Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveLakshya Sen: The Indian shuttler reaches career-best sixth spot in BWF World Rankings

Lakshya Sen: The Indian shuttler reaches career-best sixth spot in BWF World Rankings

Written by: Team GI Youth

(November 12, 2022) When Lakshya Sen began training at the Prakash Padukone Academy at the age of 12, little did the Indian shuttler know that in the next nine years, he would reach a career-best sixth spot in the Badminton World Federation Rankings. The boy from Almora, who is in sensational form this season, has gained 76,424 points from 25 tournaments, thus catapulting him from the eighth position to the sixth.

Lakshya took to Twitter to share his gratitude, and tweeted, “Being ranked 6 in the world motivates me to work even harder during the season. It is with sincere gratitude that I thank everyone who believes in me and supports me.”

Being ranked 6 in the world motivates me to work even harder during the season. It is with sincere gratitude that I thank everyone who believes in me and supports me. 🙏🏻 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/LjVKo2YbAl

— Lakshya Sen (@lakshya_sen) November 8, 2022

The Indian star shuttler had a stellar 2022 where he was a member of the Thomas Cup winning team, reached the finals of 2022 All England Open, and also won the Commonwealth Games Men’s singles Gold in Birmingham in August. “This has been an amazing year for me. From the time I was a child, I dreamed of participating in the All-England championships. As a matter of fact, that was the only tournament I was aware of at the time. Being a part of the finals was one of the most incredible experiences,” he tweeted.

The sport in his blood

The 21-year-old Commonwealth Games champion has badminton in his blood. Raised in the cantonment town of Almora in Uttrakhand, Sen was always fascinated by the game as he remembers holding his grandfather’s hand at the mere age of five and following him to the only outdoor court in the town. His grandfather, Chandra Lal Sen, was known as the grand old man of badminton in Almora. It was during his first posting in Bahraich, near the Nepal border that he first saw the game of badminton, and instantly took a liking to it, so much that he even represented civil services tournament. He later brought the game to Almora, and his son (Sen’s father) DK Sen followed in his footsteps. So, when Lakshya was seven, he began training under his father, who is nothing short of a revolutionary in the field of coaching.

Lakshya Sen has reached the sixth spot at BWF World Rankings

Sen’s coaching began with multi-feed shuttle drill, which essentially means that the coach stands in the center of the other court and keeps on hitting shuttles in different parts of the player’s court making him move from one corner to another. While most players begin multi-feed drills at a later stage, Lakshya was at it from the go. “He hardly had a childhood. From age five, it has been badminton all the time. From 4.30 in the morning, even when it is bitterly cold, he was out training with his father,” his mother told News 18.

While the initial training set the foundation for him, things started to shift for Sen in 2013 when his father took him to Prakash Padukone Academy to train under U Vimal Kumar and Prakash Padukone. This paved Lakshya’s way to the top of the junior circuit, helping him become World No 1 junior player in 2017. “My grandfather was a badminton player and my father is a coach. So, that’s how I got introduced to the sport and once I started doing well at junior tournaments, I decided to become a professional shuttler,” Lakshya told Firstpost.

Beginning of a stellar career

The transition from top junior player to an equally successful player in the senior circuit came with its trials and tribulations during his short stint at the academy run by Danish legend Morten Frost. However, the constant work on his strength and stamina proved to be beneficial for the shuttler. He bounced back in 2018 by winning a bronze at World Junior Championship, a gold at the Asian Juniors and a gold in a mixed team, and a silver in men’s singles at Youth Olympic Games. These years of practice on the court have made him patient as a player and have yielded him good results.

Taking home the Thomas Cup was an incredible accomplishment for India. Together, we delivered when it mattered most.

I won’t participate in the Australian open. So no more international tournament this year.
Will start with malasiya open next year in Jan. 💪 pic.twitter.com/sabdaKXsQ0

— Lakshya Sen (@lakshya_sen) November 8, 2022

“Compared to my junior days, I am a little more patient. Trying to rally more. I need to improve this more for sure, but there are a lot more things to learn, but from then to now, it is a difference in my game. That I make the effort to play better strokes from the back, not just go all out with smashes… trying to build up a point. In the senior circuit, everyone is fit and the shuttle keeps coming back. You have to play long rallies, long matches. Preparing for that, I have improved my fitness,” he told Scroll in an interview.

