Masoom Minawala | Influencer | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryIndian influencers: Using social media to create an impact

Indian influencers: Using social media to create an impact

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(December 3, 2022) They are stylish, sassy, funny and witty — meet the Indian influencers who have taken over social media and how. This social media brigade is presenting a slice of India to the world, one post at a time, and is loved by its army of followers. Every post, reel or story is smothered with thousands of likes and comments in no time. Welcome to the world of Instagram and influencers. In a world where millennials are literally living and breathing on the digital platforms, there are a handful of content creators who are putting Brand India on the global map with their creatives.

If some are brushing shoulders with the likes of Michelle Obama, others are strutting the red carpets of the biggest international events. Here are five Indian influencers who are living it up on social media and making a difference.

Masoom Minawala

With 1.3 million followers on Instagram, Antwerp-based fashion influencer and entrepreneur Masoom Minawala is a woman on a mission — to make Indian fashion global. Her social media accounts are a testimony to her love for Indian attire, especially saris, and she doesn’t shy away from sashaying in them on the streets of Europe. Her mantra in fashion is a perfect mix of culture and style, and that’s exactly what has made her popular on the gram. A regular at Cannes Film Festival, the 29-year-old was the first fashion blogger from India at Paris Fashion Week. Most recently, Minawala was also the first Indian creator to walk at Milan Fashion Week, modelling for Vaishali S.

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A post shared by Masoom Minawala Mehta (@masoomminawala)

When she began blogging many years ago, it was at its nascent stage, but she knew how to drive traffic and convert her readers into potential customers. And in no time, she made it to the top of the game. So much so that she recently made it to Forbes 30 Under 30 list. With her initiative #SupportIndianDesigners, she is promoting homegrown brands and designers on the global platform. From someone who began her journey as a blogger a decade ago when it wasn’t so mainstream to making it to CNN’s 20 under 40 list, Minawala has come a long way.

Prajakta Koli

Prajakta Koli has become a force to reckon with.

How popular is Prajakta Koli, you ask? This Indian influencer received a personally signed copy of Michelle Obama’s Becoming. The social media star had been chosen by YouTube and the UN for Creators of Change, which brought together 50 creators from around the world to create content on social issues — in her segment, Koli was in conversation with Michelle Obama to talk about girls’ education. She went on to win the Daytime Emmy Award and the 27-year-old became a global brand in her own right.

From being invited to the United Nations to represent India on World Tolerance Day to being the only Indian to have been invited by Marvel to collaborate with the cast of Captain Marvel, Koli has become a force to reckon with.

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A post shared by Prajakta Koli (@mostlysane)

With over 7 million followers, Prajakta Koli aka MostlySane is a champion for female education, and has been invited by the Gates Foundation for its Goalkeepers Summit. A popular YouTuber, influencer and now an actor, the Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus is making it big, one video at a time.

Niharika NM

One million followers in two months, now that’s the fastest any content creator has grown on Instagram. But that’s LA-based Niharika NM for you. The Indian-American made surviving 2020 a bit easier, thanks to her humor, sass and relatable reels on everyday life. Well before Mindy Kaling came out with Never Have I Ever, social media found a perfect and relatable representation of South Indians in Niharika, and since then people are unable to get enough of her — the influencer’s following (read 3.1 million) on social media is proof of it. Born in Chennai and brought up in Bengaluru, the 24-year-old moved to the US, and now her journey to amassing a million followers in such a short span is a case study at California’s Chapman University, where she is pursuing her MBA.

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The content creator, who was named Best Entertainment Influencer at Impact Digital Influencers Awards 2021 and Blogger/Creator of the year 2021 at Women Disruptors Awards 2021, was recently selected by YouTube as one of the global ambassadors for the Creators for Change program.

Diipa Khosla

Born in India, studied in Netherlands and worked in the UK, Diipa calls herself a “Global Indian” on her Instagram page. The 30-year-old has many firsts to her credit – including being the first Indian influencer to walk the BAFTA red carpet as well as the Cannes red carpet. But the global influencer is more than just beauty and glamour, and her NGO Post for Change Foundation, which uses social media to bring social change, is proof of it. Post for Change has collaborated with UNICEF for Red Dot Challenge to emphasise the importance of menstrual hygiene.

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A post shared by Diipa Büller-Khosla (@diipakhosla)

A popular Instagrammer with 1.8 million followers, Khosla is using her clout to create healthy dialogues around women empowerment and racial discrimination.

