Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveSirish Subash earns ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ title in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge

Sirish Subash earns ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ title in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge

By: Amrita Priya

(October 29, 2024) When Sirish Subash’s innovation, an AI-based handheld pesticide detector named PestiSCAND, was tested, it demonstrated an impressive 85 percent accuracy in detecting pesticide residues on fresh farm produce like spinach and tomatoes. The effectiveness of this innovative tool paved the way for Sirish’s victory at the 2024 3M Young Scientist Challenge. The Georgia teen from Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology won the $25,000 grand prize along with the title of ‘America’s Top Young Scientist.’

The 14-year-old credits his parents for instilling in him the curiosity that inspired him to design a pesticide detector. “My parents always insist that I wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them,” he shared in an interview. “I wondered, how necessary is this really, and how effective is washing? Does it actually work to ensure that produce is clean?” This curiosity led him to innovate the award-winning tool in the Challenge where he competed against nine top finalists. The final event was held at the 3M global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Oct. 14 and 15.

Indian Inventor | Sirish Subash | Global Indian

Impact of 3M Young Scientist Challenge

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, now in its 17th year, continues to inspire middle school students to apply STEM principles to solve real-world problems. As the United States’ premier science competition, it is administered by Discovery Education and 3M.

Each year, the top 10 finalists, comprising public and private school students from across the U.S. are evaluated through a series of challenges – including a presentation of their completed innovation project. Their work gets scored independently by a panel of judges.

Past 3M winners have gone on to give TED Talks, found nonprofits, file patents, and make it onto the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, highlighting the far-reaching impact of this platform.

Technology behind Sirish’s innovation – PestiSCAND

Sirish’s tool uses spectrophotometry to measure the wavelength of light reflecting off fruits and vegetables, combined with a machine learning model to analyse the data and detect harmful pesticides – all without damaging the food.

All one needs to do is download an app, point the tool at the food in question, and determine if an additional rinse is necessary. “That’s the main goal of PestiSCAND – to help people ensure that they aren’t consuming pesticides so they can avoid any associated health risks,” Sirish explained in an interview.

PestiSCAND is equipped with a sensor, power supply, display screen, and processor. By utilising a non-destructive method, it provides an efficient and reliable solution to the growing concern over pesticide contamination. The tool’s ability to quickly assess the safety of fruits and vegetables marks a promising step toward healthier food standards.

Indian Inventor | Sirish Subash | Global Indian

Sirish demonstrating how to use PestiSCAND

Journey of earning the title

The finalists faced a series of interactive challenges and were assessed on their creativity, application of STEM principles, passion for research, presentation skills, and ability to inspire. Each finalist was paired with a 3M scientist for one-on-one mentoring throughout the summer, guiding them from concept to prototype development. Sirish Subash was paired with Aditya Banerji, a senior research engineer at 3M’s Corporate Research Process Laboratory.

With Aditya’s support, Sirish refined his idea over the course of four months. Competing against nine other brilliant young minds, he showcased his ingenuity and presentation skills during the final events, ultimately securing the grand title and the cash award.

A dream comes true

The Indian origin teen has been passionate about science since the first grade and has dreamed of applying to the 3M Young Scientist Challenge for many years. A remarkable student, he even skipped the fifth grade. During his sixth-grade year, his family spent much of their time in India, which prevented him from setting up a project that year. In seventh grade, he applied, but things didn’t go as planned. In eighth grade, knowing it was his last chance, he made sure to apply again. “It has been a dream of mine to make it here,” said the Global Indian, who has just begun his studies in ninth grade.

Indian Inventor | 3M Young Scientist Challenge | Global Indian

Sirish with his mentor Aditya Banerji, senior research engineer at 3M’s Corporate Research Process Laboratory

Passion for writing

Beyond his passion for science, Sirish Subash is also an avid writer, having authored two books: Carbon Block Puzzle and Biochemistry: The Fun Way! – both available on popular platforms like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For his first book, he set a record with the Asia Book of Records as the youngest non-fiction author at the age of 10.

His first book, Carbon Block Puzzle offers a concise and accessible way to understand the fundamentals of climate change – a crucial issue today where distinguishing fact from misinformation can be challenging.

