Manpreet Monica Singh | Sikh | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryManpreet Monica Singh: Meet the first woman Sikh judge in the US

Manpreet Monica Singh: Meet the first woman Sikh judge in the US

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(January 14, 2023) The happiness and excitement were palpable as Manpreet Monica Singh took her oath as the first female Sikh judge of the United States, where she was sworn in as a Harris county judge. The daughter of immigrant parents, and a woman of colour, Manpreet understands what it means to break the glass ceiling. Sharing her elation, she wrote on Facebook, “Mama we made it! It is a ‘true honor’ to rep the people of Harris County as a Sikh civil court judge. Thank you to everyone for making this a historic moment, one that someday won’t be an uncommon event – because there will be a judiciary that includes countless Sikh people and other minorities. I’m ready to put my 2 decades of experience to good use. (sic)”

Manpreet Monica Singh takes oath as the first Sikh woman judge in the US

Forming 0.1 percent of the United States population with nearly 500,000 people, American Sikhs are the country’s seventh-largest religious group. Out of which 20,000 Sikhs live in the Houston area, and for the very first time a female Sikh has made it to the ranks. “It means a lot to me because I represent H-town the most, so for it to be us, I’m happy for it…I thought it was important for kids, as they go through their education, that they could see that there’s a possibility for professions that we never had access to before,” she was quoted as saying.

A trial lawyer for two decades, Manpreet has been involved with many civil rights organisations at the local, state, and national levels.

Manpreet Monica Singh

Born and raised in Houston, Manpreet is a fierce advocate of her hometown. As a daughter of immigrants from India, she learned the value of hard work, the American dream, and service from an early age. In the early 70s, her father moved to the US as an architect after getting a green card. As a young, turbaned Sikh, he moved wherever his work took him – Miami, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Dallas. But it was in Houston that he decided to “put down his roots.” It wasn’t easy for him as he faced blatant discrimination time and again. But he was focused on achieving the American goal along with his wife, Hardeep. The two owned and operated a small print shop, and it flourished with the “help of sweat equity from their two children,” reads Manpreet’s website.

It was this grit that she inherited from her parents, and soon made her way to the world of law after attending the University of Texas at Austin, and finally the South Texas College of Law. Being a woman of color, she was familiar with systems of inequality and empathetic towards the hardships that the average American faces while trying to achieve their own dreams. This made her push harder, and she ended up being a runner-up for Houston Young Lawyers Association Most Outstanding Attorney in 2010 and won the South Asian Bar Association Distinguished Member Award in 2017.

Manpreet Monica Singh with her sons

Additionally, she serves on the boards of the Sikh Coalition, the Texas Lyceum, and the ACLU of Texas (also serving as Trustee). She also lectures regularly for the Texas Bar CLE classes and is a Chapter Representative for the elite American Board of Trial Advocates.

The state’s first South Asian judge Ravi Sandill, who presided over the oath ceremony, said, “It’s a really big moment for the Sikh community,” adding, “When they see someone of colour, someone a little different, they know that possibility is available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she’s an ambassador for all women of colour.”

Monica has been married to her husband Mandeep for 19 years and the couple moved to Bellaire after getting married in 2003. Together they enjoy traveling and spending time with their two soccer-loving boys who attend Bellaire High School.

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Published on 14, Jan 2023

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Padma Bhushan Madhur Jaffrey: The lady who made Indian cuisine global

(December 11, 2022) “When my programme came on air, there weren’t any Indian cookery shows, it was an immediate hit,” Madhur Jaffrey told the BBC, talking about her ground breaking cookery programme that premiered in the United Kingdom 40 years ago. The Padma Bhushan 2022 awardee grew up in Delhi and left for London in her 20s to study at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She became an actress and later, turned to writing cookery books and presenting cookery shows. Little did she know that this career transition would turn out to be a significant step towards introducing India’s soft power to the western world. [caption id="attachment_32663" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Madhur Jaffrey, culinary expert[/caption] Indian food is a magical world where the art of using spices is so advanced that we’ve created a cuisine that exists nowhere else in the world! Her debut cookbook, an Invitation to Indian Cooking (1973) introduced Indian food to western hemisphere for the first time. It was later inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2006. When she was hired by BBC to present her cookery show - Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery, it was meant to be an educational programme. The

ter" width="656"] Indian Cuisine Madhur Jaffrey Madhur Jaffrey, culinary expert[/caption]

Indian food is a magical world where the art of using spices is so advanced that we’ve created a cuisine that exists nowhere else in the world!