Ruhee Dosani

Ruhe Dosani

Ruhee Dosani just wanted to make cool videos of her ‘we deshi’ friends dancing to Bollywood songs, but little did she know that one such video would catch the fancy of singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh. Soon, people started landing on her page and as they say, the rest is history. The US-based ‘Punjab di kudi’ is every desi’s delight. Her hilarious spins on brands and group dances with videshi friends have become a hit on social media. Such has been the entertainment quotient of her videos that even Netflix couldn’t stop going gaga over her, and regrammed her video. This content creator and influencer is definitely making it big.

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Published on 03, Dec 2022

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Meet Karan Bhangay: The maverick entrepreneur who has redefined luxury

(September 23, 2023) Want to spend your holiday at the Suite Coco Canel at the Ritz Carlton Paris? Perhaps you're in Germany and feel like a night out at the Berghain, one of the world's most exclusive nightclubs. If you like to live in style - and have some cash to spend, obviously - Karan Bhangay is the man for you. The entrepreneur who founded Indulge Global, an invite-only premiere, luxury service, Bhangay is known for pulling off the impossible. One client, who wanted to surprise his wife with a holiday in Paris, got a booking at Suite Coco Chanel (where Coco Chanel spent 34 years of her life), a private stylist with VIP showings at Hermes, and bookings at Le Fouquet and Guy Savoy. The entrepreneur has arranged a pair of Fendi Flow Sneakers and a Hermes Birkin bag in a day for another client and a luxury breakfast, complete with Veuve Clicquot champagne at the Mount Everest Base Camp, where his clients were flown by helicopter. He has even got clientele into world-renowned underground clubs like Berghain, Sisyphos and KitKatClub, which are known for such notoriously strict door policies, they don't have guest lists or online bookings. The

re flown by helicopter. He has even got clientele into world-renowned underground clubs like Berghain, Sisyphos and KitKatClub, which are known for such notoriously strict door policies, they don't have guest lists or online bookings.

The rise of an entrepreneur

Over the last decade, the maverick entrepreneur has been instrumental in building companies from scratch and devising business strategies for several versatile companies in the Luxury industry. Bhangay has made his mark in transformative ventures and has come a long, long way from his humble beginning. He was only 17 when he landed his first job and has done it all, from bartending to selling dictionaries door-to-door. He got his first job in 2008, as the receptionist of an Airtel store, where he earned Rs 5000 per month before he got his bachelor's degree. "From a very early age, my parents were keen on teaching me that if I wanted something, I had to get it for myself," the entrepreneur tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_45270" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Entrepreneur | Karan Bhangay | Global Indian Karan with his team[/caption]

Although he was qualified as an engineer, Bhangay made his way to the media. A stint at Water Today, a Chennai-based magazine gave him two things - a new idea and a mentor in Mr Shanmugham, the publications Features Managing Editor. He was so taken by the work he was doing that he skipped out on his software engineering degree in his fourth year and joined Lifestyle Magazine - Avant Garde life, as a consultant, growing through the ranks to become a Publishing Partner. By the late 2000s, he soon saw that tech was taking over print, just as it conquering everything else. Retailers didn't need to have physical shops, they could make money through online portals. It was the same with media, there was no need to go through the expensive, cumbersome process of printing in the age of the mobile phone. Also, clocking in hours for someone else just didn't sit right with the entrepreneur .

Always drawn to the idea of creating something from scratch, and doing what was meaningful to him, Bhangay developed a keen interest in entrepreneurship. "It is exhilarating to have the autonomy to shape an idea into a tangible reality and see it make a difference," Bhangay says. "My journey into entrepreneurship began when I realised that I have a natural inclination towards identifying opportunities and finding innovative solutions to problems."

Pioneering the luxury market through TILE

This led to Bhangay founding India's first luxury exhibition, The Indian Luxury Expo (TILE). These were still the early days of online retail, and the entrepreneur was very much ahead of the curve. He wanted to make advertisers exhibitors and readers visitors. "Brands on getting associated with TILE get the opportunity to sell their products directly to consumers, they are able to have better customer engagement and are able to market new products. If you're a brand and you want to launch a new mobile phone, how and where can you launch it," he said, in an interview back in 2014. Those were the days of launches in five-star hotels, to the press and a select group of invitees. The Indian Luxury Expo was created to amplify the scale of reach many times over, to allow brands to reach out to their top clientele and also to a wider audience.

Entrepreneur | Karan Bhangay | Global Indian

Bhangay's idea was very much ahead of its time and his main challenge was getting people to believe in his idea. Exposure to technology and experiential marketing was still low in India and he struggled to get people on board. The entrepreneur persisted and eventually expanded TILE to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru. The company's business model ran through affiliations with top brands, and soon grew to become Asia's largest luxury expo.

