with my parents about what I value and want to invest my time in,” she says, adding, “I try to be intentional about having a schedule such that I’m truly motivated to do the things I do.”
Bringing together art and activism
From raising over $10,000 for the Child Hunger and Famine Relief fund to protesting racial injustice with her painting of George Floyd and donating $1,400 to Black Lives Matter organizations, Apoorva has thrived to bring together art and activism. As the mentor of the Girls Leadership Academy Meetup (GLAM), she has mentored over 1,000 young people through outreach.
[caption id="attachment_27143" align="aligncenter" width="818"] Apoorva in one of the sessions as keynote speaker[/caption]
The prodigy has also been associated with the Research Science Institute (RSI), which is one of the most prestigious international summer research programmes for high school students. It is sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I was glad to be selected as one of the top STEM talents from around the world to conduct original scientific research for six weeks,” she says. “This off-campus work in science and technology research has added to my perspectives of future goals,” she adds.
From numbers to letters
Apoorva has created an online column, Gems in STEM. Its her initiative to simplify technical topics of STEM through storytelling and pop culture. "In my journey in the world of math, I’ve realized that the 'human' part of the 'Human Calculator' that I am often called relates to my ability to connect to other people through humour and empathy, especially when I'm a student who is still learning and growing," she remarks. "Through my articles, I want to convey that STEM has something or the other in store for everyone. You just need to know where to look at," she adds.
"Gems in STEM has managed to reach out to more than 70,000 people," tells the youngster who has also been publishing her monthly newsletter - Letter? I Hardly Know Her! "Through it I connect with my network of professionals, peers, and friends and keep them updated about the projects I’m working on, and upcoming events while sharing some interesting content to read," she says.
The course of life
Apoorva’s parents hail from the southern part of India. The engineers moved to the US more than 20 years ago. It was there that Apoorva was born and raised. Following in the footsteps of her parents, the youngster intends to study math and engineering at university next year.
In her spare time, the teenager enjoys reading classical literature, playing the violin, and practicing Kung Fu. “I aim to work on projects with which I can make an innovative and positive impact on the world,” tells the expert in STEAM.
Well, her accomplishments so far tell us that she is already making a difference.
(November 11, 2023) Kohl-rimmed eyes, with beautiful mudras, and nuanced facial expressions, there's a story unfolding on the stage at Piscataway in New Jersey. The 18-year-old Indian American is bringing to life the story of Krishna, an Indian god, who helped protect Draupadi after her husband lost her in a game of dice. This is her 40th performance on stage, ever since she began learning the traditional dance art form of Bharatanatyam at the age of four. In these years, she has dedicated herself to honing a 3,000-year-old Indian dance, ensuring that the legacy of her culture is passed on through the generations. "When we are growing up in America, away from our origins of India or other areas around there, I think we sometimes lose our connection with our culture," said Radha, adding, "This is what keeps us tied to that... dancing and teaching this to young kids is a way of preserving this legacy, especially this super old and ancient dance form." A senior at Piscataway High School, Radha started learning Bharatanatyam in Greensboro, North Carolina with Veena Argade, and later with Priya Gopal. She later began training under Guru Srimathi Selvi Chandranathan, who trained Radha at Bharata
, Radha started learning Bharatanatyam in Greensboro, North Carolina with Veena Argade, and later with Priya Gopal. She later began training under Guru Srimathi Selvi Chandranathan, who trained Radha at Bharata Kala Nrityakshetra dance school in Piscataway. Her Guru got a glimpse of her talent even when she was a kid, and knew that she had the potential to make it big.
With over a million Asians that live in New Jersey, Indian Americans make up the largest ethnic group. And it's this Indian community in New Jersey that has helped cement the tradition and infuse the culture and history of India in the natives.
