Indian Scientist | Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryDr E. Shyam P. Reddy: Indian-origin scientist leading the fight against cancer

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy: Indian-origin scientist leading the fight against cancer

Written by: Amrita Priya

(March 13, 2024) Atlanta based Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy, Professor and Director of the Cancer Biology Program in the Department of OB/GYN at Morehouse School of Medicine, has devoted three decades of his life to his purpose – finding a cure for cancer. Driven by a deep passion for this mission, he has made significant contributions to cancer research, including the discovery of new genes.

Our passion is to find a cure for cancer. Nothing great can be achieved without passion.

Dr Reddy mentions on his website

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy

Dr Shyam Reddy and his team’s research has led to the development of several groundbreaking drugs targeting various cancers such as prostate cancer, Ewing Sarcoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer. Patents for these drugs are currently in progress.

We are on the brink of a breakthrough in cancer research. This discovery will have a significant impact on multiple types of cancer.

Dr Reddy emphasises on his website

In recognition of his tireless efforts in addressing one of humanity’s greatest crises, the scientist has received numerous awards throughout his career. An outstanding achievement came his way with the $1.25 million GCC Distinguished Cancer Scholar Award from the Governor of Georgia.

In addition to his role at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr Reddy holds adjunct professorships at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, The University of Alabama, Birmingham, and the Department of Biology at Georgia State University.

Global recognitions

Dr Shyam Reddy has been recognised with several prestigious awards for his outstanding contributions to cancer research. These include the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Gold Medal at the House of Lords in the UK Parliament, the Mother Teresa Excellence Award by the Integrated Council for Socio-Economic Progress, and the globally renowned Lifetime Achievement Award from IIFS in New Delhi, among others.

Left to Right: Dr Robert Dean, Dr David McLeod, Dr E. Shyam P Reddy, Dr Stephen Brassell, Dr Shiv Srivastava

Korn Dabbransi, former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, honoured him with the International Gold Star Award for his exceptional achievements in science and medicine on both national and international levels. He was honoured with the Bharat Award for Excellence, Glory of India Award and Bharat Gaurav Award by the India International Friendship Society in New Delhi. Furthermore, he has been recognized as a CPDR Distinguished Visiting Professor.

Early in his career, Dr Reddy had received accolades such as the INSA Young Scientist Award from the Prime Minister of India, the First Margaret Memorial Award in the UK, the Swebelius Cancer Research Award at Yale University, and the W.W Smith Trust Award.

Significant discoveries

In his tireless pursuit of conquering cancer, Dr Shyam Reddy has made significant strides in understanding the disease at a molecular level. As one of their notable achievements, Dr Reddy and his team has discovered and cloned 22 oncogenes, and meticulously studied their functions.

Particularly noteworthy are his discoveries of ERG -1, ERG-2, ERG-3, and human FLI-1 genes. His findings have been published in prestigious journals such as Science, PNAS, and Oncogene.

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy with Georgia Cancer Centre for Excellence team

One of Dr Reddy’s groundbreaking findings – the identification of ERG (ETS Related Gene), a crucial member of the ETS family get implicated in various human cancers. Recently, the ERG gene has emerged as a key player in the majority of prostate cancers, with overexpression observed in 50-80 percent of cases.

Dr Reddy emphasises, “ERG serves as both a transcriptional factor and a stem cell factor, exerting its influence not only in prostate cancers but also in Ewing sarcomas and leukaemia.” His research has shed light on the intricate mechanisms that lead to the development of cancer cells and offers hope for more effective treatment strategies in the future.

Other notable genes discovered and studied by the scientist and his team includes human Fli-1, EWS-Fli-1, EWS-erg, TLS-erg, EWSb, TLS/FUS, ELK-1, BRCA1a, BRCA1b, BRCA2a and EWS-ATF-1.

Development of novel drugs

Dr Reddy who has developed several novel drugs for cancer treatment.

We love to collaborate with researchers and industrialists to make joint efforts in eradicating cancer.

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy

He has discovered that ERG and Fli-1 proteins involved in several cancers are responsible for making cancer cells resistant to chemo-therapeutic agents. “We are targeting these onco-proteins or their functions to develop novel targeted therapeutic agents,” he remarks. “Using this strategy, we have developed several novel drugs that target prostate cancer, Ewing Sarcoma (paediatric cancer), breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, etc.,” he mentions. “These drugs appear to be targeted therapeutic agents with no effect on normal cells,” he adds.

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy with team members of Georgia Cancer Centre for Excellence

ALSO READ | The song of the cells: Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee is looking at new ways to treat cancer

Cancer research without funds is impossible

Driven by his passion to find a cure for cancer, Dr Reddy is actively engaged in securing grants and funding in addition to his research efforts. “We bring funds from NIH, DOD Agencies, SPORE grants etc. But we also need additional funding to take our passion to cure cancer to the next level,” he shares.

His research indicates that there are thousands of non-coding RNAs (30,000-40,000) in cells whose functions are yet to be discovered in the RNA-mediated cellular processes.

NIH, DOD and NSF need to dedicate 1-2 trillion dollars to identify RNA-mediated cellular functions.

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy

Early years

Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Dr Shyam Reddy did his schooling across various cities in the state, including Vijayawada, Guntur, Kurnool, and Anantapur. He pursued his BSc and MSc in Chemistry at Andhra University before embarking on his Ph.D. journey in the early 1980s. His doctoral research took place at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad (under the direction of late Dr PM Bhargava) and the Max Plank Institute in Gottingen, Germany, with his viva-voce conducted at MIT, USA.

