Global IndianstoryAcclaimed Indian filmmaker, Shaily Sanghvi is on a mission to elevate India’s standing on the global cinematic stage

Acclaimed Indian filmmaker, Shaily Sanghvi is on a mission to elevate India’s standing on the global cinematic stage

Written by: Bindu Gopal Rao

(August 14, 2023) A writer, director, and producer based in Los Angeles, Shaily Sanghvi has made several inroads into Hollywood, with films like ‘Pandaal’, ‘Jasmine Flowers’, ‘Little Joys of the Finite’, ‘Haze Grey’, ‘The Grass is Greener’, ‘Pirouette’ and more.

Flash Back

Sanghvi grew up in Ahmedabad but her love for films made her shift to Mumbai right after her under-graduation. Even as a child she would be completely involved when watching movies. “When I was watching Kuch Kuch Hota Hai at the age of four, I was weeping because I did not want Anjali to leave Rahul at the station,” she recollects. Even today she admits that she draws inspiration from the beautiful painting that Sanjay Leela Bhansali creates in each frame. She completed her undergraduate course in Mass Communication from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, where she was first exposed to filmmaking. She later moved to Los Angeles and finished her master’s from New York Film Academy (LA campus).

Indian filmmaker Shaily Sanghvi

Film Trip

For someone who has always been an expressive person, whether it was through her paintings, poems or learning dance forms like Kathak, Salsa, Bharatnatyam or Belly Dance as a child, she learnt early that there was a way for her to express all these forms together and this was when she fell in love with the craft. “I could use my poems for characters’ emotions, painting to make my frame aesthetic, and dance to understand complex human behaviours. And when I saw Zoya Akhtar and her films using each of these forms to express emotions her characters go through, my mind was set,” says Sanghvi. Incidentally, she made her first film during under graduation which she believes was guerrilla filmmaking in a true sense. “My parents became my production designers; my photography friend became my DOP and my room became my set. Not of much surprise, that film was not a great one. But what I did realise was the lengths I was ready to go to get that story to life and film it. I learnt a lot of what not to do from that and how to grow.”

Global Indian | Shaily Sanghvi

Tele Tales

The first time she saw a set was when she did an internship for India’s Best Dramebaaz, Season 2 on Zee TV. This was when she was still doing her undergraduate course when she found that they needed interns for a TV show. “There was not even a second of doubt that I wanted to do it. That was the first time I went to Mumbai for work and not to see relatives. That month of internship was enough to give me a lifetime of determination to go back and do this for life,” the Global Indian says. It was only after two years that she moved to Mumbai and joined Balaji Telefilms as Ekta Kapoor’s creative associate. And proverbially, there was no looking back as she has stints with Disney, Monozygotic (Roadies famed, Raghu and Rajiv’s production house), and Flipkart MiniTV after that. She also worked with several celebrities like Sonali Bendre, Sajid Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Ekta Kapoor, Vishal Malhotra, Mallika Dua, Rhea Kapoor, Akash Gupta and more.

Creative Path

One film that she is proud of is ‘Pirouette’ that has garnered various awards including the Best Drama award at the prestigious Synergy Film Festival 2022, alongside her well-deserved recognition as Best Female Director. The film is about this uncomfortable topic of desires through the journey of a ballet dancer and her struggle to fulfil her dreams. It talks about how sometimes the dreams that you choose do not choose you back. But does that make it the end? Life runs in circles, if you have not received what you desire, it is yet not the end. “Awards and recognition may not help your craft, but they do play a role to boost you. Pirouette being one of my early films to gain recognition gave me a boost to keep going,” she avers. Other than this, her horror-thriller film, ‘I Got You’ has also bagged a couple of awards in categories like best horror and best director. “One of the bigger milestones is creating my film ‘Alive’. Crowdfunded, this film holds a special place in my heart since it was roughly based on my experience of recent grief. Having lost my Badi Ma very recently, it took me a lot of courage to gather myself and make this film happen. The film is currently in post-production and we are working towards making it the best version of itself. Since it is based roughly on the way my family dealt with that grief, this film means to me a lot more than any of my creations,” she says.

