Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveShriya Bopanna: From Miss India America to Forbes 30 Under 30

Shriya Bopanna: From Miss India America to Forbes 30 Under 30

Written by: Amrita Priya

(October 4, 2023) Miss India America 2020, Shriya Bopanna who is also an activist, author, and on-air personality has been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Austin list of 2023, “I am honestly still shocked and incredibly grateful for making to the list,” Shriya told Global Indian. “There is a certain amount of validity I feel in being authenticated and it has been a dream of mine to make it to Forbes 30 Under 30 since I was 16,” she added.

The multi-talented changemaker who also works as a project manager and business analyst at Accenture in the United States, looks at the Austin list as a stepping stone to eventually making to the entire North American list of Forbes.

Shriya Bopanna

In the world of pageantry

Right from her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I stepped on the Miss India DC stage as an ambassador for the Save our Stars Foundation to raise money for an HIV clinic in Nepal,” Shriya says. This turned out to be a great turning point in her life.

Little did she know that she would end up participating in the competition and also winning the first runner-up title. “After that, I had no plans of competing in the nationals of Miss India America 2020 until some friends encouraged me to show up. I won completely accidentally – no training, no planning, no preparation,” says the youngster. “That crown catapulted me and my advocacy into the media limelight overnight and I got featured everywhere from ABC to the Wall Street Journal,” she says.

Shriya Boppana

Opportunity to host her TV show

After her win in the Miss India-America contest, Shriya’s popularity caught the eye of producers at Fox 5 Plus/GTV who offered the youngster her segment on-air, Becoming a Voice with Shriya Boppana.

“My show has hosted popular voices from political candidates such as Deja Foxx of the Kamala Harris Campaign to Maria Thattil, Miss Universe Australia, all the way to Jared Isaacman of SpaceX’s Inspiration4, and reached more than six million households. My efforts in educating the public on gender-based violence got hugely successful,” Shriya says.

After doing a season of the show the youngster stepped down to work for Nickelodeon and AwesomenessTV in talent casting. By that time, Shriya already had more than twelve years of experience in theatre acting under her belt.

“I guess the opportunities that I got after winning the crown were a ripple effect of my win. I had only planned to do two things in life – acting and advocacy,” she says. The unplanned foray into the world of pageantry and subsequent win turned out to be a game-changer, helping her reach her goals more easily both in advocacy and acting.

“I received a lot of love, support, and attention from the media and audiences. I cannot thank everyone enough for consistently believing in me and providing me opportunities to grow,” she adds.

These days, Shriya has a nine-to-five at Accenture, while continuing to film season 2 of her Fox 5 Plus show with GTV. “I have incredible guests lined up for the new season, it’s so exciting!” she shares

Acting – a passion

As a schoolgirl, Shriya was deeply interested in theatrical arts, musical and films. She has won awards for her performances in short films like Love is Louder, which was a semi-finalist at the All-American High School Film Festival. Shriya was also cast in a full-length feature film, Water with a Slice of Lemon, which debuted in DC theatres in 2018. In 2020, she starred in the Chinmaya Mission-sponsored short film, ‘Been on Sale’.

Her interest in performing arts has led to several achievements in the sphere of dancing as well. Shriya has competed nationally for her premiere collegiate Bollywood fusion dance team – Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Sahara, winning multiple trophies for her alma mater. As much as she likes competing, the youngster loves to organise events. She has been the youngest board member of the National Bollywood Dance Championship, Legends in the US. Her academic training in marketing helped her in taking up the role of the Public Relations chair at the non-profit, Desi Dance Network Inc for two years where she raised awareness about South Asian performing arts.

The multifaceted beauty queen

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Shriya majored in business administration with a double concentration in marketing, and leadership and organisational effectiveness with a minor in psychology.

At the CMU campus, her advocacy was in full swing. She worked for minority, religious, generational, and socioeconomically weaker communities to strive for equality on the campus against battles supporting sexual assault victims, LGBTQ+ members, immigrants, international students, and ‘everyone in-between’.