“The effects of climate change are already happening. The first inklings of damage have already been done. Unless more people learn about climate change, the darkest days could come soon. That’s where Carbon Block Puzzle comes in,” Sirish mentions on his website. “The book educates readers on climate change and how to prevent it. Only if truth prevails will the right thing happen, and only then will humanity be safe from climate change.”

Aimed at young readers, Carbon Block Puzzle conveys its message in an engaging way, using the video game Block Puzzle as a tool for learning

His second book, Biochemistry: The Fun Way!, is an illustrated graphic novel designed as an introductory guide to biochemistry. The story follows fictional characters Burger Bob and his cousin SciKid, who runs a biochemistry business. The novel explores a wide range of topics, from foundational chemistry and amino acids to enzymes, proteins, sugars, polysaccharides, nucleic acids, cellular components, and the immune system, concluding with the complement system and practical applications of biochemistry in the real world.

Sirish Subash also runs a YouTube channel called SciKid Sirish, where he shares videos on various science topics and experiments, offering explanations and insights into each.

Indian youth | Sirish Subash | Global Indian

Sirish published his first book at the age of 10

Looking ahead…

The Indian-origin Georgia teen aspires to go beyond his current accomplishments. He dreams of developing more devices and resources that will have a positive impact on people’s everyday lives. With a drive to educate and innovate, Sirish aims to continue making a difference, using his curiosity and talents to improve the world around him.

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Published on 29, Oct 2024

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Appams in the Big Apple: Sarah Thomas dishes up Malayali food in NYC

(October 6, 2022) Ten days ago, a post by writer Amitav Ghosh, who is quite the foodie, appeared on my Instagram feed. It was a glowing recommendation, along with a photograph, of a young chef, with Ghosh writing, "Great spread of pre-wedding Malayali food by Sarah Thomas and Hunter Jamison... If you are in the NYC area and longing for some spicy Malayali food." One assumes this would be the work of a veteran chef, Ghosh is, after all, one of the most celebrated names in the literary world. It was, however, a very youthful young woman who appeared on screen for the interview with Global Indian. "I'm 23 years old," Chef Sarah Thomas says. "I began my catering business in January 2021." Today, the young Global Indian works 20 hours on some days, making up to 50 dishes at a time. Growing up in New Jersey, where her parents moved from Kerala, Sarah's diet always comprised of home-cooked Malayali staples. "My mom would wake up at 5 am to cook for the whole family every day. It would make me angry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon

ry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon after college, however, when she moved away from home, she found herself craving her mother's cooking and simply couldn't find a suitable substitute. "What is available is either fusion or very high-end. The simple, traditional dishes were impossible to find. I simply wasn't tasting what I was getting at home," she says. Sarah decided to try her hand at it, setting up 'Sugar Dosa' on Shef, an online platform for people to order authentic, homemade meals made by local, certified chefs from around the world.

Straddling two worlds

Although her parents remained more or less rooted in their native culture, Sarah felt quite separated from it. "I'm only Malayali ethnically, I tell people that too. I don't speak the language as well as I should." She was a serious teen, studying medicine as so many Indian kids in the US do. Sarah realised soon enough that it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life and decided she would much rather teach yoga. "After I studied and did all my exams, I realised what I was doing didn't feel authentic to me. My parents worked hard to bring me here and the idea behind doing so was to see a different way of life - that's part of being American too." So, she turned to her decade-long association with yoga. "My father is a yoga teacher, he had studied at the Sivananda Institute. I learned from him when I was young and we would also teach together," she says.

In college, much to the alarm of her traditional parents, she chose a course in acting and creative writing. After that, she moved to NYC, signing up as a teacher with a yoga studio and working on writing short stories as well, in which she talked about life as an Indian growing up in America. "I found I didn't like the Western style of yoga, though. Here, the fear of cultural appropriation is a big deal, and yoga is seen as just a workout. Writing is also extremely competitive." Her three-year stint at the yoga studio ended unpleasantly when it became involved in a tax that "ruined the perception of yoga."