Shaily Sanghvi at the Synergy Film Festival.

Indian Connection

Sanghvi is working to elevate India’s standing on the global cinematic stage and takes pride that she has a unique perspective of blending two cultures to bring a fresh story. “The last two films that I directed were both Indian stories. My film ‘Jasmine Flowers’ is about an Old Indian woman, residing in the US, hoping for a wedding invitation to her neighbour’s wedding despite her inauspicious status as a widow. What we explore in this film is not how regressive the traditions are but how in today’s time we are living against them,” says Sanghvi. Having a multicultural experience helps a lot while exploring human emotions. “I want people here to know India for things way beyond the dance we have in our films. Being amongst the biggest entertainment industry in the world the Indian film industry should be known for so much more, for the stories, for its culture, for so much that it has to offer and I want the world to see that,” she opines.

Future Perfect

Films come with their own set of challenges. For instance, Pirouette was being shot on 35mm film camera and choreographing a whole ballet sequence and training the talent to perform it within the limited takes that a film camera allows to fit everything within the limited budget was hard. “Films are someone everyone will have an opinion on. That is the beauty of it. You make one film but that same film will be seen in a million different ways. That is not a test to your abilities but the natural way of art to exist,” she admits. Currently, she is working on the postproduction of three of her films and is preparing her next project, a web series to be shot in the coming year. See you at the movies!

Follow Shaily Sanghvi on Instagram and check her work on IMDB

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Shyamu

August 21, 2023 11:47 am

Congratulations Shaily….. All the best for your future endeavors…

Published on 14, Aug 2023

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Reviving the American dream: Economist Raj Chetty’s research is shaping the global future

(August 17, 2023) Nadarajan Chetty had his luckiest moment before he even came into the world. His mother, Anbu, secured a spot in the first group of 30 young women to attend a medical college. Her journey later brought her and her family to the USA, where her nine-year-old son got the opportunity to become a world-class economist - who has been awarded the Harvard University’s George Ledlie Prize for “wielding big data to break myths about who achieves the American Dream and the obstacles faced by others.” The Indian American, who is the William A. Ackman Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is also the Director of Opportunity Insights, a group of economists based at Harvard who study inequality. [caption id="attachment_43724" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Economist Raj Chetty[/caption] “The big-picture goal,” Chetty had once told the media while talking about his work, "is to revive the American dream. A defining feature of the American Dream is upward mobility—the ability of all children to have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. And we aim to revive that dream." The Global Indian, who became one of the youngest tenured faculty in the history of Harvard's economics department, was also awarded

of the American Dream is upward mobility—the ability of all children to have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. And we aim to revive that dream." The Global Indian, who became one of the youngest tenured faculty in the history of Harvard's economics department, was also awarded the Infosys Prize in Economics, the highest monetary award recognizing achievements in science and research, in India.

A lifetime opportunity

Chetty's mother who was raised in Tamil Nadu, stood out as the brightest student, but her opportunities were limited by tradition. Even though Anbu's father supported her love for learning, there were no colleges nearby, and it wouldn't have been considered appropriate to send his daughter far away for education. However, when Anbu was nearing the end of her high school years, a small miracle changed the course of her life. A wealthy local businessperson, who also had a talented daughter, made a surprising decision. He established a women's college, right within his impressive home. Anbu secured a spot in the first group of 30 young women to attend this college. They studied English in the spacious courtyard, sheltered by a thatched roof. In the early mornings, Anbu took the bus to a nearby college to conduct chemistry experiments or examine frogs' hearts before the men students arrived.

[caption id="attachment_43725" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Economist | Raj Chetty | Global Indian Nine-year-old Chetty[/caption]

Eventually, Anbu enrolled in medical school despite her father's initial disapproval. In 1962 Anbu married Veerappa Chetty, and Raj was born in New Delhi. At the age of nine, Chetty's family relocated to the United States, and he embarked on a journey of achievement almost as remarkable as that of his parents. "My parents, who grew up in very low-income families and villages in South India … the opportunities they had were greatly shaped by the fact that they happened to be the ones who were picked to get a higher education in their families," said the economist during an interview, "And I could kind of see how that’s played out through the generations in my own family, through the opportunities my cousins have had versus what I’ve had … ending up here at Harvard and the various opportunities I’ve had, I felt have stemmed from that.”

