She recently received the prestigious European Inventor Award 2021 for her work in integrating nanomaterials in dental fillings.

Global IndianstorySumita Mitra: The Indian American scientist behind 1 billion flawless smiles

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Sumita Mitra: The Indian American scientist behind 1 billion flawless smiles

Written by: Global Indian

From being a soft-spoken girl, who used to marvel at the chemicals and their reactions in her father’s laboratory, to a trailblazer in dental nanomaterials, Sumita Mitra’s rise to fame has been nothing short of phenomenal. This Indian-American chemist loves to develop new technologies and then transform them into products to improve lives. She recently received the prestigious European Inventor Award 2021 for her work in integrating nanomaterials in dental fillings. Presented by the European Patent Office (EPO) annually, the award recognizes the contribution of outstanding inventors from Europe and beyond who have made an exceptional contribution to society, technological progress, and economic growth. The winners were selected by an independent international jury.

In an exclusive chat with Global Indian, Mitra recalls the journey that helped shaped her.

“Though it is our experiences that shape us, it is our roots that anchor us. I’m an Indian at heart and my roots have been in Kolkata, where I grew up,” she says. Mitra pursued her MSc in Chemistry from the University of Kolkata. She then moved to the US for her Ph.D. in Organic Polymer Chemistry from the University of Michigan following which she joined 3M’s Corporate Research Labs in 1978.

Sumita Mitra in her lab. Pictures Courtesy: EPO

By 1983 she began working in the dental products department, which is now called 3M Oral Care Systems. It was during this time, that she became aware of the limitations of the materials being used in dental fillings at the time — they were either too weak to be used on biting surfaces, or lost their polish very soon. Nanotechnology was emerging as a field of research and Mitra decided to explore how it could be integrated with dentistry; she wanted to use her expertise in polymer chemistry to develop inventions to solve real-life problems.

By 1998 she was promoted as Corporate Scientist, the highest technical position at 3M; Mitra also served as the Industrial Director of Minnesota Dental Research Centre for Biomaterials and Biomechanics (MDRCBB). After she retired in 2010, she and her husband, Smarajit, set up Mitra Chemical Consultancy.

In 2009 she was named an American Chemical Society Hero of Chemistry and was inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2021 she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for her work related to inventions in nanotechnology for use in dental materials.

Lessons in life

According to Mitra, her time studying in the US taught her how to think differently and stay persistent. One of the most important takeaways for her was to not be constrained in her thinking and be unafraid to pursue her dreams. This translated into her work at 3M’s dental department as well where there was immense scope to develop new products using science and new materials. “Back then, the dental products business was smaller and had immense potential for growth. We worked on transforming ideas into reality,” she adds, attributing her success to teamwork.

Her work also allowed her to periodically visit India where she got to interact and closely work with professors, industry experts, and students from dental colleges.

Her innovative idea to integrate nanoparticles with dental materials and produce fillings that are more aesthetic, durable, and strong has been successfully commercialized in more than one billion tooth restorations.

“Being the reason behind their smiles, makes me smile. I feel gratitude, as I always say, one can have an initial idea but it takes a lot to convert that into reality,” she says.

Love for Chemistry

Mitra’s love for the subject began when she was 8 and living in Arunachal Pradesh. Given the lack of proper schools in the state, it was her mother who began home-schooling her and laying her educational foundation. Her father, a chemist, worked at a wood factory and Mitra would often visit his office. “I loved to see how he would work with different materials and transform them into something new. It was fascinating,” she says. Her mother, she adds, encouraged her to pursue her dreams without being constrained by cultural boundaries.

Her love for Organic Chemistry stems from the fact that it is precise.

“I marvel at the preciseness of the science, how such small entities can be rearranged to create something new, what unknown hand has created this… Chemistry experiments in a laboratory may go wrong, but those in nature rarely do,” she smiles.

Recalling the contributions of her husband, who is also a scientist, Mitra calls him her favorite Global Indian.

Currently, Mitra dedicates her time to promoting STEM education and volunteers as a teacher at schools, colleges, and universities, alongside working as a chemical consultant. She further stresses on the need to encourage more youngsters to take up science (integrating them with other areas of study), as there is an absolute need to solve the world’s problems, including the ongoing pandemic.

