Global IndianstoryArtist Anjini Prakash Laitu: The Colourman of Dubai

Artist Anjini Prakash Laitu: The Colourman of Dubai

Written by: Sarbani Sen

(February 19, 2022) It’s never too late to discover the artist in you. Anjini Prakash Laitu, 80, picked up the brush and palette at 60. Today, he wows the world and goes by the moniker Colourman of Dubai. After working non-stop for four decades, Anjini decided his retired life would be for himself, and his deep love for art. He did play with colours on fabric for years, but within the confines of his home. The simmering desire to become a well-known Indian artist kept nudging at him. His second innings in life involved pursuing art – His vibrant paintings, which are full of life and colours evoking positive vibes. Exhibited in the UAE, India and Nepal, this late bloomer has found his true calling.

Even at 80, Anjini loves his brushes, canvas and colours so much that he paints around seven-eight paintings a month. He has participated in exhibitions in Dubai, Jaipur, Mumbai, Nepal and Qatar and has regularly displayed his works at World Art Dubai, one of the biggest international art events. “I am also a member of the prestigious Emirates Fine Art Society. Dubai has given me so much love and respect for my work. I have also been honoured with the prestigious Golden Visa from Ministry Of Culture Dubai,” he beams with pride.

Indian art | textiles | Ministry of Culture Dubai | hand-painted sarees

Anjini began painting when he was 60 and hasn’t looked back since

Colours inspired by Mathura

Growing up in Mathura, Anjini’s love for colours began there. “My parents got us colours during summer holidays to keep us engaged. I never missed a chance to experiment with colours,” Anjini says in an interview with Global Indian.

Shantiniketan in West Bengal was a place where he dreamed about honing his skill and artistry. However, he couldn’t pursue his dream as his parents, (from an academic background) had a dim view of art. “My father was an electrical engineer and mother, a teacher. Those days painting was not a noble profession. So my parents did not agree,” recalls Anjini.

A different route

Bidding goodbye to the world of colours, he studied for a diploma in paper technology. He began working as an apprentice at a paper mill in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, where he worked with the Thapar Group for 37 years across various locations and positions.

The year 1996 brought with it the opportunity to move to Dubai to work for a glass bottle-making company, which is where he retired in 2001. Reinventing himself after retirement, he got back to his first love – art. “After my retirement, I did fabric painting with some Dubai designers, but the desire of being called a qualified Indian artist remained deeply embedded in my heart,” adds the artist.

Rise to stardom

He pushed the pedal and enrolled in Sharjah Art Institute in 2005 to hone his artistic skills, and became a “certified” artist within three years. In no time, his work started attracting art lovers.

His work is inspired by the colours of Mathura, his hometown

It was the Arab Cultural Club that gave him his first break for two solo exhibitions, one exclusively for canvas and the other for textile paintings. “This was when I entered into the art community as a fully qualified painter and there was no looking back,” he chuckles.

Anjini doesn’t believe in rules in the world of art. “I have been a painter who doesn’t believe in mathematics of 2 + 2 = 4. I advocate full freedom when we talk about art. My paintings should pass on positive energy, therefore the use of bright colours to make them lively. It’s also why I am lovingly called ‘Colourman’ in art fraternity,” the Indian artist explains.

Fabric painting

All through his working life, he kept his passion for art alive by painting motifs inspired by nature on dresses, shirts and sarees. “During the 60s, Fevicryl and Camlin started fabric colours. I experimented a lot with them. My wife preferred wearing only my hand-painted sarees. This made me quite an experienced fabric painter,” he adds.

In Dubai, he got the opportunity to work on fabric painting with some of the biggest names in haute couture like Akee and Walid Attalah. Shirts, denim, belts and shoes, had his customised motifs on them. Recently, he showcased his hand-painted saree collection at a fashion show at Dubai’s floating hotel Queen Elizabeth 2. “I am happy that painting is not my livelihood. I paint for my pleasure and happiness. Rest is a bonus and reward,” he smiles.

As a fabric painter, Anjini has worked with some of the biggest names in haute couture

Love for MF Husain

The legendary MF Husain greatly influenced Anjini. As a youngster, he would often travel from Yamuna Nagar to Delhi to meet his idol. “Either in Dhoomimall Art Gallery or Open Coffee House at Connaught Place. Fortunately, I also got a chance to meet my ustaad in Dubai when he shifted his base to the Middle East,” he adds.

Daily regimen

Three-four hours of painting daily, his weekends are for family. “I am also very fond of cooking, especially meat, or paani puri, dahi vada and some fusion dishes,” says the painter who likes a game of billiards once in a while.

Visual Artist | Anjini Prakash Laitu

“My plan for 2022 is to take part in the upcoming World Art Dubai and exhibit my new works on canvas and a fashion show of my hand-painted sarees,” the Indian artist reveals.

He’d like to leave his paintings to the next generation. Learning new things eggs him on, and he feels it’s important to let people, especially youngsters pursue their dreams, instead of waiting for decades like he did.