Shriya at one of the Carnegie Mellon University’s functions

Always a good student and multi-tasker, Shriya has represented CMU as the vice president of communications in their chapter of the American Marketing Association and volunteered as the vice president of marketing for the Carnegie Mellon Business Association, and vice president of internal affairs for CMU Women in Business.

“I am in the midst of applying for an MBA programme with the aim to elevate my social impact organisation – ‘Becoming A Voice’ into an official non-profit,” she shares.

Continually striving to achieve new milestones, Shriya is preparing to apply for the role of the 13th official US youth over server to the UN. “With all my work with the UN Foundation over the years, I aim to contribute in the national policymaking on child rights and sexual safety if appointed,” she remarks.

Winning along the way

The youngster loves participating in contests. In 2018 she won the Deloitte Start-Up Case competition bagging the third position. She was the only CMU freshman chosen to compete that year. Along with her team members, Shriya took her BusyBus business idea into the world of real-time technology and was even nominated for Forbes 30-under-30 in the consumer technology category.

The multifaceted beauty queen also dabbles in the freelance design and marketing world when time permits. “I kick-started my content creation career after winning Miss India America and have partnered with many incredible brands like Amazon Prime, Bumble, Handshake, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Adobe, Tangle Teezer, Mugler, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few,” she says.

Shriya Bopanna

Love for India

Shriya moved to the US with her parents when she was just five and a half years old, but her tie with India is strong. “I visit India at least once a year for a month at a time, minimum. It’s important for me to stay in touch with my extended family,” she says. “I was raised in Indian culture for a good portion of my developmental years and find joy in mixing both the American and Indian identities as much as possible. Whether it’s the clothes, the media, the food, or the religion, I partake in all aspects of my daily life to keep my roots strong and home-grown,” the youngster shares.

Significant collaborations and initiatives

In 2021 Shriya Boppana joined the Obama Foundation and Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance partnership.
As STF Global Youth Ambassador advocating for girls’ rights, she teamed up with famous actress, Brooke Shields to raise awareness for sexual health education of girls for the #GirlsGetLoud campaign.
She has partnered with the popular beauty brand, Bobbi Brown, for their ‘Pretty Powerful’ campaign.
Shriya holds sexual assault clinics in partnership with Bachpan Save the Innocence in India. In their partnership, they have sensitized above 6000 individuals at more than 320 orphanages, schools, slums, and colleges with over 10 different programs like safe and unsafe touch, consent and puberty, digital safety, cybercrime, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
The Indian American youngster conducted light-hearted discussions about mental health and relationships, and self-health as a radio jockey on Radio Zindagi, reaching more than one million listeners in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Indo-Caribbean community.

Follow Shriya Boppana on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and her website

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Published on 04, Oct 2023

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Indian American singer Sheherazaad releases mini album produced by Arooj Aftab

(April 14, 2024) In March 2024, Sheherazaad entered America's indie music scene as a leading voice for immigrants. Her mini album, Qasr, released under the label Erased Tapes, has been produced by Grammy winner Arooj Aftab, and contains poetic lyrics about marginalised genders and imagined homelands, with folk-pop synthesis and lively instrumentation. Speaking to Global Indian from San Francisco, where she is based, Sheherazaad describes her tryst with music as one that found its roots in a “fanatically art-centred, immigrant household” (more on that later). She is an Indo-American artist who is working on de-colonizing music and making a compelling case for the South Asian diaspora through her melodious vocals. Her debut record, Qasr, has been produced by Grammy Award winner Arooj Aftab, and released by Erased Tapes, a London-based independent label for experimental, electronic music. Music matters A “fairly introverted and very spiritual person”, Sheherazaad grew up in a very musical household and she was always immersed in the art form. “My parents are musicians and have a band that still gigs and my sister was a Kathak dancer. My grandmother was a concert producer, so there was music ever present – both playing but also acoustically. My mom

ehold and she was always immersed in the art form. “My parents are musicians and have a band that still gigs and my sister was a Kathak dancer. My grandmother was a concert producer, so there was music ever present – both playing but also acoustically. My mom would be doing her riyaaz or my dad would be playing keys or my sister would be like, tapping and doing her Kathak footwork on the hardwood floor, so I was always immersed in music,” she tells Global Indian.

