Master blender | Surrinder Kumar | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryThat’s neat! How Master blender Surrinder Kumar is putting Indian whiskey on the global map

That’s neat! How Master blender Surrinder Kumar is putting Indian whiskey on the global map

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(October 17, 2023) What do weddings, office parties, and festive celebrations in India have in common? Well, you’ll often find a variety of imported alcoholic beverages at these gatherings. While India has a rich history of traditional drinks like madira, somras, and āsava, we tend to be more familiar with scotch, Bacardi, Absolut and Bombay Sapphire. However, one man is changing that scene. Meet master blender Surrinder Kumar, known for putting Indian single malt whiskies on the global stage. His latest creation, Indri whisky, recently made India proud at the 2023 Whiskies of the World Awards. After rigorous blind tastings over several rounds, it secured the prestigious ‘Best in Show, Double Gold’ award. Competing against hundreds of international brands, including Scotch, Bourbon, Canadian, Australian, and British single malts, Indri emerged victorious at one of the world’s largest whisky-tasting competitions.

Master blender | Surrinder Kumar | Global Indian

“What fascinates me is to see how Indian single malts have been soaring with a remarkable 37 percent growth over the past six years,” shares the master blender as he connects with Global Indian, “In contrast, imported single malts, while still performing well, have had a more moderate growth rate of 13 percent during the same period. Looking ahead, with a projected annual growth rate of 30 percent, it’s clear that both Indian and imported single malt sales are poised to maintain their upward trajectory. Given this promising outlook, my perspective on the future of single malts in India is undeniably optimistic.”

The road less travelled

Born and brought up in the beautiful state of Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar’s first job was in the state civil services. But, destiny had other plans for him. “I got that job soon after my graduation, but my interests lay somewhere else. So, after serving there for a few years I decided to move to other things,” says the master blender. In 1984, Kumar was selected at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), located in Mysore, which turned out to be a complete game-changer for him.

Master blender | Surrinder Kumar | Global Indian

“I consider CFTRI to be one of the best places for learning about food technology in Southeast Asia. My time there gave me lots of knowledge and skills that helped me explore many different opportunities. I learned a lot about the science and methods behind making drinks, which is super important in the complex art of blending whisky. It’s all about combining science and creativity,” he shares.

After finishing his course, he moved to Bengaluru, where his brother worked. While he had a job in hand, he was a bit confused about where to join. “It was Sharad Dravid, cricketer Rahul Dravid, who helped at the time,” the master blender says, “He was working at a senior position at Kissan (an HUL brand), my brother took me to him and he suggested that I joined the Central Distilleries & Breweries.”

Master blender | Surrinder Kumar | Global Indian

Talking about his time there, Kumar shares, “It was a big moment in my career because working at such a respected distillery gave me a chance to gain a ton of valuable experience and make a real impact on making spirits and drinks. My senior there allowed me to dabble and work in various departments. It’s been a major influence on the path my career has taken. Now, I’ve spent more than 35 years in this profession, and it’s been an amazing journey.”

Tasting success

About a year after joining the Central Distilleries & Breweries, the master blender got an opportunity to work at the Amrut Distilleries Ltd – which was still a small company back then. “When my manager got to know about this offer, he wasn’t so sure about it. It is a big brand now, but not many people knew about Amrut back in 1987. So, he said that he would send me for a conference to Bengaluru, and during that trip I could go to Amrut’s office and check out the place. And yet again, it was Mr. Dravid who suggested that I join Amrut. And so, I spend the next 19 years of my life working there,” shares the master blender, who eventually took Amrut to new heights.

In about two decades that he spent at the company, it bagged several awards -including their single malt Amrut ‘Fusion’ being named World Whisky of the Year at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards in February 2011. “I think it was the same year that I won the Distiller of the Year. My experience at Amrut taught me a lot, it was also the first time that I started working on making a single malt whisky. Making a blend is not a one-day job, one has to plan everything – from the grains, to the water, and casks. We took a little bit of time to figure out everything at Amrut, but when the whisky was ready the world loved it,” shared the master blender.