The very next year, Sen won his first BWF Tour title by winning the Dutch Open men’s singles title after beating Yusuke Onodera of Japan. The same year, he also won the 2019 Scottish Open in November. However, it was a two-week training with Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in August 2021 that turned out to be a gamechanger for Lakshya as he learnt varied training methods along with strengthening and conditioning. This stint with Axelsen eventually put Lakshya on course to his recent success, including the CWG 2022 win. Despite the big stage, Lakshya didn’t put pressure on himself “thinking about the medal” as he always had the belief that he can do well.

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐆! 👊

Lakshya Sen of 🇮🇳 was at his dominant best against Olympic 🥉 medallist Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of 🇮🇩 in the opening round of the Denmark Open.#Badminton | #DenmarkOpen2022 | @bwfmedia | @lakshya_sen | @BAI_Media pic.twitter.com/IhZcY5JiqP

— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) October 20, 2022

The sports star has bowed out of the Australian Open due to a throat infection, but he is set to cast his spell again with Malaysia Open in January 2023, and his fans cannot wait to see him on the court again.

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Published on 12, Nov 2022

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Building CITTA: How Akanksha and Tanay Sharma are shaping baby care in India

(February 21, 2024) The baby care industry in India has seen significant growth over the last few years, driven by increased consumer awareness rising disposable incomes, and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.02 percent from 2022 to 2027. Parents want safe, natural and cruelty-free products for their babies, as overall trends move towards healthier, more sustainable lifestyles. Indian brands have risen to the challenge, bringing modern innovation together with a deep understanding of local and cultural nuances, and India's age-old traditional remedies. CITTA, co-founded by 24-year-old Akanksha Sharma, her mom, Monisha Sharma and brother, Tanay Sharma, is a Pune-based baby care brand that reached a turnover of Rs 1.2 crore within two years. [caption id="attachment_36018" align="aligncenter" width="613"] Akanksha and Tanay Sharma with their mother, Monisha[/caption] ‘Nushke’ to building a brand When Akanksha was studying in the US, her mom and grandma would call her all the time, lovingly giving her advice or ‘nushke’ like 'drink turmeric milk,' and 'use rosewater when you're out in the sun'. Around this time, a well-known baby care brand received a lot of bad press for using unsafe ingredients in their baby powder. Akanksha, who was always entrepreneurial, teamed up with her

hen you're out in the sun'. Around this time, a well-known baby care brand received a lot of bad press for using unsafe ingredients in their baby powder. Akanksha, who was always entrepreneurial, teamed up with her mom and brother to create a safer alternative, and CITTA came to be. Both siblings were abroad - Akanksha was studying Apparel Industry Management at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA, while Tanay was doing a Bachelor's at the University of Toronto. Eventually, they returned home to build their business.

Business in their blood

"I was born and raised in a business family," Akanksha tells Global Indian. "I have witnessed their struggles, growth and expansion. Entrepreneurship is in my blood. My parents are my biggest inspiration since I saw them during their struggling years and I see them now and all that they have accomplished. It pushes me to do better everyday." A quiet and shy child, Akanksha grew into a confident young adult, going on to become head girl at Lexicon School in Pune, where she also participated in co-curricular activities, played basketball, volleyball, took part in debates, elocutions and lots more.

Akanksha and Tanay, who are currently 24 and 22 respectively, grew up in a joint family of 10 members where struggles were common in the early years. "I would see all the adults in my family work very hard till late. They made a decision to start a school together in which there were only 16 students in the first year, out of which three were me and my two sisters," she says. Today, the school has 10,000 students, and holds a valuable lesson for Akanksha and Tanay. "Anything is possible with consistent hard work and dedication," says Tanay. "It pushed me to do better. I got into the University of Toronto and did my undergrad there along with running my own small business."