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Published on 19, Feb 2022

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MR Rangaswami: From angel investing to mobilising Indian leaders for social change through Indiaspora

(March 12, 2024) These days, MR Rangaswami is a real man about town in the US. He's at the top summits, meeting celebrities like AR Rahman when they're in the US, and rubbing shoulders with the likes of PM Modi, attending parties at the home of Vice President Kamala Harris or rubbing shoulders with Ambassadors Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Eric Garcetti. He's one of Silicon Valley's top angel investors and philanthropists, as he mobilises his vast network of business leaders, politicians, startups and non-profits to bring about social good. It wasn't always the case, though. MR Rangaswami's success came through hard work, failure and the ability to take a risk, which he has done several times, from becoming the US' first angel investor to organising a CEO retreat for some of the US' biggest names in the corporate world and giving all the proceeds away to charity. Back in 1997, however, when MR Rangaswami was busy organising his first CEO retreat under the banner of his company, Sand Hill, it seemed as if things weren’t destined to go his way. He set up an advisory board, put a programme together and sent out invitations. Nobody registered. CEOs received dozens of

s received dozens of conference invitations just like this one, and they wanted to know how this one was any different. So, the Global Indian made a bold decision, one that would change his life. He decided to organise the first ever non-profit conference, where 100 percent of the proceeds would be donated. The idea was a huge hit. In the last 15 years, the organisation has given away over $20 million to non-profits, and CEOs pay up to $10,000 per head just to attend. The conference is also a platform for deserving non-profits to network with industry captains, receive advice, feedback and investments.

M.R. Rangaswami is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of Silicon Valley. He has been profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, named to Forbes' 'Midas' list of investors and has been recognized by CRN as one of the top 25 Tech Executives. He's also the founder of Indiaspora, through which he mobilises high achievers from the Indian diaspora as a force for good. His ethos is simple: Indians are in the top one percent in the US, with an average annual income of $1,50,000. "Our community tends to be very low profile," he said, in an interview. "But we need to be more high profile because all Americans need to know that we are generous and we help." Indiaspora hosts an Annual Leadership Forum, a Philanthropy Summit and the Global Connect Initiative, and engages in community issues as well.

‘Young and naïve’ in Houston, Texas

M.R. Rangaswami first arrived in Silicon Valley "as a young, naive person with absolutely no idea of what the value was about," as he puts it. He had graduated from Loyola College, Chennai and was a techie with a comfortable job in Houston, Texas. One day, when he met a consultant for training, the consultant asked him what he does. M.R. replied that he had an MBA and works with computers. "He says, 'what the heck are you doing in Houston? You better get out to Silicon Valley'. In those days there was no LinkedIn, no Facebook, no internet, nothing. In '82, I'm sitting in Houston saying, how the hell do I get to Silicon Valley?"

The only way was the long way. He went to the library, starting at what Silicon Valley was in the first place. He made a list of potential employers and software company listings, typed out his resume and mailed it out to them.

The Silicon Valley journey

Sure enough, a company called him, did an interview and offered him a job. What MR didn't know at the time was that he had joined a startup. And he was the only Indian there. The compan did great, doubling in the first year, the second year and third year. Then, in the fourth year, the company asked him to lay off all the employees in his group, until he was the only one left. "Then they called me and said, 'You're laid off as well'."

[caption id="attachment_49924" align="aligncenter" width="528"] MR Rangaswami with PM Narendra Modi[/caption]

However, instead of being bogged down by failure, MR knew the time had come to pivot away from the corporate ladder. "I grew in the industry, seen Steve Jobs, Mary Ellis and Scott McNealy and all the big names in enterprise and consumer tech," he says. "That was my upbringing. I had a terrific career at companies like Oracle and helped take a company public; the stock went from 25 cents to $50." And the sudden break in his career allowed him to ask if he wanted to keep on making money or do something different with his life.

This was the mid-nineties, at the height of the startup boom and the Silicon Valley dot-com bubble. And M.R. Rangaswami chose to do what nobody had done before. He founded the first Angel Investor firm, at a time when the phrase hadn't even come in to use yet. In 1997, he bought sandhill.com for $20, beginning his journey as one of the founding fathers of the Silicon Valley tech startup ecosystem. "I picked up the domain for $20 and thought, that's going to be my exit. One of these days, someone's going to offer me a million bucks." His aim was to help startups, either through feedback and connecting them with investors, or by investing personally. He invested in some 150 companies, a few of them did badly, and others did very well. "I invested in some good companies but that was not my intent," he says. "It was to help founders."

The thrill of giving back

It did, however, invoke his spirit of giving. "Then I wanted to bring the whole ecosystem together, through a conference or a retreat for the top 100 people in business and in tech," Rangaswami recalls. He had seen the Indian community in Silicon Valley grow in leaps and bounds, until they populated the top one percent of the working population in the US. When MR first came to Silicon Valley, it was home to some 10,000 Indians. Fast forward four decades and there are 4,00,000 Indians living there. They're also among the highest earners, at the forefront of major corporations, VCs, angel investor firms and startups.