The malting revolution

Over the last few years, the Indian alco-bev industry has seen a meteoric rise – not only in terms of the brands but also the market and its worth. But still, very few Indian brands have made it as big in the international market as Piccadily Distilleries’ Indri. He says, “I think is that Indri-Trini is India’s pioneering triple-cask single malt, which means that the whisky undergoes maturation in three distinct cask types – ex-bourbon, ex-French wine, and PX Sherry – crafting a truly exceptional flavour profile. The selection of these unique barrels was meticulously orchestrated to elevate the whisky’s inherent fruity and vanilla notes while introducing a subtle interplay of spices and a nutty undertone. A silky-smooth, deep amber elixir, Indri-Trini tantalises the palate with hints of caramelised pineapple, vanilla, black tea, raisins, and honey, leaving a lingering, sweet, and fruity finish that entices the senses.”

Master blender | Surrinder Kumar | Global Indian

But, what is the process of making this whisky? The master blender explains, “I closely collaborate with the brand to ensure a smooth production process from beginning to end. This involves overseeing operations at the malt plant and making sure the new make passes sensory evaluations, which are crucial for maintaining the quality and character of the spirits. Additionally, I get to do barrel sampling for whisky blends and single malts on blending day, which is an exciting task. This lets me assess how the spirits are maturing, their flavors, and overall quality, which is essential for creating well-balanced single malts. Even after all these years in the industry, I still thoroughly enjoy the process.”

As we come to the close of the interview, the master blender tells me that he is quite positive about the future of single malts in India. “The Indian whisky industry is booming, thanks to its creative products that are catching the interest of whisky lovers and pulling them into this category,” he says, adding, “In 2022 alone, Indian single malts did really well, selling just over two million cases of nine liters each. That’s an impressive 18 percent growth in a year. I expect this growth to go even higher, possibly reaching nearly 30 percent annually in the coming years.”

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Shahnawaz Merchant

November 7, 2023 3:49 pm

Cheers.

Published on 17, Oct 2023

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Scientist B. Jayant Baliga is shaping the future of electrical engineering

(March 19, 2024) The first TV broadcast into a home in India occurred in his house. So, it is quite natural for people to presume that Dr. B. Jayant Baliga would focus on computers in the future. However, the scientist created something that combined two related fields: electronics engineering and electrical engineering. This invention was the IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), a type of switch similar to those found in homes. However, Dr. Baliga's version is incredibly small, can switch on and off 100,000 times per second, and can handle very high voltage power. Known as one of the most brilliant minds in the sphere of electrical engineering, the scholar is also a recipient of the Global Energy Prize, 2015 for the invention, development, and commercialisation of IGBT, which is one of the most important innovations for the control and distribution of energy. "Recently I was inducted into the Inventor’s Hall of Fame and they declared me as the man with the ‘largest negative carbon footprint’ due to the impact of IGBTs on the energy systems and power electronics. Each of these is special in their own right. This latest one credits me as the sole inventor of IGBTs, and

declared me as the man with the ‘largest negative carbon footprint’ due to the impact of IGBTs on the energy systems and power electronics. Each of these is special in their own right. This latest one credits me as the sole inventor of IGBTs, and hence it is special," Dr. Baliga shared in an interview.

The scientist's most famous invention is used worldwide in various applications such as air conditioning systems, household appliances like dishwashers, mixers, and refrigerators, factory automation including robotics, medical equipment like CAT scanners and uninterruptible power supplies, public electric transport and hybrid cars, engine control systems, vehicle electronics, as well as in mobile phones, laptops, and server CPUs.

Born for science

Born in Madras, India, in 1948, Dr. Baliga grew up in various cities. His father Bantwal Vittal Manjunath Baliga, was one of India's first electrical engineers in the days before independence and founding President of the Indian branch of the Institute of Radio Engineers, which later became the IEEE in India. Remembering the time when the first Indian TV was broadcast from his house, the scientist shared, "My father, was chief engineer of All India Radio after Independence. There was an exhibition in Delhi in the 1950s where they were using All India Radio’s setup of a camera and a transmitter to show a TV telecast within the exhibition premises. My father wanted to test if the signal could be received at a farther distance." He had a television set installed at his house at Teen Murti Marg. “It caused quite a sensation in the neighbourhood,” he added.

[caption id="attachment_50143" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Scientist | Dr. B. Jayant Baliga | Global Indian A young Dr. Baliga soon after shifting to the USA[/caption]

This experience pushed him to pursue a career in engineering, and after completing his school, the scientist enrolled at the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras), for a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Speaking about his experience at the institute, the scientist said, "IIT is a phenomenal place to give you a foundation, where you are given a broad coverage of topics in every branch. Back in my time, there were no electives, and every batch had to go through a compulsory set of courses. But they were so chosen that we received an all-round training in materials, electronics, maths, physics, chemistry, etc. And this really helps when you work in research by enabling you to think in an interdisciplinary way. So, this helped me a lot when I went to the US."

