Global IndianstoryFrom winning championship at 9 to becoming a chess grandmaster at 17: SL Narayanan’s incredible journey

From winning championship at 9 to becoming a chess grandmaster at 17: SL Narayanan’s incredible journey

Written by: Global Indian

(November 8, 2021) SL Narayanan was all of nine when the board game with 64 black and white squares grabbed his attention. It was at this young age that he learnt that the knight in chess moves multiple squares each time while the pawn moves forward one square. Such was his passion for the game that he aced it and won his first championship that same year. This taste of victory gave Narayanan enough drive to pursue the game professionally and eight years later, he became India’s 40th chess Grandmaster at the age of 17.

Cut to 2021, Narayanan is still making India proud at the international level when he recently finished second at the ChessMood Open in Armenia. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for this 23-year-old who got enough time to improve his game. “I was very happy with my performance at the ChessMood Open. I played some quality games and was very happy to see the result of my work during this pandemic. It was my first visit to Armenia and I am glad I could keep a positive memory about the tournament. And this indeed motivates me to work even harder,” he told Global Indian in an interview.

While the chess grandmaster is upping his game with every tournament but he had to overcome many challenges to reach the top.

A chance encounter with chess

Born in 1998 in Kerala, Narayanan was just nine when he first accompanied his mother to a chess tournament at her office and watched with rapt attention as she played the game. Sensing his curiosity, one of his mom’s colleagues introduced him to the rules of the game. Intrigued by the world of chess, he returned to the tournament the next year with his mother and tried his hand. He managed to impress his opponent with his moves; he noticed the kid’s potential and insisted his mother give Narayanan proper training. “Consequently, under the guidance of P Sreekumar, who was the former Kerala State Champion, I started my first lessons of the game. I learned the game in a systematic way and also started participating in district weekly events,” he says.

A young SL Narayanan up against top GM Parimarjan Negi.

While Narayanan was mastering chess with each game, he would often ask his parents about his future in the game. The question of who would he become if he continued playing well often crossed his mind. “They [my parents] had one clear name to look up to – Vishwanathan Anand. Once I got to know about him through his games and news reports, I knew I had a role model,” he adds. Soon, he fell in love with chess as it was the game’s individuality that attracted him. “The rules are the same for everyone but you play according to your understanding/strategy and that’s what made it colourful for me,” says the grandmaster.

Nudging support from family

The 23-year-old is now among the top 10 chess players in India, and his career is testament to his family’s support and commitment to the game. “My father was a government contractor but he quit his job when I started playing so that he could travel with me for tournaments,” he reveals. His mother, who introduced him to the game, was among his biggest supporters as she was the sole breadwinner in the family for the longest time. The Grandmaster from Kerala also found support in his sister who gave up her dream of being a chess player in order to let him succeed. “My sister was also a very good chess player. She has participated in several national events and was the Delhi University zonal champion in 2017. We both trained under the same coach together for a while. However, my parents could only back one of us as our financial background wasn’t great; one of us had to step back to pave the way for the other. Since I was a bit more talented and hard working, she decided to take a step back,” adds Narayanan.

Grandmaster SL Narayanan

The chess player’s endeavours were not only supported by his family but even his school backed him. Narayanan studied at St Thomas Residential school till 8th standard and then moved to St Mary’s Higher Secondary School to focus more on his game. Despite his hectic schedule, the 23-year-old was able to strike a balance between his studies and chess, all thanks to the support of his teachers.

Checkmate by challenges

Narayanan was quite young when he started learning from former Kerala State Champion, P Sreekumar and later trained under IM Varghese Koshy and GM Praveen Thipsay. But it hasn’t been an easy journey from him as financial aid has always been a constraint. “Initially, I didn’t get any proper training, opportunities or support to better my game despite being a strong and hardworking player. My parents took loans from several institutions to give me good training and help me participate in tournaments. If I had gotten proper training when I was young, like the players of similar age now get, it would have helped me create a strong foundation which I could build on,” says the English Literature graduate from Mar Ivanios College.

SL Narayanan at World Junior Chess Championship 2016

In 2016, the year Narayanan won gold in the Asian junior blitz chess championship, crowdfunding came to his rescue. “I was contacted by the social platform – Milaap after they came to know about me through one of the dailies. Later, they started crowdfunding and raised around ₹1.15 lakh which was indeed helpful for me. I believe crowdfunding is a reliable way to raise funds especially in a third world country like India,” adds Narayanan.

He didn’t find much support from the government either apart from the time when he became a grandmaster. “Since then I have not received any support from either the State or Central Government. Even when I went to one of the administrators, he ridiculed me and asked if chess was even a game; that was so disheartening,” he reveals.

A journey worth remembering

Despite many challenges and setbacks, Narayanan has been able to pull himself through all of it for the sheer love of the game. From winning his first championship in 2007 to becoming a grandmaster, he has come a long way. “There have been a lot of thrilling moments in the journey with some tournaments working for me and others working completely against me. But I still enjoy the process of working on a game and the concept that builds the game.”