Food from home

[caption id="attachment_22655" align="aligncenter" width="335"] Sarah's Beef Ularthiyathu[/caption]

In 2020, when she created a platform for Malayali food on Shef, there was huge interest almost immediately. "I was the only one there making appams and egg curry," she smiles. She makes the batter by hand, substituting toddy, which she simply cannot get in the US, with yeast. "It works just as well," she says. The spice mixes are also hand-ground and she travels to New Jersey, which is home to a large Indian diaspora and major department stores that specialise in Indian ingredients, to buy what she needs. The Malabar Chicken Curry, appam and egg curry, and the famous Kerala beef fry (for private customers) are all in high demand.

Amitav Ghosh was among those who found her online. He ordered once and then again, after which he messaged Sarah, asking her if she would be willing to cater an event. "I didn't know it was the day of his son's wedding, he told me it was for a wedding party. I ended up catering this big meal for them right before they got married. It was also my first huge party." As she found her feet - Sarah is now expanding into a professional kitchen - she found, through yoga, writing, and cooking, a way to "tell my story without having to do anything out of the way. When I catered Mr. Ghosh's event, people already knew what I did and where I came from."

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What lies ahead

Sarah now plans to set up her own 'Malayali cafe' in the Lower East End, with doubles as a yoga studio. "That way, I can do both. To me, cooking is a form of yoga too. Here, yoga is a physical activity and is rarely paired with mindful practice, meditation, or the correct ways of eating," she says. Having studied meditation from former experts who learned from Osho back in the 1970s, Sarah's method of teaching yoga is to prepare the body for meditation.

"All of it is coming together for me," she says, as she concludes. "There are more South Indians here than ever before and I'm more emboldened now to share what I do and put a plate in front of someone. A lot of people come from India to New York and tell me they haven't eaten this kind of Malayali food for years. I'm happy doing this, instead of taking a more traditional path."

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Reading Time: 6 mins

Chethana Dharavath: Helping students find their career path through ConnectSpark

(May 8, 2024) In India, career guidance often originates from sources like parents, friends, and teachers. Despite their good intentions, this advice tends to reflect their own preferences and experiences, sometimes neglecting the aspirations and qualities of the student. Chethana Dharavath, a student at The Hyderabad Public School, also faced this challenge when deciding on a stream after Class 10th. "My parents pushed for science but I was eager to explore more options. That's when I realised the disparity between student aspirations and parental or teacher preferences," she tells Global Indian. Although she ultimately chose science because of her own interest, she felt constrained by the limited freedom to shape her own future. The anger in her ignited a fire to take action, especially after she began tutoring her house help's daughter, who was uncertain about her path after Class 10. "She was good at writing and English, so I suggested to take up humanities but she resisted because her mother wanted her to pursue science. When I asked about her future plans with science, she drew a blank. That's when I realised the need for career counselling, especially for students in government schools who had no access to it,"

the need for career counselling, especially for students in government schools who had no access to it," says Chethana who started ConnectSpark in February 2024 to provide career guidance. Till now, she and her team have helped over 300 students across five states.

Lack of awareness

Interestingly, more than 90 percent students are familiar with only seven career paths, despite the existence of over 700 diverse career options. "It's plain lack of awareness and communication which often leads to higher dropout rates. In our schools, we get constant guidance from career counsellors who inform us about the various options available but there is no support system for students in government schools," says the 16-year-old Chethana, adding that for most students the only perceived options are medical or engineering. "We want them to consider more career options, and eventually make a choice that fits them best."

Such students are often unaware of the various career options available to them, leading to confusion about their future path. In most cases, they succumb to their parents' preferences due to this uncertainty. "Since they come from a humble background, financial limitation influences their career choice. Moreover, they want to take up a career that provides stability and at the same time doesn't put a strain on family's finances," says Chethana.

Reaching out to govt schools via NGOs

The idea that germinated from a discussion with her house help's daughter soon found resonance among other students from similar backgrounds. With the support of her aunt, a principal at a government school in Hyderabad, she began working on the idea of career counselling sessions for such students. In a short span, she reached out to her network of students across the country asking for their inputs, and found that the gap exists across the spectrum and the need to address it. "We found that the absence of career counselling sessions is common in many states, and the students often feel lost at the crossroads of their career." This pushed Chethana and her friend Venella to organise their first online career counselling session with Class 10 students of a government school in Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, with the help of a nonprofit Aarti Home.