ALSO READ | Dr. Kaushik Rajashekara is working on futuristic machines

The scientist has always credited the institute for his success in the field. And thus, years later, he made some significant donations to IIT, Madras. "IIT Madras is always a special place and has helped me greatly. To give back to it, I have donated it to the institute to give scholarships to students from the money I received along with the Global Energy Prize and other such prizes," he said.

Scientist | Dr. B. Jayant Baliga | Global Indian

After his graduation, Dr. Baliga moved to the United States of America to pursue higher studies. Interestingly, the scientist had trouble getting financial aid while pursuing his graduate studies and was very apprehensive about his abilities to cope with the academic rigours in the USA. "I ended up proving them wrong by scoring a perfect 4.0 GPA and getting the best Ph.D. medal from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York City.

The genius

From 1974 to 1988, Dr. Baliga conducted several research projects at General Electric's R&D Center in Schenectady, New York. Leading a team of 40 scientists, they focused on power semiconductors and high-voltage integrated circuits. At that time, the transistor, which is essential for computers, had already been discovered and put into use. Dr. Baliga aimed to create a semiconductor device capable of controlling heavy-duty equipment such as compact fluorescent lights, air conditioners, and electric motors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkvrcXF9ooE

During that period, companies such as GE and Westinghouse were advancing their bipolar transistors for high-power applications. Meanwhile, another group, spearheaded by Siliconix and International Rectifier, was working on a different type of transistor known as the power MOSFET. And it was the scientist who thought of combining the physics of the two. “There was a vice president in GE who was developing a heat pump for air-conditioning applications. He was frustrated that the exiting transistors were failing and that the circuit needed to drive the motor pump was too big, expensive, and very cumbersome to assemble,” the Global Indian said.

ALSO READ | Meet the Gordon Prize winner, Indian-American scholar Dr. Azad Madni

The legend

The scientist is single-handedly responsible for cost savings of over $15 trillion for consumers. “Because of the IGBT the world has not had to build at least 600 hydroelectric dams of the size of the Hoover Dam in Nevada," shared the scientist. His contributions in the field have won him many recognitions including the 1991 IEEE Newell Award, 1993 IEEE Morris N Liebmann Memorial Award, 1998 IEEE JJ Ebers Award, and 1999 IEEE Lamme Medal. In 2011, the scientist was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest award for an engineer in the USA by US President Barack Obama.

Scientist | Dr. B. Jayant Baliga | Global Indian

"Something I never dreamt of as an immigrant coming here with, as I said, about eight dollars in my pocket and a suitcase. To end up in the White House with the President honouring you is just incredible. Unfortunately, my parents were not alive when that happened. And also the IEEE Medal of Honor, for example, that’s much later, 2014. They passed away in the 1990s," the scientist expressed.

Currently serving as the Distinguished University Professor of Electrical Engineering and founding director of NC State University’s Power Semiconductor Research Center, Dr. Baliga is also the founder of three companies, that aim to license and commercialise his inventions: Giant Semiconductor Corporation, Micro-Ohm Corporation, Silicon Wireless Corporation (later renamed to Silicon Semiconductor Corporation).

Follow Dr. B. Jayant Baliga on his blog

Reading Time: 6 mins

Conservationist Suprabha Seshan is creating a rainforest at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary

(August 22, 2022) At dawn, the heavy trapdoor to the roof groans as it is hauled open and the slight figure of Suprabha Seshan emerges, to survey the acres of rainforest that surround her, as far as the eye can see. This is the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Wayanad, in the middle of the Western Ghats and conservationist Suprabha Seshan's home for over two decades. The sanctuary is flanked by the Banasuramala, rising 2000 metres above sea-level, and the Brahmagiris, famous for their shola grasslands. These days, Suprabha remains more or less off the grid, lost in what she calls "the rewilding of habitat", far from the rampant consumerism of urban life. To those in the know, however, Suprabha is a towering figure among India's conservationists - her efforts have been an integral part of restoring some 50 acres of forest land, "nurturing forest beings," as the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary website would have it. In 2006, Suprabha received the UK's top environmental prize, the Whitley Award, also known as the Green Oscars. Her writing has also been published in Scroll and the Economic and Political Weekly. Global Indian takes a look at the remarkable life of one of India's leading

om//" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian takes a look at the remarkable life of one of India's leading conservationists.