Thanks to her South Asian lineage, Sheherazaad grew up listening to Lata Mangeshkar and RD Burman. She began training in Western styles, though, starting with a formal voice education in jazz and the American Songbook when she was just six years old. After years of singing Western repertoire, she stopped singing losing interest in the English language. However, in New York, she began following the likes of the Swet Shop Boys and met experimental Pakistani artist Arooj Aftab. She then relocated to California and trained under Hindustani classical vocalist Madhuvanti Bhide. Naturally the synergy she found in her family’s love for music, helped her charter her own path without any resistance that is typically associated with youngsters pursuing music as a career.

Collaborating with Arooj Aftab

In March 2024 she released her mini album ‘Qasr’ produced by Grammy winner Arooj Aftab where her poetic lyrics about marginalised genders and imagined homelands are given a boost with lively instrumentation. The album showcases contemporary folk-pop synthesis with five tracks and has been released by London-based independent record label Erased Tapes. “With Arooj, there was a shared acknowledgement, understanding, energetic impulse towards similar things and so much flow and ease with no need to second guess or overthink that it made it very easy,” Sheherazaad says, adding, “She also played some instruments on the album as well. She has been a mentor in terms of how to move the work through the world and she has been a role model.”

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Power of Music

For Sheherazaad, the process of creating music is as much about silence as it is about soundscapes. “I work in a lot of silence. I try not to listen to any music frivolously. I derive from nature entirely and necessarily and I study languages. I talk to native speakers, study poetry and watch stuff by myriad speakers to understand the stylistic ways of speaking,” she explains. The process involves a lot of study and the inclusion of several elements that aren’t necessarily intended to go together. “There is a lot of inner work involved in terms of coming to peace with reconciling or not being able to reconcile certain moving parts musically, and also in life,” she says. “That tension and those questions are funnelled into the music.” She also says that she does not really choose one way to describe how her music is, especially to make it conform to a specific genre. “I sometimes feel we need to but I don't have an answer.”

Crossing Obstacles

The challenges, Sheherazaad admits, lie in deciding where to share and perform the music, and locating audiences is always tough. “Sometimes when you create things that don't have a neat and tidy sort of industrial line and process of how to move it through into the world, you are left with facing this big unchartered ocean of possibility,” she explains. To her, the key is to see this is as possibility and abundance, rather than a lack thereof.

[caption id="attachment_37152" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Photo by Zayira Ray[/caption]

Another challenge is finding a classical or traditional sort of custodian of the more classical or traditional forms or a teacher, who would be able to sit with all of what I felt like at the time were the broken parts that needed so much direction.” In her free time, she likes to sit in silence, in nature, in the forest, near a body of water and likes reading a lot of South Asian diasporic literature. Her future plans are to keep building live sets that continuously reimagine the music in various instrumentation sort of formats. “And I am currently at work on my most ambitious and next project,” she signs off.

Follow Sheherazaad on Instagram, YouTube

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Anjali Sharma: Leading the fight for climate justice in Australia

(October 8, 2024) "At the age of 16, I sued the government of Australia. I was the lead litigant in the Sharma and Minister for the Environment Class Action, which took the then Environment Minister Susan Lee to court, arguing that she owed, and was breaching, a duty of care to young people to protect us from the impacts of climate change," were Anjali Sharma's opening words at TEDxYouth Sydney. Now at the age of 19, as she is balancing her second year of law studies at the Australian National University in Canberra, her fight for climate justice is far from over. Far from the typical university experience, Anjali is at the forefront of a fight that could reshape how Australia tackles climate change. Her current mission? Rallying support for the Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity Bill 2023. This proposed amendment aims to make the government responsible for the long-term effects of its climate decisions, especially those involving fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. For Anjali, it's not just about changing a law—it's a personal mission to make sure future generations have a healthy planet to live on. [caption id="attachment_39795" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Anjali Sharma[/caption] From childhood in

ll wp-image-39795" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/anjali1.webp" alt="Anjali Sharma | Global Indian" width="584" height="389" /> Anjali Sharma[/caption]