During this period, Dr Reddy made significant contributions to research, publishing multiple papers in the prestigious journal Nature, which garnered him the National Young Scientist award conferred by the then Prime Minister of India. The scientist furthered his training with postdoctoral studies in human genetics at Yale University, under the guidance of Prof. Sherman Weissman, a member of the National Academy of Sciences. His exceptional work during this time earned him the Swebelius Cancer Research Award twice.

Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy with his awards, gold medals and certificates

The Indian-origin scientist had begun his career as a research associate at Yale University and subsequently held positions at esteemed institutions such as NCI-Frederick, The Wistar Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Kimmel Cancer Centre, Thomas Jefferson University, and Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

Significant associations

Advisory board member of American Journal of Cancer Science, American Journal of Cancer Biology, and American Journal of Cancer Review
Editorial board member of J. Haematology & Thromboembolic Diseases
Member of Editorial board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (GH), CSC Canada
Member of editorial board of Scientific World Journal

Follow Dr E. Shyam P. Reddy on LinkedIn and his website

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 13, Mar 2024

Share with

ALSO READ

AC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist  

(January 21, 2023) “An exciting time to be at NASA as the agency along with industry prepare to return crews to the moon,” tweeted AC Charania, eleven days after he assumed office as NASA’s new chief technologist. He also posted a link to the upcoming Artemis III mission, which has many firsts to its credit - The mission has been designed to mark humanity’s first return to the moon in more than 50 years. It will be the first to attempt to land astronauts near the south pole of the lunar surface, and also the first woman and the first person of colour. The newly appointed Indian-American chief technologist took charge from another Indian origin space expert, Bhavya Lal on January 3rd.  A renowned engineer, Charania has always been enthusiastic about exploring the lunar surface and sending back people on the moon. Not just as explorers, he said in a keynote address five years ago, but “this time to stay.” [caption id="attachment_34180" align="aligncenter" width="717"] AC Charania[/caption] As NASA's new chief technologist, he will serve as principal advisor to administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at the space agency's headquarters based in Washington DC. Global Indian takes a look

just as explorers, he said in a keynote address five years ago, but “this time to stay.”

[caption id="attachment_34180" align="aligncenter" width="717"] Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian AC Charania[/caption]

As NASA's new chief technologist, he will serve as principal advisor to administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at the space agency's headquarters based in Washington DC. Global Indian takes a look at his eclectic journey.

What the moon beholds 

“There are many interesting areas on the lunar surface that we are yet to explore. There are polar regions that we believe might have trapped volatiles, so there’s a lot more exploration that we need to do,” Charania had said back in 2018. He was associated with another organisation during that time. “There are grand solar system questions like how the solar system got formed, which we can answer by going back to the moon.”

Perhaps his arrival as NASA’s chief technologist can boost the scale, scope and frequency of human visits to the moon.

Deep expertise in turning dreams to reality  

Charania brings a vast array of experiences to his role at NASA. He has been part of multiple leadership teams of aerospace companies, and holds solid expertise in advanced concepts ideation, design and analysis, project management, technology evaluation, business development, international trade compliance, government advocacy, and more. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/NASApeople/status/1612534868864368642?s=20&t=ZaS4eXxYA_O6zqolDtZRIg[/embed]

A proponent of the belief that ‘big, curiosity-driven science outperforms all expectations regarding their usefulness, beating any other short-sighted strategy hands-down,’ Charania has been in the thick of transformational journeys of the organisations he has been associated with in the past.  

The global innovator  

Turning advanced concepts into reality, the global innovator has been involved in shaping the recent aerospace revolutions within small satellites, launch vehicles, hypersonics, human and robotic exploration, planetary defense, and aviation autonomy.  

 Prior to joining NASA, he served as vice president of product strategy at Reliable Robotics, a firm that works to bring certified autonomous vehicles to commercial aviation. 

 His previous experiences include working at Blue Origin, an organisation founded by the American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor and commercial astronaut, Jeff Bezos. As Campaign Director of Blue Origin, Charania worked to enhance the lunar permanence strategy, Blue Moon lunar lander programme, and multiple technology initiatives of Blue Origin with NASA. 

 “A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. If such an endeavour is to be successful and practical, we must be able to soft-land large amounts of mass onto the lunar surface, and we must be able to do so cost effectively,” he had remarked in a speech as a representative of Blue Origin. 

Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian

As one of the early employees of Virgin Galactic (now Virgin Orbit), Charania had added his expertise in strategy and business development for the LauncherOne small satellite launch vehicle programme. 

Prior to that as one of the first employees of SpaceWorks Enterprises, he served in multiple management and technology roles, including helping to incubate two startups - Generation Orbit and Terminal Velocity Aerospace. 

In his illustrious career, Charania has led the formation of the FastForward industry group focused on high-speed point-to-point transportation, and has also served on the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Commercial Advisory Board. 

Mission to lead space and aviation progress 

Working at NASA’s Office for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, Charania would be aligning its agencywide technology investments with mission needs across six directorates and would oversee technology collaboration with other federal agencies, the private sector, and external stakeholders.  