[caption id="attachment_49925" align="aligncenter" width="443"] MR Rangaswami and Sri Sri Ravishankar[/caption]

When his corporate retreat idea didn't take off, Rangaswami decided to make an even bolder move and pivoted straight into the non-profit space and discovered that he had created a very successful mode. "We have been able to give away over $20 million and also bring the CEOs of non-profits into our network and give them mentorship, advice and even money from many of the CEOs of large corporations," he said, in a talk. "The same CEOs pay a lot of money to attend, today, it's $10,000 per person. All that money goes to non-profits, I don't take a single penny out of it and the model has become a huge success." He also went on to found the Corporate Eco Forum, an invite only community for publicly listed companies with a strong environmental focus in their core business strategy. Members in the Top 100 include Bank of America, Procter & Gamble, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase & Co, Microsoft, Sales Force, The Walt Disney Company and many more.

The birth of Indiaspora

After that, there was no looking back. In 2007, noticing that the Indian diaspora was growing in numbers and in wealth, with no single organisation to unite them, he started Indiaspora. "There are communities for lawyers, doctors and other professions. And there are groups for communities like the Gujarati Samaj and the Tamil Sangam," he says. "The idea was to bring together people from all walks of life to be a force for good." Driven by the idea of 'seva', Indiaspora helps non-profits and different organisations amplify their messages.

A decade later, Indiaspora is a high profile network of global Indian leaders, involved with philanthropy, civic engagement and social impact and entrepreneurship and innovation. Their philanthropic efforts are in the form of a long-term partnership with Give, based in India. In the US, they aim to support over 500 non-profits through philanthropic contributions from over 200 partners and this arm of the organisation is headed by Ashish Shah. The partnership was formed in 2022, as Give India and Indiaspora hosted the Indiaspora-Give Philanthropy Summit at the Consulate General of India, New York, bringing together leading philanthropists, foundations and non-profits.

Their civic engagement deals with a diverse set of issues, including racial justice and gender equality. And MR Rangaswami believes that all enterprises will eventually be social enterprises, that for-profit companies will work for social good. He urges everyone to live by Salesforce's' 1-1-1- model - 'Donate one percent of your time, product, profit to philanthropic causes'.

Follow MR Rangaswami on LinkedIn.

Defeating misogyny: Saxophone Subbalaxmi’s rise to stardom

(February 28, 2022) A diminutive pre-teen girl clutching an outsized saxophone - the image alone was enough to make Subbalaxmi an object of ridicule among her boisterous male peers. Her unwavering determination to learn the instrument only made things worse - how could a girl dare to do something meant only for boys? "Tell her to learn how to cook," they called out. "At least that will help her in the future." The 12-year-old Subbalaxmi, however, refused to back down. She sat through the class, with the blessing of her Guru, Kadri Gopalnath, who fully supported this attempt to break free of a stereotype. Her Guru passed away in 2019 and before she steps on stage, Saxophone Subbalaxmi always takes a minute to close her eyes and pay him tribute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JHF-uYzIiw Unconditional support from her teacher and her father MR Sainath, went a long way but Saxophone Subbalaxmi's personal journey was far from easy, at least in the early days in Mangalore where she was born and brought up. Back home, disapproving neighbours would complain about her evening riyaaz. Whether or not she was fazed by the mockery, Subbalaxmi had no intention of giving up. She continued learning and

ving up. She continued learning and later went to Chennai for higher training.

Amongst numerous brilliant performances across the world, her memorable one has been at Singapore - a concert for the Tamil Association. She had been expecting Indians in the audience but to her surprise there were many Singaporeans. She immediately improvised fascinating them all. With over 3,000 performances, and awards like the prestigious Padmabharathi and Yuvakala Bharathi amongst others, Saxophone Subbalaxmi has also made it into the Limca Book of Records.

Making music count

Today, 'Saxophone Subbalaxmi' has made a name for herself in an industry where rules are sacrosanct, and she boasts a fan base across the world. And if she broke stereotypes as a child, she continues even today – her music has its own signature style, a blend of Indian and Western, played on an instrument that came to India from the West.

[caption id="attachment_20409" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Saxophone Subbalaxmi | Global Indian Saxophone Subbalaxmi[/caption]

She began training in Carnatic vocals at the age of five, having been born into a family of musicians. Her grandfather, MR Rajappa was an Asthana Vidwan in the royal court of Mysuru. Her uncles were percussionists and her father, an exponent of the Mridangam, was an A-grade staff artiste at All India Radio. Growing up, Subbalaxmi would accompany her father as he travelled for shows with Padma Shree Kadri Gopalnath, the noted saxophonist. That was a turning point. “I found divinity in his Gamakams,” Saxophone Subbalaxmi recalls, in an interview with Global Indian. “I fell in love with the instrument but I didn't realise then that it's a very difficult instrument to play, especially for girls, because it requires a lot of lung power.”