CITTA began with a mission to create safe and nurturing baby care products. As they researched the industry, they found it needed gentle but effective skincare solutions for both infants and their parents. They expanded into the skincare segment too, along with baby care products. "We are proud to be free from toxins, harsh chemicals, parabens, sulphates, silicones, talc, mineral oils, allergens, petroleum jelly and other potential irritants," the duo say. "This ensures that are products are gentle on sensitive baby skin." The CITTA product range includes a Moisturizing Baby Balm which uses eight natural oils, including Shea butter and vitamin E. Their talc-free baby oil is made with corn, oats and kaolin, which prevents rashes. Their foaming baby wash and baby shampoo are soap-free and tear-free.

Made for the Indian consumer

As homegrown baby care brands now flood the market, CITTA caters to the specific demands of the Indian consumer. "Whether it's developing eco-friendly packaging, incorporating advanced technologies into our products or introducing unique formulations, we strive to set ourselves apart in a crowded market," Akanksha and Tanay explain. They invest heavily in sustainability, ensuring that every part of the supply chain is rooted in integrity, from the ethical sourcing of raw materials to minimizing their carbon footprint every step of the way.

Building CITTA came with its share of challenges and successes. "Each contributed valuable lessons that will significantly shape our plans and strategies moving forward," they say. There have also been numerous shifts in consumer preferences and lifestyles, which has taught them to invest more in R&D practices as they navigate the complexities of the global supply chain. "Disruptions brought about by external factors have emphasised the need for resilience and adaptability," say the siblings. "We have learned to proactively diversify our sourcing strategies, build strategic partnerships and implement agile inventory management systems." They are also working on enhancing their online presence, creating user-friendly interfaces and building robust e-commerce infrastructure.

The sibling journey

Akanksha and Tanay remain at the forefront of CITTA and use their sibling rapport to their advantage. "It's fun and nice," Akanksha smiles. "Tanay, as a brother and working partner, is always supportive. Whether in a meeting, during decision -making or facing any difficulties, you always know that there's support from someone who is equally invested. Despite my emotional nature, Tanay is calm, so we complement each other." Arguments are par for the course, but those are always sorted out in the end.

"Tanay agrees."I had always pictured working with my sister when I was younger and I really like doing so because she gives me immense support and strength," he smiles. "I get to be my goofy self around her and we get to laugh a lot together," he laughs. They strike a balance by talking shop only at the office and just being siblings at home.

It's a unique dynamic that has made for an exciting and fulfilling journey, bolstered by a deep understanding of each other and complementing one another's strengths and shortcomings. "There is a natural synergy that goes beyond business - it's a family affair infused with shared passion and dedication," say the siblings. "We celebrate victories together, learn from setbacks and constantly push each other to innovate. It's not just a partnership, it's a shared adventure that makes every success even sweeter."

Follow Akanksha Sharma and CITTA on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

Making India proud: Meet the young prodigies who are finding solutions for global issues

(August 14, 2022) While people of the country were busy fighting over various problems, the youth have been working quietly behind the scenes, away from the noise, to find answers. In the last 75 years, India has witnessed many young minds who have played an instrumental role in finding the solutions to some of the biggest issues plaguing our society. From space technology to artificial intelligence, and environment to social issues, these innovators have earned global recognition in various fields. Global Indian puts the spotlight on five young prodigies, whose research and innovations are making a positive impact - not just in India, but across the world. Self-powered freezer to keep vaccines cool When he was 15 years old, Anurudh Ganesan invented VAXXWAGON, a portable refrigeration system to transport vaccines safely and effectively. The invention won him a slew of awards, including the LEGO Education Builder Award and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The VAXXWAGON runs on a "no ice, no electricity" system and is very cost-effective (less than $100). It can also keep the temperature consistent for several hours at a stretch. When he was an infant, his grandparents carried him ten miles in rural South India

rature consistent for several hours at a stretch.

When he was an infant, his grandparents carried him ten miles in rural South India to get him his routine polio vaccination. When they finally arrived, they found the vaccines were useless after having not been refrigerated for an extended period.

Always given to questions and innovation, he recalls asking his father when he was five years old, about inventing a vehicle that doesn't need gas. The innovator didn't stop there. He went on to research the subject, learning everything he could about self-generating power. In keeping with this, VAXXWAGON works with "wheel-powered refrigeration". As the wheel turns, mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy and can keep vaccines cold for up to 16 hours after being powered for only half that time.