Indulge Concierge: Redefining luxury

At the forefront of his most recent achievements is Indulge Concierge, a 24x7, by invitation only platform that redefines the concept of personalised service. Founded in 2019, Bhangay wanted to provide his clientele with only the very best. "With a deep understanding of the market and a profound commitment to excellence, I have positioned Indulge Concierge, as a trusted provided of unparalleled luxury lifestyle management," the entrepreneur explains. It's a fast-paced life, of course, when dealing with such discerning and time-sensitive clients. And he's always on the cutting edge, using technology and AI platforms to leverage the right markets correctly.

Entrepreneur | Karan Bhangay | Global Indian

As an entrepreneur, Bhangay admits that challenges constitute a substantial portion - about 95 percent - of his daily experience. "However, the path to conquering these challenges lies in the art of breaking them down into manageable components and executive each task with efficiency. It is essential to recognize that no challenge is insurmountable when met with a resolute intent to overcome it," he believes.

What's Bhangay's advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? "Transparency - in your own thoughts and within your teams, products and customers." This endeavour is ongoing and the more seamless your progress is, the more likely you are to be successful." As he steers Indulge, he hopes to see it as India's premier startup with a global influence. "Our mission is to reshape the lives of Indulge's managers and clients alike, catalysing efficient and transformative living experiences," he says.

Entrepreneur | Karan Bhangay | Global Indian

In his free time, Bhangay finds joy in the company of his cherished pet, Gulzar and through satisfying his insatiable wanderlust by travelling the world. The entrepreneur is also a trained squash player.

Follow Karan Bhangay on LinkedIn, Instagram, and on his website

Reading Time: 6 mins

Guru ‘cool’: How Mohit Bharadvaja’s unusual quest revives the Rigveda & ancient Indian customs

(April 10, 2022) A 31-year-old former techie, Mohit Bharadvaja, left the plush confines of corporate life at Wipro and HCL. All this in the pursuit of a calling that has fast depleted in the humdrum of a fast-paced life. His calling took him towards the traditional way of learning. Mohit established a gurukul (ancient Indian education where pupils stay with a guru) to impart knowledge of millennia-old Rigveda and Yajurveda. [caption id="attachment_22742" align="aligncenter" width="586"] Mohit Bharadvaja, founder, Aangirasa Antarvediya Gurukulam[/caption] He himself sought the solace of olden day norms. He self-learnt sanskrit, Rigveda (vedic sanskrit hymns), and Yajurveda (mantras for worship) after college all the while studying engineering at Amity University, Noida, and later after office hours from traditional vaidika masters. Today, 16 pupils between nine to 19 years learn the vedas along with CBSE English-medium education at his gurukul - Aangirasa Antarvediya Gurukulam in Baghpat (near Meerut). Not just studying but living the vedas… The idea of opening a gurukul had consumed Mohit since 2014. He finally took a plunge to revive traditions that were extinct in 2017. His mother Usha Sharma, a homemaker, and father, Devendra Kumar Sharma, a senior HCL employee were not very keen on letting their son pursue

g the vedas…

The idea of opening a gurukul had consumed Mohit since 2014. He finally took a plunge to revive traditions that were extinct in 2017. His mother Usha Sharma, a homemaker, and father, Devendra Kumar Sharma, a senior HCL employee were not very keen on letting their son pursue a less stable path unlike his cushy corporate job. “They however gave in to my determination and argument that vedas need to be lived, and not merely studied, upon the condition that I would only be allowed to pursue my chosen path after I marry,” reveals techie-turned-gurukul founder Mohit in a conversation with Global Indian. Soon, he married (2017), and without further ado, quit his job and established the gurukul with the full support of his wife, Nidhi. To him reviving the ancient tradition mattered more than being attached to a stable livelihood.

Gurukul Founder | Mohit Bharadvaja | Global Indian

Aangirasa Antarvediya Gurukulam, in Kaamla village in Baghpat district (between Delhi and Meerut), saw Mohit, the techie-turned-gurukul founder, re-establish the ancient system of education and knowledge which is reflected in the studies of arshagrantha (ancient scripts) so that pupils of his gurukul become experts in vedangas (auxiliary disciplines of Hinduism that developed in ancient times and is with the study of the Vedas). The techie-turned-gurukul founder feels deeply about the need to promote Sanskrit, vaidika principles, education, and lifestyle.