A scholar

A brilliant student from the very beginning, Chetty was the valedictorian of his high-school class. After finishing his school, the young economist joined the University School of Milwaukee and graduated in 1997. Chetty earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University in 2000, where he continued pursuing his Ph.D. from the institution. "I was quite fortunate to complete my dissertation under the direction of Martin Feldstein, Gary Chamberlain, and Lawrence F. Katz. My thesis was titled 'Consumption commitments, risk preferences, and optimal unemployment insurance'," the economist shared.

[caption id="attachment_43726" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Economist | Raj Chetty | Global Indian Raj and Sundari Chetty[/caption]

Ambitious and focussed, Chetty became an assistant professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, eventually becoming a tenured associate professor there at 28. Just five years after starting his career, The Economist and The New York Times listed Chetty as one of the top eight young economists in the world, in 2008. And the next year, he returned to Harvard, where he was the Bloomberg Professor of Economics and the director of the Lab for Economic Applications and Policy.

Making America great again

While he has won several awards and recognistions, the work that has earned Chetty great renown resonates with his family's past. He has led the way in a method that leverages recently accessible government data to illustrate the progress of American families over generations. This unveils noteworthy trends of both moving up the social ladder and getting stuck in one place. In a preliminary study, he illustrated that kids born in 1940 had a 90 percent likelihood of outearning their parents. However, for those born forty years later, that likelihood had dropped to 50 percent, akin to flipping a coin.

The Padma Shri awardee has been the man behind making the people believe in the 'American dream' again. "One of the core ideals, I think, of American society—and in some ways, the reason my own parents came to the U.S. like many other immigrants, in search of the American dream—is the idea that no matter what your background, you have a great chance of succeeding in America and of moving up in the income distribution relative to where you started. Our education research tries to approach that from one particular angle, as one factor that might matter," the economist said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2U9-Wq2ub0

His recent recognition, the Ledlie Prize, means a lot to Chetty because of its recognition of economics as a science. "One of the things I’ve been trying to push toward is making economics more of a science and viewed as a scientific field where it’s not just about making different assumptions and you have one view and I have another view and we kind of have a political debate but grounded in data, grounded in empirical science," shared the economist, adding that he has a long way to go and much to research for making the US economy the greatest again.

Reading Time: 6 mins

From Mumbai to Milan: Influencer Masoom Minawala’s global impact on Indian fashion

(November 30, 2023) In the early days of her YouTube journey, Masoom Minawala faced skepticism from those around her as she embarked on her fashion channel while still in college. It was 2011, and the notion of making a livelihood through a YouTube channel, particularly one focused on fashion, was met with incredulity. Fast forward more than a decade and Minawala's Instagram page has become a treasure trove for fashion enthusiasts across the globe. Her impeccable wardrobe is nothing short of envy-inducing, and her profound affection for Indian clothing, particularly saris, has the power to kindle adoration in the hearts of many. [caption id="attachment_46647" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Masoom Minawala at Cannes[/caption] The Belgium-based fashion influencer has one resolute mission: to propel Indian fashion onto the global stage. Her approach to fashion is the perfect blend of culture and style, embodying the marriage of tradition and contemporary elegance. At just 30, the fashion influencer-turned-entrepreneur has partnered with renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bvlgari, Estée Lauder, Samsung, BMW, and Airbnb. Not content with merely influencing the fashion world, Minawala has also ventured into the startup realm, making strategic investments in a portfolio that includes Front Row, One Impression, Bliss Club, and

Estée Lauder, Samsung, BMW, and Airbnb. Not content with merely influencing the fashion world, Minawala has also ventured into the startup realm, making strategic investments in a portfolio that includes Front Row, One Impression, Bliss Club, and Stumbl.