Follow Anurudh Ganesan on LinkedIn

Teen's answer to aircraft accidents

Back in 2019, Pravin Nagendran, a student of Biotechnology at Bannari Amman Engineering College in Erode, began working on a plant-based, flame-resistant alternative to materials like glass fibre. To minimise damage caused by impact, aircraft and other vehicles are built using a composite material, like glass fibre, to add tensile strength. The flip side is that they are flammable.

Working out of his lab in college as soon as the lockdown was lifted, the innovator developed a prototype, made by extracting nanoparticles from the ash of the plant, he told Better India. This came after one year of research, during which he worked with members of the faculty to identify a suitable biomaterial. They tested the material at high temperatures and found it completely resistant to fire. It is also biodegradable.

The invention won him third place from over 65,000 entries at the Defence Research and Development Organisation's contest, Dare to Dream 2.0. He hopes to commercialise it after he graduates from college.

The girl who has a planet named after her in the Milky Way

Growing up in Bengaluru, the city of lakes, Sahithi Pingali had come across many infamous incidents of the Bellandur, Arthur, and Agara lakes bursting into flames from the heaps of garbage around them. Worried about the pollution in the water bodies, the innovator came up with an award-winning paper – ‘An Innovative Crowdsourcing Approach to Monitoring Freshwater Bodies', and presented it at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Her work was based on the insights she had gathered through a lake monitoring app and a monitoring kit that she had created to collect the crowdsourced data on the issue. The 16-year-old not only won the second prize at ISEF 2017 but also bagged additional three special prizes there. The talented innovator was pleasantly surprised when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology partnered with ISEF and decided to name a planet in the Milky Way after her as a reward, making entire India proud. Sahiti is now a master’s student of management science and engineering, at Stanford University and has worked in several environment-related initiatives since then.

Follow Sahithi Pingali on Twitter and LinkedIn

Finding solutions for a better tomorrow

As a young kid, Arunima Sen was often in awe of her parents who spent hours working on various projects for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). That's how she developed an interest in the subject and started working on innovative solutions for global problems. When she was in grade 10, she was selected for The Junior Academy programme conducted by The New York Academy of Sciences, and that set her on the course of finding many solutions.

From measuring micro-nutrients in a person's body using strands of hair, to developing a method to save energy in high-rise buildings, the 20-year-old innovator has found a solution to every problem in most developing countries. A climate activist, Arunima is the recipient of several international and national awards — including the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, MPower Financing Women in STEM Grand Award, and the Distinguished Student Award from the New York Academy of Sciences — and has been named a 2020 Global Teen Leader of the We Are Family Foundation and one of the Mars Generation’s 24 under 24 Innovators in STEM and Space.

During an interaction with the press, Arunima said, "I am currently being mentored by professionals from Sidewalk Labs — an urban innovation company working to make cities more sustainable and affordable for all. Since the pandemic had brought many discussions and assignments to a halt, my friend and I are working to resume it soon."

Follow Arunima Sen on Twitter

A superhero for women

Shocked by the most gruesome ‘Nirbhaya’ incident of the country, Siddhartha Mandala, who was a 12-year-old kid then, had accompanied his mother for public demonstrations that followed. Deeply moved by the sordid event, the youngster spent the next four years creating a device to prevent molestation and rape. The gadget that he named ‘Electroshoe’ passes electricity to electrocute molesters.

The young innovator had not lost his patience in creating the device even when his prototype had failed 17 times and he had got electrocuted twice during the experiments. The footwear created by him can also send signals to the police, friends, and family using GPS. Influenced by his mother’s activism, Siddharth also started an NGO, Cognizance Welfare Initiative (CWI) to spread awareness about rape and its prevention. He is now a student fellow at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Claremont, California. The youngster often visits dating sites, not to find a dating partner but to sell his device.