Subbalaxmi soon announced that she would learn nothing but the saxophone. It was a radical choice. Her surprised father decided to stand by her. He encouraged her dreams, as did Kadri Gopalnath, who even volunteered to be her guru. That’s how Saxophone Subbalaxmi became Gopalnath’s first female disciple. Her determination and hard work also impressed her two older siblings, both of whom also took to the instrument. Today, after two decades spent performing in India and abroad, Saxophone Subbalaxmi is a role model for young women.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ZojXfUKSk

Charting her own path

"My challenges mostly are off stage, though,” she says. “There is simply no time to relax when you’re on tour. The only time I manage to sleep is on the flight. Eating hours can also get erratic; this leads to other problems like weight gain. Late-night treats after performances will also play havoc.” She keeps herself fit through yoga, swimming and gymming.

It was during a concert in Chennai, she met the man who would become her husband - Kiran Kumar. The couple married in 2009. Kumar manages his celebrity wife’s business. “Without each other, we would not be able to do anything,” she says, glowingly. They live in Bengaluru with their 12-year-old son, Rudransh.

Her daily riyaaz remains the mantra to her success, Subbalaxmi admits. She keeps herself updated with the latest trends while ensuring that she stays rooted in tradition. "I’m also particular about how I present myself. On stage, I improvise as it’s important to stay in touch with the audience’s taste," says the musician who has an affinity to the stage. “Many tell me that I enjoy myself when I perform and dance along to the music. To this, I say that I am deeply honoured to be playing music written by the greatest composers - how I can do them justice if I lack energy and excitement? Simply put, I just enjoy the whole atmosphere,” she adds.

[caption id="attachment_20410" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Saxophone Subbalaxmi | Global Indian Saxophone Subbalaxmi with popular Bollywood singer, Alka Yagnik[/caption]

Even Western audiences clamour for her trademark fusion style. “My inspirations come from all over the world too,” Subbalaxmi explains. She has always returned, over the years, to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Lata Mangeshkar. Tunes like Baahon Mein Chale Aa, Nile Nile Ambar Par and Chura Liya Hai Tumne always find a spot in her concert repertoire. “Once, I had to perform Jab Koi Baat Bigar Jaye eight times on audience demand,” she recalls, laughing.

Not backing down

At the age of 12, she was teased and told to learn how to cook. She did, in fact, find her way around the kitchen, and cooking is one of her hobbies today. “I’m a pro when it comes to rustling non-vegetarian food,” she remarks. The same people who mocked her once are full of praise, and Saxophone Subbalaxmi now finds herself besieged by fans asking for selfies. Even her neighbours no longer complain about her riyaaz, instead, they come to their windows to hear her play as she practices. “Sometimes, they even call me to request a particular song while they listen outside, or drop by to hear me play! I am blessed to have these people in my life,” she smiles.

Follow Saxophone Subbalaxmi on Linkedin and Instagram

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Building better lives: How Nowsheen Yaqoob went from aviation to human development through NLP

(March 27, 2023) Nowsheen Yaqoob believes no matter what the adversity is, one must learn to be joyful in all situations. Joy, she believes, is a basic emotion – It was the conviction that led to the creation of Auracious Global Consulting - a human development company based in Dubai, that helps individuals and organisations across the globe achieve their full potential on the personal and professional fronts. Their approach, according to the company's LinkedIn profile, involves the latest developments in neural and behavioural science, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis and Quantum Physics, as well as Life Coaching and Change Management models. Auracious works with a diverse clientele from around the world, as well as with clients like FedEx, De Montfort University Dubai and Amity University Dubai. Nowsheen, who left behind a lucrative career in the aviation sector to help people and organisations transform themselves, has come a long way. The wind beneath her wings Born in Srinagar, Nowsheen is a qualified Architect and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration, besides being a certified life coach. Growing up, she always dreamed of a profession that would allow her to fly. "When I would watch planes fly as a child, I

Administration, besides being a certified life coach. Growing up, she always dreamed of a profession that would allow her to fly. "When I would watch planes fly as a child, I dreamt of working in a profession that would allow me to travel across the world. However, when it actually happened I felt something was missing,” Nowsheen said, in an interview with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_36614" align="aligncenter" width="361"] Nowsheen Yaqoob, founder, Auracious Global Consulting[/caption]

So, after more than a decade of working in the aviation sector she realised that it wasn't her calling. She loved communicating and connecting with people more. Nowsheen went on to do a Master’s in Neuro Linguistic Programming and life coaching. During this time, she realised “there were many people, especially youngsters, who were unable to experience joy because of some trauma they were carrying,” she says. "I transform the way people understand themselves, their relationships, career, and health. The intent to help people in an authentic manner, backed by professional tools, put me on the road to making Life Coaching my career."