SL Narayanan

For this Global Indian, chess is more than a game as he says it has helped him in shaping his character. The grandmaster is confident in the future of the sport and its players. “I could easily say that chess could help the young generation to instill in them life qualities as well as problem solving capabilities which will benefit them immensely,” he signs off.

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Published on 08, Nov 2021

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Jay Sean: The British-Indian artiste completes 20 years in hip-hop music world

(April 16, 2024) Who can forget the peppy song Dance With You from the early 2000s? Then a 22-year-old, Jay Sean was among the few South Asian artistes who exploded on the music scene with a chartbuster that was set to change the course of his life. The song made the British-Indian artiste an overnight star, and as they say, the rest is history. Despite the changing time, he has kept himself relevant and the proof of it is that this year he completes 20 years in the music industry. "To be able to have 20 years in the music industry and have songs that have stuck as classics now, to me is always a blessing. The challenge is really just understanding how to evolve," he said in an interview. [caption id="attachment_50752" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Jay Sean[/caption] In the last two decades, the poster boy of the UK's Asian underground music scene has truly put Indian music and hip-hop on the global map. He was among the first few Indian artistes who opened the doors of South Asian music to the world, and is continuing to bring joy to music lovers across the world with his work. His latest song Heartless,

bal map. He was among the first few Indian artistes who opened the doors of South Asian music to the world, and is continuing to bring joy to music lovers across the world with his work.

His latest song Heartless, which was released a week ago, has already grabbed the attention of music lovers, and he knows his music works because he is being true to himself. "I understand what I have to offer to the industry, that if I write and deliver a song, it will always be a Jay Sean song. Regardless of how the production is changing, or even the melodies of the times are changing, it will still have my signature stamp on it," he added.

Growing up with music

Born as Kamaljit Singh Jhooti in London to Indian immigrant parents in a Punjabi Sikh family, Jay was raised in the Asian community of South Hall. From a young age, he was drawn to music, leading him to form a hip-hop band Compulsive Disorder with his cousin at the age of 11. A young Jay attended Latymer Upper School in the morning and wrote songs in the evening. "I remember watching Yo! MTV Raps from a young age. And that put me into writing because I just wanted to write raps. I used to go and find instrumentals when I was around 13, and I would write my own rhymes and record my own mixtapes. Me and my crew were making mixtapes, writing original lyrics over other people's beats, and that's what really got me into writing," he had said.

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A post shared by Jay Sean (@jaysean)

But for his parents, music wasn't a traditional occupation and they encouraged him to focus on his studies. Someone who excelled in academics, he won himself a scholarship at the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry to train as a doctor only to drop out in 2003 to pursue a career in singing. To kick start his career in music, he chose Jay Sean as his stage name. "Jay comes from my last name Jhooti and my grandmother used to call me ‘Shaan’ which is where Sean comes from," he revealed.

The poster boy of the UK's Asian underground scene

Life took a beautiful turn when one of his tracks One Minute fell into the hands of producer Rishi Rich, thus giving birth to the Rishi Rich project in 2003 that had Sean, Juggy D and Rich as its prime members. The trio exploded on the UK's Asian Underground scene with Dance With You, a chartbuster that made it to Top 20 hit. Such was the mania that even Virgin Records couldn't miss the chance of signing a £1 million deal with this rising star. Under Relentless Records, Jay belted out his first solo outing Eyes On You. The peppy beats and his velvety voice cast its spell on music lovers across the globe, making the song a Top 10 hit among all the Indian artists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8uztB31eUw

Global hip-hop icon

2004 came with the promise of Jay Sean being the next big thing. Each of his singles made the right noise in the music circle and soon he was hailed as the Asian sensation. His experimental and creative fusion of contemporary R&B and Indian music hit the right chord with music lovers across the globe. But his fallout with Virgin Records gave him time to self-reflect and use it to write songs. After a hiatus of almost two years, Sean returned with a bang with his second album My Own Way, which debuted at number six in the UK with its hit song Ride It smashing records. He soon found himself nominated at MOBO Award for Best UK Male and Best R&B/Soul among music heavyweights like Chris Brown, Estelle and Ne-Yo, which spoke volumes about him gaining popularity as a household sensation.

Champion of diversity

In 2008, Jay scripted history when he bagged a deal with Cash Money Records becoming the first South Asian singer and among few Indian artists to achieve the feat. The accomplishment opened an opportunity for the world to witness South Asian culture from close quarters. The deal bagged Jay his first collaboration with Lil Wayne, and the single became an instant hit zooming its way up the Billboard. This made him the first Asian British artiste to top the Hot 100 since Freddie Mercury of Queen in 1980.

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"Me getting to this point provides me the opportunity to show people what our culture is all about. Our community is just as or even more so musically inclined and now is our time to show the world that we are just like everybody else. The fact that my grandfather and my father had to hide their identity to assimilate into culture was unjust. They did not think that such barriers could be broken in their lifetime. I take it very seriously that I have one shot to make it – not just for myself, but my community," he said in an interview.