In an exciting development, the fashion influencer has recently joined forces with Harshil Karia, her mentor of twelve years and co-founder of Schbang. "The whole idea behind Schbang MMaximize is to replicate for other influencers what I have created for myself," the influencer recently said in an interview, "Creators and influencers face a lot of roadblocks when it comes to getting brand deals, sustainable income, and continuing to be relevant. When you're relevant, the brand deals continue to come in. I have been able to set up a system where all of this runs extremely smoothly. So I wanted to step in and help with all the experience I’ve gathered over the years."

From a tomboy to a diva

Born to Gujarati parents in Mumbai, Masoom's teenage years were far from a fashionable affair. A complete tomboy who was the captain of the soccer team at Bombay Scottish School, dressing up was the last thing on her mind. But in high school, her perspective on fashion suddenly changed and she soon found herself making some chic sartorial choices. This was the beginning of the Global Indian's fashionable journey, but little did she know then she would end up creating a career that is influencing millions today.

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A post shared by Masoom Minawala Mehta (@masoomminawala)

It was probably just destiny that took her to an internship with Brand Marketing India where she stumbled upon fashion blogging while doing a research project. Such was the impact that Masoom that was something she wanted to do, and soon started her own blog. Within months, her followers grew incessantly and she found herself getting more involved in the process. It was then that the influencer realised that she wanted to find her niche in fashion blogging: so she packed her bags for London to take up diploma courses there. Upon her return, Masoom started Style Fiesta, one of India's first fashion e-commerce portals, with a little financial help from her father.

Influencer | Masoom Minawala | Global Indian

While she was steadily climbing the ladder of success in the pre-Instagram era, she encountered her fair share of challenges on her path to acceptance as a fashion blogger. As an early pioneer in the industry, she lacked the guidance of mentors to look up to, leaving her to navigate the complex world of fashion blogging largely on her own. However, the influencer learned at every step of her journey, and soon became a brand in herself. Speaking about her decade-long journey, the influencer shared, "I have been in the content creation industry for twelve years now, and one of the struggles with content creation businesses is that people are not able to build a consistent and sustainable business where revenue comes in month after month. I've been one of the creators who have been able to achieve that. When it comes to driving revenue, I'm one of the highest grossers in the whole industry, according to statistics. The industry and I have literally grown together, as I was one among the first 10 in the industry."

Best foot forward

As the Instagram phenomenon reshaped the landscape of social media culture, Masoom found herself at the centre of welcoming opportunities and a strong following of 1.3 million. "While creating any content, I always follow four principles for my audience," the influencer said, "Educate, help, inspire, and entertain. This has helped me build a great connection with my community for which I will be forever grateful."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikJ6CxHW15g

After working hard for about eight years, Masoom got an opportunity to take centre stage on the prestigious Cannes Film Festival red carpet in 2019 - making her the first Indian fashion influencer to achieve that feat. "I was filled with pride of being able to represent my country," she said after walking the red carpet, ". I was proud to be wearing an Indian designer and representing my country's unique fashion on such a massive global platform. And, my red carpet outfit echoed and reflected my mission of taking Indian fashion globally." The same year she saw herself making her debut in the list of CNN's 20 under 40 list. Eventually, Masoom became a regular at Milan Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week, where she never misses a chance to flaunt that suit or sari and is truly making Indian fashion go global.

Leading with style

In the last few years, Minawala has become a true champion of home-grown brands and designers on the global platform with her initiative #SupportIndianDesigners which has generated 10,000+ conversations in India. In 2019, the influencer started a new venture Empowher which aims to empower homegrown women-led Indian brands and help them receive a global audience.

"Empowher as a project is to create content for women at work or women professionals or entrepreneurs in India. When I started my entrepreneurial journey years ago, I faced a lot of obstacles mainly because of my gender. And through my content from Empowher, I want to try and make the path easier for women out there because there are a lot of stereotypes when it comes to women working in our country, and it’s about time we make it right. Through my learnings and failures if I can make an impact or make someone's journey easier then the purpose of Empowher will be fulfilled," the influencer said in an interview.

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A post shared by Masoom Minawala Mehta (@masoomminawala)

A new mother, Masoom also recently collaborated with India’s first virtual influencer. "I think what is going to be interesting is to see how Web3 will intertwine with the current needed for human interaction that we all have. That's going to be a success story. Because Covid-19 made us realise that human connection is something that we yearn for, Web3, on its own, can't be a success story. It's really about how to bring the two teams together," said the influencer, talking about her experience with AI.