"Plants are doing the hardest work, keeping the planet going," she says, as she shows a group of visitors around the Gurukula Sanctuary. Five acres out of the 50 are open to visitors, usually environmentalists, conservationists, and school kids. "Anything that we can do to serve the plants is a good thing. And plants should not just be seen as 'plants for edible purposes' but as creators of environments."

The Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary was founded by Wolfgang Dieter Theuerkauf, who was trying to regrow the rainforest. "We're a small group of people, who have been concerned with the rapid disappearance of biodiversity," she says. We believe that plants are the basis of all existence. Without the plants you can't have animals, without the plants you can't have human life. Without plants, you don't have the biosphere."

Theuerkauf's approach, Suprabha explains, was a different one, more so when he began his work 40 years ago. "Even now, when we think of reforestation, we do so in terms of tree cover," Suprabha says. "Yes, it is a tree-based biome of course. But to think of it as only trees is like saying there are only tigers in the forest and no tree frogs," she told The Kodai Chronicle. GBS looked at orchids and ferns and tender herbaceous plants as well. They asked questions about diversity, evolution, and biogeography. Their approach was through the lens of cultivation, rescue, and restoration."

The Krishnamurti Foundation, UK to the prairies of the Midwest

Suprabha was born in Delhi, in the heart of India's urban chaos but even as a child, was close to nature. She grew up with people who loved nature, and who lived rural lives. Her first turning point came when she went to study at Brockwood Park Centre, owned by the Krishnamurti Centre in England's South Downs National Park in the UK. Run in accordance with the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, it was here that Suprabha first heard of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary. She also became fascinated with the constantly changing ecology of the land and the role of human intervention in this transition.

After this, she moved to the United States, where she continued to experiment with her own approach to conservation. She studied the annual wheat monoculture, and the topsoil of the grasslands and learned about the indigenous communities of the Midwest.

The rewilders

What does re-growing a forest actually entail? As she walks visitors through the sanctuary, she pauses beside a tree to explain. "These small plants," she gestures, "are in high danger of being extinct, especially now. We run a search-and-rescue operation'. We go all over the mountains to find them, pick them up and bring them back." These are around 2000 species in total, accounting for nearly half of the flora of the Western Ghats.

The plants are then brought back for cultivation in the sanctuary's greenhouses, overseen by the sanctuary's experts : Laly Joseph, Suma Keloth, Leelamma and Purvi Jain. "We deploy a range of methods, from intensive care nurseries to outdoor habitats rich with herbs, tubers, succulents, shrubs, trees creepers, climbers, epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) and lithophytes (plants that grow on rocks)," Suprabha writes in Scroll.in.

This process of rewilding is a delicate one, requiring just the right amount of human intervention. Sometimes, it's as simple as putting plants in a pot, at other times, the trick is to let the land rewild itself. "it's the greatest joy to see land that's been completely decertified come back to life. That's when you realise the true power of natural life, that it can heal."

Suprabha has also been involved with work on upland ecology, along with Vasanth Godwin Bosco and Sandilya Theuerkauf, Wolfgang's son. This became part of an effort to restore the shola-grassland species.

Follow Suprabha and the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

Samir Lakhani: Saving lives in developing countries through soap recycling

(February 6, 2024) Interested in sustainability, 23-year-old Samir Lakhani found himself on a muddy trail in one of the villages of Cambodia in 2014 when he caught the sight of a woman bathing her child with laundry detergent. A young volunteer from Pennsylvania, US, Samir was shocked and disturbed. "Something as basic as soap was missing in the majority households of rural Cambodians," Samir tells Global Indian. Keen to bring about a change, he found his solution in Eco Soap Bank which supplies recycled soap to the developing world with a mission to promote basic hygiene, restore health, and employ marginalised women. Started in 2014, the non-profit venture now has recycling centres in five countries - Cambodia, Nepal, Tanzania, South Africa, and Sierra Leone. "Each year 25,000 metric tonnes of soap bars make it to the landfills," informs Samir who has been able to save 4.5 million kilos of soap bars from entering the landfill with Eco Soap Bank. "Moreover, we have provided soap to over 9 million people in 30 countries so far," adds the social entrepreneur who was on the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. [caption id="attachment_48810" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Samir Lakhani at Eco-Soap Bank headquarter in Siem