A gurukul is incomplete without gaushala (shelter for cattle)

“A gurukul steeped in tradition is incomplete without serving cows,” says Mohit. Aangirasa Antarvediya Gurukulam has a thriving gaushala of 25 cows. The land on which the gurukul is situated belongs to a relative who migrated to Delhi in the 1950s, and always wanted to farm cattle but had a full-time job. He offered unused land which now has 2,000 square feet of a building that houses Mohit, his wife and 16 pupils on the ground floor while the first floor is under construction.

Gurukul Founder | Mohit Bharadvaja | Global Indian

Another gentleman in the same locality helped with 5.5 acres of land to expand the gurukul. “It will take time due to lack of resources for constructing the larger structure. However, the cattle have been moved to the larger piece of land,” says the techie-turned-gurukul founder.

Usual childhood, unusual inclination

The techie-turned-gurukul founder was born in Mathura but spent his childhood in NCR as a student of DAV Noida. “Religious practices at home were normal without ideas being thrust upon my younger sister and me, yet I had always been interested in religious practices from childhood, and later got in touch with sadhus and sants (sages and saints) which augmented my desire to explore the Vedas. When I studied it in depth, I was worried that though Yajurveda was still being taught by many, no one was doing anything to revive the Rigveda, thus I made up my mind to do something,” says Mohit.

[embed]https://twitter.com/vvaayu/status/1395958754080739330?s=20&t=sgljW_DNvCgMDbA9kcISPQ[/embed]

Free education and lodging for disciples

The pupils at the gurukul are all from lower economic families, and apart from free education, free lodging and food is provided as well. “To charge money for imparting knowledge of the Vedas, is something I cannot fathom,” he adds. Support for education and food comes from donations made by people who feel deeply about Mohit’s mission of reviving the tradition. "Conscious decision has been taken to not take any government aid," says Mohit.

“A disciple got severely affected by TB, and had to be hospitalised. His parents did not have money for the expenses so we took care of that too,” shares the techie-turned-gurukul founder.

All the disciples visit their families once a year during Diwali. The day begins at 10 am to 5 pm - immersed in education. While Mohit teaches them Rigveda, science, and maths, an acquaintance teaches Yajurveda. English, Hindi, physical, and mental well-being is Nidhi’s domain, and so is the administration.

Hopeful about building a larger gurukul with better infrastructure, the techie-turned-gurukul founder loves reading and traveling, both as a tourist and a pilgrim.

"I am confident that my pupils would fulfill my purpose of reviving and spreading the knowledge of the extinct Rigveda far and wide," Mohit signs off.

Follow Mohit Bharadvaja on Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

Nilu Gupta: The recipient of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is keeping Hindi alive in California

(February 5, 2023) Hindi stands tall as one of the significant identities of India’s heritage, and Nilu Gupta, the California-based Indian-origin professor is an ardent proponent of it. As a US resident for the last 25 years she has made great initiatives to preserve Hindi amongst the diaspora and popularise it amongst both Hindi as well as non-Hindi speakers. In 2021, for her initiatives to promote the language and the Indian culture, and for her exceptional leadership to support the needy back home in India, Nilu Gupta was honoured with the highest award for non-resident Indians and overseas citizens - the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman. “I am grateful to the Government of India for recognising my efforts,” she tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_34724" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Professor Nilu Gupta[/caption] A well-respected member of the Indian diaspora, Nilu Gupta, the Professor of De Anza College in California is also the founder of UPMA US (Uttar Pradesh Mandal of America). It’s a leading non-profit organisation in North America to help promote and preserve the rich cultural legacy and create a platform for socio-economic growth, and charitable causes of India. The organisation has been supporting various causes in Uttar Pradesh like free education to the

wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Capture.jpg" alt="Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian" width="639" height="691" /> Professor Nilu Gupta[/caption]

A well-respected member of the Indian diaspora, Nilu Gupta, the Professor of De Anza College in California is also the founder of UPMA US (Uttar Pradesh Mandal of America). It’s a leading non-profit organisation in North America to help promote and preserve the rich cultural legacy and create a platform for socio-economic growth, and charitable causes of India.

The organisation has been supporting various causes in Uttar Pradesh like free education to the under-privileged children, free skill development with placement, facilitating mass marriages of poor girls and better health facilities for the needy.

From being an exporter to becoming a professor

Before she moved to California, life took Nilu Gupta from Delhi to Europe. Quite different from what she is doing now, Nilu started off her career in the business of textiles. “I have been to many countries as an importer and exporter of textiles,” she says.