Smashing stereotypes

After winning three awards including Best Male, Best Urban Act and Best Album at the 2009 UK Asian Music Awards, he performed with Akon at the Grammy same year. Such was the craze around this British Asian sensation that he found himself on Number 35 in Billboard's Hot 100 Artists of the year. The year came to a stunning end for the artiste as he became the first South Asian to perform at the Madison Square Garden in New York. For the next few years, he belted out hits after hits with The Mistress, Do You Remember and All or Nothing. It was in 2015 that he reunited with Rishi Rich and Juggy D to restart the Rishi Rich project with their new single Freak.

In 2020, Jay resurfaced with a bang with Eyes on You 2 which reached No 1 on BBC Asian Chart. While his journey has had its shares of ups and downs, like any Asian, he too felt stereotyped in the initial years of his career. "I have experienced stereotypes and lack of equal opportunities. The reason being that certain people don’t look at you as an artist but take the whole package into mind and put you in a box. I experienced it a lot but I also took it upon myself to show people very early on in my career that there was no stopping me. When they would label me as a specific type of artiste, I would break out of that box and do something completely different every single time. It’s something I really love doing. Hopping onto different genres and expanding on what I can do as an artiste," he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idMkbS6LWA8

And now he is back with yet again foot tapping number Heartless, which coincides with his 20th year in the music industry. "I feel so blessed when I think about completing 20 years in this music industry. That is such a blessing because now everything is so disposable," he said.

Giving back

When he is not busy making music, he lends support to organisations and causes that resonate with him. For someone who was training to be a doctor in his graduation, medical field is closer to his heart. In 2004 and 2009, he supported the Aga Khan Foundation in the charity event Partnership Walk and Run by performing in Regent's Park. Around the same time, he performed at Justin Timberlake's charity concert to raise funds for the Shriners Hospital for Children, thus raising more than $9 million along with artistes like Taylor Swift and Alicia Key. In 2012, he joined Child Hunger Ends Here campaign, and recorded a song Here's Hope to create awareness.

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Bengal to Barbados: Sabir Nakhuda’s quest to unveil the untold story of Indian migration on the Caribbean island nation

(September 5, 2024) Nestled in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, next to North America. It's one of the more populous and prosperous Caribbean islands. The story of Indian migration to Barbados began around 1910 with Bashart Ali Dewan from West Bengal, the first documented migrant from India to the island. Intrigued by this historical narrative, Indian-origin Sabir Nakhuda, a former journalist and author who grew up in Barbados, dedicated 15 years to researching and crafting his book - Bengal to Barbados: A 100 Year History of East Indians in Barbados. “It is a labour of love and a crucial mission to preserve the history of a community whose story needed to be told,” he remarks while connecting with Global Indian. This year Sabir Nakhuda co-founded the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. and Bengal to Barbados Digital Project with his friend Suleiman Bulbulia to highlight the distinctness and impact of East Indian-Bajan identity. The digital project, which is being co-curated by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, weaves together migration stories from Bengal, Gujarat, Sindh, and South India with themes of cultural integration, heritage, and intergenerational experiences. [caption id="attachment_55453"

s Digital Project with his friend Suleiman Bulbulia to highlight the distinctness and impact of East Indian-Bajan identity. The digital project, which is being co-curated by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, weaves together migration stories from Bengal, Gujarat, Sindh, and South India with themes of cultural integration, heritage, and intergenerational experiences.

[caption id="attachment_55453" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Indian Art and Culture | Bengal to Barbados | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda (centre) with Indian-origin people during the launch of Bengal to Barbados Foundation and digital project[/caption]

Quest to revive Indian legacy in Barbados

In 1953 author Sabir Nakhuda’s father travelled from the village of Tadkeshwar in the Surat district of Gujarat to the distant Caribbean Island of Barbados for work. He was one of those Indian migrants from the region who were seeking better opportunities far from home. Five years later, in 1958, when Sabir was just ten years old, his father sent for him to join him in this new land. His mother and younger brother followed them in 1960, and the place became their new home.

“Growing up in Barbados, I navigated a unique cultural landscape, balancing my Indian roots with my new life in the Caribbean. I completed my primary and secondary education on the island, and later, pursued higher education in Canada. Fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, and Urdu, I always maintained a strong connection with my heritage, even as I adapted to my new environment,” Sabir tells.

It wasn’t until he began working at The Barbados Advocate, one of the oldest newspapers on the island, that he realised how little was known about the East Indian community in Barbados. He came across a few interviews from the 1950s with two elders from their community, which touched on their arrival in Barbados. But it quickly became apparent that there was so much more to uncover. “There were no documented records or any other accounts of our community’s history on the island. This realisation sparked a determination in me to dig deeper and document our story,” he remarks.

[caption id="attachment_55465" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Indian Art and Culture | Sabir Nakhuda | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda at the 2024 Genealogy Market, Barbados[/caption]

With no written records to rely on, Sabir turned to oral history, visiting and interviewing various members of both the Barbadian and East Indian communities. He collected documents, photographs, and artefacts, piecing together the fragmented history of this often-overlooked group.

During my research, a particularly significant moment came when a family of early Bengali migrants shared an airmail letter with me. The sender’s address on the back of that letter led me to India, where I was determined to trace the roots of the first migrant who came to Barbados.