[caption id="attachment_48810" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Samir Lakhani | Global Indian Samir Lakhani at Eco-Soap Bank headquarter in Siem Reap, Cambodia.[/caption]

The journey that changed it all

With their roots in Gujarat, his mom was born in Tanzania while his dad is from Uganda, who like other South Asians had to face sudden expulsion at the hands of dictator Idi Amin in 1972. He relocated to the US where he studied at Brown University. His mom, a paediatrician, travelled as a youngster and after studying in Iran for some time, she secured admission to the University of Pennsylvania. Growing up, Samir heard stories about Africa from his parents, which left him intrigued. "I was eager to see what Africa was all about. During high school, I got the opportunity to visit the towns where my parents were born and understand the context in which they were born. Joining the dots of their origin to their final destination was pretty remarkable. It left me with a lot of energy but also the commitment to work in those areas because of the quality of life I had in the US," he adds.

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Passionate about eco-conscious practices, Samir enrolled in environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and an internship with a climate change resilience group led him to Cambodia. But what he noticed in the next few days in a village in Cambodia left him shocked and heartbroken - everyone was using laundry detergent to bathe. "I felt an incredible amount of guilt that something as affordable as soap was out of reach for a majority of the population in the country. I was very disturbed and couldn't get that scene out of my head." Upon his return to the hotel room in Siem Reap, he saw the soap bar replaced by housekeepers. "I realised I had barely used the last one." This epiphany led to the birth of Eco Soap Bank with the aim to recycle soap and distribute it to the underprivileged. "I realised that something as simple as soap was not available in a village 5 miles away, and the same soap was thrown away daily for luxury tourists. Those quick realisations organically created the organisation."

Recycling soaps for the underprivileged

The process began with Samir going from hotel to hotel in Cambodia asking them to collect their used soaps for Eco Soap Bank. But the request was met with resistance. "We initially got a strong pushback because it required them to do extra work and some thought it was a strange request." However, with time their reputation grew hotel-by-hotel, and many started collecting soap for Eco Soap Bank.

While Samir started experimenting with a grinder in his hotel room, crushing the soap into smaller particles, he also kept visiting the nearby rural areas to understand the people and their lack of awareness of basic hygiene. The results were shocking. Most people put the onus of health issues in their community on bad karma. "It was the lack of education and awareness that played a pivotal role," he adds, agreeing to the fact that many doctors and health practitioners were killed in the 70s genocide, thus creating a huge gap in healthcare awareness. "During Covid-19, many Cambodian communities in the rural areas thought Covid was a symptom of eating too many chillies," reveals Samir, adding, "Honestly, I didn't want to lose another generation of Cambodians to misinformation."

Aiming for a healthy and dignified life

While awareness is the key, Samir emphasises that "education which is physical and pragmatic like handing out a bar of soap" is the most effective. "And that's the kind of journey we have taken." The continuous awareness has led to a shift in the mindset of the people, especially children. "Children are much more open to new ideas than adults, so we are focussing on them even if they are in schools or refugee camps." To this end, they also make soaps in toy shapes. "They excite children, who take to handwashing faster," says Samir. When they started Eco Soap Bank a decade ago, creating awareness was as important as soap recycling. However, over the years, it has become less of their strategic priority as they are now mostly focussed on "the hygiene supply gap vs the hygiene awareness gap. Because 2 billion people don't have access to soap at home."

Eco Soap Bank | Global Indian

During COVID-19, Eco Soap Bank called for an urgent need to restrategise as their major supplier- hotels - went into lockdown worldwide. "We switched to factories that make commercial bar soaps as they also generate some volume of waste. We asked them to collect the waste for us and we were able to continue recycling waste. We distributed our 50 millionth soap at the end of 2023." Soap factories worldwide waste an estimate a quarter billion of soap bars annually, and many supply this excess to Eco Soap Bank," informs Samir. Explaining the process behind soap recycling, Samir says the soap collected from factories makes it to their recycling centres where it is crushed into powder. That mix is then pushed through an extruder machine and takes the shape of a bar of soap. "It's a very simple process."

[caption id="attachment_48812" align="aligncenter" width="687"] Eco Soap Bank | Global Indian One of Eco Soap Bank's recycling centre[/caption]

The recycled soaps are then distributed through hundreds and thousands of partnerships with smaller and big organisations - from UNICEF to community schools or social centres. "We distribute soaps to the refugee camps through UN agencies as well as local schools," reveals Samir as Eco Soap Bank makes 50000 bars of soap a day.

