Global IndianstoryZUCI-licious: Chocolatier Aparna Gorrepati is making lives sweet with her unique creations

ZUCI-licious: Chocolatier Aparna Gorrepati is making lives sweet with her unique creations

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(March 29, 2024) If life is like a box of chocolates, Aparna Gorrepati has savoured them all and is only getting better at it. Growing up in a house full of doctors, professors, writers and lawyers, she aimed at becoming a doctor. However, life took her to GE where she ended up working as a soft skills trainer for the longest time, until one day when she discovered that life, after all, was all about chocolates for her.

“I am addicted to good chocolate and have had countless amounts of chocolates over the years, albeit in moderation. The science and art of chocolate making fascinates me,” smiles celebrated chocolatier Aparna Gorrepati, as she connects with Global Indian.

Aparna Gorrepati

Not only did chocolates take Aparna across the globe, it culminated with the launch of her brand of chocolates — ZUCI, which captured the hearts of connoisseurs, instantly. “ZUCI was an eventual culmination of turning my proficiency, experience and expertise into a profession and a business,” says Aparna, whose artisanal chocolate studio boasts of 35 flavours in chocolate alone, including a broad range of truffles and bonbons among others.

She says the artisanal chocolates, desserts and breads, stand out for their craftsmanship, taste profile and of course, the large variety, which provides an unparalleled chocolate experience to the patrons. Her firm also offers artisanal bread besides an extensive spread of desserts.

ZUCI chocolates was recognised as one of the World’s Best Emerging Brands at Le Pantheon De La Gloire world’s leading brands and leaders 2023. The award ceremony took place as part of the Global Leasers Summit at The House of Lords, The Palace of Westminster in London.

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Hit by Covid

With the launch happening a month before Covid hit the world and led to a lockdown, Aparna’s newly launched business suffered a major blow, but she emerged unscathed. “Before we realised adversity struck us out of the blue and we had to come to terms with the unforeseen challenges and the impact that it had on the brand, financials, team and pretty much all our plans,” recalls the ZUCI founder.

However, she and her team were resilient and confident of what they set out to be and do, which is make a difference in the Hyderabad chocolate market and introduce global quality with a touch of local flavours and a large variety of them, that would cater to every Indian palette. “Once the world began unlocking, we got back to business with renewed energy,” says Aparna, who leads her team of 120 staffers who directly work with her.

Once ZUCI established a strong brand presence in Hyderabad, Aparna expanded the business with the launch of her own F&B brand, The Bougainvillea, a premium global cuisine restaurant.

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So what’s with the name ZUCI ?

ZUCI, pronounced as “Shu-chi” originates from the Sanskrit word “Shudh” which means “Pure”. “Purity in the products, process, thoughts and intent is what it represents and what we stand for. We wanted the name to resonate with our core values and beliefs and wanted it to be an Indian name,” informs Aparna who received the Prime Insights Women Achiever of the Year Award, 2022 and IIHM Ladies behind economical boost award, 2022.

Nothing but the best

When it comes to chocolate making, Aparna settles for nothing but the best. “We spend a lot of time on researching, trying out different combinations and have a rigorous process that ensures quality, hygiene and perfection of our products,” says the chocolatier.

Aparna Gorrepati | Global Indian

The award-winning entrepreneur is always looking out to try new flavours, new brands and also randomly tastes her own products to ensure they meet all the standards. “A good chocolate ultimately boils down to the quality of the ingredients used, the origin of the cocoa, the percent of cocoa solids, the presentation, texture, and most importantly the flavour and taste,” elaborates Aparna, who received the Times Food & Nightlife – Best Chocolatier Award for four years consecutively since 2021 besides the Best restaurant award 2021 and Best entrepreneur award 2022.

Busy Bee

Aparna’s routine varies by each day. The week usually starts with a detailed WBR (Weekly Business Review) with her leadership team, where they analyse and review the past week’s sales, highlights, lowlights and a deep dive into the root cause analysis. “Through the week my time is split between monitoring customer service, product quality, customer feedback/ experience and a lot of projects involving innovation, new product launch, packaging, marketing and planning for events,” says the first-generation entrepreneur.

Additionally, she always takes time out to interact with key customers and seek their feedback and build relationships.

Chocolate making

Aparna’s tryst with chocolates began when she started learning chocolate making as a hobby in Hyderabad. “That’s when I understood the difference between compound and chocolate,” says the chocolatier, who realised that most of the so-called chocolate that she was consuming was actually compound, which is unhealthy. Her son too was consuming the same, which piqued her interest to learn chocolate in depth.

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“In my mind, I wanted my son to have access to quality and healthy chocolate which is couverture and not compound. One thing lead to the other and before I realised I was smitten by the science and art of chocolate and decided to master it in-depth,” smiles Aparna, who moved to Mumbai to learn the basics of chocolate making from a reputed institution.