Sabir Nakhuda shares

In 1999, Sabir took a trip to India with a purpose – to find the first migrant from India who landed in Barbados. It was a journey that took him to the village of Jinpoor, where he found the descendants of the first migrant - Bashart Ali Dewan. It took him about two weeks to find the village of the first migrant.

“I interviewed his sons, other family members, and villagers, documenting their stories through pictures, videos, and recorded interviews. Often, my Bengali friends helped translate, ensuring that the rich history of these families was accurately captured. These recordings, now preserved in my hard drive, form a crucial part of the historical record I have worked to create,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_55456" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Indian Art Culture | Bengal Barbados | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Bashart Ali Dewan - first Indian migrant to Barbados | Photo Courtesy : Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc[/caption]

Keeping heritage and connections alive

Along with his research, Sabir Nakhuda has also collected various Indian artefacts, including old bicycles, jackets, relics, and photographs. These items, along with the history of the East Indian community, have been displayed in genealogy and archive exhibitions in collaboration with the Barbados Archives Department, where Sabir has been a contributor for many years.

“I also give lectures on the arrival of East Indians and their contributions to nation-building in Barbados, ensuring that our story is told and remembered,” tells Sabir who is enjoying an active retired life.

Due to his research that lasted 15 years, the author and former journalist has developed strong connections with the families of other Bengali migrants across various villages in West Bengal. “Although I am a Gujarati and not related to Bashart Ali and his family, I visit them and family members of other migrants spread across various villages in Bengal, whenever I travel to India.” he mentions.

[caption id="attachment_55463" align="aligncenter" width="844"] Indian Art and Culture | Sabir Nakhuda | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda presented his book to Barbados PM Freundel Stuart in 2013 and President of Guyana, Mohammed Irfan Ali in 2023[/caption]

Sabir Nakhuda has been to many parts of India dozens of times, and makes a point to visit his own uncles, aunts and extended family members in India, whenever possible.

One of my most cherished experiences was being invited to speak at the Visva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan in West Bengal in 2019, where I discussed the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean. I was elated to visit the place built by Rabindranath Tagore, as he is one of my favourite poets.

Sabir Nakhuda shares

In addition to his historical work, Sabir Nakhuda also writes poetry in English, Gujarati, and Urdu, and has continued his oral research, currently focusing on a book on the migration of Muslims from India to Barbados. “This upcoming work will detail the names of the villages from which Muslims have migrated, the history and pictures of these villages, and a chronology of every individual who came to Barbados from 1910 to 2023,” he says.

Creating legacy for future generations

The year 2016 was eventful both for Barbados as a nation and for Sabir Nakhuda as an author. It was the year when the nation celebrated 50 years of its independence. The same year, while attending the Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting, Barbados's PM Freundel Stuart presented Nakhuda's book Bengal to Barbados to India's PM, Modi. "PM Stuart later told me that he discussed the context of my book with PM Modi and highlighted the contributions East Indians have made in various fields of nation-building," the author recalls. The foreword of the book was written by none other than PM Stuart himself.

During Barbados’s 50th anniversary of independence, the author was selected to serve on the committee organizing the celebrations. A time capsule was placed at the historic site of Independence Square in Bridgetown, the capital, where the Independence flag was first raised. Among the artifacts, two books were included: the autobiography of Sir Garfield Sobers, a former Barbadian cricketer who is considered Barbados's national hero and the greatest all-rounder in the world, and Bengal to Barbados.

The time capsule is set to be opened on Barbados's 100th anniversary in 2066. While I may not be around, my future generations will be, and most importantly, the legacy of the East Indian presence and our stories will resurface.

Nakhuda says with pride

[caption id="attachment_55690" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Indian Author | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Cover Image of Sabir Nakhuda's book[/caption]

Connecting the dots

Sabir Nakhuda's friend Suleiman Bulbulia’s interest in co-founding the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. with him stems from the same deep commitment to preserve and promote the history and culture of the East Indian community in the Caribbean island nation. He even has a distant connection with the first documented Indian migrant to the country. “My paternal grandfather's second wife was related to Bashart Ali Dewan, the first documented East Indian migrant to Barbados,” he says.

Born and raised in Barbados, Suleiman's paternal and maternal grandfathers migrated from Kaphleta, Gujarat in the 1930s. With the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. the retail senior manager by profession seeks to bridge cultural understanding and acceptance of Indian-origin people in the island nation.

[caption id="attachment_55460" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Indian Art and Culture | Suleiman Bulbulia | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Suleiman Bulbulia during the launch of Bengal to Barbados Foundation and digital project[/caption]

Both Sabir Nakhuda and Suleiman Bulbulia are dedicated to documenting the stories, history, and legacy of East Indians in Barbados. Their goal is to collect tangible, historic items from the Indian community to create a permanent display of these artefacts. Additionally, they aim to share the collected information through their website and social media platforms.

“Our efforts have centred around providing accurate historical information about the Indian community in Barbados while promoting their culture, knowledge, and heritage. These efforts have led to an understanding and acceptance of the Indian community among both the government and the general public in Barbados. Additionally, our work has strengthened the bonds of friendship between India and Barbados,” Suleiman signs off.

