Mathematician | Nalini Ananthraman | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryMaking sense amidst Quantum Chaos: Tamil-French mathematician Nalini Anantharaman is changing the world of numbers

Making sense amidst Quantum Chaos: Tamil-French mathematician Nalini Anantharaman is changing the world of numbers

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(September 22, 2022) The archaic belief that “mathematics is not for women” has contributed greatly to the gender gap in the field. While girls are being encouraged to take up a career in science and technology, many steer clear of pure mathematical studies. Breaking all the stereotypes is Tamil-French mathematician, Nalini Ananthraman, who is decorated with three major awards in the field – Henri Poincaré Prize, Salem Prize, and Jacques Herbrand Prize. The Chair of Mathematics at the University of Strasbourg, Nalini was awarded the Infosys Prize (2018) recognising her path-breaking work in quantum chaos and allied areas. In 2020, the mathematician received the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics “for her profound contributions to microlocal analysis and mathematical physics, in particular to problems of localization and delocalization of eigenfunctions”.

Nalini Ananthraman, mathematician

“I work with questions coming from physics but with a mathematical perspective. For the last 10 years, I’ve been working on equations describing how waves propagate—these could be sound waves, electromagnetic (light) waves, water waves, or waves in quantum mechanics,” the Global Indian said during a press interaction after winning the Infosys award, adding, “It is a privilege to create beautiful things without having to worry about their applications.”

Inspired by her parents

Born to a Tamil father and a French mother, who were both distinguished mathematicians, Nalini started in the world of numbers with a strong advantage. Speaking about her family, Nalini had told Bhavana magazine, “My father studied at the Tata Institute (TIFR) in Mumbai, and he left for France at the time of starting a Ph.D. to work. My parents met in Paris at the end of the 1960s. My mother still has a letter from her friend, the mathematician Michèle Vergne, who writes in that letter that she wanted to introduce her to a young Indian who had just then arrived in France.”

A young Nalini with her mother, Claire

A very bright student, Nalini rarely required any help with her studies. As her parents were professors at the University of Orléans, the young mathematician remembers having free access to the library, a place she “loved to spend her time the most.” Interestingly, while she was drawn to numbers from a very young age, music, and not maths, was her first choice of career. She wasn’t too keen on taking part in any mathematics competitions as well. “I wanted either to be a pianist or a researcher, but not necessarily in math. Physics, and even biology, also fascinated me then. I never participated in math competitions. No one suggested it, and I didn’t even know those competitions existed. I’m not sure I would have liked the idea of ‘training’ for such a competition,” she said during the interview.

It was during her high school years that she decided to pursue an undergraduate course in mathematics at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris in 1994. Intrigued by the subject, she did her post-graduation from the same university and later completed her Ph.D. at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in 2000, under the supervision of François Ledrappier. It was during her years in Paris, that the mathematician noticed the stark gender gap in her class. “For a long time, I did not think of the difficulties involved in being a woman doing mathematics. Only as I was preparing for my Ph.D. thesis, did I realise how few women there were at conferences, without being particularly affected by this fact,” she told European Women in Maths magazine.

Tackling the world of numbers

At 24, when most scholars are still looking for their research subject, Nalini has already earned her doctorate. What made her research papers even more interesting was that her ideas had a healthy overlap of topics from theoretical physics to pure mathematics. Her paper on understanding the fine topological features of geodesics on negatively curved manifolds fetched her the prestigious Henri Poincaré Prize in 2012 ‘for her original contributions to the area of quantum chaos, dynamical systems, and Schrödinger equations, including a remarkable advance in the problem of quantum unique ergodicity’.

Nalini, with other distinguished mathematicians at the Infosys Award event, 2018

“I liked theoretical physics and studied it together with math while I was an undergraduate. But some visits to an experimental lab convinced me that I actually preferred math. When I looked for a Ph.D. subject, I did not particularly want it to be at the interface with physics. My Ph.D. was in the field of dynamical systems. It was only in 2012, when I won the Poincaré prize, that the words “mathematical physics” became attached to my work,” shared the mathematician, who worked as visiting faculty at the University of California and Princeton, between 2009 and 2014.