"The rate of advancement we seek in the 21st century is dependent upon selecting and maturing a portfolio of technologies into systems to execute our missions," the chief technologist said after his appointment. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/ac_charania/status/1614358501303767046?s=20&t=Hxfc0XgvBSeZdS5VxmeqXw[/embed]

"There are incredible opportunities in partnerships within and outside of NASA. I now look forward to the opportunity to work with the entire community to increase the rate of space and aviation progress," he said in a press release issued by NASA. 

Illustrious background  

The new NASA chief technologist holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. During his time there, Charania researched the design and performance of hybrid rocket engines. His work earned him several awards, including the National Science Foundation Fellowship. After graduating, Charania pursued a career in the aerospace industry, and has been a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Fellow in the past. 

To merge his understanding of technology with the aspect of business, Charania has topped up his technical expertise with a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University.

 He has led dozens of proposals to NASA, DARPA, USAF, large aerospace primes, and multiple entrepreneurial space ventures; from several million to several billion dollars of value leading to successful capture of more than a billion dollars of government and commercial contracts. 

[caption id="attachment_34181" align="aligncenter" width="832"] Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian AC Charania with a NASA official[/caption]

 The author of dozens of papers and publications, speaker at multiple public conferences and events, Charania has been living in the US with his family. He is a member of multiple professional societies and organizations, including several aerospace-related academic outreach programmes. 

Follow AC Charania on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Dr. Gopichand Mannam: Shaping the future of cardiac care in India at Star Hospitals

(January 17, 2024) Dr Gopichand Mannam once asked Sachin Tendulkar, “The whole country expects you to score 100 every time you're at the crease, and of course, we get very disappointed when you don't. How do you deal with that kind of pressure?” The master blaster’s responded promptly, saying, “You know, it's okay if I don't score 100 this time, I can do it next time. But if you fail, the patient dies, and you have no other chance!” “That reply by Sachin Tendulkar forever remains etched in my mind,” smiles Dr Gopichand Mannam, the managing director of Star Hospitals, as he settles down for an interview with Global Indian. The renowned doctor, who has performed several thousands of paediatric surgeries, including many critical ones and saved lives, is now working towards building a hospital dedicated to non-profit work, specifically for paediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, along with training programs. “By collaborating with like-minded organisations, I aspire to create a National Grid, a network that would ensure that children born into poverty with heart disease can access appropriate care, regardless of the complexity or geographic location,” says Dr Gopichand, who has patients from all over the country and different parts

y or geographic location,” says Dr Gopichand, who has patients from all over the country and different parts of the world visiting him everyday.

[caption id="attachment_48364" align="aligncenter" width="458"] Dr Gopichand Mannam | Star Hospitals | Global Indian Dr Gopichand Mannam[/caption]

Ongole boy

Born in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh in 1957, Dr Gopichand, the third among five siblings, was encouraged by his pharmacist father to become a doctor. “I was kind of a loose cannon and had no aim when I was in 10^th grade,” Dr Gopichand admits. He began his education studied at a municipality-funded public school and moved on to a government school where he finished 10^th grade. An avid sportsperson in high school, Dr Gopichand played cricket, Kho Kho and Mallakhamba, and was quite a movie buff as well.

In his early school years, Dr Gopichand was more street-smart than studious, he recalls. “I assisted with household chores, fetching water from the railway station as we did not have running water. Additionally, during summers, I helped my mother in the fields, where we did tobacco farming.”

As his father wished, Gopichand was sent to Guntur for a month-long training session to prepare for the medical entrance exams. A lack of focus, as well as the language barrier that came from having studied in Telugu-medium schools and writing an entrance exam in English meant he lost out in his first attempt, although he cleared it on his second try, gaining admission into Guntur Medical College.

At GMC

The early days in college were carefree and happy, spent having fun with new friends, although they would dedicate around three months to some serious studying before the year-end exams. Dr Gopichand’s professors were a good influence, who taught him the value of compassion and empathy.

Dr Gopichand Mannam | Star Hospitals | Global Indian

The real turning point came through tragedy, when Dr Gopichand’s elder sister passed away due to cardiac complications in 1979. “She underwent surgery at Vellore while I was in medical school, and passed away when I was in my final year of Medical College,” he says. This incident in 1979 made him aim for cardiac surgery.

Off to Jamaica

After graduation, Dr Gopichand hoped to go to the USA. “At the time, my colleagues were either heading to Jamaica, UK, or Africa to subsequently go to the US,” he says. He passed the ECFMG, which made him eligible to go to America but was told he couldn’t specialise in General Surgery, which was predominantly for locals. So, Dr Gopichand decided on Jamaica instead, and worked as a SHO at Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Kingston Public Hospitals, and later in a provincial town called Savanna-la-Mar, close to Montego Bay on the West Coast of Jamaica.

It was during this time that he met a Surgeon, Ramchandra Reddy, son of the renowned professor and pillar of Gunter Medical College, Professor DJ Reddy. “He taught me the initial surgical techniques, giving me confidence in performing appendectomies, abdominal operations and much more,” says Dr Gopichand, who conducted a good number of surgeries confidently.

General surgery in the UK

After passing the UK’s PLAB exam on his first attempt, Dr Gopichand joined general surgery and worked across the country for the next three years. Later, he appeared for exams in both Glasgow and Edinburgh Royal Colleges, passing both Fellowships in general surgery. He commenced his serious cardiac surgery training in 1989 in Glasgow, working there for 2.5 years. “By that time I was independently operating after doing over 150 cases as a senior registrar. It was an invaluable experience and laid the foundation for my Cardiac Surgery training program.”