Follow Sabir Nakhuda and Suleiman Bulbulia on Facebook
To know more about Bengal to Barbados Digital Project, visit its website

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Ameet Patil: Using deep tech AI to digitize hospitality in India

(September 30, 2024) "Do you save the receipt you get when you get to a store," Ameet Patil asks, as he begins his interview with Global Indian. No, I admit, I throw it away by the time I leave the shop. "That's the answer I was expecting," he says. It was the very reason why he founded Ecobillz, a SAAS-based realtime platform which uses deep tech AI to help the top-end hospitality sector hop onto the digital bandwagon. During a quick stop at the supermarket, he was handed a foot-long bill. "Think about it - how many receipts are printed in a day?" That chance observation resulted in Ameet Patil and his co-founder Nitesh founding Ecobillz, which currently works with over 150 hospitality establishments across India and is now gearing up for its global expansion in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. In simple terms, if you were to stay at a five-star hotel in the country, you no longer need to spend time on a lengthy check-in, or pick up a door only to promptly lose it. Ecobillz works to digitize services across the spectrum, to make the process more efficient and reduce paper consumption to almost

ger need to spend time on a lengthy check-in, or pick up a door only to promptly lose it. Ecobillz works to digitize services across the spectrum, to make the process more efficient and reduce paper consumption to almost zero.

Being an "analytics guy," he sat down to do the Math. As it turns out, India generates a whopping 20,000 km of receipts, with the cost of paper amounting to around ₹400 crore. At the time, he and his now-co-founder, Nitesh Singh Rathore, who were jogging buddies ever since their early professional life together, were on the hunt for a startup idea and "looking for a problem to solve." This was in 2016 and Ameet returned to his hometown, Belgaum, to get things started. His desire to make a difference back home and hopefully, put his tier-2 city on the world map, had brought Ameet back home from the UK, where he had been on the verge of becoming a permanent resident.

The growth of a prodigy

Born in Belgaum, Ameet had "a very different kind of childhood." His father's job took them to the Sandoor Mines in Bellary, where Ameet studied at the Sandoor Residential School, one of the best at the time. There, his life changed. He would spend much of his time in the vast library and was drawn to science and technology. "I realised then that I was very good with computers."

In third grade, he was introduced to his first computer, a "black-and-white television screen converted into a monitor." Back then, a computer meant "half a room filled with hardware," he smiles. The older kids learned programming (BASIC) but the younger ones, like himself, would play around with floppy disks. Ameet offered to become the school's floppy disk cleaner, in exchange for being allowed to play games on the computer. He progressed quickly to programming and by the time he came to the sixth grade, had become very good at it.

[caption id="attachment_57141" align="aligncenter" width="467"] Ameet Patil | Ecobillz | SaaS entrepreneur | Global Indian Ameet Patil[/caption]

That talent continued to grow and moving from one school to another helped him develop the art of being able to converse with everyone. Back in Belgaum, he would spend his days with his uncle, who had just started a 'computer institute', where Ameet would teach the kids who came to learn. As it happened, his first assignment as a coder in 1994 was to create a software on Windows 3.1, to digitize (as the term meant then) - the billing process for a local foundry. In college, although he admits his attendance was very poor, he was happy to step in when his teachers didn't show up and take the class instead.

The IT boom

By the time Ameet Patil graduated, it was evident that he wasn't cut out for a run of the mill day job. In 2000, he and a friend were the only two students to be recruited during the campus placement process. "I had an offer from Wipro but I never joined," he says. Still, he was well and truly captivated by the IT boom in nearby Bengaluru, with Wipro, Infosys and TCS landing huge contracts. "By the time I joined Wipro, the recession had hit and all job offers had been deferred."

This was a difficult time, Ameet says. Frustrated, "after having done so much," he had to return to Belgaum. He joined his alma mater as a lecturer, where he taught data structures, algorithms and analysis. His brief encounter with corporate life came at Oracle in Hyderabad, where he spent two years. Like most other IT whiz kids, he was fascinated by Linux, "I would borrow the magazine PC world, which I couldn't even afford to buy, and read every word." He would hurry home from the office to develop his own, real-time office. It was also when he met Neil Audsley, a professor of real-time and embedded systems at the University of York.

Ameet wrote to Neil sending him notes and bits of code he had written. Audsley wrote back, impressed, asking Ameet to join him for a PhD. The idea came from out of the blue - Ameet was doing well at Oracle, the company was even planning to send him to America. "When you join an MNC, they send you abroad so you don't leave," he says, by way of explanation.

In the UK

“I trust you, but I want to keep my house,” were his father’s anxious parting words, as Ameet Patil left for the UK. His decision had alarmed the family for various reasons – one, it was very expensive. Besides, those were the days when doing a PhD meant a tacit admission of professional failure. Finally, his father mortgaged the family house so his son could study.