After completing her Masters with a first class in Hindi from Delhi University, when Nilu got married, her husband was working as an engineer. It was Nilu’s keenness and acumen for entrepreneurship that he left his job to work with her as a business partner in their export-import venture. “I had honed my business skills watching my exporter father while growing up, and had joined him and my brothers in the family business.” she says. “After my marriage, my husband and I started our own venture,” adds Nilu.

[caption id="attachment_34727" align="aligncenter" width="689"] Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian Professor Nilu Gupta receives Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from DR TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General of India, San Francisco, California[/caption]

Business took them to different parts of the world. “We stayed in Belgium and Holland for few years before deciding to set base in California,” she recalls. The couple were parents to three boys by that time.

“When the kids were young, we took turns to travel for business,” says Nilu. Once they grew up, the boys secured admission in the US universities, and later the couple moved to US too from Europe. “By that time our kids were settled there and we had wrapped up our business venture to lead a more relaxed life.”

A fresh start…

Enjoying life without much work was not Nilu’s cup of tea, and she decided to engage in something meaningful to get a sense of fulfilment once she set base in California 25 years back. During those times the western US state did not boast of a rich and large Indian diaspora like today.

In her second innings, Nilu decided to make use of her degree in Hindi and start working on promoting the language there. She was joined in her efforts by members of the India Community Centre there. She started teaching Hindi to people from the non-Hindi speaking states so that they are able to communicate in their national language.

[caption id="attachment_34717" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian Nilu Gupta at an Indian Consulate event in California[/caption]

Spreading her wings, Nilu reached out to De Anza College in the bay area of California to promote Hindi as a second language option on campus. “Students of the college had options to choose from more than a dozen foreign languages as their second language which included German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and many more but Hindi was not part of the curriculum,” she says, adding, “Members of the India Community Centre and I wanted the national language of India to be one of the choices for students at De Anza like the languages of other nations.”

Nilu found success in getting Hindi introduced in the college and was also selected to be the professor of the subject from a list of 50 applicants. It was the year 2006. She remains a professor of Hindi at De Anza College, California.

“As per the rules, we were given the chance to introduce the language on the campus on the grounds that it would be discontinued if it fails to garner a given number of students.” Nilu did not want her efforts to go in vain.

She worked hard to make learning so simple and interesting that it appealed to learners massively. With her efforts the course took off so well that De Anza has been running not one but two batches of Hindi learners.

[caption id="attachment_34719" align="aligncenter" width="739"] Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian Nilu Gupta at an Indian Consulate event in California[/caption]

“Twenty-five percent of learners are those who want to learn the language even if they are not from a typical Indian family, with just one parent belonging to the diaspora. The percentage also comprises learners who are not Indians but love the country very much and plan to visit it some day or love Bollywood films so much that they want to understand the language in totality,” reveals Nilu.

“They find the classes so lively that they do not want me to take even a single day off,” says Nilu, who does not just teach the language but also introduces learners to Indian culture, its diversity and richness.

“After completing my Master’s in Hindi, there was a desire to take up teaching and that was fulfilled later in life,” smiles Professor Nilu Gupta. A great satisfaction for her in this whole endeavour is keeping pace with the times of being a teacher in this modern era. Having passed out of Delhi University in 1960 when no one had ever heard of online learning, the dynamic teacher learned to impart lessons through the online mode during the pandemic.

For the sake of Hindi

Nilu has written several elementary books with unique techniques to make Hindi learning simpler for people based in California. She has also written several books of poetry and literature.

Talking about her latest book, Vijayi Vishwa Tiranga Pyaara, Nilu mentions:

What is special about the book is that it is a compilation of poetry and prose of Indian origin people staying in 45 different countries.

[caption id="attachment_34720" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian Cover image of her latest book that Professor Nilu Gupta has co-authored with Ritupriya Khare[/caption]

Apart from teaching De Anza College students, she imparts free Hindi lessons to people in need of it. Nilu and her Hindi loving friends in California have also formed a group called Vishwa Hindi Jyoti. “We meet every month for Kavi Ghosthis (sessions of poetry),” says the poet who has written over 500 poems. One often finds her writing poetry using her smart phone. “I keep on writing as and when ideas come to my mind,” she says.

The Indian Consulate of San Francisco, California has entrusted Nilu and her Vishwa Hindi Jyoti team with the responsibility of organising significant events like Hindi Diwas (14th September) and Vishwa Hindi Diwas (10th January) since the last two decades.