Her debut cookbook, an Invitation to Indian Cooking (1973) introduced Indian food to western hemisphere for the first time. It was later inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2006.

When she was hired by BBC to present her cookery show - Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery, it was meant to be an educational programme. The aim was to make people learn about Indian culture by introducing them to authentic food cooked in different regions of India. The show mesmerised people so much that Madhur soon became known as ‘spice girl’, thanks to the plethora of South Asian spices she introduced to the western homes. She was popularly called ‘the actress who can cook.’

Building respectful image of South Asians

“Until then, the South Asians were not represented the way they would have loved to see themselves on the television and cinema,” she said, in the interview with BBC.

Madhur Jaffrey

Madhur’s career transition had filled in the much-desired space with elan. Her show was the first mainstream series about Indian food to be broadcast in the UK and also the first one to be presented by an Indian.

Characteristically dressed in a crisp cotton saree, Madhur Jaffrey became the face of the South Asian diaspora in the UK. She knew this, tailoring her image to that of an attractive Indian who is modern, yes, but remains tied to her roots. That was the pre-internet era, so Madhur used to get flooded with letters of appreciation from her fans.

Ruling the supermarkets

If Madhur was exotic, the food she cooked seemed even more so to the uninitiated Western audiences. In fact, her recipes became so popular that Indian food was "tried by everybody all over England and beyond’. “The day I cooked chicken with green coriander, they ran out of green coriander in Manchester,” laughs the food expert.

The demand for Indian spices and ingredients grew so much that supermarkets started overstocking the ingredients that the Global Indian used in her cookery show.

[caption id="attachment_32666" align="aligncenter" width="653"] Indian Cuisine Madhur Jaffrey Madhur Jaffrey presenting her cookery show on BBC in 1980s[/caption]

The spice girl from India

In the introduction to her cookbook, At Home with Madhur Jaffrey, she writes, “The techniques used in Indian cooking are not any different from those used the world over: roasting, grilling, steaming, frying, stewing, braising and so on.” Yet it is distinct she emphasises.

What gives Indian cuisine its uniqueness, its tingling excitement, and its health-giving properties is the knowledgeable use of spices and seasonings, ancient in its provenance.

The food expert has authored close to thirty bestselling cookbooks on Indian, Asian and world vegetarian cuisine, and has appeared in several related television programmes. Apart from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery that premiered in 1982, she presented Madhur Jaffrey's Far Eastern Cookery (1989) and Madhur Jaffrey's Flavours of India (1995).

[caption id="attachment_32665" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Indian Cuisine Madhur Jaffrey Cover of one of Madhur Jaffrey's books[/caption]

What made her shows and books relevant for decades was the fact that she adapted to the time constraints of her fans. In one of her book introductions, Madhur shared, “My own cooking has changed over the years. I am often as rushed for time as perhaps you are. I am often asking myself is there an easier way to do this?”

Madhur made sure, therefore, to simplify her cooking to match with the times.

I now try to reach real Indian tastes by using simpler methods and fewer steps

The seven times winner of James Beard award wrote in one of her books.

As she made a huge name for herself in the traditional yet novel segment, Madhur went on to associate herself as food consultant of one of the most popular Indian restaurants in New York City - Dawat.

Madhur has also written three children’s books and two memoirs – Sweet Memories (2002) and Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India (2006).

Strengthening cultural relations between continents

Before becoming a television personality and delving into the domains of food and travel writing, Madhur had made a mark for herself as an Indian-British-American actress, starting with minor acting roles on BBC television and radio. One of her notable works is the film, Shakespeare Wallah (1965) for which she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival.

[caption id="attachment_32667" align="aligncenter" width="1027"] Madhur Jaffrey Global Indian Madhur Jaffrey in one of her television shows[/caption]

During the course of her acting career, she enthralled audiences with her performances in television, films, radio and theatre. Perhaps this background contributes to her eloquence as a food presenter.

Her cookery shows have always been lively with powerful punchlines like:

Each grain of rice should be like brothers, close to each other but not stuck together.

After a divorce from Sayeed Jaffery, the notable actor who is father to her three daughters, Madhur married an American violinist. The couple have now been together for 56 years.