Ameet Patil | Ecobillz | SaaS entrepreneur | Global Indian

Ameet remembers his father’s words with some amusement now but it was, at the time, a sombre occasion. “I was confident,” he says. Sure enough, the faculty was so impressed with his work that he was offered the role of a research assistant and paid a stipend with all his expenses covered. Before he knew it, the young man from Belgaum was traveling the world, from Korea to Mexico, presenting papers and journals.

Four years later, he was handpicked by RAPITA systems for his expertise in real-time software. He did well there and was on the verge of becoming a permanent resident but couldn’t ignore the niggling in the back of his mind. “I wanted to come home, to start my own business in Belgaum and put my hometown on the world map,” he says. He did just that in 2009. Back in India, he founded Spundhan Softwares Pvt Ltd, which was later merged into the LinkEZ Technologies Private Limited. The company was working on cutting edge IoT ecosystems.

Ecobillz – the early days

True to his word, Ameet returned to Belgaum to start up Ecobillz in 2016, where unfortunately, the idea floundered. His customer base comprised smaller, brick-and-mortar retail stores, with a turnover of around ₹1 crore. Saving paper wasn't really the need of the hour. "It was a struggle," Ameet says. "Nitesh and I wondered if we had made the wrong turn." That changed, however, when they were selected by NASSCOM's 10,000 Startups Programme, which brought Nitesh to the organisation's incubation centre in Domlur, Bengaluru. When they did that, "the horizon changed," he says.

In 2017, they approached the Future Group, then at its peak. "They evaluated our product and before we knew it, were live in 2500 stores across India, all in the span of three months.”

In 2019, when the Future Group declared bankruptcy, Ecobillz was the first to go. However, Nitesh, who worked out of the NASSCOM office in Domlur, would look at the five-star hotel opposite and wonder if their prospects in the hospitality business would be any better.

The first foray into hospitality

The two co-founders, reeling from yet another setback, picked up the phone and began calling the hotel. "We made hundreds of calls, none of which were answered," Ameet says. Finally, their persistence won the day and they were asked to meet with the General Manager. They sat down and were told, "I'm so irritated with the two of you. All the same, I'm intrigued." One conversation was all it took.

[caption id="attachment_57139" align="aligncenter" width="401"] Ameet Patil | Ecobillz | SaaS entrepreneur | Global Indian Ameet Patil and Nitesh Singh Rathore[/caption]

The Ecobillz team was offered office space in the hotel, where they remained for the next couple of months, "day in and day out, working in F&B, guest experiences," and all the various other processes. They created a digital experience for guests to check in and check out, replacing the lengthy bill that was once the norm. "We integrated the payment gateway too," he says.

Business was thriving once more and Ecobillz was approached by another leading five-star hotel chain. "They invited us to the Gurgaon hotel for one month." This group, one of the largest in the country, owns 22 properties across India - Ameet and Nitesh stayed at all of them as they worked. Audits were being done on paper and huge bundles would go from various locations to the central offices. The load was so big that the hotel had a chartered flight system, carrying the audits on planes to Delhi. The process, Ameet says, would take about a month. "We digitized everything. People with the right access can log into the centralised database form anywhere. We also did automated audits, freeing up time for employees in the process." Now, the company works with nearly all the major five-star hotel chains in India.

The company is expanding across the world and Ameet, who now lives in Bengaluru with his wife and kids, is looking at the Quick Restaurant Space as well as aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato. "And to think," he smiles, "I almost became another cog in the brain-drain trend, had I stayed on in the UK for one more year!"

Follow Ameet Patil on LinkedIn.

Reading Time: 8 mins

Globetrotting with a purpose: Anil Srivatsa is raising awareness on organ donation

(September 12, 2022) "My biggest challenge in the journey has been people," says Anil Srivastsa, "Most people are ready to donate money to an organisation such as Akshaya Patra because they feed people. But, when I tell them that they should donate their organ to others, they are hesitant as they do not have enough knowledge about it." Having dedicated his life to the cause of organ donation, public speaker Anil's biggest challenge has been to raise awareness about a subject he says "is more of a social issue than medical." [caption id="attachment_29267" align="aligncenter" width="557"] Anil Srivastsa, public speaker, life coach and entrepreneur[/caption] The Mumbai-born life coach and entrepreneur embarked on this journey about seven years ago, after a fateful incident. "In 2014, my brother, Dr. Arjun Srivatsa was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. During his treatment, we got to know that he will require a transplant. When the doctor consulted us, I was more than happy to donate one of my kidneys. However, the more I researched organ donation in India, the more I found how people were not only hesitant but also ignorant about how transplant works. Many didn't know that donors can lead a healthy, normal life

eys. However, the more I researched organ donation in India, the more I found how people were not only hesitant but also ignorant about how transplant works. Many didn't know that donors can lead a healthy, normal life after they donated their kidney or part of their liver. Also, many people shy away from donating organs of their relatives who have passed away. I am working towards dispelling the myths around the matter," he shares, as Anil connects with Global Indian from the USA.

In the last seven years, Anil has undertaken several overland expeditions to raise awareness about the matter. Covering thousands of kilometres, the entrepreneur has driven across 44 countries by road, including Denmark, Central Asia, Myanmar, USA , sharing his story with over 1,50,000 people and encouraging them to donate organs. A gold medalist at the World Transplant Games, Anil is also the founder of the NGO Gift of Life Adventure.