Nowsheen constantly feels this desire to add value to people’s lives, especially the ones who feel they are under societal pressure and have issues that prevent them from achieving their best potential due to self-limiting beliefs. She finds it extremely fulfilling personally and professionally in more ways than she could have imagined.

The entrepreneurship route

It was this passion that led to creation of Auracious Global Consulting. "As an Internationally certified Master Life Coach and Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner, my work focuses on human development, along with personal and professional coaching solutions," Nowsheen explains. She remarks, that in her quest for excellence, she has taken purposeful strides to blaze new trails in her specialisation, combining the best of her experience and expertise to help people and individuals achieve growth.

Nowsheen ensures that her beliefs and values hinge on achieving human connectedness, growth and contribution, in a manner that brings the best benefits for those who gain from it. "I give my best in everything I do, and be as genuine as humanly possible, with a never-give-up attitude. It is this same belief, ‘yes, it is possible’ that I share in my work, to help transform an individual’s mindset to realize their infinite horizons, dimensions, and potential."

Her personal transformation

Nowsheen has had her own journey of transformation. "The amalgamation of my life experiences with how I overcame many challenges and obstacles in life, and my passion for sharing my learning with people helped me to take this up as a career," she explains. From her early childhood years and well into adult life, hers has been an arduous journey towards overcoming many fears and anxieties. When she triumphed over them, it inspired her to go forward confidently in her chosen field of work.

In order to take the plunge into entrepreneurship, Nowsheen had to overcome her own self-limiting beliefs and rise above the apprehensions, fears, doubts and vulnerabilities, as well as a certain level of self-directed scepticism. "Now, I am living my passion of helping individuals to break their shackles of fears, anxieties, traumas, and stress, to live a confident, happy, and fulfilled life."

Her focus areas

Today, Nowsheen helps individuals and corporations to transform the way they understand themselves, their relationships, career, and health, thus becoming their personal and professional best.

Nowsheen Yaqoob, founder, Auracious Global Consulting, Global Indian

"I work on bringing about a dynamic transformation in people’s lives through the principles of Human Potential Development, NLP and Life Coaching through individual sessions, awareness workshops, corporate trainings, group coaching, webinars, seminars, social media awareness, eBooks, self-help PDFs and podcasts."

Human connectedness is the core value on which her Life Coaching approach is founded. Each step of the personal empowerment journey is designed to the highest degree. Auracious Global Consulting uses a well-structured combination of scientifically proven tools and techniques that are an amalgamation of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Life Coaching processes, Compassionate Counselling, Hypnosis and Meditation. “I have been a full-fledged Life Coach since 2015. However, my career in training and development has grown over the past 18 years, with many milestones, experiences, and learning.”

A global mission

She works with people of over 200 nationalities and Auracious Global Consulting is based out of Dubai. Still, Nowsheen keeps her ties with her homeland. “I visit India off and on for counselling; have conducted many sessions in Kashmir with schools, different organisations. I work with multinational companies and conduct workshops for employees and top-notch CEO’s,” she says. These days, Nowsheen has people calling her up from across the world seeking counselling.

In 2022, she also launched Auracious Global in Kashmir and provides online consultations. When she is in Kashmir she does in-person consultations. “People just need to be more aware that help is available and they need to be guided in the right direction. In order to create awareness I make the best use of my social media handles – both personal as well as professional.”

“It is a rewarding journey of transformation and fulfilment for those who I work with, by helping them overcome struggles to achieve their goals,” the entrepreneur remarks. Nowsheen loves to work closely with her clients and seeing them experience their personal breakthroughs is a constant source of fulfilment and gratification for her. “I give my 100 percent to my clients which led my clientele to grow organically through referrals and meaningful associations.”

Overcoming obstacles

Taking on huge responsibilities at an incredibly young age, with minimal guidance and no mentor presented Nowsheen with a mountain of obstacles to surmount.

“However, successfully overcoming those early challenges gave me that all-important thrust in the right direction. I had to break free from the imaginary mould of ‘perfection’ to face realities and to see for myself that inner happiness is more validating and satisfying than trying to live up to anybody else’s definition of perfection. We are not here to live up to a mark sheet of perfect expectations. We are better off discovering and creating our own happiness in each moment of our lifetime, she explains.

Making a difference

At various points in her personal and professional life, Nowsheen has been able to give back to society in many ways where her expertise could be harnessed free of cost to those who needed it. “Throughout the year 2020, especially when the pandemic forced people to give in to mental, emotional, and psychological pressures, and income sources dried up, I was able to provide professional life coaching pro bono to one and all.”

Lately, she has been working towards building a community of transformational coaches, thought leaders, mentors and change facilitators – who offer help to those who cannot afford or access professional coaching. “The foundation of this community lies on shared ideologies, and a fluid forum that inspires, sustains, and encourages progressive thoughts and sustainable human potential transformation.”

Nowsheen’s own struggle for inner transformation and her courage to follow her dreams, have led to her living her greatest passion - making a meaningful difference to people’s lives, by helping them make empowering decisions. She helps people to create the best version of themselves for themselves, and for the larger benefit of society.