Their debut proved to be a success as many students participated, discussing their career aspirations and expressing their fears and uncertainties. Chethana found that most were unaware of the options and the pathways available to them. "I was surprised to hear a girl's desire to become a teacher but she believed that sitting for medical entrance exams was the only way to lead to her career path. I realised the issue runs much deeper, and students were in urgent need of career counselling," says Chethana, who started reaching out to more schools through nonprofits. The subsequent interactions revolved around students' goals, aspirations and the various career options available through universities and entrance exams.

Expanding reach through teacher training

In no time, the queries starting pouring in large numbers from the five states where ConnectSpark operates - Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Assam and Maharashtra - which made it difficult for the team of eight members to individually facilitate sessions with students. Hence, they shifted their focus to training teachers in career counselling to keep the sessions running with the high volume of students. To develop an effective curriculum, Chethana sought assistance from her school counsellor and conducted extensive research before running the curriculum with one of the teachers at Aarti Home. "Instead of the traditional approach of creating modules and worksheets, we opted for a different method," Chethana explains, adding, "After providing teachers with a briefing, we give them two days to implement the process in their classrooms. Subsequently, we address each student's individual needs and challenges." The teenager, along with other career counsellors, has trained 12 teachers so far from five organisations, including Aasra Trust and Pehchaan The Street School. With the development of a website underway, Chethana is confident that the platform will speed up the process of connecting students with career counsellors.

A positive impact

Till now, ConnectSpark has already partnered with six nonprofits across seven states but it wasn't an easy journey for Chethana, for whom her age turned out to be her biggest barrier. "Being an 11th grader, people often doubted my capabilities because of my age and even encouraged me to solely focus on studies," says the teenager, who was determined to win the confidence of the organisations through perseverance and clarity. "I had to step up and learn to manage a team. There were moments of self-doubt and mistakes but each challenge was a valuable learning experience. On the way, I also found people who believed in my abilities and collaborated with us," says the girl, who is eyeing Ivy Leagues and especially Liberal Arts curriculum in the US as her future path.

Encouraging students to follow their dreams, Chethana advises them to avoid overthinking. "Focus on the process instead of the outcome, and the opportunities will naturally come to you," says the girl who now wants to expand her reach to more students nationwide through Connect Spark. "I want to create an impact with my work, and it's already happening," she signs off.

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Project Smile AZ and little acts of kindness by Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha

(January 18, 2024) 'Anyone can be a smilemaker', believe Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha, two teen brothers from Phoenix, Arizona. They are the founders of Project Smile AZ and as the name suggests, their aim is simple - spread some joy, which they have done over 80,000 people so far. The idea came to them in 2020 during the pandemic, as the brothers, who were 12 and 15 years old then, watched their parents, both of whom were doctors, fight the disease on the frontlines. They wanted to do something positive too, which led to the start of Project Smile Az. In 2023, their efforts fetched them a Diana Award. Pravneet and Hurshneet were born in New York City and later moved with their family to Phoenix, Arizona. A sense of service had been ingrained in the boys at a very young age. "When I was five, my mother took us to the community kitchen and we would help hand out meals, pack food and cook. It made me feel great," said Pravneet, the younger of the two, who is currently in high school. "We were young and didn't know much about what we were doing but we just knew we

but we just knew we were doing something good."

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Small acts of kindness during the pandemic

So, when the opportunity presented itself in 2020, the Global Indians took it without hesitation. With both parents so actively involved during the pandemic, the situation was often the subject of dinner table conversations. "We had heard on the news how isolated people were, and we were talking about it with our parents," Pravneet told The Pollination Project. Things were shutting down and patients couldn't even meet their own families. "We wanted to make them feel that someone was there for them, that someone cared for them." That's when Hurshneet suggested making some get-well cards for them. It was a simple idea, but as we know, a little kindness can make all the difference.

Over the next two weeks, Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha worked everyday to make around 200 motivational cards for Covid patients. They designed and drew everyone, and composed the messages themselves. "I remember vividly the first batch of cards we gave was to the hospital, Banner Estrella." They reached out to the CEO asking if it was okay to send cards to the patients and he agreed. "They till have some cards hanging there, which is pretty awesome to see."