Follow Masoom Minawala on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and her website

What's your Global Indian story? Write to us at editor.gi@globalindian.com

Reading Time: 7 mins

Anita Rani: The new chancellor of University of Bradford deeply values her Indian lineage

(April 2, 2023) “Who would have thought that a girl from a Punjabi family who grew up in Bradford would one day hold this position,” remarked a thrilled Anita Rani while taking over as the seventh chancellor of the University of Bradford in the UK. When the forty-five-year-old took to the stage in a custom-made black and golden mini dress with a flowing robe, she looked every bit the suave broadcaster and television presenter – a role she has played with élan in the last two decades of her career. One of the top media personnel of the UK, Anita has been appointed for the coveted role of a chancellor looking at her love for the city of Bradford, and her dedication towards education. “The University of Bradford is about to move into a really exciting phase, I’m thrilled to be part of that journey,” she said in her speech while taking the charge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlDU_vqj2Xo&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fstage.globalindian.com%2F&feature=emb_logo In her new role she would be nurturing the growth path of the educational establishment working as an ambassador for the institution, in the UK and abroad. As part of her official duties, she would also be conferring degrees on graduating students and chairing

ch?v=PlDU_vqj2Xo&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fstage.globalindian.com%2F&feature=emb_logo

In her new role she would be nurturing the growth path of the educational establishment working as an ambassador for the institution, in the UK and abroad. As part of her official duties, she would also be conferring degrees on graduating students and chairing the University’s Court. She has announced her plans to establish Rani Scholarship to support young women to pursue higher education.

Starting her broadcasting career at the age of 14 Anita Rani is best known as a presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and BBC One's Countryfile. With her multifaceted achievements the British-Indian broadcaster is an incredible role model for young people.

In sync with India

Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire Rani was raised by a Sikh mother and a Hindu father. The second-generation British Indian has always been inclined towards her Indian identity. In one of the episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? broadcast on BBC One in 2015, Anita investigated the origins of her maternal grandfather Sant Singh. Born in Sarhali, Punjab in 1916, Sant Singh had lost his first wife and children during the violence of the Partition of India in 1947. He was thousand miles away in Kirkee, serving in the British Indian Army, when the gruesome event took place.

Anita presented the heart-wrenching story with lots of conviction. Sant Singh had continued to serve in the Indian Army after India’s independence, retiring as a subedar in 1970. He had breathed his last in 1975, two years before Anita’s birth. For the broadcaster who had grown listening about her family’s turmoil, taking audiences back in time was an emotionally consuming endeavour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLH6uMdKN6M

While shooting at the site she had remarked, “Every partition story is full of horror but this one obviously has a deep impact because it’s my family. They were slaughtered right here, where I’m standing, in the most brutal, horrific, tragic way.” With tears welling up her eyes she added, “I’m just trying to pay my respects. I don’t even know what to do. Over thousand people died here, and it’s just a rubbish dump. I feel so sad.”

The following year in 2016 she presented My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947, a two-part programme on BBC One.

Born to be a broadcaster

Growing up in the UK, Anita went to Bradford Girls’ Grammar School and developed an early interest in journalism, hosting her first show at the age of 14 on Sunrise Radio. Later she went to pursue broadcasting at the University of Leeds, following which she joined BBC as a researcher.

Since 2002 Anita Rani has been presenting out-of-the-box shows on radio and television.

Anita Rani | Indian Diaspora | Global Indian

In 2011, she co-presented a two-part documentary travelogue India on Four Wheels, a road trip around the country covering the changes and problems that growing car usage has brought to India since the 1990s. This show was followed by similar shows - China on Four Wheels (aired in 2012) and Russia on Four Wheels (aired in 2014). In 2013, she had co-presented the unique live broadcast project Airport Live from Heathrow Airport.

For several thought-provoking presentations like these, Anita got honoured with the Outstanding Achievement in Television award at The Asian Awards 2018.