Eventually, in search of advanced and formal training, Aparna enrolled herself for a diploma in Chocolate and Pastry arts from the prestigious Ecole Ducasse in France. Learning from the experts who have worked on chocolate for decades was a great experience for her. “It exposed to me to the science of chocolate, the technical aspects, the right tools and technology to use for creating great end products,” says Aparna, who also worked with a 100+ year-old world-renowned Chocolate Brand in France. It provided her a chance to put her skills to use while understanding the nitty-gritty of the chocolate business in a real-world environment.

During this period, she also got opportunities with Master Chefs in Belgium and USA and learnt the craft directly from them. Back in India, she worked with one of the largest chocolate manufacturers producing Industrial chocolate in both marketing and R&D.

Hyderabad girl

Aparna’s childhood was spent in premier schools and colleges in Hyderabad. She studied at Rosary Convent and then did her B.A. (Political Science) from St. Ann’s college. “I was a sportswoman and was an active volleyball and handball player (National level),” informs Aparna, whose husband Chaitanya is a CXO at an MNC.

Aparna Gorrepati | Global Indian

In her growing up years, like other kids, she too had access to a variety of chocolates and candies. Moreover, whenever family visited from abroad, it was a custom to bring along loads of chocolates – which were very different in taste, texture and flavour from the regular chocolates available in India.

Stint at GE

Prior to taking the plunge into chocolate making, Aparna worked as a soft skills trainer at GE for many years. She was training employees of various corporates on a range of behavioural skills that included communication, leadership, team building and assertiveness.

“This experience helped me connect with a large number of employees across locations of the corporates and understand human behaviour, that immensely helps me in my interactions with all my stakeholders,” she says.

Chocolates & India

Chocolate industry in India is growing at a rapid scale. “India is likely to see a double digit growth for the next decade and dark and luxury chocolate market is growing at an even higher pace,” informs Aparna.

She says the current chocolate consumption in India is still lower at 200 gms/person against the 5kg/person in Europe. “Given the economic prospects of India over the next decade, I am very confident of the chocolate market seeing continued growth.”

Aparna Gorrepati | Global Indian

ZUCI in more cities

Revealing her future plans, she says, “We will soon be launching a wider range of chocolate and confectionery products and taking ZUCI to more cities, beyond Hyderabad.” Aparna, who has been a natural foodie, has always been interested in trying new cuisines, flavours and combinations.

When not busy making chocolates or supervising ZUCI, Aparna, a professionally trained stained glass artist, loves to paint. “I’m also working on opening an Academy in Hyderabad, which is a personal project with a chocolate company. It should be ready in the next couple of months,” informs Aparna.

More Awards

Business Connect Asia One – Women’s Empowerment Leadership Award – 2020-21
Top 10 People in Food & Confectionery, CEO Insights Magazine – 2021
CXO Outlook Magazine – Influential Leaders Award – 2021
Hybiz TV- Women’s achievement Award – 2021
ET F&B – Iconic Chocolates Award – 2023
Hybiz TV – Best Chocolatier Award – 2022
Global Future Design Awards Winner – 2020
FOAID – Gold in Category: Restaurants/ Lounge Bar – 2020
Architect and Interiors India – Aces of Space Design Awards Runner up – 2021

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Published on 28, Mar 2024

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Bittu John: This zero-waste green warrior’s store has saved 15 lakh pieces of plastic from landfills

(February 24, 2022) Until a few decades ago, most Indians followed the concept of BYOC — bring your own container, without even knowing that this practice had a name. But somewhere along the line, with the advent of plastic carry bags, this practice got lost. The incessant use of plastic has now reached mammoth levels, thus threatening the environment. With efforts of green warriors like Bittu John, mindsets are changing. [caption id="attachment_20281" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Bittu John, Founder, 7 to 9 Green Store[/caption] Realisation dawned when... This disturbed Bittu John of Kolenchery in Ernakulam district of Kerala to such an extent that he was keen to find a solution, which he eventually did during a trip to England in 2015. His eureka moment came when he saw people bringing their own containers for grocery shopping. An Mtech in industrial engineering and Btech in aeronautical engineering, the green warrior, launched the concept in India in 2018 with 7 to 9 Green Store. [caption id="attachment_20283" align="aligncenter" width="591"] Bittu John at his 7 to 9 Green Store[/caption] "The zero-waste grocery store in London impressed me so much that I wanted to be the first to launch along similar lines in India. In the wholefood

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[caption id="attachment_20283" align="aligncenter" width="591"] Green Warrior | Bittu John | Global Indian Bittu John at his 7 to 9 Green Store[/caption]

"The zero-waste grocery store in London impressed me so much that I wanted to be the first to launch along similar lines in India. In the wholefood store in London, all the products were in jars and baskets. Nothing in plastic packaging. And customers carried their own jars, containers and cotton carry bags," the green warrior tells Global Indian.