Then, in 1991, he moved to Brompton Hospital in London, where over the next three years, he learned many lessons, including how to “hold my ground in a competitive environment where everyone is striving to undermine you,” Dr Gopichand says. It was also in Brompton that he made his first foray in paediatric surgery. “I had exceptional professors who taught me Thoracic Surgery, adult cardiac surgery, and paediatric cardiac surgery,” he says. In 1994, Dr Gopichand went to London's Royal College to appear for FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery and successfully passed.

Dr Gopichand Mannam | Star Hospitals | Global Indian

Subsequently, he returned to India by the end of 1994 and worked in various hospitals including Care Hospital. Eventually, he went on to start his own — Star Hospitals in November 2006.

Currently, Star Hospitals has a team of over 150 doctors, performed more than 85,000 surgeries and treated over 25 lakh patients. They excel in cardiology but also offer medical gastroenterology, surgical gastroenterology, Hepatology, Orthopedics and a range of other specialisations.

Early riser

Even now, Dr Gopichand’s day begins at 5.30 am and he is in the hospital by 7.30 am to attend to outpatients before proceeding to the operating theatre. He typically has 25 to 30 patients a day performs about 6 to8 procedures. During breaks, he attends to administrative responsibilities including meetings or discussions with his team. “Ideally, I hope to head home by 7:30 pm, but occasionally it might extend to 8:00 pm. This routine has been understood and accepted by my family from the outset, primarily because my wife is also a doctor,” informs the MD of Star Hospitals. Presently, most critical surgeries are handled by his team.

Staying physically fit is essential to build the endurance needed for longer operations. “There are times when we have to stand for six-seven hours, so good physical health is paramount,” Dr Gopichand says. He walks five kilometres every morning and spends another 25 minutes doing push-ups, stretches and planking. He also follows a non-carbohydrate diet. “I primarily consume millets. I am always mindful of my weight because I have a family history of diabetes.”

Finding mental composure

By his own admission, Dr Gopichand says he used to be rather aggressive as a person. “If someone did something I thought wasn't right, I would confront them, only appreciating their efforts when they were doing well. But now, I've become much more composed. I've realized the importance of guiding people who might not be doing things correctly.” He keeps at managing his temper, by listening to podcasts and going for walks. He also has a solid group of friends, the CEO Club Inner Circle, with whom he shares inadequacies, moments of happiness, ambiguities, and all those things.”

Inspired by Kalam

Dr Gopichand has had quite a few interactions with the then President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“We talked about a lot of interesting life facts. He encouraged me to focus on what is right rather than doing something for some benefit. That's how through that conversation, our Hrudaya Foundation was born,” informs the doctor. He says each child presents a challenging case.

Dr Gopichand Mannam | Star Hospitals | Global Indian

Challenges in the fraternity

With so many medical colleges opening up, says Dr Gopichand, there "is a shortage of qualified and dedicated faculty in almost every specialty. Private colleges are competing to hire retired professionals, while government hospitals are striving to retain their teachers.” Meanwhile, medical students lack opportunities for structured learning - “Patient examinations have ceased, resulting in a complete decline in clinical skills. Even college attendance seems to be merely for the purpose of writing exams.”

We seem to have lost sight, he says, of the fundamental qualities that a medical professional requires. “Attributes like empathy, honesty, continuous learning, and commitment to their work seem overshadowed by a rush to earn money. While this may be a generalization or an unfair assessment, it's the impression I often get,” says Dr Gopichand.

Future plans

Dr Gopichand intends to continue operating for the next five years, if not longer. “I'm keen on training at least three individuals each year in future cardiac surgery,” says the doctor, who is highly focussed in research as well.

Along with his senior colleague, Dr Lokeshwar Rao, Dr Gopichand has published over 100 papers in their specialty, drawing from their extensive experience of 33,000-34,000 operations in various aspects of cardiac surgery. He is also in discussions with some Western universities for collaboration, which hopefully will bear fruit within the next two years,” he informs.

On the hospital front, he plans to establish a new unit besides exploring new opportunities over the next five years.

Visit the Star Hospitals website for more information.

Meet Krishna Vavilala, the winner of US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award 2022

(December 28, 2022) When AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism of the United States government, called up Krishna Vavilala informing that he has been selected for the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award 2022, the long-time Houstonian thought it to be a hoax call. However, when the realisation of the authenticity of the message dawned on him, he was taken aback by surprise. Endorsed by President of America, Joe Biden, and Vice President, Kamala Harris, the award is considered a symbol of highest recognition of the commitment of outstanding citizens of America who have given their time to volunteer and help their community. [caption id="attachment_33290" align="aligncenter" width="685"] Krishna Vavilala with his wife Prabhat Lakshmi Vavilala at the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony[/caption] “I strongly believe in the virtue of sincerity and commitment, and that is why, as you must have noticed, the byline of my email is ‘Commitment is key. Everything else is an excuse,’ remarks the 86-year-old Samaritan, while connecting with Global Indian from Houston for a video chat. Krishna Vavilala, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, and immigrated to the United States in 1974, was felicitated on December 4 at a glittering ceremony in Texas. He has been

l is ‘Commitment is key. Everything else is an excuse,’ remarks the 86-year-old Samaritan, while connecting with Global Indian from Houston for a video chat.