From childhood in India to climate crusader in Australia

But before Anjali Sharma became the poised and passionate advocate addressing large crowds and challenging ministers, she was a baby cradled in her mother's arms, moving from India to Australia at just ten months old. Born in India — a country she recognises as being on the frontline of climate change — her family emigrated to Melbourne, where she grew up as part of the thriving Indian diaspora - which is Australia's second largest and fastest growing overseas group. From a young age, Anjali saw the clear differences between the landscapes of India and Australia. However, it was only later that she realised how climate change made the inequalities between these two places even worse.

Anjali's path to activism wasn't sparked by a single dramatic event, instead it was a slow realisation. It all began when Anjali was 12 and visited India and felt guilty seeing how vulnerable her family and neighbors in Lucknow were to the harsh realities of climate change, like severe storms, extreme heat, and crumbling buildings. She felt it was unfair that she was safe when other's weren't. The trip ignited a sense of responsibility in her. However, she soon realised that she wasn't safe in Australia too after the 2019-20 bushfire left millions feeling anxious and unsettled. "There's not a single person, especially in the east of the country, who wasn’t touched by that. We still talk about seeing the sky orange for days, the thick blanket of smoke which made it so hard to go outside and just breathe," the Global Indian said in an interview. This led her to take more tangible action, setting the stage for her later lawsuit against the Australian government.

A personal journey: The awakening of a young activist

At 16, she took an extraordinary step when Anjali, along with seven other teens, sued the Federal Environment Minister in a landmark case that argued the government had a duty of care to protect young people from the risks of climate change. The Federal Court initially sided with Anjali and her group, stating that the Environment Minister had a duty to protect younger generations. However, this victory was short-lived because the government appealed the decision and overturned it in 2022. It was a hard blow for Sharma, but she didn’t let it stop her. "On one hand, we're urged to be the change we want to see in the world, but when it comes to advocacy, we're put in a box," she said in TedTalk.

Instead of letting her frustration hold her back, Anjali Sharma focused on more advocacy work, this time aiming at changing laws. She has been working hard to promote the Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity Bill 2023, which seeks to fix gaps in climate policy. This bill ensures that future decisions about coal, oil, and gas exploration consider the health and well-being of young Australians and future generations. Despite facing many challenges in Parliament, Anjali remains determined to see the bill succeed.

Legislative change: Fighting for future generations

Anjali's story is a strong example of climate activism, which means raising awareness and urging governments, companies, and communities to take quick and meaningful actions against climate change. At its core, climate activism aims to address the urgent need for changes in how societies interact with the environment, especially in how they take and use natural resources. It calls for big changes to ensure a sustainable future for everyone. "Young people need to know that you don't need to be the perfect activist…firstly, be aware of the injustice of the issue, and then be willing to use the skills that you already have to make a difference," she added.

For Anjali, climate activism is a way to deal with the overwhelming worry that many young people have about the future. This feeling, known as climate anxiety, is common among today’s youth. A 2020 study found that 78 percent of Australians aged 10 to 24 are very concerned about climate change, and this feeling is shared by teens worldwide. However, her activism offers hope for both herself and others. Her courage to take action against the odds proves that young people can truly make a difference.

For Sharma, climate activism has been a way to confront the overwhelming anxiety that many young people feel about the future. Known as climate anxiety, this chronic fear of environmental disaster is widespread among today's youth. In fact, a 2020 study found that 78% of Australians aged 10-24 are deeply concerned about climate change, a sentiment echoed by teens around the world. Yet, Sharma’s activism is a source of hope, both for herself and for others. Her ability to stand up and take action against the odds shows that even young people can make a difference.