From idea to reality

It took him three years to translate the idea into reality. After quitting his job in Bengaluru, he converted his 40-year-old family grocery store Kothamangalam Traders into a zero-waste zone and rechristened it as 7 to 9 Green Store.

[caption id="attachment_20284" align="aligncenter" width="808"] Green Warrior | Bittu John | Global Indian 7 to 9 Green Store[/caption]

Located at Kolenchery, 30 km from Kochi, Green Store is spread across 500 sqft with tastefully arranged shelves containing custom-made and imported large glass jars and other forms of containers with various grocery items. "It took me almost one-and-a-half years to transform my father's old grocery store into a zero waste modern-day shop," says the green warrior who got the high-quality glass storage equipment from England, Germany and China.

Vocal for local

Having led by example, the next step was to convince the customers to get their own carry bags. But it was a rough start as the unique concept received little appreciation, with only a few customers participating in Bittu's green mission. "Most of the people don't like to carry their own carry bags while stepping out for grocery shopping," the green warrior says. But the determined entrepreneur was up for the challenge. "First six to eight months were challenging. Slowly, we started talking to people, making them understand this concept. Another big challenge was shifting customers' choice from well-known brands, which normally come in packages, to local brands which are fresh, natural, eco-friendly and home-made without any preservatives or artificial colours," adds the green warrior.

Providing free samples of the grocery items to convince the customers of the quality of local brands was one of the steps that tilted the scales. "Customers gradually moved to local brands and started buying items from our store," beams Bittu with pride.

Growth story

The risk paid off, and in no time, the store’s growing popularity spread far and wide. The green warrior informs that customers drive from towns like Chengannur (94 km) and Tripunithura (20 km) just to buy grocery items from 7 to 9 Green Store. "Initially, the sale per day was Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000, but because of the strong word-of-mouth, the sales picked up and currently we make sales worth Rs 40,000 to Rs 60, 000 per day," adds the green warrior whose organic corner in the store is one of the major attractions.

[caption id="attachment_20285" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Green Warrior | Bittu John | Global Indian 7 to 9 Green Store[/caption]

After the success of his maiden store, the green warrior is gearing up for his second 'green' store in Ernakulam. "The best part of this store is that most of the disposal jars used in my new store are being manufactured in Kerala," informs Bittu who has protected the environment by saying no to plastic bags and packaging for years now. The 30-something never misses a chance to educate his customers on the shelf life of loose items, which he deems is an important lesson. "The shelf life of the products, especially food items is shorter than those that come packed. For example, the shelf life of loose flour is around three weeks, while packed flour may expire in the next nine months. So we have to sell some of our products within a week. We try to make our consumers aware of this aspect while also educating them about the consequences of plastic wastes," adds the green warrior.

Influencing good practice

Taking pride is in work, Bittu says that the concept of bring-your-own-container has changed the local people's mindsets. "We estimate that we have prevented the use of around 15 lakh pieces of plastic in the past four years. We are relatively a small store. Imagine the amount of plastic coming out of each store every day in the country," adds the green warrior.

He also conducts special programmes in local schools on plastic waste and the importance of using zero-waste products.

[caption id="attachment_20286" align="aligncenter" width="582"] Green Warrior | Bittu John | Global Indian Bittu John - the role model[/caption]

The green store has made the green warrior, a role model, thus inviting enquiries from across the country about the implementation of the concept in their respective stores. He is also mulling over the idea of franchisee stores. "I'm looking forward to supporting others who want to start their own zero-waste stores. We will be happy to share tips and our experiences," he assures.

Thanks to Bittu, the people of Kolenchery are doing their bit to protect the environment, and if this spreads to other parts of the country, zero waste could become a movement in itself.

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The Ironman: Methodical entrepreneur Nikhil Kapur’s journey is all about ‘Atmantan’

(June 19, 2023) When Nikhil Kapur first heard about the Ironman challenges during a casual conversation with a friend, he was confident he could nail it with a mere three-four months of training. However, when he got in touch with a few coaches to discuss the plan, they advised him to give it at least 12-18 months. The Ironman challenge is one of the most challenging in the world, and involves completing a long-distance triathlon consisting of a 3.86 km-swim, a 180.25-km bike ride, and a full marathon, which is a 42.20-km run. Participants must complete all three disciplines consecutively and within a certain time limit to be considered an Ironman finisher. Nikhil was determined and began training with a US-based coach. The training in each discipline — cycling, running and swimming — was gruelling. Over the years, his determination and sheer hard work led him to complete not one but five Ironman events (a series of long distance triathlon races) across the globe, successfully. “The preparation for each race and the race itself has transformed me into the person I am today – both personally and professionally,” smiles Nikhil Kapur, Ironman Tri-athlete and wellness hotelier, speaking to Global Indian.

aking to Global Indian. Nikhil and his wife, Sharmilee Agarwal Kapur are the founders of Atmantan, a premium integrated-wellness resort in Mulshi, Pune, where Nikhil serves as Founder, Director and Sports Nutritionist. Nikhil, who also enjoys organic farming in his free time, was named in GQ’s list of ‘50 most influential Indians’ (under 40).