Krishna Vavilala, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, and immigrated to the United States in 1974, was felicitated on December 4 at a glittering ceremony in Texas. He has been volunteering to bring the Indian community together in America for close to four decades now and has won several awards and accolades along the way.

Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian

The humanitarian and changemaker is the founder and chairman of the Foundation for India Studies (FIS), a 16-year-old non-profit, whose signature initiative 'Indo-American Oral History Project' won the 2019 Mary Fay Barnes Award for Excellence.

Tryst with Gandhi

A strong believer in promoting peace and racial harmony, Vavilala has participated in several Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. parades, dressed as Mahatma Gandhi. A trend he began in 2006 ‘to bring Indian and Black communities together and to spread the message of peace and nonviolence, which both the leaders - MLK and Gandhi followed’. " Martin Luther King Jr fought for the civil rights and then adopted Gandhiji's principles of non violence," he tells.

“I must be one of the very few people in America who has seen Gandhi in person,” he laughs. “The memory of me as a nine-year-old seeing Gandhi during his visit to Rajahmundry, my home town in 1946, is still stuck in my mind,” he remarks.

[caption id="attachment_33293" align="aligncenter" width="891"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala dressed as Gandhi at MLK Parade, 2006[/caption]

My grandmother had taken my two sisters and me on a bullock cart to see Mahatma Gandhi. The train on which he had arrived moved back and forth to give everybody an opportunity to see the Mahatma.

Still mesmerised by the experience, Vavilala has tried to keep Gandhi relevant in Houston over the years. The childhood experience left such an indelible mark on him that the immigrant Samaritan later proposed the idea of installation of a Gandhi statue at Herman Park, Houston - first in a peace rally and then to the board of the India Culture Centre. "There should be a statue of Mahatma Gandhi as a constant reminder of peace in a cowboy state like Texas," he proposed. Not only was his idea readily accepted but he also got appointed as the Project Chair in 2003.

“It took me a year to raise $23,000 for the project,” he says. Though he had budgeted the project cost to be not less than $50,000, since ICCR accepted his request of sponsoring the statue cost and Air India flew it free of cost, Vavilala was able to make his dream come true in half of the budgeted amount.

[caption id="attachment_33292" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala with Gandhi Statue at Herman Park, Houstan - a dream come true[/caption]

“Millions of tourists from across the world, who come to Houston, have seen the statue and paid their tributes to the Mahatma,” he mentions.

The humble beginnings

Since Vavilala’s father never had a paid job, he and his two sisters grew up in a household with limited means. “I studied in the light of the paraffin lamp,” he says, adding, “I have bought one such lamp in a store here to show my children, ‘this is how your dad studied’.”

Until he went to college, there was no electricity in the house. As an inquisitive student, he was always interested in science and technology, especially physics.

[caption id="attachment_33294" align="aligncenter" width="591"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala at the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony[/caption]

“Though I was a science student, I was a thinker, always reflecting on the issues related to the society at large.” Caste system and dowry was something that Vavilala was vocal about. “When I was in high school, I wrote about what a menace dowry was and how people indulging in it should be punished and sent to jail.” It got published, and to the utter surprise of the entire family, a ₹15 money-order landed as stipend to his doorstep.

Vavilala went on to study electrical engineering at BITS Pilani. Talking about it, he mentions, "I am proud of my alma mater, which is a premier institute of India. I was in one of its early batches,1956-1960."

The people’s man

Although, a retired engineer, Krishna Vavilala addresses himself, a ‘sociologist’. He loves people, spends time listening and telling stories and takes deep interest in understanding others’ problems.

Making a difference is very important for every human being. This planet gives us so many opportunities to serve society - Krishna Vavilala

[caption id="attachment_33303" align="aligncenter" width="1029"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala with FIS participants of MLK Parade, 2019[/caption]

A volunteer for strengthening civic engagement, Vavilala has played an instrumental role in starting the celebration of Indian American Heritage Day in Houston in collaboration with Houston Public library.

Foundation for India Studies

Vavilala established Foundation for India Studies (FIS) in 2005 as a non-profit with a vision to promote knowledge about India’s contribution in the field of languages, literature, arts, sciences, engineering, politics, economics and spirituality.

The Foundation’s first successful project was the India Studies program at the University of Houston, instituted in 2006. The program, which initially began with Hindi language courses and classes in Hinduism and Jainism, went on to expand to 12 courses and was funded by the university itself. Students taking these courses were awarded a minor certificate in India Studies.

[caption id="attachment_33296" align="aligncenter" width="883"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala with University of Houstan, President and Chancellor[/caption]

FIS initiated several other measures to keep the value of Indian culture intact amongst Indian immigrants and Houstonians in general like – lectures, seminars, conferences, workshops, town hall meetings and student and faculty exchange programmes.

Since Indian diaspora is becoming bigger and bigger, it needs organisations like Foundation for Indian Studies to help them stay connected - Krishna Vavilala

FIS members routinely participate in the annual MLK Grande Parade. It attracts a large crowd and millions of views on TV and digital media. “MLK Parade Grand Marshall Award was awarded to FIS in 2015, which is a matter of great pride,” says the FIS founder.