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Shray Joshi: Helping companies build great brands through Good Peeps

(May 2, 2024) DTC brands, or direct-to-consumer brands, are on the rise. By cutting out the middleman and selling directly to customers online, they can offer unique products, build personal relationships, and control the customer journey. This booming market thrives on strong marketing strategies. A well-crafted plan, focused on building brand identity and utilizing data-driven digital channels, is crucial for DTC brands to stand out in a crowded space and convert interest into loyal customers. Shray Joshi, a first-generation Indian-American entrepreneur, exemplifies the drive and passion required to navigate the competitive world of wellness brands. Prior to founding Good Peeps in 2022, Shray honed his marketing and growth expertise at established companies like Health-Ade Kombucha, Cha Cha Matcha, and SIMULATE. This background, coupled with a personal journey to understand the connection between food and health, positions Shray perfectly to understand the unique needs of today's wellness brands. The Forbes 30 Under 30 is not only adept at building marketing strategies but also deeply committed to social responsibility, actively working to inspire and empower the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Growing up in San Diego, "the home of every single cool new product," the Global Indian recalls that "going to every

w.globalindian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian recalls that "going to every single grocery store and aisle shopping" was his personal form of therapy as a kid. At University in Boston, Shray Joshi wanted to study psychology and nutrition, driven by his own personal struggles with obesity. From there, he switched to biochemistry and nutrition. "I got to learn about what you're putting into your body and what it actually does to you," he said. "My research specifically focussed on learning how processed foods affect your body's microbiome and metabolism."

Finding purpose in wellness

He was also focussed on his own wellness journey, and found that simply living better, eating better and moving around can solve most health problems. His fitness journey worked out so well that he was soon helping friends as well, working with them one on one, although he didn't know where his education and experiences would lead him, from a career perspective. "I was just getting healthy and helping friends do the same." At the same time, like most science students, he was drinking a lot of coffee.

His first turning point came through a friend in college, who introduced him to matcha, back before everyone was talking about it. "I fell in love with it. One part of wellness is health, and eating right. The new part is reducing anxiety and improving mental health. Matcha helped me reduce coffee and I was wondering why all of America wasn't drinking this product." So, he applied to every matcha company he could find, and ended up getting a job at Cha Cha Matcha in NYC, where he worked on digital marketing. From there, he moved to Health-Ade Kombucha, where he became the head of Digital and Growth.

After a few years of working in-house, Shray Joshi decided to try something new. "I got a lot of good advice, including that I was too stubborn to work at a corporate," he laughs. He began doing consulting instead, and found that the brands he was working with were "overly complicating marketing from an internal perspective." As the consulting business grew, Shray made the leap into entrepreneurship, founding his own branding company, Good Peeps. "There are so many agencies trying to offer playbook sales tactics. On the other hand, we are like, we won't work on 600 brands. We will work on four or five brands at the same time and go really deep with them. We will build those really great brands and tell really great stories in unique ways." They work with fast growing brands in the CGP industry, like Feastables, Chamberlain Coffee and Fly by Jing. "We work with these brands to plan retail and online strategies," he said. "Given our background as a team, we do good work from a branding, content and creative perspective, as well as performance marketing."

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Helping brands build demand

Responding to a question about whether brands should focus on retail or digital, Shray says, "It's super category and product dependent. If you have a high consumption frequency, then you want to be in retail. You can use digital to scale and help you win in retail. Other clients need to crush it on digital and also get retail distribution to clog up leaky buckets."

A strong online content marketing strategy is crucial to building demand. "For one, it's a good way of showing retailers that they want to have you on board," Shray explains. "You can bulid a strong community, make really cool partnerships and build a group of hardcore loyalists online. You can use that following to walk into a store and say, 'I have a bunch of people begging for my product, so you are going to want to stock it'." Big stores, he says, take on clients with a Direct-to-Consumer presence and also those with a strong online presence.

Telling the right story

"If you have a really good story to tell, then tell it. If you don't, then don't force it," Shray believes. Brands driven by Asian Americans who found companies that connect with who they are have good stories, he says. "But if you're like, finance-backed and you saw white space in the market, that's where you lean on product focus and brand marketing, not your personal story." As a bottom line, he refers to Post Malone. "Make stuff you like. Other people will end up liking it too."