“I am grateful to my team members of Viswa Hindi Jyoti for their dedication and support over the years,” she says. “It’s because of the entire team that we have been doing so well,” says the humanitarian who is in the thick of all diaspora happenings, including welcoming and hosting events for Indian delegates visiting the Consulate.

Giving back…

Nilu and her friends from the diaspora started UPMA (Uttar Pradesh Mandal of America) in 2006. Through leading organizations in India and America, the organisation has been actively working on the causes benefitting the society like free education and skill development with placement, facilitating mass marriages of poor girls and providing better health facilities to the needy in Uttar Pradesh.

[caption id="attachment_34722" align="aligncenter" width="813"] Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian Nilu Gupta with members of Vishwa Hindi Jyoti[/caption]

“Pravasi Bhartiya Samman that got bestowed upon me was looking at my contribution in not only the sphere of Hindi but also for my social work initiatives,” she adds. The professor is very active in charitable initiatives.

I tell people that they can call me anytime for social initiatives. I am available 24X7 for a good cause.

The philanthropist has been actively supporting a charity - SaiDham, run by her brothers in Faridabad, Haryana. Through this, Nilu and her family in India have been providing free education and food to close to 1,500 children. They have also contributed money to help poor parents marry off their daughters.

The course of life

Professor Nilu Gupta feels happy that she has played a role in a movement where people now feel proud about learning the national language of India. “Earlier people of different diasporas like Spain or Germany used to talk in their mother tongue but we Indians communicated with each other in English. Through UPMA there is a constant effort to keep Hindi and the cultural link with India alive especially amidst the Gen Z of the diaspora who are born and raised in America,” says the humanitarian who does not want youngsters to lose touch with their roots.

Indians in USA | Nilu Gupta | Global Indian

“We have created a little Bharat here and have been organising programmes to bring the Indian diaspora together to celebrate festivals and contribute to humanitarian causes. Close to 6,000 people gather during festive times to be part of garbas and other celebrations,” she mentions.

Hindi in the blood

“Hindi is in my blood because it’s my mother tongue. I don’t feel I do not live in India. In this digital world, staying connected with your country is easier,” Nilu remarks.

India is in my whole being. We might be living away from Bharat but Bharat has not gone away from us

The doting grandmother is a role model for her granddaughter. “She loves conversing with me in Hindi only,” says the proud matriarch who is happy to help young people stay in touch with their cultural legacy, so that they can take it forward for generations to come despite being born and raised in a foreign land.

Follow Nilu Gupta on LinkedIn and Facebook

Reading Time: 7 mins

Amazon conservationist Shaji Thomas rows deep into forests to help tribes

(April 5, 2022) The year at a training programme in Brazil was nothing short of a lifetime opportunity for Shaji Thomas. Little did the Kerala-born environmentalist know that in the dense forests of Amazon, he would find a home. In the past 32 years, Shaji has risked his life on numerous occasions, to not only save the tropical rainforests but also for the upliftment of over 60 communities living in the heart of the region. Despite the struggles, he wouldn’t want it any other way. "I intended to stay in this country only for a year when I arrived at Sao Paulo in 1989. But I could never return, and that is one decision I will always be proud of," shares the environmentalist, who lives in Belém, Brazil, during an interview with Global Indian. A green panther Growing up in Ramapuram village of the Kottayam district of Kerala, Shaji was third of the six kids in the family. His father was a local politician and his mother, a housewife. Home tutored in the initial years of his life, the environmentalist was brilliant with numbers. "I even passed the Indian Sainik School entrance exam, but my mother was not in favour

the environmentalist was brilliant with numbers. "I even passed the Indian Sainik School entrance exam, but my mother was not in favour of sending me far away," he shares, adding that nature intrigued him even as a child. But he equally enjoyed school. “I was a good student and participated in scouts and guides and NCC. We had agricultural land on which we grew cocoa, rubber, coffee, coconut, paddy and pepper," says Shaji.

[caption id="attachment_22571" align="aligncenter" width="723"] Shaji Thomas[/caption]

However, when his father asked him to join local politics, he packed his bags and left for Mysuru University to pursue social science, politics and economics. At the same time, he received a degree in philosophy from the Institute of Vidyaniketan in Mysuru. “During college, I got an opportunity to visit Odisha, where I lived with tribal communities," adds Shaji.

Upon his graduation, he got the opportunity to do a year of an overseas training programme in Sao Paulo by the Religious Institution Society of Divine Work. With no direct flight to Brazil from India at that time, he spent a week travelling to his destination. "No one came to pick me up and I didn't have enough money to pay for a cab. Almost no one spoke English and I didn't know Portuguese. Fortunately, a taxi driver took mercy on me and dropped me at the institute," reveals the environmentalist.