Anjali Sharma is part of a growing group of young Indian diaspora activists in Australia. The Indian community, connected to one of the most climate-affected areas in the world, offers a unique viewpoint in the global climate movement. Many of these young activists, including Sharma, feel a responsibility not only to their new home but also to their homeland, which is still suffering from the severe effects of climate change. This dual sense of belonging and duty is fueling a new wave of activism that crosses borders and cultures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjcv_7LNKqQ

As Anjali Sharma continues her fight for climate justice, she carries the hopes of her peers and the legacy of her ancestors. She is a shining example of the power of youth activism, showing that age doesn’t stop anyone from making real, lasting change. Her journey, from her childhood in Lucknow to her groundbreaking legal battles in Australia, serves as an inspiring reminder that the future is not something to fear—it’s something worth fighting for.

As Anjali Sharma continues her fight for climate justice, she carries the hopes of her peers and the weight of her ancestors’ legacy. She embodies the power of youth activism, proving that age doesn’t limit one’s ability to create real, lasting change. Her journey, from her early years in Lucknow to her groundbreaking legal battles in Australia, serves as an inspiring reminder that the future is not something to fear—it is something to fight for.

Follow Anjali Sharma on LinkedIn

Bhavani Devi: The fencer making history for India

(July 26, 2023) Bhavani Devi, an accomplished Indian fencer, has achieved many significant milestones in her career. Continuing her journey of firsts, she made history in June 2023, by becoming the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the Asian Fencing Championships held in China. Earlier, Bhavani had the distinction of being the first fencer to represent India at the 2020 Olympics, a proud moment for the nation. Hers has been a journey of firsts – in 2018, she became the first Indian to secure a gold medal at the Senior Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Australia. She’s also the first Indian fencer to claim gold in an individual sabre category at Iceland in 2017, and to win a gold at Satellite World Cup. In 2014, she became the first Indian to bag a silver in the U-23 category of Asian Championships. Bhavani is also the first-ever Indian fencer to achieve a Top 16 rank at the FIE World Championship. “The sport itself is an inspiration. It gives me happiness and motivates me to be better every day,” remarked the ace fencer. [caption id="attachment_32157" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi is addressed as Bhavani Devi by her fans[/caption] Stumbled

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[caption id="attachment_32157" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi is addressed as Bhavani Devi by her fans[/caption]

Stumbled in fencing and found a ground

Her fencing journey began at school. When the Chennai girl had joined a new government school as student of class six, the sports teacher announced that four new sports were being introduced. “Six students were allowed to take up each sport and when my turn came, it was only fencing that was left and I took it. They never explained what it was and the next day I was very excited to see all the protective equipment and swords. It was very attractive,” she recalled. “Most people didn’t know that a sport named fencing existed in India. It was a very new sport, especially in Tamil Nadu. I was eager to try it,” she said.

Fencing, a combat sport that revolves around sword fighting has three distinct disciplines - foil, the épée, and the sabre. Each discipline makes use of a distinct type of blade. Additionally, all the three disciplines adhere to their own set of rules and regulations. Bhavani found sabre to be ‘faster than the other two’ and started training in it. As she started excelling in the discipline, her passion for the sport grew significantly.

Usually, fencers practice with electric fencing equipment but Bhavani's first experience with the actual equipment came during her practice sessions for a national event. Prior to that, she had relied on bamboo sticks instead of using a proper sabre weapon, due to lack of resources. It was the period when she was receiving training at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. Until then unlike international players who had the advantage of practicing with electric swords at the indoor stadiums, Bhavani had got trained under the scorching sun of southern India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd5TnZ6BJOc

She had to attend the training sessions before and after school hours. Bhavani used to wake up very early in the morning to catch the only bus from Washermanpet that stopped in front of the stadium at Periyamet, train there and then rush to school. As soon as her school ended for the day, she had to again rush for the evening sessions. “I remember a few occasions when I walked alone for a few kilometres in the night after missing the only bus that had a pickup point near the stadium,” she said.

International pursuits

When Bhavani completed her senior secondary school, she enrolled at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Thalassery, Kerala. At the age of 15, the youngster participated in her inaugural international tournament - the Cadet and Junior World Fencing Championship in Turkey in 2007.

The financial burden of travel expenses and purchasing fencing equipment had posed significant challenges for Bhavani's family. “I missed a lot of international events as my family couldn't afford the travel expenses. Still, my mother was not ready to give up,” she says. To manage these costs, her mother had to resort to borrowing money from friends and family. Her father was a priest.