“The greater aim is to make the world a better place through individuals who are joyful, confident, and evolved.” Apart from receiving many awards and appreciation during her course of journey, having received the Business Excellence Award from Padma Bhushan Javed Akhtar in November in Dubai has been quite a humbling experience for Nowsheen.

Follow Nowsheen Yaqoob on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 mins

Ashay Bhave: How this 23-year-old is getting “kicks” out of plastic waste, and is sold out

(November 27, 2021) "Don't just do it, do it right," puns the Thaely slogan, taking a dig at an international shoe brand. Rightly so, as Thaely sneakers are 100 percent recycled, and made from plastic trash. In fact, truth be told, CEO and founder of Thaely, an ethically produced ecologically fashioned sneaker brand, Ashay Bhave, is as honest, sceptical and idealistic in life as he is in deed. This, and a talent for art saw him create a niche with his vegan sneakers which he shrugs off – "This is just the beginning of greater things to come." Modest words. Interestingly, his first art installation at the Jameel Art Centre in Dubai, a show he curated too, got government attention, and he was given a UAE Golden Visa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thaely (@thaely.inc) Thaely has an ethos of sustainability as the 23-year-old Ashay upcycles plastic bags and bottles to create shoes. Named after the common place plastic bag's Hindi word for it, thaely, the shoes use plastic waste with cutting edge design. "We are the only company that uses plastic bags to make shoes. When you look at their aesthetics and design,

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thaely (@thaely.inc)

Thaely has an ethos of sustainability as the 23-year-old Ashay upcycles plastic bags and bottles to create shoes. Named after the common place plastic bag's Hindi word for it, thaely, the shoes use plastic waste with cutting edge design. "We are the only company that uses plastic bags to make shoes. When you look at their aesthetics and design, you would never know that they are made from plastic," says the creator. Each sneaker uses ten plastic bags and 12 plastic bottles – an overall whopping 50,000 plastic bags and 35,000 bottles have been used so far.

The sneakers won the PETA's Best Vegan Sneaker Award 2021. Head honcho Anand Mahindra tweeted his interest in funding and buying these ecologically attuned sneakers.

This is awesome!
A startup in India 🇮🇳 is making these sneakers (a $70 billion market) are made of garbage (12 plastic bottles and handful of trash bags). And for $110, they will be shipped anywhere in the world.@Thaely_inc

pic.twitter.com/ogNwVCFhXY

— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) November 17, 2021

Today, Thaely sneakers are sold out. Behind the minimalistic and soft leather shoe is a boy with a curly shock of hair forming a whimsical halo around his artistic head, with an endearing schoolboy drawl. He rattles off the science behind the shoes, fabric, and his depth is clear to see. The boy who studied at DY Patil in Navi Mumbai, comes from a Maharashtrian family - his mother Sheetal Bhave is a counsellor, and father Sameer Bhave works in Dubai at an oil company, and he has a younger sister.

The birth of an eco-friendly sneaker

Thaely was initially developed as a design exercise by Ashay using recycled material from waste at the Eureka competition during his final BBA entrepreneurship semester at Amity University (Dubai) in 2019. "I wanted to find a solution to the 100 billion plastic bags used each year that use 12 million barrels of oil which kill 100,000 marine animals annually," quips Ashay, who finished 12th and went to the Big Apple to study accessory design. A year into the course, unhappy with his progress, what work the alumni were doing, job prospects and the cost of the course, he signed up for a BBA in Dubai.

"I was doing a few design projects for fun - one was Thaely. Plastic bags are a huge problem, most marine animals confuse them for jelly fish. I experimented at home with different household appliances - irons and hair straighteners. I got familiarised with some industrial equipment during design school, and tried to replicate the tech used in t-shirt printing to form a texture called ThaelyTex with PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) used for coating, shoe bands, etc while the soles are from discarded tyres," he explains. With a rough idea of the fabric that he developed over two years; a prototype was made at a neighbourhood shoe repair shop. That prototype and design, he pitched along with a business plan at Eureka as proof of concept. Ashay won the competition, was spotted by a judge, Matteo Boffa, a Dubai-based Swiss social entrepreneur, who funded and mentored Ashay who was only 20 at the time. "I definitely needed guidance when it came to business and enterprise," says the designer who has since sold out his inventory.

Quote Unquote

"As soon as I heard Ashay’s pitch about Thaely I fell in love with the concept. Being a serial entrepreneur in the field of sustainability and social impact, I saw a great fit. The idea was great but the person behind was even better! The brand can compete with the giants of the industry. We have a real and concrete positive impact on hundreds of people in India," says Matteo Boffa, Social entrepreneur, Forbes 30under30, and co-founder of Thaely.