In recognition of her contribution to cultural relations between the UK, India and the United States, through film, television and cookery, Madhur was named the honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2004. This year’s Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award from the Government of India, is a testament of her service to Indian culinary art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2GKfjaZQZE

At 89, the workaholic is far from slowing down. One of the biggest living authorities on Indian cuisine, Madhur keeps herself busy by educating Gen Z and Gen Alpha through her recently launched Masterclass on digital media. “Nobody knows spices like we do, we are masters,” she announces proudly in the trailer.

Follow Madhur Jaffrey on Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

Vedangi Gawde: The 24-year-old pastry chef named Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024

(June 30, 2024) From following her mother around as she baked cakes, to whipping up a culinary storm in the kitchen and winning laurels for her work, Vedangi Gawde’s journey is that of daring to dream and working hard to make those dreams come true. The 24-year-old’s journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and creativity. Most recently, Vedangi Gawde is the winner of the coveted culinary award Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024, which enables pastry chefs to showcase their artistry, ingenuity and talent through a variety of challenges. She was the only female contestant in the running and eventually emerged victorious. Joining the league of young chefs who are making their mark by daring to be different, Vedangi currently works with Sivako, a prominent Mumbai-based patisserie, where she uses her vivid imagination to craft artistic culinary experiences that are simple yet exquisite. [caption id="attachment_52740" align="aligncenter" width="359"] Vedangi Gawde[/caption] Sweet surprises Vedangi's story began in her family's kitchen in Mumbai, where she grew up and where her mother would bake cakes. She recalls, ‘My mother used to make simple pound cakes with butter cream because we loved it. We used to live in a chawl, and even my neighbors

n in her family's kitchen in Mumbai, where she grew up and where her mother would bake cakes. She recalls, ‘My mother used to make simple pound cakes with butter cream because we loved it. We used to live in a chawl, and even my neighbors enjoyed her culinary creations. Being a Maharashtrian, I grew up eating the most amazing puran poli and modaks, which were usually whipped up during festivals and special occasions,” she tells Global Indian.

These early experiences ignited a love for baking that lay dormant while she pursued a career as a chartered accountant. However, when that path didn’t pan out, Vedangi returned to her first love—baking. This rekindling of passion led her to the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA), where she completed a diploma course that set her on the path to professional pastry making.

Her first job post-APCA was at Sivako, where she started as a commis (junior chef) and quickly rose to the position of chef de partie. It was here that Vedangi’s talents truly began to shine. “The first dessert I ever made was a layered sponge dark chocolate cake. It was a bit of a challenge, but the satisfaction of creating something so delicious made it all worth it,” she recalls. This early success cemented her belief that the kitchen was where she belonged.

One of Vedangi's unique specialties is hand-painting on chocolate and bonbons, a skill that showcases her artistic flair. “I've worked on something different that most people don't usually do: hand-painting on chocolate. It really showcases my creative side,” she says. This meticulous and visually stunning technique has become a hallmark of her work, setting her apart in a competitive field.

[caption id="attachment_52741" align="aligncenter" width="664"] Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian Vedangi Gawde is the winner of the Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024 award[/caption]

Breaking barriers and baking dreams

Despite her introverted nature, Vedangi found that mastering new skills in the kitchen also helped her connect more with those around her. Working under the guidance of Chef Eureka at Sivako, she gained confidence and learned to express her passion for baking while building meaningful relationships. “Chef Eureka is a true mentor who has enabled me to learn and grow. I could not have asked for a better mentor. As I mastered new skills, I also gained the courage to connect more with those around me,” she shares.

Vedangi acknowledges the challenges of introducing new flavors in a market that often prefers familiar tastes. “Many of us in India often stick to familiar flavors, making it tough to introduce new tastes and keep up with food trends,” she explains. Yet, she remains undeterred, constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of pastry.

The young chef has for long had a fascination for Paris and the delectable desserts served in the city, from rich eclairs to layered entremets. She states, “Even as a child, I used to love to paint, and I think that creativity has come to the fore while I make pastries and desserts. This helps me to create visually appealing desserts that people can savor. It gives me great satisfaction when people enjoy my creations.”

Entering a male bastion

The pastry industry, like many culinary fields, has historically been male-dominated, but Vedangi sees this changing. “Yes, there are fewer female pâtissiers compared to males, though this is gradually changing as more women enter and excel in the profession,” she notes. Her own journey is a testament to this shift, as she continues to make her mark with every dessert she creates.