It was meant to be a one-off project but when thank you notes started pouring in, they realised they were actually making a difference. "We realised small acts of kindness can have a meaningful impact." They kept at making cards, going on to establish their non-profit with three additional board members and over 1000 volunteers across the US, Canada, Europe and India. Now, the cards go to hospitals, homeless shelters, veterans and cancer centres. They also mobilized young volunteers across the world to join in and do small acts of kindness once in a way. In fact, the movement took off so much that people began donating art supplies to them from around the world.

[caption id="attachment_35302" align="aligncenter" width="411"] Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha now also do book donation drives, and distribute art supplies, sports equipment and dental hygiene kits to young people in need.[/caption]

Working with foster children

When Pravneet was in elementary school, a classmate, who was a foster child, didn't have art supplies to do a class project. Pravneet shared his things with the boy and returned the next day with a bag of art supplies. "I can never forget the smile on my friend's face," he recalls.

Volunteers who wanted to join but couldn't afford art supplies also contacted them. They coordinated with various organisations in Arizona to share the art kits they received through donations. Now, donating art kits to foster children is a regular part of what they do, and each kit includes cardstock, crayons, colour pencils, stickers, markers, and of course, a message on the box. The children now pitch in to make cards that are donated to senior citizens' homes in Arizona State.

Branching out

Project Smile AZ has expanded from handmade cards to a host of other things. As part of their literacy drive, they collect "gently-used books" to donate to kids in need. Anyone can join in by doing a drive in their neighbourhoods, schools or churches, or simply gather the books they have at home. They also conduct snack drives for at-risk teens that need snacks at school, and distribute dental hygiene kits and sports equipment to underprivileged youth.

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Challenges

Even a project as noble as spreading kindness is not easy to accomplish. "One of the biggest lessons we had to unlearn was that you are too young to do anything on your own," the brothers said in an interview. "We were only 12 and 14 when we started this project." At the start, people didn't believe the boys were doing the work themselves, but they persisted. They built a webpage, opened social media accounts and reached out to clubs and organisations. They connected with youth entrepreneurs around the globe as well.

The idea is to keep it simple and make a change. "These acts don't require much funds or skills, making them inclusive for anyone, anywhere," they say. "We have even worked with children with disabilities who enjoy making cards from our smile art kits. The goal is to create smile makers doing acts of kindness to bring smiles for all."

Follow Project Smile AZ on Instagram and their website

To a tee: Indian origin golfer Sahith Theegala’s rise to stardom

(October 13, 2022) Every evening when he was a child, when it was time to leave his beloved golf course for the day, Sahith Theegala would burst into tears, begging begging to stay a little longer. He went on to win the Junior World Championships at the age of six. Now in his senior year at Pepperdine University, the Indian-origin golfer is already a star, winning four collegiate titles and the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2020. In that year, he also won the Haskins Award, the Ben Hogan Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award. He is the fifth player ever to win all the Player of the Year honours. In the American golf scene, dominated by whites, Sahith Theegala stands out, also because Indian-American sports stars don't come around too often. Theegala is an inspiration for more reasons than being a prodigy. The 24-year-old suffers from scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine - one shoulder is visibly higher than the other. He works with his chiropractor and although it doesn't cause him pain, it does account for a "pretty big bend to the right," and an unorthodox swing. Despite this significant setback, the Global

right," and an unorthodox swing. Despite this significant setback, the Global Indian went on to become one of the best golfers at Pepperdine University and is loved for his infectious enthusiasm, both on and off the greens.

Born and raised in LA, the son of Karuna and Muralidhar Theegala, Sahith maintains a strong connection to his Indian roots. He lives at home with his parents, for one. In February 2022, when he lost out to Scottie Scheffler at the very last moment, he won more fans than he could have hoped when, according to Golf Digest, he teared up and sobbed on his mother's shoulder, as his dad stood by saying, "It's okay." Sahith's father, Muralidhar, moved to the US from Hyderabad in 1987, to attend graduate school and the family still goes back to India as often as they can.