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Published on 26, Jun 2021

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How Indian CEO Madhav Sheth is transforming the smartphone industry with 5G

(April 2, 2022) The coronavirus pandemic brought many businesses to a grinding halt. But there was one mobile brand that continued to achieve more than 100 percent growth year after year. It also went on to become the first brand to have the largest portfolio of 5G devices. And the man helming its success is an Indian CEO. Meet Madhav Sheth, CEO, realme India, and president, realme International Business Group. Mobile showstoppers Design has always been top priority for this 41-year-old CEO. This year’s edition of the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week witnessed a rather innovative collaboration – one that blended fashion and mobile tech. On day one of the event, realme partnered with couturier duo, Shantanu and Nikhil, to present environmental friendly, innovative, and sustainably driven design aspects in the mobile phone industry. [embed]https://twitter.com/MadhavSheth1/status/1507255656977420311?s=20&t=bpL4kJdInY_EY33WxRpSPA[/embed] Madhav tells Global Indian, “Ground breaking design has always been a core aspect at realme. This goes back to the first smartphone we launched in India. We believe in pushing the boundaries of innovation.” Sustainable phones The brand plans to launch an e-waste recycling project by setting up recycling spots at its offices and experience stores, across 30 Indian cities. “We will continue to bring

launch an e-waste recycling project by setting up recycling spots at its offices and experience stores, across 30 Indian cities. “We will continue to bring more environment-friendly products and help build a greater and greener world,” says this Indian CEO. Incidentally, the upcoming realme GT 2 Pro device features an industry-first bio-based polymer Paper Tech Master design.

[embed]https://twitter.com/MadhavSheth1/status/1507575571290619914?s=20&t=bpL4kJdInY_EY33WxRpSPA[/embed]

Making of a leader

Compared to other brands in the personal technology space, it took Madhav just four years to transform the brand end-to-end. Recalling his "golden days" at Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania, he says, “It was quite a learning experience for me. One of the most essential things I learned was how to judge success. For me, success is to achieve what I’ve planned. I also learnt to believe that success was not just limited to achieving goals, but also in the sense of contentment upon achieving them.”

Madhav attributes his student years for laying the foundation of leadership. He says, “My years at university taught me a great deal about leadership – the essence of becoming a good leader and how to steer through work, the art of developing strategies and executing plans as well as to bring innovation and disruption with everything I do. Over time, I've come to see how crucial it is for a leader to be selfless.”

Indian CEO | Madhav Sheth | CEO of realme International Business Group

The importance of values

This Indian CEO learnt to appreciate values such as humility and time management. “I’ve tried to implement these in my professional life and I am delighted to share that they’ve helped me establish realme as one of the world's top six smartphone brands. Being a leader or a CEO means being available for the team and users.”, says the honcho adding, “Time management is of utmost significance. Every minute makes a big difference - it is one of the marquee aspects of leadership.”

Global accolades

With Madhav helming realme, the brand has expanded into markets beyond India, “Today, we have expanded our footprint to 61 countries. It is the youngest smartphone brand to be among the Top 6 as well as the No 5 android smartphone brand globally.”

The CEO believes that adopting new technologies is key to growth in a rapidly-evolving technology market. “Our 5G portfolio has been a key growth driver. According to the latest Counterpoint Research report, realme’s 5G shipments have grown the most among all major smartphone brands with a 165 percent YoY growth in Q4, 2021. The achievement has been fueled by the company’s expansion into western European countries such as Italy, Spain, France, the UK, and Switzerland,” he explains.

Indian CEO | Madhav Sheth | CEO of realme International Business Group

‘Take the leap, beta’

Madhav dedicates his success to his family, who encouraged him to "take the leap." The Indian CEO says, “Coming from a moderate background, there was a lot at stake to become an entrepreneur. Your family’s trust and encouragement plays a significant role. I learnt to be a resilient, agile, and diligent person from my parents,” he adds.

The biggest testimony to Madhav’s family support is the fact that the founding brand tagline of realme is “Dare to leap,” and his vision follows the same path. “Being a tech disruptor, I want users to be future-ready and experience new technologies and innovations,” he says. In the coming months, he predicts, “With the ongoing conversation on 5G technology, the industry will see a great shift and technological advancement soon.”

Commitment to India

Madhav believes that India is the origin of realme's dream and among the important markets, responsible for the company's tremendous growth - It accounts for 60 million of the world's 126 million users.

The Indian CEO says, “Most realme products are India-first, because that’s how important the market is to us.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FimaveDm5g8[/embed]

Focus, discipline and stamina

Outside of work, Madhav is a balance of wellbeing and fun. “I begin my day with meditation and yoga. It allows me to have a much more peaceful start to the day with a laser sharp focus. I also workout regularly to inculcate discipline and stamina.”

When he isn’t focussing on wellness and health, Madhav likes to play squash or unwind with a good book. “I used to play the guitar in college and I rekindled this during the lockdown,” says the Indian CEO, who finds washing cars relaxing, and is an avid traveller as well.