Guardian of the forest

Although it was his dream, Shaji found Brazil “very strange” in the beginning. From falling sick after gulping down a cup of caipirinha, which he thought to be a juice to learning Portuguese from a Japanese teacher, he had his share of peculiar moments.

[caption id="attachment_22572" align="aligncenter" width="716"] Shaji during a forestation event[/caption]

But it was his institute’s involvement in social movements across Brazil that piqued his interest and understanding of the issues faced by various communities. He, too, dived into one of the largest movements in Latin America, Landless Workers’ Movement which “changed” his life. Upon completion of his training, the institute invited him to study theology, and he decided to stay.

In 1991, Shaji visited Amazon for a vacation, which took him four hours by plane and 12 hours by boat to reach. "I was visiting the Quilombola community, who are people of Afro-descent. I had heard stories about their hostility towards visitors. However, my experience was completely different. Their chief invited me over dinner and offered me the first plate of food - which is a mark of respect," he says.

That’s when he learnt about the several issues faced by the communities. "Most of Brazil is covered by the Amazon forest and many of the communities living here are Afro-descendants. At one point, their forefathers used to own these lands, but now these people are harassed by the land, mining, drugs, and timber mafia. They grab their land, and make them work for free. They do not have clean water, electricity, education, or even access to a medical centre," divulges the environmentalist.

In 1993, he returned to the Amazon forests to fight for the rights of indigenous people and environmental conservation. For the next six years, he lived on a boat in the Amazon river, visiting various communities and helping them in matters of land conflict.

Mafia, violence and gunshots

Though the environmentalist is happy living with his family in Brazil, the journey was not all peachy. Working with over 60 communities, fighting for their rights, while protecting the forest got Shaji in trouble with people, including the land and wood mafia. He wasn't only threatened but also attacked by them. "A few times the timber mafia even tried to sink my boat, but I was lucky to escape," says Shaji. Few of his friends, including famous Brazilian activist Dorothy Stang, however, weren't as lucky as him and were shot by the forest mafia. "I worked with Dorothy in the same organisation for the protection of Amazon’s residents. Her death was a big blow, but we knew we couldn't stop fighting," shares the activist.

[caption id="attachment_22573" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Shaji Thomas[/caption]

Though he continued to fight for the locals, his status as a foreigner often worked against him. "To prove to them that I wasn't going to go away, I took Brazilian citizenship in 2003," says Shaji. Realising that understanding the law of the land will help him serve these communities better, Shaji decided to pursue law at the Estácio do Pará College in Belém in 2007.

Miles to go...

After three decades, Shaji continues to work with the communities. Living in Belém, with his wife Elysangela Pinheiro, a Brazilian lawyer, a 17-year-old son Santosh and four-year-old daughter, Sofia, Shaji feels there is still more to be done. "Until 2002 these people had no help from the government. While the situation was getting better after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva came to power, the subsequent governments have not worked for the betterment of these communities. There are no measures in place to control the land grabbing. Several hydroelectric projects have been established in Amazon, due to which the region's massive biodiversity — the largest in the world — is going underwater,” he explains.

[caption id="attachment_22574" align="aligncenter" width="711"] Shaji with his family[/caption]

Currently he is working as a researcher at the Federal University of Pará, in natural resource management and climate change. He has been conducting several forestations drives and workshops on legal awareness for the indigenous communities. In his free time, he loves to tend to his kitchen garden with his son or take long walks with his family along the Amazon.

While the couple did visit India a few years ago, Shaji isn’t in touch with his family much. “My father is no more, but my mother was very happy with my visit," he concludes.

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‘Dram’a king: How Paul P John took premium Indian single malt to the world

(September 12, 2024) Paul P John, Chairman, The Paul Resorts & Hotels Pvt Ltd and John Distilleries Pvt Ltd. has put India on the world map with his award winning single malt whiskey. With a portfolio of spirit brands under John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. and world-class resorts, John has made waves with his attention to quality and doing things in style. In 2012, Paul John ventured off-shore and entered the UK markets with three single casks—161, 163, and 164—along with the Paul John Brilliance and Bold. Today, they have the largest portfolio of single malts in India, ranging from unpeated to peated expressions. Their malts malts are available in 44 countries and have won over 320 international awards. Early Days “I am originally from Kerala, but I grew up in Bangalore. Also, my parents lived in Coorg, so I spent most of my holidays there,” he tells Global Indian. As he studied, he worked alongside his father, who operated a chain of beverage shops across Karnataka. It led to a deep fascination with the alcobev industry, which John went on to pursue and take to new heights. “Witnessing my father’s entrepreneurial journey was incredibly inspiring for me, shaping my aspirations

and take to new heights. “Witnessing my father’s entrepreneurial journey was incredibly inspiring for me, shaping my aspirations to eventually become an entrepreneur myself. His mentorship and example laid a strong foundation for my career path in the industry,” he reminisces.