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The Indian-American golfer's childhood was spent on municipal golf courses, which charge a modest $30 for a round. The courses aren't well-maintained but it was all his middle-class family could afford - and they were keen to nurture their son's talent. "My dad, even though he never plays golf, he's the one that taught me the game pretty much," he told PGATOUR.com.

"We weren't in the greatest financial situation when I was a kid and we had no experience with sports at all, so my father spearheaded the whole mission to college and professional golf... He put everything that he could into me." Despite their financial constraints, Theegala's parents spent their savings on buying him equipment, paying course fees, for a trainer, travel costs and the litany of expenses that came with his passion.

Determined not to let his scoliosis stand in his way, Theegala would spend days out on dusty golf courses, adapting "his putting stroke by tilting his head to the right so he could see the appropriate line from the gall to hole," according to the New York Times.

In 2015, Theegala graduated with honours from high school in California and had won a number of golf awards by that time. "I'd say I was a pretty good golfer," he said, in the interview with PGATOUR.com. He made it to Pepperdine University in California, which is ranked in the top 10 in men's golf among US universitites. "At Pepperdine, I went from average to slightly good to what I felt like was ready to be a decent professional golfer."

An emotional @SRTheegala is consoled by mom and dad after coming up 1 shot short of a playoff @WMPhoenixOpen.

The 24-year-old earned countless new fans this week. pic.twitter.com/tq5Q2YsFCy

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2022

His winning streak in 2019 came to an abrupt pause after a wrist injury. He bounced back, though, making his professional debut in June 2020, somewhat unconventionally. Theegala might not have imagined starting out with the Outlaw Tour but gave a stellar performance nonetheless. The pandemic dealt a heavy blow, when the Pepperdine campus closed and Theegala had to return home. Although that season ended prematurely, Sahith's team ranked first in the country.

His family is always in the stands as he plays, cheering him on. And his fan base is always growing. "I'm an introvert by nature," he told NYT. "You hear about the best performers in the world - singers and dancers - who are really big introverts. But it's different when you get on the stage. When I'm in the act of playing golf, I don't even think about people watching."

Theegala is, however, always aware of being an Indian American, of the fact that it means he is viewed differently by default. He's also playing a sport that has never really welcomed non-white players. "I'm definitely proud of my Indian heritage and I hope I'm inspiring other Indian Americans and people in India to know they can compete in sports," he says. "It's obviously not the main purpose of being out there but it's an ancillary effect of what we're doing and I'm all for it."

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Reading Time: 6 mins

Haute & happening: These Indians have designs on world couture

(May 4, 2022) India’s rich tapestry of handloom is unequivocal. That it has entered the mainstream rungs of fashion, appearing on catwalks the world over just paved the way for desi fashion designers to make their mark in the world of haute couture. Today, many Indians are responsible for the embroidery, embellishments, and fabrics you see by prestigious fashion houses like Versace, Hermès, Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Prada, Dior, etc. Many Indian designers and influencers, including Anita Dongre, Suket Dhir, Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia, Bibhu Mohapatra, Tarun Tahiliani, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and Ritu Kumar, have carved a niche for themselves, in a very dynamic and cut-throat industry of haute couture. From wearable everyday pieces to luxe bridal couture, these Indians have made their mark on the fashion industry, representing India in a unique way. While some stick to traditional styles like sarees, lehengas, tunics, and churidars, others embrace updated aesthetics like tie-dye sweats, floral button-downs, and puff sleeves. Global Indian explores Indian fashion creators and influencers that are making their mark across the world. Naeem Khan, fashion designer Born in a middle-class family in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, fashion designer Naeem Khan hardly needs an introduction. His father and grandfather cultivated

Born in a middle-class family in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, fashion designer Naeem Khan hardly needs an introduction. His father and grandfather cultivated an early interest in textiles, as they both designed intricate clothes worn by royal families. Of his early passion for design, Khan has said, “It was built into my DNA. I watched my father design formal wear for India’s most influential people, and I knew that I would want to pursue a similar path.”

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The designer, who has styled several influential ladies, including first lady Michelle Obama, Queen Noor of Jordan, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, moved to the United States in 1978 to apprentice for legendary American designer Halston. “My knowledge of fashion and lifestyle is influenced by my time with Halston,” Naeem had said while being interviewed for the documentary film Halston.