Life as a brown girl

The British-Indian broadcaster is a powerhouse of talent and has been very vocal about the discriminations that the Asians face. Eight years back she had participated in the thirteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnering with Gleb Savchenko reaching the semi-finals getting cheers along the way.

“I still rush excitedly over to the telly if there’s someone Asian on it. And that’s why seeing a brown lass doing all right on Strictly meant such a lot to the Asian people,” she had said in an interview with Radio Times. Unhappy with the results she had added, “I still find myself wondering whether I would have got into the finals if I didn’t have a brown face!”

Anita Rani | Indian Diaspora | Global Indian

The presenter is not only an excellent dancer but also an author. Her memoir The Right Sort of Girl published in 2021 made to The Sunday Times  Bestseller List. In the book she has embraced her Indian lineage and has brought the incidences of racism that she has faced over the years to the forefront.

Anita Rani has been serving as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador, and The Scout Association Ambassador in the UK.

The journey ahead

Though Anita is new in the shoes of a chancellor her colleagues believe she is the right fit. Professor Shirley Congdon, vice chancellor of the University of Bradford, remarked during the installation ceremony, “Anita is our perfect choice as chancellor: bold, witty and fiercely independent, she represents our university’s values and ambition – plus being a proud Bradfordian she is as passionate about this great city as we are.”

Anita Rani | Indian Diaspora | Global Indian

Expressing how overwhelming the new role is Anita mentioned, “I hope to be able to give back to the city that gave me so much. As a chancellor I will be encouraging students to soak it all up, make the most of opportunities and then to be brave, ambitious, and resilient when they graduate – confident that they have what they need to succeed.” For the youngsters Anita Rani stands tall as an inspiration and a befitting example of reaching the zenith despite the odds.

Follow Anita Rani on Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

Sustainable designer Kriti Tula is changing the ways of the fashion world

(July 9, 2022) Fashion is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and also one of the sectors that generates tonnes of harmful waste every year. When I ask fashion designer Kriti Tula, what I can as an individual do to help reduce this waste generation, she advises, "Consume consciously. One can make a difference just by the way they shop." Connecting with Global Indian for an interview, the young sustainability champion adds, "Consumers, the key drivers of sustainability, need to be willing to slow down and pay the right price for consciously creating clothing. Bringing a change is a lot more difficult when everyone is just looking for discounts and we are all paying a heavy price to produce things cheaper and faster." [caption id="attachment_27479" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Kriti Tula, founder Doodlage[/caption] The Delhi girl, who started Doodlage in 2012, has been a vocal environmental activist and has brought forward the impact of the fashion industry on the environment. For her efforts to upcycle the waste produced by the garment industry, Kriti was recognised by the Lakme Fashion Week Gen Next Platform and won the ‘Green Wardrobe Initiative’ by HUL and Grazia Young Fashion Award. In 2012, the

ntal activist and has brought forward the impact of the fashion industry on the environment. For her efforts to upcycle the waste produced by the garment industry, Kriti was recognised by the Lakme Fashion Week Gen Next Platform and won the ‘Green Wardrobe Initiative’ by HUL and Grazia Young Fashion Award. In 2012, the 33-year-old fashion designer was also one of 17 climate champions selected by the United Nations.

Socially conscious

Born and brought up in the national capital, Kriti was introduced to the concept of consuming things consciously very early in life. Coming from a middle-class family, the fashion designer says "it was just a way of life back in the day." Apart from being brilliant academically, Kriti took part in various voluntary works. "I have enjoyed volunteer work growing up - from helping out at blind schools to old age homes," says the fashion designer, adding that organising such drives is still a big part of Doodlage.

Attracted to art since her childhood, it was during her school days that Kriti was first introduced to doodling. "Growing up, I have been that kid in the art room who explored various mediums that they enjoy. That's when I started doodling, and in fact, I still try to doodle every day," shares Kriti, who pursued her under graduation in apparel designing at Pearl Academy in Delhi. "I developed an interest in designing at the age of 13. However, a lack of awareness at the time led me to fashion," shares Kriti.