Inspired by a fateful event

Growing up in a fauji household, Anil shares that he was brought up in a disciplined environment. "I had a very normal upbringing. My father was in the Indian Navy and my mother was a journalist. She would take me and my brother along for the interviews she took, so I was well-exposed to the world and that allowed me to learn about several things that kids my age didn't get to learn at school."

After finishing his bachelor's in criminology from Mysuru, Anil left for Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where he pursued a master's in telecommunication management in 1993. His first job was at Medstar Television Inc as the head of production and research for the first-ever reality-based forensic series on television which used a 'murder mystery approach’ to documentary storytelling. He later produced and hosted a radio show, Anil ki Awaaz, which was aired in North America. "I have a career spanning over 35 to 40 years. And in those years, I have worked in various companies and held many senior positions," shares the public speaker, who was also the CEO of the Indian Premier League team, Kings XI Punjab.

[caption id="attachment_29269" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Public speaker | Anil Srivastsa | Global Indian Anil at the WPRB studios. 1999[/caption]

Anil's life turned around when his brother was diagnosed with a kidney disorder. Speaking about his first introduction to organ donation, he says, "In 2001, when I was living in the United States, my neighbour donated her kidney to her sister-in-law. While I had heard about organ donation, it was the first time that I witnessed it. However, I didn't delve deep into the subject back then. It was only when the doctors informed us that they will have to transplant Arjun's kidney is when I started researching the subject."

Impacting lives

Soon after his brother's successful surgery, Anil started spreading the word about organ donation and how it can save several lives across the globe. However, it was an uphill task initially as people not just lacked basic knowledge on the subject but many were hesitant due to several social stigmas. "The religious and spiritual leaders have a great role to play in encouraging people to come forward and donate vital organs." Narrating an incident, the public speaker, shares, "I once met a couple of a particular community, which doesn't even allow blood donations. When I asked them what would they do if their child needed a blood transfusion, they said that they would let them die if that is what the god wished."

[caption id="attachment_29271" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Public speaker | Anil Srivastsa | Global Indian Anil, during his expedition in Antarctica[/caption]

Several such conversations with people from different regions and communities motivated Anil to embark on this extraordinary journey. And up till now, he has impacted over one lakh people by encouraging them to donate their organs. Speaking about one such incident, he says, "My car is decorated with various slogans and messages about organ donation. So, once while I was in Gujarat, I was spotted and stopped by a couple whose daughter was diagnosed with a liver disorder and needed a transplant. Despite several attempts, they weren't able to find a donor. When I got to know about the case and met the medical team handling the case, I spoke to the family about how a live person can also donate a part of their life - something they didn't know about. The mother agreed to donate her liver, and today that girl is studying to become a lawyer."

Donning many hats

The public speaker, who is currently on a 56,000 km drive, is on his way to take part in the 'World Transplant Games' that will be held in Australia in 2023. "I have been representing India at the World Transplant Games - which is held for either donors or recipients of an organ. In 2019, I won gold for India in ball throwing. My brother, Arjun, also won gold in golf. In a lighter vein, it was my own kidney winning the gold because he has one of mine." laughs Anil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ellKTD6FvL8

Anil is also the founder of Sochcast, which is a content creation and distribution platform, especially for women. "I also started Radiowalla Network, which is the most scalable, dynamic, and valuable internet audio distribution and content platform," he shares before signing off.

Follow Anil Srivatsa in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and his website

Reading Time: 7 mins

Global ‘jugalbandi’: Mohan brothers take Hindustani music to the world

(March 13, 2023) Back in January 2010, when the Mohan brothers — Lakshay Mohan and Aayush Mohan — were all set to give their first musical performance, they were informed in the last minute about the presence of Pandit Jasraj, the Hindustani Classical music legend, backstage. That such a revered musician would be witnessing their performance, set off butterflies in their stomachs. A few minutes into the ‘jugalbandi’, Lakshay (on Sitar) and Aayush (on Sarod) got so immersed in the sounds of music that all their worries vanished in a jiffy. Only a handful of musicians have taken Indian classical music to the global stage like the Mohan brothers - they were the first Indians to perform at the Grammy Museum in LA and have taken the stage at top venues around the world. “Music allows you to express your inner self through the medium of pure sound, nurtures your creativity and therefore it never seems like a job,” say the renowned musicians, who have a super busy schedule this year. They begin the year in the UK and will embark on the North American Fall Tour in September-October, during which they would be performing at Columbia University, New York. Their unique style enthralled the audience. So much so

he audience. So much so that Pandit Jasraj walked up to them on stage, blessed them and appreciated their performance. “Those were moments which will be forever memorable as it was our first major concert,” smile the Mohan brothers, in an exclusive conversation with Global Indian. Lakshay and Aayush, who have immense following among music lovers in India and abroad, have been performing globally since 2009. The first Indians to be invited to perform at the Grammy museum in Los Angeles, some of their prominent performances include Symphony Space, New York, Berklee College, Boston, Abbey Theatre, Dublin, David & Dorthea Garfield Theatre, San Diego among others.