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Khan spent several years after his apprenticeship continuing to work with Halston on freelance, going on to launch fashion house Riazee in 1981, a clothing label named after his mother that was carried in prominent American retail stores for about a decade. Today, Naeem is known for his intricately detailed gowns with sequins and beads, and is one of the most influential designers in the world of haute couture.

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Megan Kothari, jewellery designer

During her travels to India, the New York-based jewellery designer, Megan Kothari would collect tribal jewellery, specifically big cuffs and statement necklaces, crafted by the Rabari community in Gujarat. That is where the journey of her label, Aaryah, began.

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Interestingly, even though she was born into a family of diamond traders, Megan didn’t want to pursue the same path. Instead, she chose to pursue her interest in fashion and started interning at the age of 15 in New York City. The designer earned a degree in international trade and fashion marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology. “However, after gaining invaluable experience in the beauty industry, it turned out that I did have an inclination towards designing jewellery; it became a form of self-expression for me,” Megan shares on her official website.

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Today, her designs are not only coveted by fine jewellery enthusiasts from around the world, she also received the ultimate celebrity stamp of approval when musician Taylor Swift wore the “Rani” earrings from her brand at the recently held Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

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Masoom Minawala Mehta, fashion content creator

One of the earliest influencers or content creators in India, Masoom Minawala Mehta, made history at the Milan Fashion Week-2022, by becoming the first-ever Indian creator to walk the runway as a showstopper. Hailing from a family of jewellers in Mumbai, she founded a start-up when she was just 19. As the start-up didn’t do too well, Masoom set up a fashion portal - Miss Style Fiesta in 2010, where she would give tips on current trends and fashion inputs.

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She follows a “principle of four” while creating content — ensuring that the content either educates, inspires, helps or entertains. From Dior to Hermès, and Jimmy Choo, Masoom’s feed is action-packed and always genuine. Despite moving base from Mumbai to Antwerp after her marriage in 2016, the influencer’s social media posts strongly promote her love for Indian designers.

Honoured to have walked Cannes with fashion that spoke for itself but I would also like to highlight the prep work involved in getting there which is a storyline in itself. Tap to read more about what I brought to the Cannes Film Festival 2021 https://t.co/Lhu5J32NE0

— Masoom Minawala (@MasoomMinawala) July 26, 2021

In her bid to help small designers tide over the 2020 pandemic, she started a series of short fashion videos where she personally curated lists of brands to pick for various budgets and occasions.

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Diipa Büller-Khosla, fashion and beauty influencer

A globally recognised face, Diipa Büller-Khosla has graced covers of prestigious fashion magazines like Conde Nast Traveller India, Brides, and Travel & Leisure. Having left India at 17, Diipa moved to Amsterdam to study law. Now shuttling between London and Amsterdam, with an Instagram following exceeding 516k, it’s safe to say that she is a heavyweight in the world of influencers.

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A post shared by Diipa Büller-Khosla (@diipakhosla)

The influencer, who is also a mother of one, served as ambassador for brands like Estée Lauder, Maybelline, and Kérastase, and even walked international red carpets like Cannes and Venice. Her organisation, PostForChange, urges digital influencers to use their voice for various causes; she herself is vocal about fighting discrimination, something she has faced in the past due to her skin colour.

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Sheena Sood, fashion designer

A textile designer by professional, New York-based Sheena Sood’s label abacaxi celebrates diversity in all forms. Sheena began her career as an artist, studying visual art at Brown University and Central Saint Martins, often incorporating embroidery, beading and sequin work into her paintings. Soon after graduating, she developed print and embellishment designs for American label Tracy Reese before briefly moving to India to live with her parents.

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A post shared by Sheena (@abacasheena)

Interestingly, it was the bounty of textiles she had collected in her homeland that inspired abacaxi’s first capsule collection. In 2020, Sheena prepared for a full launch for spring, however it was quickly halted by the pandemic. Identifying a need, pivoted to creating intricate beaded and embroidered face masks that garnered attention from the likes of New York magazine. With that momentum, the label grew to include a full ready-to-wear offering, soaked in aqueous tie-dye prints and technicolour palettes.

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