Meeting goals

Finally, the athlete found support of KIIT University and GoSports Foundation. This helped in addressing the financial constraints on her family.

KIIT has a huge sports facility to support athletes. In 2015, GoSports Foundation selected her for the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme as one of the 15 deserving athletes from the country. The same year, Bhavani achieved remarkable feats, bringing pride to her country by securing bronze medals at both the under-23 Asian Championship held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and the Flemish Open in Belgium.

[caption id="attachment_32156" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Bhavani Devi[/caption]

Her consecutive outstanding performances caught the attention of late J Jayalalitha who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu then. Apart from providing some financial assistance, she gifted Bhavani a purse worth Rs 3 lakh. In her teens at that time, Bhavani cherished the purse as her most prized possession as it was the most valuable gift that she had ever received in her life.

Multi-tasking along the way

Even with her deep involvement in sports, Bhavani never overlooked her academic responsibilities. She successfully completed her bachelor's degree in business administration at Government Brennen College in Thalassery, Kerala. Following that, she furthered her education by pursuing an MBA at St. Joseph's Engineering College in Chennai.

Throughout her journey, Bhavani has achieved numerous successes, fuelling her passion to bring more laurels to her nation. With each accomplishment, her determination to excel further has grown stronger, and she eagerly looks forward to future tournaments as opportunities to fulfil her purpose of representing her country with pride and distinction.

Follow Bhavani Devi on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

Pallavi Sharda: On a trans-continental voyage of cinema and culture

(November 1, 2023) “India is a theatre of culture,” remarked Pallavi Sharda, who defied the odds to become the first Australian actress with Indian roots to successfully make her mark in Bollywood. The actress, who calls herself a ‘Roving Gypsy’ travels between Mumbai, Australia, the United States and the UK carving an impressive portfolio of Bollywood and Hollywood projects. The Indo-Australian actress is considered the first leading Indian-origin actress to make her mark on both the large and small screens in Australia. An alumna of the University of Melbourne, the actress had won the title of Miss India Australia as soon she was out of school. In 2015, she was named the ‘Queen of Moomba’ alongside late Australian cricketer Shane Warne during Melbourne's largest community festival, Moomba being organised in the city since 1954. [caption id="attachment_33825" align="aligncenter" width="746"] Pallavi Sharda[/caption] In 2019, Pallavi was named on the list of the forty most influential Asian Australians at the inaugural Asian-Australian Leadership Summit. Two years later in 2021, she received the prestigious Global Arts Award from Advance - the leading global network of Australians living overseas. “For me it has always felt a bit like I’m negotiating this ongoing tension between my Indian heart and my

Two years later in 2021, she received the prestigious Global Arts Award from Advance - the leading global network of Australians living overseas. “For me it has always felt a bit like I’m negotiating this ongoing tension between my Indian heart and my Australian brain. My struggle will always be finding the sweet spot, or that place where the two are in harmony,” she had remarked.

In the actor’s shoes

“Studying in Melbourne at a school with a strong performing arts focus. I always knew I wanted to be an actress and a dancer. So I harboured this secret dream for most of my childhood and young adult life,” she said in an interview.

With dedication, the actress went on to become one of the first South Asian women to establish a career across four continents and was lucky enough to make a film appearances in the Oscar-nominated Lion in 2016.

Her introduction to the world of Australian television came with her role in the ABC drama series ‘Pulse’, for which she received the prestigious Rising Star Award from the Casting Guild of Australia. Subsequently, she was signed for prominent roles in various projects, including the British period drama ‘Beecham House’, directed by Gurinder Chadha, the ABC Australia series ‘Les Norton’ alongside David Wenham and Rebel Wilson, the Warner Bros film ‘Tom and Jerry’, and the Netflix drama series ‘The One’, The 2022 American romantic comedy film ‘Wedding Season’ directed by Tom Dey has been one of her recent projects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oJN543mDv8

Pallavi’s parents discovered her love for dancing when she was very young and enrolled her into Indian classical dance classes when she was barely three. Today she is adept in Bharatanatyam and contemporary Indian dance apart from other dance forms.