[caption id="attachment_33295" align="aligncenter" width="884"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala leading the FIS parade, dressed as Gandhi[/caption]

FIS has expanded the India Studies programme at Texas Southern University, and remains committed to commemorating Gandhi and Dr King's legacies of non-violence and peaceful co-existence.

Curating life stories

“Human stories are very diverse and interesting. They are fantastic. No matter which part of the globe you are in, you have a story to tell,” Vavilala believes. With this in mind, he embarked on the journey of the ‘Indo-American Oral History Project’ in 2011 which focuses on recording life stories of first-generation Indian immigrants to Houston. “Most of the early immigrants came to the country in the sixties and seventies and had humble beginnings.”

The project was started in partnership with Houston Public Library (HPL) and Houston Community College (HCC). “Life stories and experiences of the Indo-Americans living in Houston are recorded through their interviews.” The video recordings as well as the transcripts are being stored for posterity in Houston Metropolitan Research Centre's digital archives.

[caption id="attachment_33297" align="aligncenter" width="1037"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala at the launch of Oral History Project with University of Houston President, Dr Renu Khator and other FIS members[/caption]

Vavilala’s own story is nothing short of an inspiration. The man, who landed in the US with just a suitcase, and a few dollars, without knowing anyone there; worked his way up the corporate ladder. Building a good life for himself and his family, he eventually became a strong pillar for the entire Indian community in Houston by bringing them together through several social initiatives.

“It’s an ongoing project to create a resource for the future generation so that they can trace back their roots and understand how they came to the foreign land”, he tells.

By going through the archives of the Indo-American Oral History Project, the younger generation would be able to learn about the backgrounds of their fathers and forefathers and understand how those people are reason behind their well-being in America - Krishna Vavilala

Popular Houstonian

Vavilala has served in senior leadership positions in a number of organisations and non-profits including President of the American Society of Indian Engineers, President of Telugu Cultural Association, Houston and President of Telugu Literary and Cultural Association.

[caption id="attachment_33298" align="aligncenter" width="734"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala shares stage with Rajiv Gandhi (the then PM of India ) and Sonia Gandhi during their visit to Houstan in 1985[/caption]

“You just get going deeper and deeper,” he talks about his whirlwind of social engagements. Vavilala was part of many significant contingents - Whether it was sharing stage with Rajiv Gandhi, who visited Houstan or representing FM1960 area, as Secretary of the Precinct at 1996 Democratic Party State Convention held in Dallas, which was attended by Hillary Clinton.

He has received several awards and accolades from organisations like the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, the Indo-American Press Club, and US Customs and Border Protection Agency.

On August 15, 2021, on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the humanitarian was honoured with India Culture Center’s lifetime achievement award from Stafford City Mayor.

[caption id="attachment_33300" align="aligncenter" width="899"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala honoured with India Culture Center’s lifetime achievement award from Stafford City Mayor in 2021[/caption]

Life Abroad

After getting trained at BITS Pilani, the Andhra Pradesh boy got his first job at Tata Iron and Steel Company, Jamshedpur and later moved to Calcutta and worked for MN Dastur & Co. His boss recommended him to work in the UK. Vavilala moved there for six years. It was in the UK that both his daughters, Monica and Amanda were born. "Since my parents were getting old, I came back to India for them. Had they relocated to Calcutta from Rajahmundry to stay with me, perhaps I would not have not thought of my next stint abroad, but they did not want to permanently leave their hometown," he remarks.

The turmoil and economic crisis of West Bengal in the 70s led him to seek a better life, and he made a move to the US. Spending early days at the YMCA hostel in Manhattan, leaving his family behind in India, Vavilala worked hard. Later his family joined him, and they moved to Houston in 1981. Some years later, Vavilala was sent to Saudi Arabia by his organisation, where he worked on a project for three years.

[caption id="attachment_33301" align="aligncenter" width="826"] Indians in USA | Krishna Vavilala | Global Indian Krishna Vavilala and his wife Prabhat Lakshmi Vavilala at the installation ceremony of Gandhi statue at Herman Park, Houston[/caption]

Over the years, Vavilala has not just tried to excel professionally but has been super involved in the various social initiatives. Talking about the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement award, he mentions, “I was able to do whatever I wanted to because of Lakshmi, my wife of 61 years. This award is for her." She created an environment for him to work on his life's calling. "All I had to do was to earn the paycheque,” he smiles adding, “We led a life of a traditional Indian family here.”

All that the Samaritan hopes is that the younger Indo-Americans, who were born in America, feel proud of their Indian heritage and continue to pass it on to their children and grandchildren, something that he has indulged in, over the years.