Fashion designer | Kriti Tula | Global Indian

After her graduation, the youngster moved to the London College of Fashion for four years to pursue a master's in design management on a full scholarship. The fashion designer speaks very fondly of her years in London. She says, "Understanding another culture, learning from a new market and getting exposed to a different education system was a great experience. I credit a lot of my growth to these years."

Visiting various production houses at the time made Kriti think hard about the kind of wastage created by the fashion industry every year. "More than 50 percent of textile waste ends up in landfills, as there are no ways to reuse them," shares Kriti, adding, "A mix of my background growing up, being exposed to waste at export houses and just the overall culture of mass production was enough to drive me away from it. I have worked since then to educate myself about various alternatives to fast fashion, meet numerous ethical production units, and the culture that could prevail if we humanise the supply chain. I think that has been enough to motivate me to work towards it."

Making sustainability fashionable

In 2012, after earning her masters in London, Kriti decided to return to India. Having gained a global perspective on the fashion industry, Kriti shares that as a designer she was always inclined to find solutions, and Doodlage started with exactly that agenda. "We aimed to start a conversation around ways to bring circularity in fashion and raise awareness around the impact of a linear fashion model. As we were a bootstrapped firm, we decided to work with one problem at a time. I carefully curated our small supply chain," shares the 33-year-old fashion designer.

[caption id="attachment_27481" align="aligncenter" width="668"] Fashion designer | Kriti Tula | Global Indian Kriti during a field trip[/caption]

Doodlage started collecting fabric waste from factories around Delhi, which had been rejected because of minor defects but which were big enough to be stitched back together to cut more pieces. This allowed them to create limited edition collections, saving tonnes of fabric from ending up in landfills. As the company grew, Kriti found herself "more committed to building a social enterprise making sustainable clothes."

[caption id="attachment_27482" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Fashion designer | Kriti Tula | Global Indian Doodlage's collection is simple and yet quite unique[/caption]

Armed with 20 employees, the majority of Doodlage's sampling, designing, and marketing happens at the studio in Delhi where they employ local artisans. Shedding light on the production process at the fashion house, Kriti shares, "We collect factory waste, fix our material, patch panel and embroider to optimise the use of the fabric we source. We save all resources that would go into making virgin material. What we waste in our supply chain goes to NGOs to create small products like accessories and toys for kids. What is left over is recycled to make paper for our notebooks and packaging."

Long road ahead

Her sustainable fashion brand started earning profits from the first year of operations, however, Kriti expresses that every year came with a new set of challenges. "Our organic reach accounts for almost 16-20 percent of our sales. But there still is a lot to be done to make Doodlage a global brand," says the fashion designer. She has recently expanded the company's operations to Bengaluru and Jaipur, where they are looking to make recycled handloom material, using yarns that are made from shredded post-consumer garments.

[caption id="attachment_27483" align="aligncenter" width="605"] Fashion designer | Kriti Tula | Global Indian Kriti with her team[/caption]

Although the awareness about the impact of the fashion industry on the environment has grown manifold since she started her company, Kriti feels there is still a long way to go. Explaining that multiple stakeholders have to work together to bring about a larger change, the fashion designer feels that the government also needs to enforce laws to hold brands and production houses accountable for the waste created. "Solutions have to be created at the design stage using the right material and thinking about the end of the life of a garment is necessary. Also, cleaning the supply chain to pay our artisans a better wage is very important," Kriti says, as she signs off.

Follow Kriti Tula on LinkedIn
Follow Doodlage on Instagram and its website

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From Zulekha Daud to Mama Zulekha: Story of UAE’s first female Indian doctor