“My dad used to love Bollywood movies and music, and our home life was filled with the sounds of Bollywood and classical Indian folk music. A lot of people don't realise that there's so much Indian music and dance that’s not Bollywood. I had this pan-Indian performing arts induction in the house. It was magnetic for me,” she said.

Growing up in an environment where her grandmother was a Hindi professor, her Hindi became good despite being born and brought up in Australia. The passion for various dance forms and ability to communicate in Hind led her to pursue acting opportunities in India. Although it took some time, she eventually secured substantial roles.

Pallavi’s parents are IIT alumni with PhDs in science and engineering. They had migrated to Australia in the 1980s before Pallavi was born. The actresses’ early years were spent in Melbourne’s suburbs. She did her schooling from Lowther Hall in Essendon, and started pursuing her LLB and BA (Media & Communications) along with a Diploma in Modern Languages (French) at the University of Melbourne when she was just 16 years old, and graduated with an honours.

Breaking into Bollywood

She commenced her acting career in Bollywood with a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's ‘My Name Is Khan’. Her subsequent role was in the comedy-drama film, ‘Dus Tola’, alongside the acclaimed actor Manoj Vajpayee.

One of her major Bollywood films has been Besharam in which she starred opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Talking about the film she mentioned “This film had the biggest release in the country with over 4,000 screens, the cast flew around the world, and I performed in Times Square in New York to promote it.” Pallavi has also acted in ‘Hawaizaada’ and ‘Begum Jaan’.

[caption id="attachment_33826" align="aligncenter" width="763"] Pallavi Sharda with Ranbir Kapoor in the Hindi film, Besharam[/caption]

Giving back

Pallavi passionately champions the cause of India-Australia relations and the reinforcement of intercultural ties between the two nations. The Global Indian is a frequent speaker on a range of topics including Asia’s literacy, fostering multicultural understanding, women's rights, and promoting genuine representation in the arts.

She has emerged as a versatile leader in the discussions surrounding Australian Arts and Culture and has curated events like Melbourne's White Night In 2019. Pallavi has been serving on the advisory board of E-Kutir, a socially oriented enterprise based in Odisha. The actress is a dedicated advocate for sustainable development, and lays emphasis on advocating for the elimination of fast fashion.

She has also taken on the role of an ambassador for 'OZ FEST,' Australia's largest cultural festival in India.

[caption id="attachment_33827" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Pallavi Sharda[/caption]

Bringing change through Bodhini Studios

The performing artist established Bodhini Studios as a response to her personal journey of realizing her childhood dream of acting on screen while facing the unique challenges of being an Indian-origin Australian.

It’s like a coalition of individuals from around the world who share common goals, uniting to reveal the often-overlooked and underrepresented narratives and viewpoints woven into everyday tales of people. The initiative works as a dynamic and thought-provoking platform for storytelling, dismantling barriers and amplifying the voices and presence of the intricacies found in diverse identities.

“The studio tries to rejuvenate stories that were once pushed to the fringes or reduced to stereotypes. It’s like a sanctuary for artists, providing a space to bring stories, identities, and emotions that have often been considered 'othered' into the mainstream,” the studio’s website mentions. “The primary aim is to foster intercultural understanding and empathy while celebrating our shared humanity.”

Follow Pallavi Sharda on Instagram and Facebook

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Eisha Yadav: On a mission to avert old-age loneliness and social isolation

(June 14, 2023) “Ignoring the well-being of the 103 million (elderly) population of India is no less a humanitarian crisis. Just as the children, the grandparents of the society deserve to have a better, rest of their life,” Eisha Yadav wrote, in her entry to the essay competition organised by US based India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) - a coalition of non-profit, philanthropic, and charitable organisations that mobilise people and funding in the United States to support meaningful causes in India. The youngster won the first prize and a cash award of $1000 to donate to a non-profit of her choice. “After doing a lot of research, it was clear that the team of HelpAge India were not only doing great work in the field of combating social isolation and loneliness of the elderly but also making sure that they don’t have to work in their old years, and have enough money to take care of their health.” says Eisha as she connects with Global Indian from California. The youngster donated the entire prize money to the organisation. That was in 2021. “We are still working together to this day,” she says with a smile. [caption id="attachment_31067" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Eisha Yadav[/caption] Personal

derly but also making sure that they don’t have to work in their old years, and have enough money to take care of their health.” says Eisha as she connects with Global Indian from California. The youngster donated the entire prize money to the organisation. That was in 2021. “We are still working together to this day,” she says with a smile.