[caption id="attachment_40208" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Global Indian | Nikhil Kapur Nikhil Kapur[/caption]

Taking on the Ironman challenge

It was in January 2014 that Nikhil signed for his first half Ironman event in Auckland. Thereafter, in July the same year, he did his first full Ironman challenge in Zurich. He went on to complete the Ironman competition in Kalmar, Sweden in August 2016, and another in Copenhagen in 2017. His fifth Ironman challenge was at Hamburg in July 2018.

“Hamburg was the most painful race of them all. I completed the race alright but in this race, my physical body gave up. However, my mind remained strong and kept pushing me to the finish line,” recalls Nikhil. In all other races, he says, it was the other way round. “The body was well-conditioned and the mind used to play games like why go so fast, go easy, why are you doing this and so on,” says Nikhil.

He feels Ironman races, like life itself, are very tough. “But if you have a plan and you start taking one step at a time, you come out a winner,” says Kapur.

Years of training not only made him physically fit but stronger mentally. “My mind is focussed and holds attention to the job at hand without getting distracted. It knows that if there is a low point, I can still bounce back from there,” says the five-time Ironman triathlete.

[caption id="attachment_40214" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Nikhil during the Ironman Challenge[/caption]

Early life

Born in New Delhi in January 1977, Nikhil travelled to new cities every two or three years as his father was in the Army. Most of his middle school and High school was in The Army Public School (TAPS, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi).

“My father was a professional sportsman. He played Badminton (Junior) for Punjab and then was in the National Squash Team (1964-70) when he was 2nd Lt in the Army. Both my sister and I got his sporty genes,” smiles Nikhil. The Kapur siblings were both very outgoing and loved to play sports. “We were jacks of all sports, actually,” he says.

A series of extraordinary events

Nikhil says there are so many ordinary and extraordinary things that have shaped him into the individual that he is today. “From having meals together as a family, to making sure that the driver eats when we eat on a long journey, to keeping yourself fit and active, to making sure that the job needs to be done at any cost — all incidences while growing up have helped build a strong value system in me. Since I come from a humble background, it keeps me grounded too.”

[caption id="attachment_40209" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Global Indian | Nikhil Kapur Nikhil Kapur[/caption]

With his father getting posted to Pune, Nikhil too moved with him and did his BA(Eco) and MBA from Fergusson College & Symbiosis Institute Business Management. “I got my first job in Wipro Infotech from campus and then I worked in Reuters India. These six years provided me an insight into what goes into running an organisation, why systems and processes are important,” he informs.

When it came to academics, Nikhil was an average student right up to his college. While he was not into professional sports, he played a lot of Golf during college days and took up running too.

“All the running during the college days laid the foundation of my long distance running that I started after a few years. And this is life, what we do today lays the foundation of what we do next. This is applicable to our thoughts and actions,” he feels.

Lessons from Ironman

Ask him what he learnt by participating in Ironman challenges, Nikhil says it has taught him that ‘Impossible is nothing.’“I have followed my training drills to the T and each week I could make out that I was getting more and more efficient in each discipline. And that’s the idea, be more efficient as you race long distances,” says Nikhil, who loves cycling the most among the three sports (running and swimming being the other two).

During his Ironman events, Nikhil would have long conversations with other participants from across the world who had their stories to tell about how and why they took up the challenge. “All that I can say is that Ironman race is very much possible. Just assess your health properly and get yourself a coach who can train you the right way,” is his piece of advice.

At Atmantan

[caption id="attachment_40210" align="aligncenter" width="459"] Global Indian | Nikhil Kapur Nikhil Kapur with his wife.[/caption]

Nikhil and Sharmilee had been closely monitoring the Wellness tourism space ever since the idea struck his wife during her college days. “Since the idea was appealing to us, we closely observed various factors including the economy, the wealth creation, the titration of lifestyle and the need for consumers for destinations that could transform the health,” says Nikhil, who also features in the Luxebook Top 100: Indian Luxury’s Most Influential People -2020! and was named among the “Fit & Fabulous - 2018” by Asia Spa.

Together, they scouted and selected a 42-acre parcel of land in Mulshi, Pune. Thereafter, the couple did much running around — for bank loans to finding architects who could understand the needs of a wellness centre, labour, permissions, doctors, trainers, chefs and masseuse and so on — Atmantan was launched in 2016.