It's been rigorous training for the last 14 years for Radha, and is keen to carry the legacy of Bharatanatyam forward through her art. For her, everything comes alive as she takes the centrestage, and immerses herself in the art form. Growing up, she heard stories and now portraying those stories on the big stage, she feels honoured. Bringing to life the story of Krishna, she considers it a responsibility that she needs to uphold with dignity. "Performing this scene (protecting Draupadi) was very emotional because you are playing these different roles. You are playing the bad king, the good king, and then you are playing the woman who's trying to save herself and her dignity. And then you are playing the saviour," the Global Indian added.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYKdgFrbOoo
At a time when most kids her age prefer dancing to Bollywood tunes, she wants to keep the tradition of Bharatanatyam alive through her performances. "For me, I have been wanting to do this forever," added Radha, who says that her art form is completely different from what her friends have opted for. "A lot of them do Bollywood dances or things that are seen on TV and commercialized, but this is a completely classical dance, so it is a little different from what you normally see," said the teenager.
In the last 14 years, Radha's dance journey has helped her develop a greater appreciation for her culture and heritage. Radha, who is interested in pursuing the sciences in the future, and has also been part of the Princeton W.E.B Du Bois Accelerated Learning Academy, is keen to take the art form to the next level. Her love for Bharatanatyam goes beyond performances as she is also mentoring young students in the art form.
(January 10, 2023) Indian-origin youngsters have set a benchmark in global Spelling Bees and have, over the last few years, begun to make their mark in environmental activism too, surging past their peers from around the globe to bag the International Children’s Climate Prize. For the last four years, Indian-origin innovators have won the SEK 100,000 awarded by Swedish company Telge Energi as part of the prestigious prize. The winners of the prize also receive a diploma and medal along with the cash award to continue developing their projects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-glFd5QsUoc Telge Energi is a frontrunner in renewable energy and deals with solar, wind, and hydro power. To support young people's actions to bring sustainable solutions for the planet earth, it set up the Children’s Climate Foundation. The initiative is an integral part of the organisation’s ongoing work for sustainable development and production of renewable energy for improved climate and environment. Global Indian celebrates the Indian-origin winners of the International Children's Climate Prize. Sparsh Nirav, winner 2022 Resident of Patna, India Solution: The Thermal Floater Coming from the rural side of Patna, Sparsh Nirav understands well the pain of frequent power cuts. As a solution, he designed a thermal floater, a
s an integral part of the organisation’s ongoing work for sustainable development and production of renewable energy for improved climate and environment.
Resident of Patna, India Solution: The Thermal Floater
Coming from the rural side of Patna, Sparsh Nirav understands well the pain of frequent power cuts. As a solution, he designed a thermal floater, a device that converts thermal energy from the sun into electrical energy. Sparsh's floating device can easily be installed on inland or stagnant water bodies. The device is small – a mere 15 cm x 15 cm – and can be connected to several units to generate increased amounts of energy. The jury was impressed to learn that his solution is three times more efficient than a typical solar panel of the same size. Apart from converting thermal energy, the device provides a range of environmental benefits, including the reduction of evaporation (increasing water availability for other uses) and the reduction of algal bloom in freshwater.
Since it makes use of water surfaces, such as dam reservoirs, wastewater treatment ponds or drinking water reservoirs, it reduces pressure on land resources. The jury of Children's Climate Prize found the idea innovative, easy to implement and accessible enough in countries where land resources are scarce, “This solution creates a huge potential globally,” remarked the climate prize jury.
Reshma Kosaraju, winner 2021
Resident of Saratoga, USA Solution: AI against forest fires
US-resident Reshma is well aware of forest fires and the damage they can cause. The problem exists on a global scale, causing thousands of premature deaths and posing a threat to animals and nature, making Reshma’s project stand out in the eyes of the jury.
Her AI based solution claims to predict forest fires with almost ninety percent accuracy. Reshma’s solution makes use of open data like temperature, humidity, wind speed, soil moisture and human behavior, along with artificial intelligence, to calculate the probability of the forest fire and its extent. “A clear and scalable business concept, with a global approach to accessibility,” is what the jury felt about Reshma’s solution.