[caption id="attachment_55812" align="aligncenter" width="359"] Paul P John | Indian single malt | Global Indian Paul P John[/caption]

Launching John Distillieries

Continuing his love for spirits, John started John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. in 1996. “Our focus was on the mass segment of the southern states. In 2008, we set up a malt plant at my distillery in Goa, and in 2012, we launched our single malts in the UK,” John says.

The company was a nearly instant success, and John signed Malayalam actor Mohanlal as the surrogate brand ambassador. In less than a decade, the company became a leader in the Indian whisky industry, selling four million cases in 2005. That year, Original Choice was the largest-selling IMFL brand in Karnataka, selling nearly two lakh cases - around 1.2 million cases in total. The company's successes only grew - in 2006, Original Choice sold around 4.5 million cases, and 6.4 million cases in 2007. In the same year, he branched out into wineries, launching the Big Banyan brand, for which they hired oenologist Lucio Matricardi as the chief wine maker. Their 'Bellissima' is the first desert wine in India to be made from the Muscat grape.

Today, they have the largest portfolio of single malts in India, ranging from unpeated to peated expressions, with ABV from 40% to 58% and cask strength. Paul P John has made Indian single malts available in 44 countries and the brand has won over 320 internationally acclaimed awards. “One of my proudest moments was when Mithuna by Paul John was declared one of the finest whiskies in the world,” he says. The company has recently launched Malhar Indian Craft Gins, Roulette premium whisky and brandy, and Big Banyan wines.

Paul P John | Indian single malt | Global Indian

Foray into Hospitality

Four years after launching his distillieries, John ventured into hospitality, to “be in a space that gave him personal satisfaction, where he could create something niche and different.” This was in 2000, and the first venture, a true labour of love, was the Kumarakom Lake Resort, amid Kerala’s beautiful backwaters. “Now, I have got five luxe properties in South India, including The Paul Bangalore and Big Banyan Vineyard and Resort, also in Bengaluru. He also returned to the home of his childhood, Coorg, where he launched the Coorg Wilderness Resort & Spa, followed by Forte Kochi Hotel in Cochin. “Each of these places has its own special theme and style, making sure every guest gets a truly unique holiday experience with us,” he says.

Driven by legacy

With a lot on his plate, John says that the desire to make a mark in life, to have a purpose for being born, and, if possible, to leave a legacy behind has been the driving force in his life. “One of the strongest motivations for me is taking care of the people in my organisation who have been with me, supported me, and worked tirelessly to help us achieve our common goals,” he says.

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple - set your mind on your goal and work hard for it as there are no shortcuts to success. “The road may be difficult, and you may face several challenges but do not waver from your goal,” he says. And this comes from his own experience as he has overcome challenges by being steadfast, patient, positive, and unwavering. “It has not always been easy, but I have learned that when a challenge arises, focusing on how to resolve it always brings a solution,” John explains.

[caption id="attachment_55814" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Paul P John | Indian single malt | Global Indian Mithuna, by Paul P John[/caption]

For him of the many lessons he has learnt in life, the biggest is that success is a team effort. “Empower your team and believe in their ability to deliver. Once you have confidence in them and they understand and believe in your vision, great things can happen,” he says.

In leisure

In his free time, John always enjoys travelling and discovering new places and cultures. When he is at home, an occasional game of golf or a great dram of single malt with family and friends is his favourite way to unwind. Looking ahead, his focus is on expanding his portfolio in the alcobev industry to include all segments and choices, and to reach more markets in India and internationally.

“In hospitality, we aim to expand our reach to more destinations in India and abroad, establishing ourselves as the go to choice for premium holiday and stay experiences,” he says. And with his flagship brand Original Choice, being one of the top-selling brands in India's popular whisky segment and one of the top 10 selling whiskies in the world with sales exceeding 21 million cases a year, it is not hard to guess why he is so successful.

Visit the Paul P John website to learn more about the premium Indian single malt.

Indian influencers: Using social media to create an impact

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

Masoom Minawala

Prajakta Koli

Niharika NM

Diipa Khosla

Ruhee Dosani

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