While dessert for Indians meant eating black forest cake at your neighborhood bakery, things have changed remarkably over the years. Traveling abroad and being exposed to the best of world cuisine has meant that Indians today are hooked on gourmet desserts. The chef agrees, “Today people are extremely knowledgeable and understand the nuances of different desserts. Instagram, of course, has helped, and this keeps us on our toes to keep experimenting and pushing the bar.”

Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian

A sweet revolution

Winning the coveted award by the Belgian chocolate maker Callebaut has added a spring to her step. “My father has not stopped telling people that I am an award-winning chef,” she smiles and adds. “It has been an incredible journey, especially because I had to think quickly on my feet and managed to do so.”

The competition saw contestants being challenged through crafting bonbons, fresh pastries, mystery box items, snacks on the go, and a grand chocolate display that reflected their resourcefulness in bakery, pastry, confectionery, and showpiece categories. Vedangi excelled at every task, showcasing her versatility in skill and style!

With an eye on the future, the Vedangi Gawde is dedicated to achieving her goals and creating her own identity in the pastry world. “This is just the beginning; many more achievements are on the horizon. I am dedicated to working hard and achieving all my goals,” she affirms.

Vedangi’s triumph is a beacon of inspiration, proving that passion and hard work can turn dreams into reality. With plans to open her own patisserie, she envisions a future where her innovative desserts delight palates worldwide, solidifying her place as a trailblazer in the culinary world.

Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian

Quick takes:

Favorite western dessert: Tiramisu
An Indian dessert you can never have enough of: Rasmalai
Favorite places for dessert: Radha Krishna and Brijwasi in Mumbai. Especially their Indian sweets.
Your advice to young chefs: To all young chefs: Keep innovating; keep cooking up new creations that reflect who you are. Embrace change, learn new techniques, and never lose sight of your passion. Remember, persistence is key. Keep pushing forward.

Follow Vedangi Gawde on LinkedIn.

Country’s first certified chocolate taster Nitin Chordia serves ‘Made in India’ chocolates in the truest sense

(September 16, 2022) When people get to know that Nitin Chordia is a chocolate taster, they can’t help but be curious. What could be a better job than that of a chocolate taster’s is the most common reaction. Though Nitin seconds their opinion with a smile, India’s first certified chocolate taster dons other hats too. As an entrepreneur, he has his work divided between Cocoashala, an academy that trains chocolate makers from around the globe, and Kocoatrait, the chocolate manufacturing company that has his wife, Poonam at the forefront. [caption id="attachment_29429" align="aligncenter" width="903"] L Nitin Chordia, chocolate taster and entrepreneur[/caption] Chocolates that are literally ‘Made in India’ Since long India’s large share of the chocolate market has been claimed by big foreign brands. Thanks to the efforts of chocolate makers like Nitin, we can now enjoy made-in-India chocolates. In a conversation with Global Indian, he elaborates: Chocolates in India have been made by big players in the industry for decades. I have tried to revolutionise the concept of made-in-India chocolates in the sense that the ingredients (cocoa beans) that we use for chocolate making are being sourced from Indian farms instead of being imported from outside - Nitin Chordia

/span>Global Indian, he elaborates:

Chocolates in India have been made by big players in the industry for decades. I have tried to revolutionise the concept of made-in-India chocolates in the sense that the ingredients (cocoa beans) that we use for chocolate making are being sourced from Indian farms instead of being imported from outside - Nitin Chordia

That’s what makes his chocolates unique in comparison to the popular brands that have been ruling the market for years now.

[caption id="attachment_29430" align="aligncenter" width="788"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Cocoa pods on a cacao tree in the farm - cocoa beans are inside these pods[/caption]

Having begun just a few years back, the revolution ushered by Nitin is ‘benefitting the farmers cultivating cocoa beans in India’ and it’s the most satisfying part of the business for him. Talking about the second satisfying aspect, “I can assure you that no child labour is involved in cocoa farming in India, unlike in some other countries,” says the bean-to-bar chocolate maker.

What’s bean-to-bar chocolate making?

A question that’s often posed to Nitin. “Many big companies that make and sell chocolates in India just do the last mile thing, buying chocolate slabs, adding fruits and nuts, and giving them shapes and packaging.” While the bean-to-bar chocolate makers like Nitin are involved in the process right from the beginning – cocoa beans cultivated by the farmers on the cacao trees,” he explains.