Follow Krishna Vavilala on Facebook
Follow Foundation for India Studies on its website

Reading Time: 7 mins

‘Bean’ there, done that: David Belo, the chocolatier putting Mysuru on the world map

(August 6, 2023) Home grown, made in India chocolate brand Naviluna in Mysore is the brainchild of its South African Founder, MD and Creative Director, David Belo. Located in a restored heritage home in Mysuru, the Naviluna cafe is the first bean-to-bar chocolate house in India and the first in the world to exclusively use Indian-origin cacao. Global Indian speaks to Belo about the bean-to-bar journey of the Naviluna brand. Belo was born in South Africa at a time when most of Southern Africa was going through major geopolitical shifts. Cape Town was filled with symbols of the disruption of the times but also with hope in good measure. “Coming from a Portuguese family the world inside and outside the home was multicultural and multilingual, reflecting the long and complex history of the Cape of Good Hope nestled between the Atlantic and the Indian ocean," David tells Global Indian. "The relationship between South Africa's early beginnings, my own community, trade, food, and drink is as rich as it is deep." He grew up exposed to the spices of Cape Malay kitchens, Cape Dutch BBQs, 300-year-old French Hugeonut Wine Estates, traditional Xhosa outdoor cooking and Filipino fishing communities. It was a

-year-old French Hugeonut Wine Estates, traditional Xhosa outdoor cooking and Filipino fishing communities. It was a rich and versatile cultural heritage that had a profound influence on Belo's own 20-year journey in food and drink, spanning Africa, Europe and Asia.

[caption id="attachment_43293" align="aligncenter" width="586"] Global Indian | David Belo David Belo, founder of Naviluna in Mysore.[/caption]

He spent the latter half of his education in South London and started mixing cocktails in the West End whilst studying business at university. “I was playing in bands at the time, squatting in disused buildings and skateboarding whenever I found the time. It was living for the moment, but the moment had a trajectory and I knew living that fast wasn't sustainable," David recalls. "Long story short I found meditation, travelled, retrained as a sourdough bread baker in the English countryside and ended up in Mysore just looking for a place that reminded me of Cape Town but was still new and inspiring. I am still here 12 years later.”

Business Sense

For someone who has always admired designers like Paul Smith and Yves Saint Laurent, his cocktail background drew him closer to old-world, craft-based FMCG like H. Upman cigars in Havana or the old sherry makers of Jerez. “I felt the chocolate space was lacking both a solid brand image as well as the craftsmanhip seen in so many other food and drink traditions. Being Portuguese, we have had a relationship with cacao that spans both centuries and the globe, so perhaps it was in my blood.” However, his initial days in the business were very tough and he admits that it was only in the last year that things have started to settle down and fall into place. “Manufacturing is hard you know, things are always breaking down, logistics can be temperamental, Indian bureaucracy works hard at maintaining its reputation and people can be unreliable. The fact that we were bootstrapped from the beginning made it even tougher. In hindsight those conditions gave rise to a company culture that was honest, to the point, efficient and totally product focused. We spent nine years perfecting our craft, establishing our brand values and are now ready to start building and scaling the company.”

Global Indian | David Belo

Choco Cues

Naviluna is the first bean-to-bar chocolate house in India and the first in the world to use Indian origin cacao exclusively. Their approach to the craft of chocolate making is very much terroir-centric to showcase the wealth and diversity of the subcontinent and this is seen in their chocolates as well. Their café in Mysore opened late last year sits on top of the factory in a 150-year-old heritage bungalow that his team and he have spent the past six years restoring. “For the past nine months we have focused on our coffee program at the cafe serving up a selection of classic 1950's Italian style coffee and chocolate drinks using arabica A grade coffee sourced and roasted by Beanrove who have their own estates in Chikmagalur. You won't find more contemporary trends like pour-overs or an AeroPress. Like everything else at Naviluna it is about finding modernity through tradition whilst the thesis behind the menu at the cafe reflects our chocolate to showcase the best of what grows locally but with a unique and global perspective.” David also hosts gatherings at the Naviluna café, combining craft chocolate, gourmet dishes, homemade brews and spritzers along with house music, collaborating with music producers from all over India.

Global Indian | David Belo

Future Perfect

Naturally, he has learnt many lessons and says that to anyone looking at the space or small business in general is to focus on compounding work. “It is really important to build a body of work as opposed to doing jobs. The former will not only lay the foundation for a long and fruitful career but will offer guidance for the next steps ahead.” Currently he is working towards opening their first space in Bangalore which will be followed by Mumbai. “We are very clear that we are not selling a commodity but offering an experience and that chocolate is just our medium. Our stores will be designed and optimised for customer experience that communicates Naviluna's lifestyle values as well as the nuances embodied by the craft of chocolate making at this level. I am really excited about these next steps. Three years from now we are looking at London and Lisbon as we start to establish this proudly made in Mysore brand in front of a global audience,” he signs off.

Global Indian | David Belo

Follow Naviluna on YouTube and Instagram
More details on their Website

Meet the couple serving dhaba-style food in New Zealand

Find out why the food cooked by Janesh Kumar Kharbanda and his partner Bhawna have people travelling for two hours to get to their dhaba. (February 4, 2024) Sometimes, a hero’s journey takes roads that make all the difference. Just as it was for Janesh Kumar Kharbanda, or Jay as he is popularly known. And his story of how he ended up in Hamilton, a city in New Zealand, is intriguing. In an exclusive interview with Global Indian, he recalls, “I came to New Zealand in 2006 for my post-graduation in business management. After completing my studies, I got a job at a well-known Indian restaurant as an assistant manager. From 2007 till 2016 I worked with brands in the hospitality business from the Taj Group of Hotels to chains like Nando’s, Denny’s, and La Porchetta; most of which are world famous.” I Did It My Way With an entrepreneurial spirit lurking within, in 2014, Jay also started his own company called Life Corporation Ltd. He manufactured hygiene products like alcohol-free hand sanitisers, toilet seat wipes, clean and wipe tissues, etc. Due to back surgery, he shut down the business for a while but plans to restart it soon. He

strong>

With an entrepreneurial spirit lurking within, in 2014, Jay also started his own company called Life Corporation Ltd. He manufactured hygiene products like alcohol-free hand sanitisers, toilet seat wipes, clean and wipe tissues, etc. Due to back surgery, he shut down the business for a while but plans to restart it soon. He says, “Due to my work, I used to travel to various cities across the country. I realised something was missing and people were getting bored of eating the same type of food which was less authentic and mild. During that time, I also launched and produced the Senior Best Chef Show in 2015 on local TV channels, which was inspired by Masterchef. The beauty of my show was that contestants had to be over 55 years of age; this was to encourage senior citizens to come forward with their hidden recipes so that the younger generation could know more about their grandparents’ secret recipes.”