Follow Shray Joshi on Instagram and LinkedIn

Indian-British actress Priya Kansara is breaking stereotypes in the English film industry

(April 25, 2023) Till early 2021, Priya Kansara was still working in healthcare communications for a pharmaceutical company, while nursing her childhood dream of becoming an actress someday on the side. The youngster became an overnight star after she appeared in season two of the period drama Bridgerton for Netflix as Miss Eaton. Her critically-acclaimed in the period drama was followed by another great performance in Netflix's The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. And quite recently, the young actress gave another stellar performance in the recently released British action-comedy film Polite Society from Nida Manzoor. Referred to as the “Stars of Tomorrow” by Screen International, the British actress portrayed the part of a stunt woman in training and London schoolgirl Ria Khan, as she attempts to kidnap her older sister from her own wedding in Polite Society. "Ria is a character I would have waited for my entire career to play — it felt like she already resided in me,” the actress said in an interview, adding, "There were moments when I was playing Ria where I thought, ‘I wish I saw this growing up'." Chasing her dreams As a young girl, Priya would quite often find herself staring

ciety. "Ria is a character I would have waited for my entire career to play — it felt like she already resided in me,” the actress said in an interview, adding, "There were moments when I was playing Ria where I thought, ‘I wish I saw this growing up'."

Chasing her dreams

As a young girl, Priya would quite often find herself staring at the TV at her home, mesmerised by the actors and actresses on screen. In fact, her passion for acting and dancing was ignited by watching Bollywood films with her mum. She started working on numerous commercials, television series, and independent films, however, despite her talent she wasn't able to score a substantial role.

[caption id="attachment_29503" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Priya played the part of Miss Eaton, in Netflix's period drama, Bridgerton[/caption]

Soon after earning a bachelor's in science from the University College London, the youngster took up a job in the healthcare communications department of a global pharmaceutical company. Not losing faith in her dreams, Priya started attending night classes at the Identity School of Acting in London, which she continued for three years. It was quite a challenging period for the actress, who shared during various interviews that "keeping on track despite the failures" took a lot of strength. “It was nerve-wracking jumping into a career that you don’t know is going to work in your favour, but it was never a choice, it was just about timing. Acting is all I ever wanted to do,” the Global Indian said.

[caption id="attachment_29504" align="aligncenter" width="656"] A scene from movie Polite Society[/caption]

Encouraged by her friends and family the actress left her job in March 2021 and made it straight to an audition being held for season two of Bridgerton. While she didn't have much hope, the actress stepped out of the audition venue after bagging an important role in the series about a few hours later. "People would say, ‘Maybe one day you’ll do something like Bridgerton.’ I felt very lucky for that to be the start,” said the actress.

A stellar journey

Though it was a small role, it was an impactful one - and having got the part after such a long wait, Priya put all her efforts into ensuring that her performance spoke volumes about her talent. And of course, it did. The young actress landed the role of Flo in Netflix's The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. The show got a positive review on the OTT platform, and again Priya was the talk of the town for her amazing performance. And that was the turning point for Priya.

The actress who was, till now, only getting character roles in various shows and movies, got a call one morning from the writer and director Nida Manzoor, who was quite impressed by her previous performances and insisted on casting Priya in her upcoming project. That afternoon, the actress found herself in Nida's office where the two discussed the story and script of Polite Society. After a formal audition, the actress ended up securing the lead role of Ria, a teenage girl with aspirations to be a stuntwoman, who embarks on a heist to try to stop her sister from getting married.

"It felt like she (Ria) already resided in me," the actress said during the premier of the movie, which was held at the Sundance Film Festival. Praising her performance, several media houses described her as a “delightful newcomer”. In fact, Nida referred to Priya as “the next Tom Cruise", as she chose to do so many of her own stunts.

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Currently basking in the Los Angeles sun, the young actress is working through the many scripts being sent her way. "I would love to do things that are versatile and interesting and fresh, and grow as an actor," she exclaimed when asked about her future plans.