“India has the traditional and proven knowledge systems of Vedanta, Ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga, herbal medicine and energy healing. Where else in this world is this available?” wonders Nikhil, explaining all that is available at Atmantan. The first 12 to 18 months was a challenging phase. “Since the concept was unique, it was challenging to establish ourselves as a brand that understands health, body, physiology, mind, energy really well and cares about people’s deteriorating health,” he says.

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Atita Verghese: India’s first female skateboarder is kickflipping gender norms

(December 4, 2023) Atita Verghese was 19 when she got on a skateboard for the first time, on a whim. The spark she felt was instant, and very real - ten years later, it's still burning bright. Atita Verghese, or 'Atty', as she is known to her friends, is India's first female skateboarder. She turned a deaf ear when she was jeered at for being a girl, and if there was no infrastructure available, she helped build it with her own hands. When, for the longest time, she couldn't afford her own board, she learned to make do by borrowing from the boys. That's how Atita went on to become part of a counterculture tsunami, as women around the world, clad in sarees, hijabs and baggy jeans, kickflipped and switched their way to freedom. She's also the only skateboarder in the country to land a coveted Vans sponsorship (Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and apparel). This year, world class skateboarder Madars Apse featured her in an episode in Season 3 of Redbull's State Tales, a documentary series "through skateboarding's wilder shores." That apart, she’s the founder of Girl Skate India, an organisation that works with young girls

the founder of Girl Skate India, an organisation that works with young girls from poor families across India, using skateboarding as a means of helping them rise above their circumstances. She also travels the world – she was recently skateboarding in Moscow.

[caption id="attachment_47222" align="aligncenter" width="611"] Atita Vergese[/caption]

The counterculture crew

"There were like five, six skaters in the city (Bengaluru) when I first started, and not many more in the country," Atita tells Global Indian. In those early days, the boys indulged the lone girl in their crew. "When they took a break they would let me have their skateboards," she recalls. She and four others, including her friend Abhishek, who first introduced her to the sport, formed the Holy Stoked Collective and when he saw "how into it" she was, he bought Atita her first board, "all the way from the USA. I was stoked," she breaks into a grin. "The boys were quite nice to me, it was new to them. Every time I tried something or landed a new trick they would cheer me on."

Still, it was hard to be taken seriously as a young woman in an all-male space. Atita took it all in her stride, until a group of Germans who were working with her on a project asked the obvious question: "Why do they treat you like this?" It was an unpleasant realisation, but it was also when Atita began to realise she was different and that being so was exactly what made her special.

At the time, to simply skateboard meant starting from the absolute basics. Holy Stoked rose to the challenge and began building their own ramp on a donated plot. "We were determined to make it happen," says Atita, who was part of the project as well. Two other skaters from Germany, who heard this was happening also came down to help. They happened to have their own building company back home and a year later, they returned, this time with Levi's and Nike funding them. "They brought pro skaters along with them to share the culture," Atita says.

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The fledgling sub culture was starting to grow and Holy Stoked got on Instagram, which was still fairly new at the time. "They wouldn't ever post anything about me, though," Atita says. That only changed when one crew member, who eventually fell out with the collective, decided to make it happen. "He took a photo of me and posted it. That was the first photo of me on the internet," she says. The skateboarders from Germany also spotted her talent. "I was the only girl skateboarding in the country and wanted to encourage me. One of them came up with the idea to photograph and document me." He reached out to Vans, telling them about this Indian "girl who skates really well."

When fame came calling

Before she knew it, the recognition was pouring in - journalists from around the world were beating down the door; everybody was talking about Atita Verghese. Even the American apparel giant Vans got in touch. Atita started an Instagram account too and quickly racked up a follower count. She got sponsorship from Extreme, who also put her in touch with Stanley Black & Decker. "That was awesome," she grins. "They would send me on trips and I did campaigns with them."

But what’s passion without purpose? Girls still weren't getting into the sport and Atita wanted to change that. What was keeping girls away? "We're still trying to answer this," she responds. Skateboarding is niche, and it can also be quite scary, she reasons. "It's an extreme sport for sure – if you’re falling, you're falling on concrete." Atita has fallen too - last year, she fractured two fingers. It was a severe enough injury to keep most people away for life, but Atita was back on her skateboard the first chance she got.

While broken bones and grazed knees are always imminent, skateboarding, she says, is the ultimate lesson in mindfulness. "You just stop thinking about anything. Your only thoughts are about staying in the moment, figuring out the technicalities, where your body weight needs to be and where your feet are placed. There's no time to think of anything else." Body and brain are firing on all cylinders and there’s a lot of creativity involved. With skateboarding, "nobody likes carbon copy stuff," Atita says. "Originality and creativity are very respected. It's all about finding your own style."