Food | Global Indian

Between the insights gained from his travel and the show, he decided “to open an authentic Indian boutique restaurant, especially for Indian kids growing up in New Zealand, so they could see how we used to eat and our experiences when we were children.” And instead of Auckland, Christchurch, or Wellington, more popular cities of this tiny island nation, he and his partner Bhawna decided on Hamilton, a city in the North Island, with a population of less than two lakh people, because it is a gateway to all other major cities and a tourist attraction as well as a stopover point while travelling.

Highway on My Plate

It is mostly a self-managed operation, and Jay and Bhawna have even designed and executed the décor of the place including the painting and furniture. However, they had to face several challenges when they launched. Bhawna reveals, “Initially, it was on the highway where there was no local grocery shop, bus stop, and no local community. We had to travel every day to buy fresh groceries, and pick up and drop staff. Our restaurant is secluded from the main locations, so it was not in a safe area.”

Food | Global Indian

They aptly named it Dhaba on Highway and gave it a dhaba-like feel – the kind we see dotting Indian highways. Even the décor is similar. About the menu, Jay says, “We decided to make those dishes which are always in demand, but the real taste is missing, like Delhi style chhole bhature, Mumbai vada pav, misal pav, and pav bhaji, Punjabi paratha, and the all-India favourite, kadak chai, etc. Being in this industry for the last 26 years coupled with my interest in cooking since childhood with my grandmother, we created all these recipes which are authentic and inspired by her. We freshly grind our spices, add no colours or preservatives, and we don’t freeze any cooked food. Luckily, Bhawna had similar interests. We buy locally every day, and though it is extra hard work, it retains the freshness and taste of the food. Finding the right staff with the required skills is a real challenge, as most of them have no experience in this industry. It took a lot of pain and time to train and educate them.”

Food | Global Indian

The restaurant was launched in 2016, and from Members of Parliament to famous YouTubers like Karl Rock and famous chefs and their families have dined here. The most popular dishes here are the parathas, served with a massive dollop of white butter, Chhole Bhature with lassi and samosas. Lots of desi ghee is also used in the food. Bhawna manages the entire kitchen operation and does the cooking too.

Staying Ahead of the Game

Bhawna reveals why she thinks her food is so popular, even with the locals. “We make everything fresh from scratch, so it is very easy for us to cater to their bland palate, apart from a few dishes that need prep beforehand. We make our own white butter, and we use desi ghee to cook the main dishes. All our dishes were first served to our family, kids, and friends for a while and once everyone approved, we put these dishes on our main menu. Our food doesn't make you feel heavy after eating it, and people travel 200 km to 300 km especially just to dine at our restaurant.”

Food | Global Indian

With Dhaba on Highway becoming successful, Jay and Bhawna have recently launched another outlet inspired by “the Vaishnav dhabas on Indian motorways.” Named Beeji Dhaba after Jay’s grandmother, the food here is sattvik without onion and garlic. Jay adds, “We have several vegan dishes that cater to a large vegan audience that is increasing rapidly day by day. It’s ten minutes away from the first restaurant and has a more dhaba look and feel, where people can experience roadside dhabas like the ones back in India. With an increasing number of Jain, Swaminarayan and other religious belief customers who don’t like to eat onion and garlic, serving all dishes without them was a bit challenging in the busy rush. So, we decided to make this outlet completely Vaishnav or sattvik.”

Next on the anvil for Jay and Bhawna is the launch of their new dessert brand, which is his grandmother’s recipes made from jaggery, natural ingredients and healthy; free from preservatives. They chose desserts since their handmade kulfis are already popular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6GheW0qfEs

Jay believes in serving fresh and natural food and according to him, global food trends too are moving in that direction. “People want more plant-based, healthy, and natural food, as after COVID, people start realising that health is more important than anything else.”

With their sattvik and vegetarian dishes popular with people from varied cultures, can a cookbook be far behind? Apparently not as it is one of Jay and Bhawna’s cherished goals. And, seeing how much they have accomplished in less than a decade, a cookbook doesn’t seem out of reach either.

When they travel, Jay and Bhawna like to eat at:

Kashkan by Ranveer Brar, Dubai: Dal, Shikanji, Dum Aloo
Indian Accent, New Delhi: Six-course vegetarian meal
Kle, Zürich, Switzerland: Six course meal
Gaa, Bangkok, Thailand: Baby corn and jackfruit dishes
Yellow, Sydney, Australia: Pumpkin and Papaya with Wattleseed and Mulberry and Honeydew Sorbet

Follow Dhaba on Highway on Facebook

Reading Time: 7 mins