(March 19, 2023) Dr Zulekha Daud, founder and chairperson of Zulekha Healthcare Group in Dubai and Sharjah, is known affectionately by her moniker, ‘Mama Zulekha’. She began her career in 1964, as a 23-year-old and went on to create an unparalleled legacy, after having facilitated the delivery of more than 20,000 babies and building a healthcare empire of her own. She has been a favourite with pregnant women and their families during her 60-year career, often making home visits in keeping with Dubai’s conservative society. Regardless of her fame and professional growth in the UAE, first as a doctor and then as a businesswoman in the healthcare sector, Daud has always remained connected to her hometown Nagpur. “Home is where the heart is. I owe it to my roots,” she had said during the inauguration of her super-speciality hospital, Alexis, in Nagpur. [caption id="attachment_36307" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Dr Zulekha Daud[/caption] The doctor, businesswoman and philanthropist also established Zed – a vocational and training center and a charitable trust in Nagpur, and has made relentless efforts to facilitate access to safe drinking water in the district. In 2019, Daud was honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for her services. The octogenarian continues

om//wp-content/uploads/2023/03/card_zulekha-1.jpg" alt="Top Indian Doctors | Zulekha Daud | Global Indian" width="575" height="431" /> Dr Zulekha Daud[/caption]

The doctor, businesswoman and philanthropist also established Zed – a vocational and training center and a charitable trust in Nagpur, and has made relentless efforts to facilitate access to safe drinking water in the district.

In 2019, Daud was honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for her services. The octogenarian continues to be active in her service of people and dedicated to leading a life of purpose. She has earned several awards and accolades along the way, including the Dubai Quality Award by the Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and recognition by Forbes Middle East as the top 100 women leaders in UAE. Recently Zulekha Hospital got honored with the Sharjah Excellence Award by the deputy ruler of Sharjah.

Battling orthodoxy

As a child, Daud watched her parents battle orthodoxy to educate their daughters as much as their sons. Her father, Sadiq Vali, was in the construction business, while her mother, Bilkis, was a home-maker. In an interview with ET Magazine, Daud recounted that her parents had not been educated as much as they would have liked. So, they were determined to give all the Vali kids the best Nagpur could offer by way of education.

[caption id="attachment_36308" align="aligncenter" width="830"] Dr Zulekha Daud with gynaecologists and obstetricians of UAE[/caption]

Their determination sowed the seeds of Daud’s own go-getter attitude. She broke stereotypes by becoming the first female Indian doctor to practice in the UAE and is one of the most influential Indian-origin business people in the Gulf.

Creating her identity in UAE

In 1962, Zulekha moved to Kuwait with her ophthalmologist husband, Iqbal Daud. Two years later, in 1964, the doctor couple were sent to UAE to work for the Kuwait Mission Hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah. In those days, a stethoscope and a BP apparatus were the only things gynaecologists had in terms of equipment. “Access was remote, and we travelled through deserts in a Range Rover. Most deliveries took place at home, as women were averse to visiting to hospitals,” shared Daud.  

[caption id="attachment_36309" align="aligncenter" width="847"] Top Indian Doctors | Zulekha Daud | Global Indian Dr Zulekha Daud received Sharjah Excellence Award on behalf of Zulekha Hospital on 1st March 2023 by the deputy ruler of Sharjah[/caption]

There weren’t many lady doctors in UAE in those days, and Daud became a household name, always welcomed with open arms into the homes she visited. She worked hard to make healthcare accessible to women, often playing the role of not just a gynaecologist but also a general physician and sometimes a vet – even during her own pregnancies.

Giving back

A deep sense of purpose has driven the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardee for 60 yeras. “Wealth creation is just a concurrent process. Our upbringing taught us to give,” she said. She has passed on the spirit of giving back to her children, who are now at the helm of their mother's healthcare empire. “Throughout my life, I have had to sacrifice a lot, but that has only helped me grow and learn as an individual. Every human life is important to me,” Daud remarked.   

For more than a decade, the Dauds have been providing free PAP tests, mammograms, and FOBT tests to underprivileged women of the country. They also offer free consultation to people who cannot afford it. 

[caption id="attachment_36310" align="aligncenter" width="1097"] Top Indian Doctors | Zulekha Daud | Global Indian Dr Zulekha Daud received Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2019[/caption]

Apart from Alexis in Nagpur, Zulekha Healthcare Group runs two other multidisciplinary hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, and three UAE medical centres providing specialised treatments in over 30 disciplines. It also runs three pharmacies.

During the pandemic, the healthcare group provided relentless service to people - from regular and emergency care to free mental wellness counselling sessions, webinars on safety, recovery, and free second opinions to thousands of people.

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