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A way of life

As Bengaluru grew and developed, its vacant spaces were slowly devoured by the ever-growing concrete sea. It was a dangerous sport too, as Atita has pointed out. But the benefits trumped all that. The "meditative" process kept her going - "They say trauma can be healed through skateboarding," she tells me. Maybe there's truth to that, not just through the learning of the sport but because choosing it makes you part of a community, and introduces you to a way of life. If you can skateboard, you're part of a community – of rebels, outliers, iconoclasts and free spirits, perhaps, united an all-consuming love for skateboarding. There were true friends to be found on the fringe.

It’s not just that. What began as a pastime for surfers in the US’ West Coast back in the 1940s and 50s has grown into a global subculture that left its imprint on art, music, fashion and cinema. Companies like Vans, DC Shoes and Supreme, which sell skateboarding gear and apparel, are major fashion labels - the beanies and graphic tees have long since spilled off skateboarding ramps into mainstream couture. Skateboarding is associated with genres like punk rock, hip-hop and alt rock. In 2020, the sport finally made its Olympic debut.

Girl Skate India

Atita was living the dream, but she wanted to do more. "I wanted to not just focus only on myself," she says. And if she was creating the scene from scratch, building skateboards and drumming up demand, it needed to have a higher purpose than trying to appeal to a bunch of suits in a rigid corporate ecosystem. Living as she did in a country where physical safety is not a guarantee for women, who never even stop to question that, there was lots to be done. That's how she started Girl Skate India. She wanted to spread the world and to bring more women into the fold so they too could feel the warmth of being part of this vibrant, global community.

Atita conducts workshops, making use of every bit of free space she can find. "The stars aligned and it worked out," she says. She goes to rural India and brings women and girls out of their homes and on to skateboards. It's a struggle, obviously - the corporate ecosystem comes with rigid rules but nothing happens for free. "When I started Girl Skate, there were a couple of other girls skating too, they had started a few years after me. I could see the movement starting to happen and we wanted everyone to join."

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In Kovalam, Atita and the Girl Skate India crew built a skate park for SISP, an organisation that takes in destitute kids. They used surfing as an incentive - their policy was no school, no surfing. And because the kids love surfing so much, they also go to school. Since the monsoon is too hectic, they built a skatepark, led by Atita and a group of female skateboarders from Europe. "We did a workshop at a girls's school too and the teachers came in sarees. It was amazing!"

Purpose and fulfillment

It's been a big learning process too - "We kept getting to know people's stories and what they have been through and just how regressive society can be," Atita says. The women and girls they work with come from poverty-stricken homes, many from slums where several houses share a single bathroom. "One of the girls was able to build a new bathroom inside her house because of the money she got from a skate project I involved her in," Atita smiles. Alcoholism and domestic violence are rampant – kids fall into bad company, or take their aggression out on their peers. Skateboarding gives them a healthy outlet.

Girl Skate India has built around 10 skate parks so far. And Atita has seen the change taking place. In one village, a single mother who was harassed for not having a husband, pushed her daughter to skateboard – the girl became MP’s first female skateboarder, got an education and built a life for herself. Atita tells me the story with a smile, saying, "It makes me think that maybe we're doing the right thing here."

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For the love of chocolate: La Folie by Sanjana Patel brings haute patisserie to Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda

(February 18, 2024) For a decade now, Chef Sanjana Patel's La Folie has elevated the French haute pâtisserie and chocolatery scene and continues to forge new paths. As a 14 year old, Sanjana Patel would love seeing her grandmother, a baker, work in her kitchen. It inspired her to start baking with her. As her grandmother loved gardening, she has fond memories of summer holidays spent making carrot halwa cake from carrots picked from her garden. “I was always excited about making everything with chocolate. Even today, I carry with me a lot of things I learned from her, you will find these practices in my kitchen even today. One significant thing that I learned from here is localisation and sustainability, which you will find intertwined with La Folie’s philosophy and practices,” Chef Sanjana tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_49183" align="aligncenter" width="513"] Chef Sanjana Patel, founder, La Folie[/caption] Starting out Patel did her early education at Maneckji Cooper and JB Petit and finished high school at St Hilda's in Ooty. In 2005, she moved to the UK and started at Le Cordon Bleu, College of Culinary Arts in London, followed by Ecole Gregoire Ferrandi in Paris, where she earned a master’s

ing out

Patel did her early education at Maneckji Cooper and JB Petit and finished high school at St Hilda's in Ooty. In 2005, she moved to the UK and started at Le Cordon Bleu, College of Culinary Arts in London, followed by Ecole Gregoire Ferrandi in Paris, where she earned a master’s in baking and Patisserie. Then, she moved to the University of Surrey for an M.Sc. in Food Science Management with honours in Chocolate Technology and did an M.Sc. in Marketing and Strategy at the University of Warwick (Warwick Business School). In 2008, she finished her master’s diploma C.A.P in bakery and patisserie with distinction at Ecole Gregoire Ferrandi in Paris. She then stayed in Europe for seven years and worked with chefs like Pierre Hermé, Jean-Charles Rochoux, Patrick Roger, Camille Lesecq, and Olivier Bajard. She also worked at award-winning restaurants like Hotel Le Meurice and Hotel Plaza Athénée in the Dorchester Collection under chefs like Christophe Michalak and Chef Alain Ducasse, among others.