Tasting success

As Madhav continues to work towards transforming the smartphone industry, he says, “realme was the first brand in India to launch a 5G smartphone and has had the maximum number of 5G launches. It has been a rewarding and enriching journey filled with many lessons and rewards.”

Follow Madhav Sheth on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 10 mins

Bobbie Kalra: The Indian entrepreneur leading the way we map our world

(December 21, 2021) When it comes to mapping in the times of technology, this IT head honcho is right at the crux of innovation. With everything being digitally mapped today, the reliance on geospatial mapping is of prime importance and Bobbie Kalra, founder Magnasoft has his fingers on the pulse of an industry that is set to grow Rs 63,100 crore by 2025. The Indian entrepreneur has given the geospatial industry cutting-edge technology and services with Magnasoft, which is among the leaders in this space. The ambitious India-based digital geospatial information specialist has been shaking things up for quite some time now with his intelligent 3D models to enable informed decision-making for all kinds of applications. From first helping Bengaluru increase property taxation by 100 percent to having worked across 72 countries in the areas of architecture, utilities, high-tech space, infrastructure, and telecom projects, Kalra has come full circle since his first venture back in 1995. [embed]https://twitter.com/magnasoft/status/1382659715751026690?s=20[/embed] The engineer from Bangalore Born in Bhopal, Kalra moved to Bengaluru when he was less than a year old as his father worked with BHEL. After schooling at Baldwin’s Boys High School, he did his mechanical engineering from Bangalore University in 1994. “This was the age of

.com/magnasoft/status/1382659715751026690?s=20[/embed]

The engineer from Bangalore

Born in Bhopal, Kalra moved to Bengaluru when he was less than a year old as his father worked with BHEL. After schooling at Baldwin’s Boys High School, he did his mechanical engineering from Bangalore University in 1994. “This was the age of the new tech entrepreneur and I was hugely inspired by the success of Infosys. I wanted to do something on my own,” recalls Kalra, who then began helping his sister and her husband with the St Marks Business Centre. “I would help them with design when I was still in college. It was here that I learnt the fundamentals of working with debit and credit.”

As his engineering course, he launched his own company in the services line. So, in 1995 he rented office space at St Marks and launched the St Marks CADD Services after obtaining a bank loan. “Around that time a lot of old engineering drawings were being digitised and I jumped onto the bandwagon. I got my first break with Tata Consulting Engineering and that set the ball rolling. We would digitise drafts and also engineer design and details,” says Kalra, who grew the team from a single member company to a team of 80 engineers.

A course in executive education and disruptive strategy at Harvard University, the world of mapping is his oyster.

Global Indian entrepreneur Bobbie Kalra

Mapping forth

Their next break came with projects for Kyga nuclear power plant, Bosche and other architects. In 1996, they landed a contract with Chicago Computerised Facility Integration (CFI). “They had a huge contract with AT&T and were looking for a company to work on the offshore model. We landed the deal and would work on the UNIX system when modem speeds were around 14kbps. We would go to the VSNL office to upload large files,” he smiles of a simpler yet tougher IT era.

Following the telecom bust CFI pivoted its model to focus on geospatial mapping. Soon Kalra’s company followed suit. They bought the first few licenses for the SIM software and turned their focus to the field of GIS. In 2000, Kalra founded Magnasoft by merging St Marks CADD Services and raised VC funds from Global Technology Ventures, the VC arm of Café Coffee Day Group. “Around this time the government changed in Karnataka and was looking to create a geospatial map of the Bangalore. We were invited to show how GIS could improve Bangalore city. So, while most other companies focused on power point presentations, what we did was focus on the heart of the municipal system: property taxation,” he tells Global Indian.

Within a week Kalra and his team came up with a property enumeration programme; they mapped a small area of the city (Richmond Town area), and conducted a survey keeping all the parameters that influenced taxation in mind. Magnasoft landed the contract and soon it was helping Bangalore increase its taxation by 100 percent.

[caption id="attachment_17796" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Global Indian entrepreneur Bobbie Kalra Bobbie with his family[/caption]

Pivoting the business

Like any entrepreneurial journey, Kalra’s was also speckled with challenges. But the company’s agility and Kalra’s foresight to pivot as per the need help them not just stay afloat but also grow slowly but steadily. After the dot com crash, Magnasoft began looking at markets abroad and invested directly in US sales. “Ever since, it has been a journey of accruals and reinvesting,” says the entrepreneur who moved to the US in 2002 to expand his business and focus on fundamental growth and cash flows.