[caption id="attachment_29458" align="alignnone" width="1040"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian From bean to bar[/caption]

However, big brands, on the other hand, follow cocoa liquor-to-bar or mass-to-bar chocolate production processes. “All they do is buy chocolate paste which is known as cocoa liquor or cocoa mass, bypassing several processes like dealing with the farmers, trying to select the best fruit, getting the cocoa beans fermented, dried, roasted and then turned into paste. They outsource the initial processes,” tells Nitin. Such has been his close association with the farmers that he often sees himself getting into the shoes of the mentor for them to ensure quality produce.

[caption id="attachment_29435" align="aligncenter" width="923"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Interaction session with cocoa farmers[/caption]

It all began when…

Though Nitin dipped his toes in the world of entrepreneurship in 2015, his tryst with confectionery dates back to 2005 when he was working for KSA Technopak, one of India’s largest retail companies and was heading its client Godrej’s Nature Basket project. Nitin was entrusted with the responsibility of establishing the Nature Basket chain of stores across the country for the corporate giant. “In that process, I developed a grasp on several categories of food products. Chocolates particularly interested me from the economic, and business standpoint,” says the Chennai based entrepreneur.

[caption id="attachment_29436" align="alignnone" width="1029"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Nitin conducting a chocolate appreciation session[/caption]

Nitin hails from a family that has been into entrepreneurship since generations, and to be in that space was his ultimate goal as well. However, he wanted to dabble in something new as opposed to his family business in trading, finance and real estate. That’s when he decided to pursue an M Sc in retail management from University of Surrey and later worked for a couple of retail consultancy firms with the plan to eventually foray into entrepreneurship one day.

Expensive lessons

Over the years, Nitin found himself intrigued by the world of chocolates, a business domain he was keen to explore. However, he wanted to do some research before soaking into the world of entrepreneurship, and that’s when he decided to go on a backpacking trip to Belgium, the European Mecca for chocolate. “It took me 20-days to discover that thousands of chocolate sellers actually don’t make chocolates at all. They don’t go to cocoa farms, they don’t buy cocoa fruit, they don’t process or make chocolate in bulk. All they do is buy slabs of chocolate from some manufacturer, put some nuts into it and sell.” This discovery was a gamechanger for Nitin as for him ‘a myth got uncovered.’

[caption id="attachment_29448" align="alignnone" width="1079"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Nitin in one of the sessions abroad[/caption]

However, there was more as it was on the same trip that he met his mentor Martin Christy, who runs the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting in the UK, the only institution of its kind and affiliated to the Government. “We happened to meet in a chocolate museum. Within two weeks, I was back attending a chocolate tasting certification course at his institute, becoming India’s first certified chocolate taster,” Nitin tells. After a few months of clearing the first certification level, he returned for level two getting assured that the chocolate business has huge potential to click. Martin became his mentor.

[caption id="attachment_29469" align="aligncenter" width="877"] Fermented cocoa beans - in the process of chocolate production[/caption]

“People had just started understanding speciality tea, coffee, wine but chocolates had never been spoken about,” and he got determined to bring his discoveries and gained knowledge to the forefront.

Making a difference

There were some people making bean-to-bar chocolates at a very small scale in India in places like Puducherry and Mysuru, but the practice was not popular - Nitin Chordia

With the purpose of making cocoa bean farming a profitable venture in India, he opened a franchisee of his mentor’s institute in the country giving fuel to business ideas of other entrepreneurs to start chocolate making ventures with ingredients produced in the country.

[caption id="attachment_29432" align="alignnone" width="1006"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Nitin at one of the training sessions at Cocoashala[/caption]

Nitin’s Cocoashala has not only provided training to some of the most successful bean-to-bar chocolate makers of India but has also enabled their businesses by hand-holding them throughout the process. Through his consultancy venture, Nitin has helped them out with machinery, raw material, recipe development, being instrumental in ensuring their transition from learners to professional chocolate makers. There are 12 well-known bean-to-bar chocolate entrepreneurs in the country who have been successful in their businesses under Nitin’s mentorship. One of them being Paul and Mike, India’s largest bean-to-bar chocolate makers.

[caption id="attachment_29466" align="alignnone" width="1193"] Different types of cocoa pods[/caption]

All the entrepreneurs whom Nitin has mentored have been sourcing cocoa beans from farmers in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra and Tamil Nadu, giving a boost to the economy.

Strong partnership

Poonam Chordiya, Nitin’s wife has had a significant role behind the success of both Cocoashala and Kocoatrait. “It was she who was instrumental in the idea of me starting Cocoashala. When in 2015 we talked about bean-to-bar chocolate making, everyone laughed at us. Poonam coaxed me to monetise the insights I gained through extensive travels and expensive mistakes.”