Eco Soap Bank began with the mission to recycle soap, promote basic hygiene, and provide employment to marginalised women around the world. "Currently 160 women work in the soap recycling facilities across the five countries, and we plan to increase the number to 212 by the end of the year." Eco Soap Bank also helps women set up businesses by selling soaps at a nominal price. "If an employee is particularly excited, we also provide them with volumes of soap that they can sell in their community while also engaging in hygiene outreach. The vast majority of the women we employ prefer the employment route, however, we do have 320 other women who just exclusively sell soap," adds Samir.

Eco Soap Bank

In the last decade, he has been humbled by the outpour of help and support for Eco Soap Bank, which led to the opening up of recycling centres in four more countries. " I am amazed by people's generosity to get involved and take your mission to the next level," says Samir for whom that singular experience in Cambodia acted as a North Star, guiding him throughout.

Coming to India soon

Eco Soap Bank now plans to expand into India soon, for which they need to partner with factories here. "We also want to be the primary supplier of soaps to the refugee crisis in Bangladesh and Central Africa," Samir says.

When Samir started Eco Soap Bank a decade ago, he had no idea about social entrepreneurship but he answered his calling and learnt on the way. "Nothing is out of reach for anyone on how to do, and I hope my story is a small example of that," he signs off.

Follow Samir Lakhani on LinkedIn
Follow Eco Soap Bank on Instagram and website

Dreams in (stop) motion: Meet Neeraja Raj, the animation filmmaker making waves around the world

(August 3, 2024) Growing up, Neeraja Raj would draw, write, play musical instruments and sing - her imagination simply knew no bounds and needed as many outlets as it could get. The richness of her fantasy life more than shows up in her work - there's the little girl from Madagascar who attempts to fly in a homemade rocket, and the adventures of the cat and an enthusiastic puppy who travel through space to search for the meaning of life. "I always knew I wanted to be in the arts and I wanted to be creative, I read a lot and wanted to be a published author," she tells Global Indian. With a mass of curls and a ready smile, she lights up when she discusses her work. Neeraja Raj, who is now based mainly in the UK, is an animation filmmaker - one of a handful in the country and in the world, too, she tells me. Last year, she won the Arnab Chaudhuri Director's Award at the Animation Express Award and was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list of 2023. Her short film, Meow Or Never fetched her a nomination at the 2022 British Animation

urope list of 2023. Her short film, Meow Or Never fetched her a nomination at the 2022 British Animation Awards, for Best Short Film and put her on the shortlist for the prestigious Young Director Award by Nexus Studios.

Neeraja's story stems from those crucial childhood pastimes, spent with storybook, ukulele, pen or paintbrush in hand. She had plenty to inspire her too - her parents, originally from Kerala, moved to Jakarta, Indonesia in their twenties, where Neeraja lived till the age of 13. "It was a good mix of technology and nature," she agrees.

[caption id="attachment_47288" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Neeraja Raj. Photo: Instagram[/caption]

National Institute of Design – and Disney

By the time she turned 18, Neeraja was sure she wanted to study film and got into the National Institute of Design, one of the biggest design schools in the world. "It's really hard to get in but I managed it." In her last week at university, during placement week, she interviewed with Disney for an apprenticeship programme, and got in too. "I had to create storyboards and an animatic, which is a blueprint of the animation itself, along with sound design - it's what the film looks like before it is actually made," Neeraja explains. She worked on it at Disney and submitted it as her graduation project. "That's when I knew I wanted to be a director too," she says.

Instead of settling for the sure-shot career opportunity that Disney provided, Neeraja had dreams of her own and was determined to follow them. One was to create stop motion animation, which led her to Goa. She knew she wanted a master's too, and boldly applied at only one university - the National Film and Television School in the UK, which is reputed for its stop motion animation films. "I have tunnel vision for a lot of things I do in life," she smiles. "Sometimes it can be to my detriment but I do tend to keep going at things until I get them." She made it through a rigorous selection round, then flew to London for a workshop and a round of interviews.

Finding success

At NFTS, she worked on a project that would become one of the cornerstones of her career. "I have a lot of existential angst," she remarks. "I'm constantly thinking about why we are here and what our purpose could be. But I also love cats and dogs and musicals," says, adding with a laugh, "I wanted to make a light-hearted tale, and keep it fun and playful, not a sad, depressing film that most people do in university!"