Soon they had a presence in over 72 countries such as North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Middle East, Africa and New Zealand. As the market began opening up to GISM, Magnasoft too began to cause a disruption in the space. By 2008 though, Kalra moved back to India and

continued to shuttle between the US and India to work on his business. “Today, we’ve chosen to focus only on a few verticals such as utilities, communications, telecom, vegetation management for power lines, high tech, and infrastructure. We’ve also pared down our operations to just a few markets like North America, Scandinavia and UK apart from a few large enterprise deals in India,” says Kalra, who is now focused on direct sales and hiring talent for leadership roles in the US and UK.

Global Indian Bobbie Kalra

On the growth path

The company has also brought on board directors and advisors: Phaneesh Murthy, Abraham Mathew, Rajeev Kuchal, and Bhupinder Singh. “The board has been instrumental in helping us focus on a few strong points and strengthen our presence in those areas. The pandemic, of course, had thrown us off path for about a month, but the company was agile enough to get back on track within 30 days. Our staff was all working from home and we managed to put in space systems and security practices to ensure that work continued regardless,” says the agile entrepreneur, who typically begins his day 4 am.

What keeps him going is his love for mapping and the fact that he enjoys visualisation. That apart, Kalra also has a love for theatre and has in the past portrayed small roles in several plays, including Girish Karnad’s Crossing to Talikota. “Due to time constraints, I don’t take on any big roles, but I’ve loved essaying small roles and working on the back-end. I’ve also acted in a Kannada serial,” says the man, who has worked with theatre artistes like Arjun Sajnani, Munira Sen, and Ashish Sen.

On the weekends, jam sessions where he plays the guitar and percussion instruments is his energizing time. Incidentally, Kalra was a drummer back in his college days. That apart, he also believes in giving back to the community he lives and works in and is an active member of the Bangalore Round Table. “We have worked towards helping educate over 3 million children through the Freedom Through Education programme and during the pandemic we also worked towards procuring and distributing oxygen concentrators,” says the multi-faceted Kalra.

Incidentally, Bobbie, had also launched an ingenious app in Mumbai to protect children commuting to and fro from school. The app, Northstar was designed for both parents and school authorities to keep an eye on their children in real time. At heart, disruption is key to his goals, even as he takes time to give back to society, albeit tech wise.

Follow Bobbie Kalra on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 8 mins

Meet Rahul Garg, the man behind India’s first hinterland unicorn

In a country where large dollops of venture capital money chase glitzy consumer tech startups from Ola to Cred, Moglix is an exception. Essentially an industrial goods marketplace, the Ratan Tata and Tiger Global-backed Moglix became India’s first hinterland unicorn earlier this year, shaped by the challenges of doing business and making medical supplies available during the pandemic. The sole founder behind the venture is 42-year-old Rahul Garg who quit his cushy job at Google Asia — where he spent five years as head of AdX India, SEA and Korea — to give wings to his entrepreneurial dreams. Today, Moglix works with more than 500,000 SMEs and 3,000 manufacturing plants across India, Singapore, the UK, and UAE. According to Garg, B2B manufacturing had not seen any innovation in a long time. Garg stepped in to reimagine the sector with technology. Today, Moglix works with some of the largest manufacturing companies and has become a one-stop solution for their procurement needs. Journey to the top [caption id="attachment_4582" align="aligncenter" width="380"] Rahul Garg with Ratan Tata[/caption] Brought up in Faridabad, Garg graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT-Kanpur before starting his career with Ittiam Systems in Bengaluru. He also served as Chairperson of the Marketing and AdTech committee at IAB, Singapore. An MBA degree from the prestigious ISB in Hyderabad was followed by a five-year stint with Google Asia. During his tenure here he collaborated with enterprises on advertising and helped build a $2 billion business from scratch. Garg also has 16 technology patents to his name in wireless communication. By 2015, Garg was set to dive headlong into the

urement needs.

Journey to the top

[caption id="attachment_4582" align="aligncenter" width="380"] Meet Rahul Garg, the man behind India’s first hinterland unicorn Rahul Garg with Ratan Tata[/caption]

Brought up in Faridabad, Garg graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT-Kanpur before starting his career with Ittiam Systems in Bengaluru. He also served as Chairperson of the Marketing and AdTech committee at IAB, Singapore. An MBA degree from the prestigious ISB in Hyderabad was followed by a five-year stint with Google Asia. During his tenure here he collaborated with enterprises on advertising and helped build a $2 billion business from scratch. Garg also has 16 technology patents to his name in wireless communication.