[caption id="attachment_29442" align="alignnone" width="930"] Indian Entrepreneur | Nitin Chordia | Global Indian Nitin with his wife, Poonam Chordia[/caption]

Once Cocoashala got stable, they started Kocoatrait in 2019, manufacturing chocolates and coming up with the end product with an all-women’s team. “Poonam is the brain, soul and heart behind the Kocoatrait brand,” Nitin says. The couple has been working diligently to let the quality of the products and services do all the talking. “We do not engage in any advertising and PR,” he remarks.

Measuring success

The only way Nitin and Poonam measure success is through the fact that they have saved more than 200 kgs of single use plastic from entering landfills. Their chocolate brand does not use paper or plastic in packaging.

The wrappers are biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, and upcycled in the first place. They are made with cocoa shells which are a by-product of our roasting process that would have otherwise gone into landfill. Apart from that, cotton waste generated by the garment industry in places like Coimbatore is being used for making the wrappers - Nitin Chordia

To compete with established brands is hardly the goal for Nitin. He finds happiness in the fact that he has been able to drive in the point that India is capable of producing internationally acceptable chocolates with Indian-origin ingredients.

Follow Nitin Chordia on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 7 mins

The Right Click: Photographer Clare Arni has documented the India story over three decades

(December 19, 2023) In 1993 , Clare Arni hopped into a Maruti 800 with her sister and her son, to begin an 800-km journey along the River Kaveri, starting at the source, Thalakaveri, in Coorg, and ending where it empties itself into the Bay of Bengal, reaching the sea in Poompuhar. Their goal: To document the lives that have flourished around this ancient water body, as it twists and turns its way through the Deccan, morphing into the giver of life at the Kings bathing Ghat, and the keeper of the dead in Srirangapatna, where thousands perform the final rites of their loved ones. In 'Disappearing professions in Urban India', a collaboration with her sister, Oriole Henry, the siblings wandered through six of India's old cities, finding professions that were on the verge of being relegated to annals of history, from mattress fluffers to billboard painters. Straddling varied themes that include architecture, travel, social documentary, and cultural heritage, Clare Arni has spent the last three decades documenting the India Story, in all its varied richness. From working with celebrated Indian architects like B.V. Doshi, Charles Correa, Geoffrey Bawa and Sanjay Mohe, to documenting remote tribes deep in the Sundarbans, Clare

he Sundarbans, Clare Arni has done it all. Her internationally acclaimed work can be found in prominent galleries abroad and has been featured in publications like The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Design Magazine, Tatler Conde Nast (UK), and Abitare (Italy). Her expansive career includes book publications with top British publishers like Phaidon, Thames and Hudson, and Dorling Kindersley. Clare's long-term projects document the rich tapestry of life in various Indian locales such as Hampi, Banaras, Northern Karnataka, Rajasthan, Sundarbans, and Orissa.

[caption id="attachment_47639" align="aligncenter" width="394"] Clare Arni[/caption]

Early days

Born in Scotland in 1962, Arni arrived in India when her father was transferred here for work. He established the Vikaasa school in Madurai, where Arni also studied until the age of 13, when, she tells Global Indian, she was “rudely uprooted from a place that I considered home and sent to a mediocre boarding school in England.” She followed this up with a degree in art history and film and media in Scotland, but she says, “I returned to India as soon as I possibly could. When I think of the nostalgia of home, I still recollect the bird song and hot winds of Madurai,” she smiles.

Arni returned to India at the age of 22, soon after college, to earn a living as a photographer. Self-taught, she learned on the job, attempting to create as diverse a portfolio as she could manage. “I started with fashion photography and did campaigns for Weekender and Wearhouse,” Arni recalls. “I did any work that came my way, photographing everything from racehorses to chickens, and then making black-and white-prints in my darkroom.”

Architecture calling

Her calling, however, lay in architectural photography. Clare was soon shooting directly for architects, documenting their projects publications and competition entries as well as for architectural and interior magazines. “I worked for many Bangalore architects but also for several projects for Charles Correa, BV Doshi, Geoffrey Bawa and Sanjay Mohe. For Charles Correa I documented the town Of Bagalkot before it was submerged by the dam and the house that he built for himself in Bangalore,” she explains. Apart from many design magazines in India, her images have been published in renowned international magazines like Abitare (Italy) Tatler, Conde Nast (UK) Wallpaper, The Wall Street journal and Harvard Design magazine. Her work is also part of Phaidon, Thames and Hudson and Dorling Kindersley, all of whom are leading British book publishers.