[caption id="attachment_16837" align="aligncenter" width="851"] Ashay Bhave[/caption]

Ashay identified Trio Tap Technologies, a waste management plant in Gurgaon for plastic bags. Then, the pandemic hit. All work came to a standstill. Beginning 2021, Bhave again started work and finally launched the recycled sneaker.

"It is difficult to create a sneaker with those specs, so we designed a process that is scalable and efficient. Thaely is a casual sneaker. I took inspiration from the many basketball and skateboarding shoes of the 80s – the design is timeless, minimalistic and easy to style. It looks like a leather sneaker," explains the designer, who started off as a freelance designer creating album art, packaging, animation, toys, etc. A name in Dubai already, he now wants to impress the rest of the world with not just products but also his art.

"The installation show was a pretty important point - it helped me become more established. I got government attention, and was offered a UAE Golden Visa. I had designed a fake toy with a packing and gaming console - it was basically critiquing world leaders acting like children and sort of playing with our lives," says the avant-garde thinker.

With funding, the second prototype was made, and the recycled "kicks" were on their way to make feet accountable and responsible. Thaely sneakers are currently sold at Level One, among the biggest shoe stores in the world at Dubai Mall, and online.

[caption id="attachment_16838" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Thaely Thaely's vegan sneakers[/caption]

Tapping the market

"We were sold out on all the shoes produced – 1,600 pairs with 500 pre-orders – mostly from Europe, some from America and Australia. India is not a very big market right now," says Bhave, who is grateful for the acclaim, and success, "It was my dream to be in design or a CEO of a fashion brand - now that it has come true, I am thrilled," says the eco entrepreneur who wants to diversify, and add more colours too (Thaely sneakers are in white, white-brown and white-blue, and pre orders of all-black).

Like other 20-somethings, sneakers are an appendage and lifeline – his, he says, are comfortable and function like regular shoes. They are different though, "We are 100 percent recycled, completely transparent on production processes, our shoes have a QR code, and we are cheaper than other sustainable sneakers at $99 (others are $150, etc)," adds the Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_16839" align="aligncenter" width="771"] Thaely sneakers[/caption]

Proud parents, a sister who is a tad intimidated by attention, and impressed friends, Bhave knew they all had "pretty high hopes" (for him), and admits they expect much more now.

Mentor Matteo has been instrumental in giving Ashay a deeper perspective, "He is pretty young – 30, and (is) always inspiring me to stretch my boundaries," says Bhave who loves sci-fi movies, art and fashion.

Not many know that Ashay was a national level rifle shooter from sixth to eleventh grade in Mumbai, and even today loves going to the range in Dubai when he visits his parents. His larger aspiration is to make Thaely a lifestyle brand – clothing, furniture, other accessories – recycled and sustainable. Sneakers done, now it’s back to the drawing board to create more from trash.

Follow Thaely on Twitter, Instagram

Reading Time: 6 min

Indian-origin Rita Kakati-Shah is empowering people in second innings of their career through Uma

(May 6, 2023) After passing out of King’s College London, when UK-born Rita Kakati-Shah joined investment bank Goldman Sachs’ sales training desk in 2001, she discovered that there were very few women at the training floor of the London headquarter. This perturbed her, and over the next ten years that she worked with the firm, she made some changes while climbing up the hierarchical ladder. "I got involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives along the way. Those were the times when the terms 'diversity, inclusion and equity' were not really used, and I just went ahead with the purpose of building community and bringing people together,” she tells Global Indian. Fifteen years later in 2016, Rita turned an entrepreneur with her business focusing on diversity and inclusion in a powerful way. [caption id="attachment_38175" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Rita Kakati-Shah, founder and CEO, Uma[/caption] Now a resident of New York in the United States, Rita Kakati-Shah is the founder and CEO of Uma that works to empower women and minorities to re-enter the workforce. The name of her business venture resonates with the idea with which she forayed into entrepreneurship. “Uma is the Hindu Goddess who is an epitome of a daughter, a

t="Indian Diaspora | Rita Kakati-Shah | Global Indian " width="599" height="860" /> Rita Kakati-Shah, founder and CEO, Uma[/caption]

Now a resident of New York in the United States, Rita Kakati-Shah is the founder and CEO of Uma that works to empower women and minorities to re-enter the workforce. The name of her business venture resonates with the idea with which she forayed into entrepreneurship. “Uma is the Hindu Goddess who is an epitome of a daughter, a mother, a sibling and a wife, and represents strength, courage and confidence. She is the Goddess of go-getting,” smiles the award-winning gender, diversity, inclusion and career strategist, who is also a speaker, author and advisor to Fortune 500 companies.

Uma is an international platform that partners with organisations across the globe to attract, retain and develop women and minorities in the workforce by boosting their confidence levels, and building leadership and resilience in them to succeed. Headquartered in New York, with presence in London, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Toronto, Rita’s entrepreneurial venture empowers women to: ‘Be Bold. Be You. Be Uma’.