By 2015, Garg was set to dive headlong into the startup ecosystem and launch Moglix, a one of its kind manufacturing sector startup. His Faridabad roots gave him a view of the new wave of opportunities for the country’s manufacturing sector and the challenges it faced. Today, Moglix is a go-to platform for industrial supplies with over 40 product categories and serves more than 25,000 pin codes. Nearly 65% of the company’s business comes from tier II and III cities, making it India’s first hinterland unicorn. The company now has offices across cities such as Prayagraj, Kanpur, and Lucknow apart from Chennai and Noida.

Alibaba for manufacturers

Garg’s vision for Moglix was clear. He wanted it to be like Alibaba for the industrial manufacturing space. The company managed to raise seed funding from the likes of Accel Venture Partners and Seed Plus. However, Garg chose to slug it out alone without any co-founders. In an interview with Forbes, Garg said,

“I tried twice before (with co-founders), but those did not take off. So, this time I was firm that I’ll just get started and see what comes along. It was a conscious choice and thankfully I was third-time lucky.”

The e-commerce platform's success paved the way for Moglix Business and the company now has an enterprise procurement vertical under its umbrella. Moglix Business caters to over 500 large manufacturing companies and offers them a range of procurement optimization solutions. It has also diversified into contract management with products such as iCAT and C-Vantage and these products are being used by large global manufacturing companies to streamline their processes.

[caption id="attachment_4584" align="aligncenter" width="507"] Meet Rahul Garg, the man behind India’s first hinterland unicorn Rahul Garg with his team[/caption]

Rising to the occasion

As a startup founder, Garg says that it is important to surround oneself with people who believe in your vision and are adaptive to evolving dynamics. He is quick to make decisions and is constantly training himself to operate in a fast-paced environment. For manufacturing to become a trillion-dollar economy, Garg believes that it is essential to reimagine the sector completely and that is what Moglix set out to do. According to an article in Forbes India, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India saw the company step in to help meet the rising demand for oxygen at a time when the national capital was gasping.

Garg had himself lost loved ones to the pandemic. He told Forbes,

“When you lose people so young, it is extremely tough. We knew we had to act. I was getting so many calls for oxygen concentrators and beds.”

Moglix helped ramp up the supply of PPE kits and N95 masks across the country during the first wave of the pandemic too. Garg and his team worked with manufacturers of oxygen concentrators and also sent charter flights to China and Germany to procure more concentrators.

Moglix also accelerated its expansion in the UK to supply PPE to enterprises in the UK as they looked to create safe workplaces. Over the last few months, Moglix has supplied PPEs in more than 20 countries across the globe, with 5 million of them being delivered to over 230 cities in India alone.

As a leader, Garg encourages his employees to tap into their passion to discover better and more innovative versions of themselves. He believes a leader is one who prioritizes his team and empowers others to flourish and unlock their potential.

Reading Time: 5 mins

How India’s coding clubs are changing the game for kids who’re starting young

In our pursuit of unique tales about the Indian diaspora, GI's new series documents trailblazing ideas and phenomenons across the globe (November 24, 2021) Not too long ago, coding was considered the forte of computer geeks only. It was an intimidating concept best left to experts. IT’s top brass Larry Page of Google, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Dorsey of Twitter were themselves coding prodigies before they started ground-breaking tech conglomerates. Coders like Indian Canadian Tanmay Bakshi whose AskTanmay is the world’s first web based NLQA system was built using IBM Watson’s cognitive capabilities. The 19-year-old Indian-origin Harsh Dalal in Singapore started Team Labs that is valued at $25 million. Today children in India as young as five and ten are creating waves. US-based Samaira Mehta, 12, is behind CoderBunnyz which makes coding fun for kids. It was only apt that coding clubs sprang across India to create a new generation of innovators of the future. Technology everywhere “Technology has and will continue to expand rapidly, claiming spaces in almost every professional industry,” says Krish Samtani, founder of 0Gravity, a free coding club for school children in India, who adds, “Coding seem slightly intimidating at first, but it offers children the chance to apply their knowledge in a real-world context.”

almost every professional industry,” says Krish Samtani, founder of 0Gravity, a free coding club for school children in India, who adds, “Coding seem slightly intimidating at first, but it offers children the chance to apply their knowledge in a real-world context.”

As technology takes over every aspect of life and industry, coding is now an essential life skill. Employers are willing to pay a premium for coders. Manan Sharma, founder, Tokens.com, agrees. Sharma has been employing coders to spur his business that spans 20 years (Indiamart, IGP and now Tokens). “Earlier, we would hire coders to create the entire coding done for our sites, but now with pre-coded sites like Shopify available, there are templates to work with. Yet, the need for coders persists as businesses look to customise sites,” he tells Global Indian, adding, “As sites get bigger, automated software can only do so much.”