Vinisha Umashankar, winner 2020
Resident of Tiruvannamalai, India Solution: The Solar Ironing Cart
Vinisha has seen numerous ironing carts on Indian streets, all using charcoal to heat the device. ‘There are millions of ironing carts in India and together they must be using tons of charcoal every day’, she thought. Realising that the coal consumes large amounts of wood, pollutes the air and contributes to climate change, Vinisha created a solar powered ironing cart to find a sustainable alternative.
My generation and I would live to see the consequences of our action today. I am not just a girl from India, I am a girl of the earth and I am proud to be so. We need to stop talking about old debates but a new vision for new future,” remarked Vinisha at the COP26summit.
Aadya Joshi, winner, 2020
Resident of Mumbai, India Solution: The Right Green
Deforestation is the second-leading cause of climate change and an issue that Aadya Joshi wanted to address. She founded The Right Green, a BioPower Index, which is a database carrying information about more than 15,000 plant-insect feeding relationships from different eco-regions of India. The Index enables gardeners, landscapers and civic authorities to plant the best biodiversity supporting plants as per the characteristics of the region they are based in.
Aadya has also conducted educational and outreach workshops enabling and empowering communities to restore healthy ecosystems, which are rich in biodiversity, to address climate change. “As the winner of the Children’s Climate Prize, I was given the chance to talk at the India International Science Fair and it was a very big moment for me. India’s Prime Minister was there as well as all the heads of the scientific departments in the government,” she said in an interview.
Shreya Ramachandran, winner, 2019
Resident of Fremont, USA Solution: The Grey Water Project
Shreya witnessed the wastage of water in households and came up with a solution to address this. Realising that almost fifty percent of water used annually in a household can be reused for activities like watering the plants in the garden, she developed the Grey Water Project.
She built a grey water cleaning system with soap nuts that make grey water reusable. Shreya has been teaching people how to install their own grey water systems with regular workshops on water reuse and conservation. “Shreya is working to save the source of life,” remarked the jury of children’s climate prize.
Vihaan and Nav Agarwal, winners, 2019
Residents of New Delhi, India Solution: One Step Greener
Siblings Nav and Vihaan Agarwal founded an NGO, One Step Greener, to fight the deadly air pollution of the Northern India, especially the NCR region. Their organisation strives for a zero-waste future with the goal to reduce air pollution and improve the health and wellbeing of people.
[caption id="attachment_26354" align="aligncenter" width="719"] Vihaan and Nav Agarwal[/caption]
Since they live in New Delhi, which is one of the worst cities in terms of air quality, they have been educating people about the importance of recycling waste at source and offering door-to-door dry waste pick-ups, to counteract the garbage that is burned on large dumps. “We realised that trash and air-pollution are heavily interrelated, and we wanted to do something to change this. This situation can be avoided by taking simple steps,” said Vihan Agarwal in a video to promote good garbage dumping practices.
(November 14, 2023) Divyakriti Singh has not been back home in the last two years. She missed all the festivals and other important events, which she would have otherwise celebrated with her family at their home in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It’s sacrifices like this and many more, that helped her gallop towards a historic victory which equestrians across the world will forever remember. She was among the four-member contingent that won India the historic gold at the Asian Games 2023, held at Hangzhou, China recently. “We definitely dreamt of a podium finish but to win the gold medal is surreal, it’s extraordinary and it should be like that,” smiles Divyakriti, in an exclusive with Global Indian. The historic win was the end result of hard training for years, perseverance, sacrifices and above all, the indomitable will to shine for India. “All the sacrifices we made are a small price to pay for the things we get to do,” says the 23-year-old, who is on cloud nine post the team’s win. She scored 68.176 in Asian Games. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divyakriti Singh Rathore (@divyakritisinghrathore) The victory marked the first time in 41 years that India has achieved
The victory marked the first time in 41 years that India has achieved the feat. “The best three scores were counted from our team and I'm very happy that I was able to contribute to that,” says Divyakriti who was honoured with Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Award for Young Achiever in the field of Sport at The Sawai Jaipur Awards 2023.