[caption id="attachment_47643" align="aligncenter" width="507"] PhotoL Clare Arni[/caption]

Documenting Stories

She also started shooting longer book projects for writers like George Mitchell. These were rewarding as they allowed her to travel extensively around India documenting places like Hampi, Banaras and Northern Karnataka. “I also worked for NGOs like Welt Hunger Hilfe where I travelled to remote communities in Rajasthan, Sundarbans, and Orissa documenting the work that they had done with self-help groups, women’s empowerment and updating agricultural practices,” says Arni. Her travels have been continuous even after she had her son.

Her Kaveri River project took a full four months, which she spent on the road with her son and sister, documenting the civilisation that had grown and flourished on its banks. “The river became part of our everyday lives walking its banks and swimming in its waters, taking coracles to the bottom of waterfalls, and flying an ultralight to capture it from the air,” Arni recalls. “I have been very lucky as my work and passion was the same and I was able to see and document so much of India.”

Going solo

After all of this she started to have solo photographic exhibitions and it was what she admits was liberating as she could work without clients and create works with total freedom. This is when she began to look at living cultural heritage instead of just built architecture. One of her biggest shows was ‘Disappearing professions in Urban India’, done in collaboration with her sister, Oriole Henry, where they examined historical professions associated with six cities and how they were surviving and adapting to the present day. “It was a wonderful way to get to know these cities,” Arni says. “We wandered through the streets searching for these professions and often found that they had either gone or that only a handful remained to carry them forward. We found mattress fluffers, tinners, hand painted billboard painters and calligraphers. We documented the changing face of single screen cinemas and stand-alone coffee shops that were making way for multiplexes and international chains,” she explains. This exhibition was shown around India and in America.

[caption id="attachment_47645" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo: Clare Arni[/caption]

A full life

Arni likes to work on long term projects where she gets immersed in the subject over several years. Some of these are ongoing. Some of the new books that she has done are directly with clients where she conceptualises, shoots, and helps with design inputs. She has enjoyed working collaboratively with talented photographers like Selvaprakash Lakshmanan on many of these books. “I have had a rewarding and challenging new direction at this point of my life. I am head of arts programming at a charitable trust school, RBANMS in Bangalore. I am extremely fulfilled working and interacting with these children and am excited by the programs that we are working on together with a host of visiting artists that share their time and skills with the school,” she says. Her advice to newbie photographers is that patience is important and spending time with your subject whatever it may be is key. “Even if you think you have got the shot, stop for a moment and think how else I could do this, experiment and you will get a better shot,” she advises. Looking ahead, she is working on finishing a couple of books, and spending time in the school.

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Shantanu Narayen: The CEO who is heart and soul of Adobe

(June 30, 2022) Shantanu Narayen is one among the celebrated tribe of Indian-origin CEOs shaping the global business world. Under his leadership, Adobe, which is one of the largest software companies of the world achieved record revenue and industry recognition for being an inclusive, innovative, and exceptional workplace. For the sixth year in a row, Adobe has been identified as one of the 25 World’s Best Workplaces. While, Narayen has earned himself the title of ‘Top CEO’ on Glassdoor, which is based on employee feedback. Global Indian turns its spotlight on the pioneer of creativity and digital media who puts a lot of effort on creating leaders. [caption id="attachment_26332" align="alignnone" width="1160"] Shantanu Narayen, CEO, Adobe[/caption] Narayen wanted to be a journalist but later pursued engineering upon his parent's advice. He started his career with Measurex Automation Systems, a startup. The Hyderabad-born business executive went on to start his own company, Pictra, an early pioneer of digital photo-sharing on the internet, which he eventually decided to sell off. Incidentally, while trying to sell it off to Adobe, he landed a job at the organisation, becoming its vice-president of worldwide product research in 1998. That's another story that he did not succeed

tems, a startup. The Hyderabad-born business executive went on to start his own company, Pictra, an early pioneer of digital photo-sharing on the internet, which he eventually decided to sell off. Incidentally, while trying to sell it off to Adobe, he landed a job at the organisation, becoming its vice-president of worldwide product research in 1998. That's another story that he did not succeed in making Adobe buy Pictra.