Follow Priya Kansara on Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

The great Indian kickoff: Rising Indian footballers find a place in international leagues

(April 28, 2024) The craze of football is rising in India. Over the years, India has produced some amazing talent. Some got an opportunity to play in prominent foreign leagues, others got a glimpse of the big football leagues, albeit fleetingly. These upcoming Indian footballers have shown the roadmap to the kids of Gen X – to play in the big leagues in Europe or on foreign soil. Taking inspiration from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, these youngsters are taking the game to another level. As the Indian national football team prepares for the World Cup qualifier match, Global Indian takes a look at these elite footballers, who have played in foreign leagues and have inspired the future generation. Sarpreet Singh, 23, Bayern Munich Starting his football career at 10, New Zealand-born Sarpreet Singh is an attacking midfielder. He grew up playing for local club Onehunga Sports, and even represented Auckland at the Australian National Futsal Championships, winning the Most Valuable Player award. Born to Indian parents - a Sikh father and a Christian mother - in Auckland in 1999, Sarpreet has a brother and a sister, who are currently pursuing their degrees. Well-known among Indian football

their degrees. Well-known among Indian football fans, Sarpreet’s impressive performances attracted the attention of many top clubs.

[caption id="attachment_15141" align="aligncenter" width="553"] Sarpreet Singh[/caption]

At 21, Sarpreet became the first Indian-origin footballer to join Bundesliga, a professional association football league in Germany. Currently, he is playing for 2. Bundesliga club, on loan from Bayern Munich II, Sarpreet also represents the New Zealand national team. Although Sarpreet was on the bench for a few fixtures in 2020, after making a comeback, Sarpreet scored seven goals from 20 appearances and was the team's second-highest goal-scorer in the season.

While speaking to the press during a media interaction, Sarpreet had mentioned that he didn't believe it when he first received the news that Bayern Munich was interested in him. He expressed that it was a dream come true for him and he is learning as much as he is enjoying the game.

Ishan Pandita, 23, Lorca FC

Bengaluru lad, Ishan Pandita, created history by becoming the first Indian footballer to sign a professional contract with a Spanish La Liga club in 2016. Nicknamed as the Super Sub because of his ability to score late match-winning goals in the game, the 23-year-old Ishan Pandita has scored more than 80 per cent of his goals after the 75th minute.

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Ishan signed a one-year deal with Tercera Division Club Lorca. He played 26 matches and scored six goals and was the top scorer for the club in the 2019–20 season. After spending a term of six years in various lower-division Spanish clubs, he returned to India and signed for FC Goa ahead of the Indian Super League in 2020-21. However, surprisingly, he joined Jamshedpur FC ahead of the 2021-22 Hero ISL.

As a teenager, Ishan shares that he was juggling between swimming and football. He believes it was his stint in Spain that helped him transform into a better footballer. During an interview, Ishan had shared that playing for the Spanish FC was a learning experience for him. The exposure and facilities there brought out the best in him.

Shubho Paul, 20, Bayern Munich

The first Indian footballer to get a place in the Bayern World Squad in Munich, 18-year-old Shubho Paul from West Bengal scored a total of eight goals in 11 games for the U17 national side in his international career, in 2021. The footballer, who until a few years ago played barefoot and reached the training grounds on a borrowed cycle, started his career at the age of 15.

Before bursting onto the senior squad, Paul was part of Minerva FC’s youth squad for whom he played in the AIFF Youth league scoring 14 goals in 11 appearances, and this performance paved his way into the first team of Minerva FC. His performance in the youth leagues also earned him a call up to the U-17 Indian national team.

The news of his call up to the World Squad was emotional for his elder brother, Raju Paul, who left football 10 years ago due to family’s financial constraints. During an interaction with the media, Shubho shared that his brother gave up on his dream and took up a job as his family couldn't afford both the sons playing football. Crediting his brother for his success on the field, he said that he only played cricket growing up, but his brother motivated him to think about football seriously, and took him to the coaches.

Ashiq Vithayathil, 25, CD Tablero

The Kerala-born 25-year-old defender left the country after earning a trial with Italian club A side AS Roma, where he played for the reserve team as a teenager. Currently playing for the Spanish side CD Tablero, Ashiq Vithayathil brushed shoulders with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Stephan El-Shaarawy and Francesco Totti in what was a "dream come true" moment.

Among the handful of Indians to play European football, Ashiq's teammates call him “Thiago.” The Indian footballer, who has had stints with clubs in Germany and Italy as well, did admit his desire to play for his home team, Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters. During an interview, he had said that his game has always been aggressive and attacking the opposition goal, just like that of Kerala Blasters. He added that his training and tough conditions have trained him well to play for Kerala.

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