The musical legacy

Hailing from New Delhi, Lakshay and Ashish’s father was an amateur Sitarist. “Our parents wanted us to take up classical music professionally. The thought of any other career never arose. Practising and learning music gave a sense of contentment and satisfaction,” say the brothers, for whom music was part and parcel of everyday life throughout their school and college life, music was their constant companion.

While Lakshay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Sciences from the St Stephens College, Delhi, Aayush holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics from the University of London. Both excelled in academics. From the very beginning, the Mohan brothers were attracted to the Maihar style of playing Sitar and Sarod, which are the flagship instruments of this Gharana.

Finding gurus

Initially, both started on the Sitar. Aayush always had a fascination for the Sarod's deep and majestic sound. He tried his hand on the instrument and with the support of their guru, Pt. Balwant Rai Verma, he started learning it from Padmabhushan Sharan Rani. “She had trained under Baba Alauddin Khan Saheb who was the founder of Maihar Gharana. Like her guru, she was a very strict teacher who taught me in the old style,” says Aayush, who was only 11 at that time and handled the 13 kg instrument with difficulty.

He was also taught to change the strings of Sarod on his own. “This training helps me today to comfortably handle the situation when Sarod string breaks on stage during performance,” smiles Aayush. Renowned musician Pandit Umashankar Mishra once expressed his desire to listen to what Aayush h ad learnt. “When I played a composition, he was so impressed that he rewarded me with all the money that he had in his pocket. This was a traditional way of giving blessings. It was a very emotional moment and I still have those notes with me.”

Lakshay trained under Pandit Umashankar Mishra. “I used to get only 10 minute lesson and I had to practise it for 10 hours a day,” he recalls. Thereafter, both trained under Kolkata-based Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, one of the most popular classical musicians in the country. “He used to teach us continuously for four hours in the morning and again two to three hours in the evening. Next day we had to come with a night practice of 3 hours,” says Lakshay.

L.A. calling

In April 2015, the Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, was organising a year-long exhibition on music legend Pandit Ravi Shankar. The Mohan brothers were invited to perform on the opening day of the exhibition titled "Ravi Shankar : A Life in Music.”

“This concert saw us present some of the oldest Indian classical compositions to the western audience along with our collaboration with the American Cellist Barry Phillips,” say the Mohan brothers, who also performed a piece composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar as it was the opening of exhibition on his life and music.

The jugalbandi approach

Their musical repertoire is very traditional but they have redesigned their presentation which makes it better to connect with today's listeners.

“Our Jugalbandi is an example of extensive coordination and a deep understanding of each other's 'musical vision. Practising and performing music together for almost 14 years now, it comes naturally to us,” say the renowned musicians, who will soon be finalising their album of 'Malhars' — the rainy season ragas that will have some of the most signature compositions of Maihar Gharana.

Both Sitar and Sarod being traditional instruments having its own unique sounds, they feel that the two are the most appropriate instruments to be paired up for a duet.

“We have been handed over a vast treasure of traditions enriched by great musicians by two generations of Gurus. For us, the goal is to bring to the listeners the pure quality of this music,” say the musicians, whose album "The Hidden Harmony" got nominated for Best Classical Instrumental award at the Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) Awards 2016. The album was a recording of a Live Concert held at Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 2015.

Challenges

What kind of challenges do they face when performing live ? “On stage, we have to understand what the person is trying to convey during the musical dialogue or a sawal-jawab sequence and improvise instantly on a similar theme,” explain the Mohans, who have also been nominated for the Global Indian Music Academy awards for Best Classical Instrumentalists.

The Mohan brothers believe that both artists in a duet must be on an equal level. “Neither of them should appear to be playing like a soloist or an accompanist. We indulge in a playful competition on stage but at the same time have high respect for each other.”

They say that the choice of Ragas and it’s duration is often decided by the nature of audience at the concert. “If most of the people in audience are new to classical music, then it is better not to play any Raga for too long,” explain the maestros, who have given lecture-demonstrations at various universities including Wayne State University, Detroit and the University of Arts, Philadelphia.

Lakshay says the Indian classical genre unlike any other form, has the beautiful part, which is spontaneous presentation of a raga. “So our thinking process never gets saturated and we always see new horizons while playing a raga,” he says.

Passion to perform

“Over the years, we have realized that the real joy is to find what you connect to the most and be able to follow it, perfect it and grow closer to it passionately throughout life,” elaborates Aayush.

Among the many highlights of their musical journey has been performing with Anoushka Shankar and other disciplines of Pandit Ravi Shankar at the iconic Royal Festival Hall, London to celebrate his 100th anniversary. “It was a very special experience for us as we composed few fresh pieces which were added to his old composition in his Raga Tilak Shyam,” say Mohan brothers.

When not immersed in music, what do Mohan brothers like to do ? “I am passionate about cars and love going on long road trips and try new cuisines,” says Lakshay. As for Aayush, he likes to indulge in painting, creative designing and audio mastering, besides reading about history and archeological facts.