Tykes can code

As increased businesses rely on technology to drive operations, it is essential to understand what goes into the making of codes and applications to run successful businesses. Which is where coding clubs like Indian Girls Code, Code Club, and 0Gravity deliver. They encourage kids to understand the seemingly complex world of coding and technology from an early age, bust fear and encourage them to create and innovate.

[caption id="attachment_16610" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Global Indian Aditi Prasad Aditi Prasad of Indian Girls Code[/caption]

Founded by Aditi Prasad and her sister Deepti in 2013, Indian Girls Code takes coding to schools to encourage girls to create technology. Through programmes, they encourage girls across Chennai schools – private and government – to use technology to solve real world problems. Aditi and Deepti believe in using a hands-on approach to teach children the nuances of coding – even using drag and drop to create fun projects using coding language. In 2015, the team launched Phiro Robots which are now used by educators, globally. The robots use Lego compatible toys that can be coded using Scratch to create anything - programming a robot to sing a birthday song to performing specific functions.

Coding to innovate

Ed-tech startups like WhiteHat Jr offer classes on coding, and Karan Bajaj, CEO wants to convert them from passive consumers of technology to builders and creators of the future. A notion that Madhukar Varshney, founder, CEO, NimbleQ wholeheartedly supports. The biomedical engineer who lived in the US for 20 years chose to return to India to found NimbleQ to help students apply the knowledge acquired. “Sure, coding is an essential skill, but it is not enough. One should know how to apply this skill to solve real-world problems. We have a lot of well-qualified professionals who 20 to 30 years down the line are directors and VPs. But why not founders? Why not innovators?” he questions, adding, “It’s because our education system does not encourage one to think like a creator. At NimbleQ, we encourage our students on using coding to problem solve. We teach them to understand business, entrepreneurship, and money.” Varshney hopes this will encourage creators of technology.

Krish, who launched 0Gravity at the age of 14 in Bengaluru is now a second-year student at UC Berkeley, California. His tryst with coding began at a summer camp at John’s Hopkins University. “I was very inspired by the applied education, and that made me want to attend a similar class back home (India). However, I was unable to find any, which led me to start the club to teach children applied computer science,” he says, adding, “So far, we have educated 1,500 plus children across India. The latest batch of 0Gravity was comprised of the children of abandoned sex workers.”

[caption id="attachment_16612" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Global Indian Krish Samtani Krish Samtani during one of the 0Gravity sessions[/caption]

The club teaches children from the ages of 10-18 in courses that typically last three months with classes on Saturday. During the pandemic, they switched to online and now Krish wants, “to inspire a spark in children to chase their dreams.”

Manan Sharma avers that one of the main advantages of learning to code early is the fact that it takes away the fear of intimidation. “My nephew is studying coding and I know that he is no longer intimidated. He knows the application of code and that will hold him in good stead,” he says, concluding, “The opportunities are limitless. Coding can be used across industries and sectors. You never know what innovations these children will produce.

Why code?

According to The Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum, it is predicted that 65 percent of children entering primary school today ultimately work completely new jobs that do not even exist yet.
According to the Annual Employability report by Aspiring Minds, 80 percent Indian engineers are not fit for any job in the knowledge economy and only 2.5 percent possess tech skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
In India, only one in 10 kids learn to code when compared to one in three abroad.
Over two-thirds developers are partly self-taught, HackerRank data shows.

Reading Time: 8 mins

The TIME AI Vanguard: 6 Indian innovators redefining the future of artificial intelligence

(November 25, 2024) Artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the most transformative forces of our time, reshaping industries, redefining creativity, and influencing global policy. In 2024, TIME magazine recognized the individuals steering this revolution with its "100 Most Influential People in AI" list. Familiar names like Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, continue to dominate global conversations about AI. But this year’s list also sheds light on a host of other Indian innovators making profound, yet often understated, impacts on the field. Global Indian puts the spotlight on the Indians who form the vanguard of AI tech, making their mark in unconventional ways. From policymakers like Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is putting India at the forefront of AI development, to pioneers like Anil Kapoor, addressing ethical challenges in entertainment, the breadth of Indian contributions is vast. Innovators such as Rohit Prasad of Amazon and Aravind Srinivas of Perplexity are redefining how AI interacts with everyday life, while thought leaders like Amandeep Singh Gill and Divya Siddharth are ensuring the technology is guided by principles of fairness and inclusion. Ashwini Vaishnaw: Architect of India's AI Revolution [caption id="attachment_60575" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Ashwini Vaishnaw. Minister for Railways, lnformation

img class="size-full wp-image-60575" src="https://stage.globalindian.com//wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CJv4vGmN9WDeNndhwSWF.webp" alt="Ashwini Vaishnaw | Time 100 AI 2024 | Global Indian" width="640" height="360" /> Ashwini Vaishnaw. Minister for Railways, lnformation and Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India.[/caption]

Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, is spearheading the country’s ambitious plans to become a global leader in artificial intelligence. His tenure has been marked by a strategic focus on innovation, skill development, and democratization of AI technology.