In 2013, Nalini received the CNRS Silver Medal and two years later was elected as a member of the Academia Europaea, and was the plenary speaker at the 2018 International Congress of Mathematicians. Now a mother of two, the mathematician is a vocal advocate of women’s rights. Encouraging young girls to take up a career in maths, she added, “I would tell a young woman that the career of a mathematician is rather well suited for a woman; of course, it requires a lot of work but it provides some flexibility since one can organise one’s work. Right now, the scarcity of positions penalises women. I nevertheless do not see how one can think that a career as a mathematician is not appropriate for women.”

She added, “Now that I have children, I wonder more about these issues and realise the differences in the ways women and men view their careers. Sharing with my male colleagues the questions that come to my mind, such as the difficulty to come back to mathematics after maternity leave, is difficult, if not impossible. After a child’s birth, men intend to go on working as before, whereas women are ready to reorganise their schedule and dedicate less time to research. Having received prizes, at the time my children were born, it was expected that I would get back to research straight away. However, during my maternity leave, topics on which I was working were the object of research, and led to publications I was not invited to join.”

While she loves her research, she enjoys teaching young minds even more. “Were I to choose a career now, I think I would choose medicine. Medicine incorporates a human component that I somewhat miss in mathematics, particularly since I like working on my own. The human aspect of teaching provides a little compensation for this lack. In my professional activity, I enjoy the freedom we feel in understanding things. Doing mathematics is a creative work that emanates from person, which another person would not have done in the same way. In doing mathematics, I express something personal. It is a source of joy to know that, despite this personal aspect, the fruit of my work can be of interest to other mathematicians,” she had expressed during a press interaction.

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Published on 22, Sep 2022

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My name is crimson: The remarkable life of Anish Kapoor

(April 24, 2023) If by chance you were to open the website of the artist Stuart Semple and make your way to the 'art products' page, you will be asked to confirm two things: One, that you accept cookies and two, that you are not Anish Kapoor. When the British Indian artist purchased exclusive rights to Vanta Black, created by Surrey Nano Systems, he ruffled many feathers in the art world. Nevertheless, Anish is arguably one of the world's most successful artists and his works have pride of place in the world's top galleries and in spheres of public art. Everything about the man is larger than life - his colossal works and the statements they make. He is known for his ability (and desire) to provoke, whether it's other artists with his proclivity for copyrighting colours, his fascination for gore, his licentious works and the fact that he maintains, through it all, "I have nothing to say." In retaliation to the Vanta Black controversy, Stuart Semple, calling Kapoor a "rotter," created another pigment, the 'world's pinkest pink'. You can buy it online, but only if you manage to prove that "You are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no

apoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor." However, in 2016, Anish, who freely admits that he is "not an artist's artist," got his hands on the pink and of course, flaunted it, dipping his finger (we won't specify which finger) in the pigment and posting it on Instagram.

The outsider

Despite his renown in the art world, Anish has made himself an outsider there, too. It's a theme that has followed him throughout his life and while he isn't happy about it, he does wear it on his sleeve. Back in 2020, he purchased for himself, to house the Anish Kapoor Foundation, the Palazzo Manfrin in Venice and placed, at the entry way, an upside-down mountain, "inverting the Italian tradition of the painted ceiling," according to the New Yorker. At the 59th Venice Biennale, which took place earlier this year, Anish presented two monumental exhibits - one at the Gallerie dell’Accademia and the other at Palazzo Manfin. There is some poetry to this acquisition - the palace, which was vacant for many years, was once owned by Count Manfrin, a Croatian tobacco merchant . He was proud of his art collection and had transformed the first floor into a public viewing gallery. Many eminent personalities have visited the place, which became one of Venice's main tourist attractions, including Lord Byron, George Ruskin and Edouard Manet. After his death, the place lay vacant, deteriorating into a dereliction, until Anish bought it back in 2020. After extensive restoration, which was hampered by the pandemic, the place is now almost ready and will house the Anish Kapoor Foundation.