The end result fetched her a slew of nominations, invitations to film festivals and job offers. Meow or Never is a richly-imagined, endearing stop motion comedy inspired by Felicitte, the French cat who went to space back in 1963. "It's about a cat in space," she explains. "The castronaut is looking for the meaning of life and she finds a planet that has a space pup living on it... and chaos ensues after that!" For Neeraja, the driving force was to "Make a film that I would love to watch," she says. "What amazed me most was that people around the world loved it."

Meow or Never on the international circuit

The trouble with making short films, Neeraja explains, no matter how good it might be, is that few people will actually go out to watch one. "The market is very limited in that sense," she says. But there are big festivals to be at, like Sundance, and also the Annecy International film Festival and Market. The 60 year old festival is the world's largest event dedicated to animation. "There are lots of festivals showcasing short films and they're really competitive to get into."

Her film sailed through, opening the doors to myriad opportunities for the young filmmaker. "A lot of people saw it, from the industry as well." Success came like a whirlwind, much faster than she had expected then, as a fresh graduate. "Because of that film's reach, I find myself in rooms that I would never have expected to be in so soon," Neeraja remarks. "I was meeting people I had looked up to for years, and meeting them as equals."

Recognition calling

One of these people was Peter Lord, the Academy Award-winning English animator, director and producer, known for films like the Chicken Run series (made at the Aardman Animations Studio, of which Lord is co-founder). She also met director Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice), with whom Neeraja went on to collaborate. "She was working on an unannounced feature film at Aardman," Neeraja says. Being a director is the prize destination at the end of a long road - "You start out making short films and work your way up," she explains. "Then you jump from shorts to features. When I was under Gurinder, I was observing how she navigates directing a feature film, a 1.5 hour journey as opposed to making five or 10 minute films like me."

From there, she made her way to Nexus Studios in 2020, which also found her through Meow or Never and reached out. "They wanted to option Meow or Never and work on it with us, which is what we are doing at the moment," says Neeraja, who is currently working as a Director with Nexus Studios.

The Girl Who Built a Rocket

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Fara lives in Madagascar, where nearly half the population, her own family included, don't have access to clean water. The little girl wants to change this - but how? When the news breaks that water has been found on Mars, Fara sees a way - aboard her homemade rocket...

In February 2021, three Mars missions were conducted to look for water on the Red Planet and expand the realms of human explorations. "But many families like Fara's still dream of finding water right here on our own blue planet," writes Water Aid. The NGO, which has its footprint in 34 countries around the world, wanted to make a film as part of a campaign to spread awareness about the lack of drinking water. That's how Neeraja came on board to direct The Girl Who Built a Rocket. "The film did very well," she says. "Their engagement benchmark rose by 18 percent. It was super successful and they got a lot of donations."

This was a particularly meaningful project. Neeraja had found success in the film festival circuit, and worked with the big names, but for the first time, she realised that her work could "bring about actual change in the world, and in people’s lives. We all know the power of the media and what a good story can do," she says.

Staying on track

[caption id="attachment_47289" align="aligncenter" width="588"] Photo: Neeraja Raj on Instagram[/caption]

Even so, her path is not without its challenges, especially with having to work on a project basis and cope with the uncertainty that can bring. "There is a big sense of imposter syndrome," she admits. "Am I truly ready to be here? Do I deserve enough to be in this room? These are nonsensical thoughts, because I know I have worked hard. I ask experts and industry leaders and they tell me that feeling never goes away. No matter how successful you are, there is always another rung to climb." It needs hard skills and soft skills alike, success does hinge on one's ability to communicate, manage conflict and personal branding.

"My parents motivate me," she says. Unlike most Indian parents, they encouraged their daughter to take the path less trodden, and to keep on going. There is the occasional naysaying relative, to be sure, but for the most part, Neeraja feels supported. "My parents have pushed me towards my passion and I would like to make them proud." She needs to do it for herself, too. "I want to tell stories, I'm imaginative and creative. I feel the need to keep on creating," she says. "Otherwise, what's the point?"