At the heart of these efforts is India’s AI Mission, which Vaishnaw describes as a collaboration between “industry, government, and academia.” In partnership with Meta, the government launched the Center for Generative AI at IIT Jodhpur and introduced the YuvAI Initiative to train 100,000 students in large language models (LLMs). “Our AI mission is advancing with strong collaborations,” Vaishnaw said after meeting Meta’s AI Chief Scientist Yann LeCun. These programs aim to bridge the talent gap while fostering ethical AI innovation.

A defining feature of Vaishnaw’s approach is the democratization of technology. India’s public AI platform, featuring computing power equivalent to 10,000 GPUs and high-quality datasets, is designed to make cutting-edge resources accessible to startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs. “The government invests in the platform, and everybody becomes a part of it,” he stated, likening this to India’s digital public infrastructure strategy.

Vaishnaw’s leadership also extends to international diplomacy, particularly as India chairs the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI). At the Global IndiaAI Summit 2024, he remarked, “AI can solve many problems simultaneously, but we must contain its risks. The solution must come through a global thought process.”

With Vaishnaw at the helm, India is steadily positioning itself as a global leader in ethical and innovative AI.

Anil Kapoor: A Landmark Victory for Personality Rights in the AI Era

Anil Kapoor | Time 100 AI 2024 | Influential People in AI | Global Indian

In a list often dominated by technologists and policymakers, Anil Kapoor’s inclusion in TIME’s "100 Most Influential People in AI 2024" is both unconventional and highly significant. As one of India’s most celebrated actors, Kapoor has taken on an expected new role as a crusader for ethical AI practices in the entertainment industry. His recent legal victory against unauthorized AI usage of his likeness has not only secured his own rights but also set a precedent for others in the creative field.

In September 2023, Kapoor filed a lawsuit to prevent the misuse of his name, image, voice, and other personality traits by 16 entities that had used them without permission for commercial purposes. The Delhi High Court’s interim order, widely regarded as a landmark judgment, restrained these platforms from profiting off his identity without consent. Speaking about the case, Kapoor remarked, “My personality is my life’s work, and I’ve worked hard to build it. With this lawsuit, I’m seeking protection of my personality rights to prevent their misuse, particularly in the current scenario with rapid changes in technology and tools like artificial intelligence.”

Kapoor’s victory is being hailed globally, with Variety describing it as a “landmark judgement against AI.” Reflecting on the court’s decision, Kapoor said, “Justice must, and does, prevail. I’m very happy with this court order, which has come in my favor, and I think it’s very progressive—not only for me but for other actors as well.”

Rohit Prasad: Transforming AI Through Voice and Vision

[caption id="attachment_60577" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rohit Prasad | Time 100 AI 2024 | Influential People in AI | Global Indian Rohit Prasad, the brains behind Alexa and the vanguard of AI at Amazon[/caption]

Rohit Prasad, Amazon’s Senior Vice President and Head Scientist of Alexa AI, stands at the forefront of voice technology and artificial intelligence innovation. As the architect behind Alexa, Prasad revolutionized how millions interact with technology daily, embedding AI seamlessly into everyday lives. Now, he leads Amazon’s charge to reclaim its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving generative AI landscape.

Born in India and inspired by science fiction classics like Star Trek, Prasad’s fascination with AI began early. He pursued his undergraduate degree at BIT Mesra, Ranchi, before moving to the United States to earn a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. Reflecting on his academic journey, Prasad credits his mentor for shaping his practical approach to AI. “It’s not just about having the best algorithm,” he says, “but proving it works in real-world settings. That preparation—to make inventions matter in the real world—was invaluable.”

Prasad spearheaded Alexa’s natural language capabilities, redefining human-machine interactions. “We dreamed of making computers respond like a Star Trek computer, and Alexa brought that to life,” he has said.

The rise of generative AI, however, introduced new challenges. As competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT surged ahead, Amazon tasked Prasad with revamping its AI strategy. Leading the development of Titan and Olympus, Amazon’s latest large language models, Prasad is integrating generative AI across Alexa and Amazon’s ecosystem, from smart-home devices to AWS cloud services.