The La Folie journey

In 2013, she decided to return to India and began her journey with La Folie as she opened the first outlet in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai a decade ago in January 2014. “My love for chocolate partially stemmed from Chocolaterie Jean-Charles Rochoux, where I served as a Chocolatier Intern. This experience has been the grounding stone of my journey into the world of chocolate,” she says. At La Folie she has introduced unique French haute creations. “Those things were very new, and people were not subjected to these kinds of tastes. So, a lot of education went in to help people understand what we were doing. However, over the years, I feel that with experimental cuisines expanding in India, people are now more open to trying out new flavours and foods,” she adds.

For someone who always wanted to offer something different, she started La Folie with a focus on natural flavours and says that now people appreciate their philosophy of using natural ingredients and the unique taste they bring. “My affair with chocolate began as a passionate hobby and soon cascaded into a magical journey of discovering myself through craft chocolate, a journey that led me on an adventurous road trip to numerous cacao farms across the world, to its native origins! The deeper I go, the more intrigued I am. Even chocolate tasting for me is not just biting into that heavenly piece but it is about setting on the journey of Emotions, Conversations, and Nostalgia. The more you taste, the more you indulge and build experiences with yourself and with others,” she adds.

'Chocolate tech'

In 2017, after a leg injury, Patel revisited the concept of making her own craft chocolate as she wanted to offer a different sensorial journey and taste to the Indian consumer and ultimately it had to be tied to the very source of chocolate, cacao. “I take an instinctive approach towards what I do, and not bounding myself by flavours, moulds, or recipes, but find my inspiration in trends, my journey, and experiences that have influenced me. I have always strived to explore ingredients and chocolates at the core, experimenting with ways to create an experience for the patrons. Also, as a Chocolate Technologist, I have not bound myself just to taste profiles, but have also collaborated with product designers to create customised chocolate moulds that elevate the chocolate experience to an art form,” she says. Incidentally, in 2016, she introduced a heartfelt journey ‘Down the Memory Lane’ with the creation of ‘Grandma’s Carrot Cake’ and this nostalgic masterpiece served as a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother.

Gender bender

For someone who has not seen gender biases, and in fact has never seen herself as being different as a female, Patel believes in making an impact and creating sustainable growth and a future for one’s vision and one’s passion. “I feel blessed having to do that slowly and steadily and changing chefs' and global culinary enthusiasts' approach to chocolate. It’s a happy place for me to see my customer's appreciation for our products and indirectly how it impacts at the farm level. I wish to continue doing that and building a stronger sustainable network across this field,” she avers. In her journey she has learnt many life lessons and one of them being the most important is to follow your vision and not get entangled in the vicious world of competition. “Staying and believing true to your identity will always take you forward strongly in a long way and yes always be willing to share knowledge and learn from others - there is nothing in withholding and being conservative about how your knowledge will be used,” she advises.

Looking ahead

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Now, one of the most important tasks for her is to work towards creating farmer co-operative programmes that can benefit the farmers to raise funds and improve crop fertility. “We also want to work towards government support through grants, funds and sponsorships for the post-harvesting process and crop yields. We want to create a supply chain system for the farmers where they can liaise with other chocolate makers with pre-order systems. This will empower the farmers to have economic support and eradicate uncertainty,” she says. And she is looking at making La Folie products available across tier one and tier two cities, as well as export orders for European and Middle Eastern countries. As someone who straddles the tightrope of nostalgia with global inspirations, Patel is making the case for craft chocolate in her own unique way.