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Ishika Sachdev: The Cornell-educated nutritionist curating luxury vegan pop-up camping trips

(December 27, 2021) If anything, the pandemic has taught us to appreciate the great outdoors. Couple Ishika Sachdev and Abhinav Kumar agree. The need to get away from lockdowns and being on guard pushed them to reconnect with nature. For Ishika Sachdev, a nutritionist-turned-curator of luxury vegan pop-up camping trips, and her husband, their leaning was of a similar nature. Stranded in Barcelona, Spain for most part of the lockdown in 2020, 31-year-old Ishika returned to India and founded Flow Adventures with her husband Abhinav Kumar. Abhinav, 30, had formerly worked at an international tech unicorn in Switzerland before taking on the beauteous Indian environs. These Les Roches graduates are now giving new sustainable travel goals to the country that focus on permaculture and more. The travel startup curates and organises luxury vegan camping trips with the aim of promoting the concept of earth care, people care, and fair share. It has since organised experiential treks for 80 likeminded trekkers. Of new beginnings Always the outdoorsy sorts, both Ishika and Abhinav found their lockdown stay in Spain rather challenging. “There was no balcony where we were living. I was yearning to see the sky and feel the sun. We finally

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Of new beginnings

Always the outdoorsy sorts, both Ishika and Abhinav found their lockdown stay in Spain rather challenging. “There was no balcony where we were living. I was yearning to see the sky and feel the sun. We finally came back to India on a relief flight in July last year,” Ishika tells Global Indian. They spent the next few months figuring out life and work in a pandemic world. Finally in January this year, they moved to Goa for a few months to study permaculture.

"Permaculture began in the 1970s and is based on a set of ethics that include earth care, people care and fair share. As we studied the farming methodology, we realised that these ethics can be extended to any aspect of life and work. We spent time living and working on a farm. Both Abhi and I are nature people and Goa has such pristine surroundings. So, after we completed the course, we continued to live and work in Goa," says Ishika.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

Uncharted territory

The couple decided to focus on quality and not their bank balance when they managed Turiya, a 100-year-old Goan-Portuguese villa as a boutique B&B. In exchange, they got a place to stay. It was shortly after, that the couple decided to launch Flow Adventures to offer people a chance to experience the untouched beauty of Kashmir in the most unexpected manner.

"We had earlier gone on a few private treks to Kashmir and its beauty stunned us. However, we found a few loopholes that could be plugged to make the experience better. Flow Adventures was our attempt to bridge those gaps and encourage people to travel responsibly while exploring the beauty of their own country," explains Ishika, who was born and brought up in Chennai and studied at Mussoorie International School before doing her hospitality management with finance degree at Switzerland’s Les Roches Institute. Abhinav on the other hand specialised in entrepreneurship at Les Roches.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

Following her graduation in 2013, she joined her family’s restaurant business until she got married to Abhinav and the couple moved to Thailand where he worked with Get Your Guide, a travel tech company. In the meanwhile, Ishika did her nutrition therapy from Nutrition Therapy Association of America and specialised in plant-based diets from Cornell University. “I then launched my own nutrition practice online and had clients from India, Thailand, Singapore and Dubai,” says the entrepreneur, who ran the business until 2020 when the couple moved to Spain for Abhinav’s job.

A bend in the road

"The pandemic, however, threw a spanner in the works and the project was cancelled and we were stranded in our Barcelona apartment till July 2020," she says.

When the couple wrapped up their stint in Goa earlier this year, they decided to launch their own startup to encourage responsible travel. "We wanted our treks to be an all-vegan experience and promote the idea of vegan and responsible food. The only non-vegan aspect of the trip was the use of mules to transport goods. However, this is something we plan to address in our next set of pop-up treks," says Ishika, a vegan herself.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

This year, the bootstrapped company hosted 80 trekkers across the age group of 17 to 65, most of them first timers. The treks were organised from Margan Top to Choharnag Lake where the group camped overnight. Trekkers were offered the opportunity to raft on the glacial lakes, get massages, yoga flow sessions, bonfires and vegan food. Flow Adventures offers three-day, four-day and five-day packages to five glacial lakes in Kashmir. On an average, a four-day luxury trek costs Rs 44,444 all inclusive. Trekkers are given adequate time provided to acclimatise and follow altitude sickness management protocols. "This was the first-time people were allowed to raft on the glacial lake. A lot of Kashmir’s natural beauty is overshadowed by the political and military situation. But there’s so much more to the state. This is exactly what we offered to introduce our clients to. It's also an attempt to give local tourism a boost, the state’s main source of economy that took a beating during the pandemic," says the entrepreneur, who's already planning the next set of treks for the new year.

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