Aravind Srinivas: Disrupting Search with AI Innovation

[caption id="attachment_60578" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Aravind Srinivas | Perplexity AI | Time 100 AI 2024 | Global Indian Aravind Srinivas, founder, Perplexity[/caption]

Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and CEO of Perplexity AI, represents the new wave of entrepreneurs who are blending technical excellence with disruptive ambitions in artificial intelligence. At just 30, Srinivas has steered Perplexity into the Unicorn club, raising its valuation to over $1 billion and challenging industry titans like Google in the AI-driven search space.

Born in India, Srinivas’s journey into AI began during his undergraduate studies at IIT Madras. Despite starting in electrical engineering, he credits his mentors and friends in computer science for introducing him to the nascent field of machine learning. “If I hadn’t been at IIT Madras, I might never have ended up in AI,” Srinivas reflects. From there, he went on to complete his doctoral studies at UC Berkeley.

In 2021, he briefly worked at OpenAI before co-founding Perplexity AI in 2022. Perplexity’s “answer engine” aims to reshape search by delivering concise, AI-generated answers with linked citations, rather than traditional search results. “Google doesn’t want to replace its business model with lower-margin AI search,” he says.

While Perplexity has gained tens of millions of users and processes over 230 million queries monthly, it has not been without controversy. The company has faced accusations of plagiarism from outlets like Forbes and Condé Nast, leading to legal threats and public criticism. “Perplexity Pages had some rough edges,” Srinivas admitted, as the company revamped its citation practices and rolled out a revenue-sharing model for publishers. Despite these challenges, Perplexity’s growth continues, fueled by innovative features like its Pro service, which integrates third-party models like OpenAI’s GPT-4.

Amandeep Singh Gill: Guiding AI Ethics on a Global Scale

[caption id="attachment_60579" align="aligncenter" width="783"] Amandeep Gill | Time 100 AI 2024 | Influential People in AI | Global Indian Amandeep Gill, United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology[/caption]

As the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Amandeep Singh Gill plays a pivotal role in shaping the ethical and equitable use of artificial intelligence worldwide. With a background in diplomacy and technology policy, Gill’s work emphasizes international cooperation to ensure AI benefits humanity while mitigating its risks.

Gill’s vision for AI governance balances innovation with safeguards. “AI must be a tool for inclusivity and sustainability, not a driver of division,” he said at a recent global summit. Under his leadership, initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact aim to establish guidelines for responsible AI development. Gill has also championed collaborations through platforms like the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), where he facilitates dialogues between nations, researchers, and industries.

One of Gill’s key priorities is addressing the ethical implications of AI in areas such as privacy, misinformation, and economic disparities. He has consistently called for AI regulations that protect vulnerable populations while fostering innovation. “The risks posed by AI can only be tackled through collective global action,” he believes.

Divya Siddharth: Redefining AI Governance Through Collective Intelligence

[caption id="attachment_60580" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Divya Siddharth | Time 100 AI 2024 | Influential People in AI | Global Indian Divya Siddharth[/caption]

For Divya Siddharth, AI is more than a transformative technology—it’s an opportunity to reimagine how societies govern and collaborate. As the co-founder of the Collective Intelligence Project (CIP), Siddharth has dedicated her work to ensuring that transformative technologies like AI are shaped by and for the collective good, rather than being monopolized by a few powerful entities.

“The world can be transactional and cruel,” Siddharth acknowledges, but she believes in countering this through collective intelligence—systems that “bring out the best and cancel out the worst.” In collaboration with AI company Anthropic, Siddharth and her team ran an “alignment assembly,” engaging 1,000 everyday people to define the values an ideal AI assistant should uphold. Their input not only reduced bias in Anthropic’s chatbot Claude but also introduced principles, like ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities, that were later integrated into the live product.

Siddharth’s belief in democracy as a solution, not a problem, stems from a diverse career spanning global AI governance initiatives and grassroots efforts. In a recent TED Talk, she argued, “We’ve gotten used to seeing democracy as a problem to be solved, but I see it as a cutting-edge social technology.” Her work has ranged from addressing data rights to guiding AI governance in collaboration with policymakers in India, the U.S., and the U.K. During her tenure at the U.K.’s AI Safety Institute, Siddharth established programs for public input on AI risks, ensuring that ordinary voices help shape regulatory frameworks.

“Tech expands what we are capable of,” she says. “Democracy is how we decide what to do with that capability.”

These six innovators are proof that AI is not just about machines or algorithms—it’s about people, decisions, and values. Whether through policy, ethics, or technology, they are shaping a future where AI serves society in meaningful ways.