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How para cyclist Jyoti Radheshyam escaped death and made it to the Paris Paralympics 2024

(September 2, 2024) You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up. That’s true of Jyoti Radheshyam Gaderiya. Back in May 2016, when she met with a near-fatal road mishap, doctors had lost all hope of her survival. They even declared her “dead” and sent the “body” for a post-mortem. But she fought a fierce battle with death and came back to life moments later. She spent the next three months in the ICU, battling for life, and her treatment involved the amputation of her left leg. Yet, she did not give up. “Losing a leg completely shattered me, I felt like a burden on myself. I went into depression for years. Eventually, I pulled myself together and here I am today,” says Jyoti Radheshyam Gaderiya, India’s top para cyclist, speaking to Global Indian. Over the years, Jyoti made India proud by winning 12 international medals and several national medals in para cycling championships. She is now at the prestigious Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games and says, “My sole aim is to win gold for India and make my country proud. I am completely focussed and working hard for it,” smiles the 26 year old. [caption id="attachment_55307" align="aligncenter" width="468"] Para cyclist Jyoti Radheshyam[/caption] Her preparations for the games were intense. Jyoti’s

com//wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PHOTO-2024-07-05-14-47-13.jpg" alt="Jyoti Radheshyam para cyclist | 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics | Global Indian" width="468" height="468" /> Para cyclist Jyoti Radheshyam[/caption]

Her preparations for the games were intense. Jyoti’s day would begin at 5 am, and she would head to practice, which lasted several hours. “After practice, I do body recovery exercises and drink protein shakes. Evenings are reserved for gym sessions,” she explains.

Rowing to cycling

Jyoti started cycling in February 22, 2022 with support from the Aditya Mehta foundation. Prior to that, she clinched an international bronze in para rowing at the Asian Games in 2019. “I shifted priorities and wanted to do cycling,” says the para cyclist.

Her steely resolve and dedication led Jyoti to win the gold medal in the Malaysia Para Road Championship Time Trial. Held in November 2022, it was a 13km event. Similarly, she clinched gold medals in Malaysia Para Road Race Championship (13.5km), Malaysia Para Track Championship Time Trial (500m) and Malaysia Para Track Championship Individual Pursuit (3km).

“Aditya Mehta Foundation supported me from the very beginning, providing accommodation, food, training and counselling which helped me win medals for the country,” says Jyoti, who was also a participant at the 2023 Asian Games in China.

She also proved her mettle at the 10th Asian Road Para Cycling Championship held in Tajikistan in 2022, World Para Cycling Track Championships 2022 (Ranking Number 8) and World Para Track Cycling Championship Scotland UK 2023 (Ranking Number 13).

“Exploring new places and learning different things has been the most interesting part of all my foreign travels. Winning medals was the icing on the cake,” smiles the para cyclist. The cycle she uses is fully carbon-made. “All its parts are very delicate, and it's the most expensive thing I own.”

Jyoti Radheshyam para cyclist | 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics | Global Indian

Humble beginnings

Hailing from Dongargaon in Mohadi taluka of Bhandara district in Maharashtra, Jyoti is the daughter of farmer couple Radheshyam Kashiram Gaderiya and Usha Radheshyam Gaderiya.

She always loved athletics, even in school, when she participated in various sports. Until she met with the accident on May 3, 2016, she was a state-level Kabbadi player.

The day that changed her life

Jyoti was returning home from her friend’s house on a two wheeler when the accident took place. “It happened in front of my house, which is on a highway,” says the para cyclist.

After her leg was amputated, Jyoti felt like the ground had slipped from beneath her feet. “My mom and dad were crying beside me, but I hid my tears, though they knew I was completely broken. They gave me courage and strength,” recalls the para cyclist.

Her parents sold everything they had and spent all their life savings, around Rs 80 lakh, on Jyoti’s treatment. “I didn't want my father to spend all his savings on me, neglecting my three sisters and one brother,” says Jyoti, who participated in the 10th Asian Championship New Delhi 2022 and Asian Para Track Cycling Championship New Delhi 2024 in which she won the gold medal.

Once she got better, her father got her admitted to a civil engineering course, but her heart was not in studies any more. In December 2018, Jyoti left home for Pune to work and earn money.

Challenges

While Jyoti did face challenges during her sporting journey, especially with the finances, she did not give up. “The equipment, gear and training put together cost lakhs of rupees,” says the youngster, who ran from the proverbial pillar to post and eventually managed to get the funds needed for preparation for the Asian rowing championship in 2019. Back then, she was training in rowing with Villa Sarve in the Army Rowing Institute. Her hard work paid off as she won bronze in Asian Games.

[caption id="attachment_55310" align="aligncenter" width="503"] Jyoti Radheshyam para cyclist | 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics | Global Indian Jyoti Radheshyam at the Chungju Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta. Photo: Facebook[/caption]

“No task is difficult, you just need to have confidence in yourself and a determination to work hard. No matter what happens, hard work will definitely show its results one day. Just never give up,” is her piece of advice.

When not cycling, Jyoti likes to listen to music and read. “I like to read to keep my mind focused and avoid negative thoughts,” says the determined sports star. She watches romantic movies, sports and Hindi songs to uplift her mood.

Looking back, she says whatever happens, happens for good. “I believe that good things will continue to happen only if one keeps working hard. There is nothing in the past, what matters is today so keep moving forward,” says Jyoti, who is an inspiration for many across the world.