In Europe
For the last three years, Divyakriti has been living in Europe, preparing for the Asian Games. “I've been based in Denmark and then in Germany. I have been very involved with the daily routine of my horses. I'm in the stable every day, all days of the week,” informs the equestrienne, who visited Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Florida, USA as part of her training.
Her routine hardly changed during her training years. Divyakriti’s day would start at 5 am sharp and she would head straight for the stable. Even during the peak Europe winter, she would not compromise on her schedule.
The young rider currently holds the number one spot in Asia and ranks an impressive 14th globally, according to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Global Dressage rankings.
The Rathore Family
Born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Divyakriti was in seventh grade when she started horse riding. By 12, she was completely involved in equestrian sports and went on to receive numerous individual and team medals at various events including the Junior National Equestrian Championships and All India IPSC equestrian competitions. “Horses are my passion and that motivates me to be a better rider. It keeps me focused on the sport and I’m grateful that I get to do something that I love,” says the alumni of Mayo College Girls School in Ajmer.
A student of psychology in Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, Divyakriti is the daughter of Vikram Singh Rathore, a retired Army officer and Alka TejSingh. She has an elder sibling, Digvijay Singh. The Rathore family have been into horse riding for decades. “My entire family was present at the stands cheering for me at the Asian Game. It was a very proud moment for all of us,” says Divyakriti, beaming with pride. Even her grandparents from both mothers and fathers side have also been connected to horses.
Adrenaline Rush
She describes her horse, Adrenaline as a superstar. “He is my best friend and made my dreams come true. Together, we were able to deliver a personal best score which helped Team India clinch the gold medal,” says Divyakriti.
Initially, when she arrived in Europe, Divyakriti was training with a different horse but was not comfortable with him. At that stable, Adrenaline was already the super star. An international dressage rider from Denmark Helene Melsen, who bred the horse, asked her to try Adrenaline for the Asian games. “Once I rode him, the connect was instant and that was the beginning of our partnership,” she says.
Adrenaline, who weighs around 700 kg, has a mind of his own, says the equestrienne. “We have a bond based on trust, which we built through the time I spent at the stables,” says the accomplished equestrienne. She makes it a point to take her horse out for walks and feeds and grooms him. “He even gets a treat after rides, no matter the result,” she says.
Adrenaline, like all other horses, senses everything. “So the key is to be confident and give your horse the confidence,” says the India Today Woman Summit Awardee.
Lessons learned
There are ups and downs in every athlete's journey and Divyakriti is no exception. “If there is one thing that I've learned from my career, it is that do not fret over things that you can't control. Horse riding has taught me that,” smiles the youngster, who has previously represented the country in Europe and national competitions across the country.
She won the IPA Junior National Polo Championship Winner twice, in 2016 and 2017. She won the gold in the Junior National Equestrian Championship at Kolkata in 2018-2019 at Kolkata, India. In the 2019-2020 Junior National Equestrian Championship at Bangalore. she won the silver.
Prior to the Asian Games, she and her team members underwent a tough selection process. “Our federation had chalked out a set of selection criteria which required us to do the selection trials in Europe. Those trials were international competitions where we were competing against the best riders from all over the world,” she says, adding that it gave her good exposure.
Pandit Ravi Shankar with Ishaan[/caption]
Apoorva has just received commendation from California State Senate which was presented by Senator Dave Cortese[/caption]
Apoorva in one of the sessions as keynote speaker[/caption]
Sparsh Nirav[/caption]
Reshma Kosharaju[/caption]
Vinisha Umashankar[/caption]
Aadya Joshi[/caption]
Shreya Ramachandran[/caption]
Vihaan and Nav Agarwal[/caption]