Under his leadership, Adobe now offers nearly 100 creative products, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Acrobat and Acrobat Sign. This wide array of tools helps students, business communicators and the world’s largest enterprises to meet their goals.

Narayen has been a smart player landing close to 400 deals for the company. Big media firms like Viacom, and CBS all play their videos with Adobe flash player, thanks to Narayen.

He once remarked at an Adobe summit:

“To win in today’s world every business has to transform itself to become maniacally focussed on the customer experience." - Shantanu Narayen

Reaching heights

It took him only a decade to rise to the top position of CEO. As chairman and chief executive officer, Narayen has been at the helm of driving the company’s strategy to unleash creativity for all, and power digital business. The software giant, which has always aimed at changing the world through digital experiences, has taken a dramatic turnaround in recent years and has become a global brand with a huge customer base.

Narayen, the recipient of India’s civilian honour Padma Shri (2019), has a special place for India in his heart, “We have got incredible talent in India and they are responsible for major parts of every aspect of our business, including product. Whether it’s Acrobat or creative or digital experience tools, so much of the pioneering engineering work is done in India,” he said in an interview.

The typical journey of unusual success

Born in 1963, Narayen grew up in an affluent, Telugu-speaking family in Hyderabad. His father ran a plastics company, while his mother was a teacher of American literature. He is an alumnus of Hyderabad Public School that boasts of a great repertoire of former students who are top CEOs and business executives like Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, Ajay Singh Banga, CEO of MasterCard, and Kunal Bahl of Snapdeal.

[caption id="attachment_26333" align="alignnone" width="960"] Indian CEO | Global Indian Shantanu Narayen with his schoolmate, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft[/caption]

He was one of the thousands of young men who headed to the US in the 1980s packing their mom’s homemade snacks and pickles to ward off homesickness. By then, Narayen was armed with a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Osmania University. In the US, he earned a master’s degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University and another master’s degree in business administration from the University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. The Indian-American business executive was honoured with a doctorate degree for applied science by his Alma Mater, Bowling Green State University in 2011.

Not many are aware that Narayen holds five patents. All are focussed on creation and editing of electronic documents on digital processing systems that he invented during his Pictra days. That apart, multifaceted business executive’s golfing IQ is superb. He would have become a professional golfer if he hadn't been a business executive.

[caption id="attachment_26334" align="alignnone" width="948"] Indian CEO | Global Indian Shantanu Narayen posing with a golf ball[/caption]

He also loves cricket and sailing, and has even represented India in sailing at an Asian regatta. Along with his cricket-loving schoolmate Satya Nadella, he has invested in Major League Cricket (MLC) to be hosted by the American Cricket Enterprises (ACE). It's an upcoming professional Twenty20 cricket league in the United States with plans to begin matches in 2023.

Creativity in DNA

With creativity in his DNA, Narayen is shaping the future of storytelling. By transforming how people and brands tell their stories, the suave orator and debater has been connecting content and data with new technologies.

As CEO, Narayen has revamped the company, shifting its creative and digital document software franchises from the desktop to the Cloud. Under his leadership, as of June 2022, Adobe has a market cap of $172.76 billion. Adobe's business is powered by three cloud-based solutions: Creative Cloud (Adobe XD, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator etc.); Document Cloud (Acrobat DC, Adobe Sign and powerful mobile apps) and Experience Cloud that helps organisations design campaigns, advertise and gain deep insight on business performance.

For the Adobe CEO, the company's most valuable assets are its people.

"Every single engineer at Adobe we've invested in is being trained in future technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Cloud to help businesses deliver better customer experiences" - Shantanu Narayen

Impressive collaborations

Narayen swears by the importance of communicating well with people – a lesson that he has learned from his experiences as a CEO. “Simply put, good communication is needed to ensure that all the components which make up a corporation will move in the same direction, instead of each component pulling this way and that way.”

Just before starting Pictra in 1996, Narayen enjoyed a stint at Apple in senior management positions between 1989 to 1995. The top CEO takes pride in lessons learned from Gursharan Singh Sandhu of Apple Talk who mentored him during his Apple days and taught him how to challenge others and himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw6A6cQ4Y6g

In 2011, Barack Obama had appointed him as a member of his Management Advisory Board. Narayen has been the lead independent director on Pfizer’s board of directors, and vice chairman of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. The India-bred CEO expects more Indian-origin leaders to helm global corporations.

He has been staying in Palo Alto, California with his wife Reni, whom he met during his college days in the US in the mid-1980s. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology. They have two sons.

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