[caption id="attachment_31067" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Eisha Yadav[/caption]

Personal experiences and finding a purpose

The ninth grader’s choice of non-profit (HelpAge India) to donate her prize money and later get actively associated with them as a volunteer from the US stems from her personal experiences.

At 90, and until he succumbed to COVID-19, Eisha’s fiercely independent maternal grandfather lived by himself in his hometown, Raipur in India. “Earlier, when my grandma was alive and needed medical attention, they lived in a different Indian city. I could not help but notice, in both cases, how lonely and bored they felt, and how unprepared and lacking the society was to support the lifestyles of the elderly” she mentions.

After her grandmother passed away her grandpa became lonelier. “It was sad and heart breaking to see him struggle with loneliness and isolation. “Though he was active, it was difficult to find things to engage himself. “Back in the US, Eisha and her mother tried to look up for opportunities for some interesting hobby classes to keep him engaged. “There were hardly any good options,” she says. Even though he found love from family members, it was hard for him to feel happy and experience a sense of wellbeing because he felt very lonely and isolated.

“I felt bad about how, in such a big society, the elderly population suffers from loneliness,” she says. “The city he knew, loved and cared for so much was not able to support his wants and needs,” she adds.

During this time, she came across the news of the essay competition of IPA. “I thought it was a cool opportunity to put across the thoughts that were worrying me so much to people who cared. Winning the competition opened a lot of opportunities for me to do something about an issue I really cared about due to my personal experiences,” Eisha remarks.

Finding support

“I have a lot of support from the organisation (HelpAge India) and I really try to do what I can to make a difference,” she says. As a high school student there are time constraints but Eisha tries to give as much time as possible to the cause. “For most causes to get successful awareness is foremost. Once you can raise awareness, you can take the cause forward easily,” she says.

She has been spreading awareness on different platforms including presentation in the local mall in California. “Since I stay in the Bay Area, there is a huge population of Indian people with whom I can engage for the cause,” she says. “I am working with American friends of HelpAge India. We are working on new initiatives and helping in fundraising and supporting the prior programmes of the organisation,” she explains.

Way ahead

Born and raised in California, Eisha has seen US cities with adult service and recreation centres offering organized activities designed specifically for the elderly. Her paternal grandfather, who is retired from the Indian Army and now stays in Bengaluru, also enjoys good facilities and community centres.

“But it is something lacking in the city in which her maternal grandparents lived. They had boring and lonely lives,” she says. “My plan is to work with local establishments in India, one city at a time, and launch programs that mimic the US and Army community centres for elderly.

“As long as I can remember I have had a knack of solving problems in whichever way I could. I always strive to make my community a better place.” The youngster is grateful that her writing talent led her to an association with the India philanthropy Alliance. “That really got me into philanthropy. The fact that my ideas were recognised and I as a kid can make a difference in issues that I care about has got me going,” the fourteen-year-old student of Menlo School, Atherton adds.

HelpAge India reports:

31 percent of the elderly have fear of getting hurt in the locality due to frailty and bad infrastructure.
59 percent of elderly report abuse as being prevalent in Indian society.
Disrespect, verbal abuse and neglect were reported as the most common forms of abuse. Son and daughter in law are reported as the major abusers, and those other than the immediate family are major perpetrators of abuse.
46 percent of the elders were not aware of any abuse redressal mechanism.
79 percent of the respondents felt that their family do not spend enough time with them.
57 percent feel financially insecure because their expenses are exceeding their savings or income.

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