Rita also hosts the popular South Asian television show, The Uma Show, on Mana TV International, and has written a book The Goddess of Go-Getting: Your Guide to Confidence, Leadership, and Workplace Success, that was launched by the Consulate General of India in New York last year. She has co-authored three books on leadership, has written multiple research papers and is actively involved in volunteerism and advocacy.

[caption id="attachment_38177" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Indian Diaspora | Global Indian | Rita Kakati-Shah Rita Kakati-Shah with her book[/caption]

The empowerment journey

After a decade of experience in finance, Rita’s career saw a transition into the pharmaceutical industry, which led her to move to the US. After working for a few years there, she got married and took close to four years of break to raise her two kids. "Out of all the jobs I had done, by far the most challenging and rewarding was the new journey of motherhood and fulltime parenthood. Without getting a day off as parents we make an impact on our future generation,” she remarks.

"During my motherhood journey I became a pro at certain skills like negotiation and communications, and really learning to listen and have empathy with my toddlers, which I realised were completely translatable into the corporate and paid salaried world," she adds.

It was her journey into motherhood that played a catalyst in helping her identify a new direction in life. Like many mothers when Rita took a career break, returning to work - she discovered - required self-motivation and the skill to market one’s capabilities in such a way that they are perceived as indispensable for the workforce as they are for their families.

This idea gave birth to Uma. “Founding Uma has been an empowering journey to address the issues companies were missing,” tells Rita.

[caption id="attachment_38173" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Indian Diaspora | Rita-Kakati Shah | Global Indian Rita Kakati-Shah addressing students at the USC Marshall School of Business[/caption]

“Too many smart, talented women or even men who left the workforce to raise children or for any other reason are unable to find jobs that match their credentials and lifestyle commitments when they try to return,” she says, adding, “Not enough is being done to retain, retrain or re-engage this talent pool. Companies that once hired and trained these incredible people now suffer an intense loss of headcount and huge drain of hiring and training resources, too.” This is the gap that UMA addresses.

Rita Kakati-Shah and her team try to change the status quo of people for the better, and work with like-minded employers to create opportunities that match the credentials and lifestyle goals of people planning the second inning of their careers.

Giving back and getting recognition

Apart from her business, advocacy and volunteerism is an integral part of Rita’s life. She is actively involved with her alma mater King’s Leadership, Diversity and Entrepreneurial Institute mentoring programs, and is also a member of the New York and Los Angeles Alumni Committees. She coaches and mentors survivors of domestic violence, schoolgirls and students, and serves as an advisor, ambassador, and diversity and inclusion expert to multiple boards and global organizations like the JCC of Manhattan, ACP Women Veterans’ Founding Circle, New York City Bar Association, Democracy Without Borders India, and the Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

At Goldman Sachs in London, Rita was awarded the prestigious Excellence in Citizenship and Diversity Award and since then has received several international recognitions for her contributions.

[caption id="attachment_38196" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Indian Diaspora | Rita Kakati-Shah | Global Indian Rita Kakati-Shah with her family at King's Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony[/caption]

Involved in advocacy since the time she was a teenager in London, Rita remarks, “My parents brought up my brother and I to always give to others rather than expect to get, and to always remember our roots,” she says, adding, “But I hadn't realised what giving back actually meant till I was in my late teens during a brief encounter with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who congratulated me and other recipients of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for community work.” He had said that it was wonderful that all winners had shown endurance, leadership and community service, but our duties as award recipients had only just begun. ‘And that duty was to serve’.

More than two decades later, those words still resonate with Rita. This year, she won the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for a lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through voluntary service by the executive office of the president of the United States, and the AmeriCorps. Last year she received the Mahatma Gandhi Samman medal in London for her advocacy and community work.

The entrepreneur is a regularly invited speaker and guest lecturer at various academic institutions, multinational corporations and global policy forums such as UNESCO in Paris, European Parliament in Brussels and many more spanning Assam, Meghalaya, Delhi, London, Madrid, New York, San Francisco, Sochi, Toronto and Zambia.

She has been featured as an expert on multiple international television and news shows, interviewed and quoted in various podcasts and publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Thrive Global, Dell Technology, CBS News, Fox News, Yahoo Finance and iHeartRadio.

[caption id="attachment_38174" align="aligncenter" width="801"] Indian Diaspora | Rita-Kakati Shah | Global Indian Rita Kakati-Shah receiving Mahatma Gandhi Samman medal at the Palace of Westminster, House of Parliament in London[/caption]

Love for India

Whether it’s being part of the London Bihu Committee or adorning the traditional Assamese mekhela chador woven affectionately on the handloom in her ancestral home in Sualkuchi, Assam, Rita embraces all with elan. “Growing up in the UK, I was brought up to read and write Assamese with other second-generation Assamese kids. Being an Assamese means a lot to me and I want my kids to pick the heritage, the roots, the culture of Assam. I try to cook the food that my mum taught me as best as I can,” she signs off with a smile.

Follow Rita Kakati-Shah on LinkedIn and Instagram
Follow Uma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and its website

Reading Time: 5 mins