[caption id="attachment_28642" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Anish Kapoor | Global Indian Photo credit: Instagram[/caption]

Courting controversy

Over a decade ago, his work, Dirty Corner, which was displayed at the Palace of Versailles, was vandalised with anti-semitic comments. The controversy snowballed, with the then President Francoise Hallane and Prime Minister Manuel Valls expressing their regret over the vandalism of the work and also over the nature of the vandalism itself. Anish, however, decided to leave it intact.

Anish was born in Bombay in the 1950s, to an Indian father and a Jewish mother. His maternal grandfather was a cantor at the synagogue in Pune - the family had moved there from Baghdad in the 1920s - "They were very poor, they spoke Arabic mainly, and spoke Hindi better than English generally," he said during in an interview, speaking in the plummy British accent he has developed over the thirty-something years he has lived in the UK. His father, he says, joined the Indian Navy and went on to become an admiral.

"I was anti-authoritarian," he says, "Not willing to listen to my admiral father or anyone else." He was also a terrible student - Anish and his brother were day-scholars at the Doon School, where he hated the emphasis on a disciplined physical regimen. It was a cosmopolitan house regardless, his father loved Russian Romantic music and disliked ritualistic religion. There was a strong sense of trying to understand what it meant to be Indian. Anish describes, in various interviews, having felt like an outsider, being part of a very small religious community in a very large country.

From an Israeli kibbutz to art school in the UK

When Anish was around 16, he and his brother went to live in a kibbutz in Israel. "We believed then that a kibbutz had a form of communal life that was real, shared and equal. What it hid was that there were unequal Jews and non-Jews," he said, in an extensive interview with Yanis Varoufakis. One day, a man walked up to him and said, "black," in Hebrew, leaving the teenage Anish completely taken aback. That sense of being an outsider was driven in further and has always remained with him. It was during those three years - that he decided to be an artist and rented himself a studio where he would paint.

[caption id="attachment_28643" align="aligncenter" width="875"] Anish Kapoor | Cloud Gate | Global Indian Cloud Gate in Millennium Park, Chicago. Photo credit: www.anishkapoor.com[/caption]

In 1973, just before the Yom Kippur War, Anish moved to Europe. His family had relocated to Monaco by then and he hitchhiked his way across the continent. The UK at the time was in the throes of the 'New Left', where activists were campaigning for a range of issues, including civil and political rights, environmentalism, feminism and gender equality. "It was amazing, at one level." Anish remarks. "There was garbage piled high on the streets because people were not working - adamantly not working. I loved it."

Naturally, this revolutionary fervour peaked in university campuses and art colleges are especially prone. The Hornsey College of Art was "a militant, lefty college where nobody did anything. It was protest all day and all night," Anish describes it. For the anti-authoritarian who had defied his conservative family, art school was a different experience. He had to find himself, as a human being and as an artist. "I have come to discover, it isn't to do with what I think or what I have to say. I often say that I have nothing to say. One uses a different part of one being to create."

When fame found him

At the time, nobody really made a living from art, apart from big names like Lucien Freud, Henry Moore and a handful of others. The thing to do was teach, which Anish thought he would do a couple of times a week, dedicating the remainder of his time to his art. However, recognition came early on - through his first series, 1000 Names, inspired by his first return visit to India since he had left for Israel. In 1982, his works then made form styrofoam and wood and using the powdered pigment for which he was known, were taken on by the prestigious Lisson Gallery.

[caption id="attachment_28662" align="aligncenter" width="761"] Anish Kapoor | Descension | Global Indian Descension, at Brooklyn Bridge Park, is 26 metres in diameter, a giant swirling pool of water.
Photo credit: www.anishkapoor.com[/caption]

He's always on the intersection of art, sculpture, engineering and technology - the latter two are maybe a nod to his parents, who hoped their son would be an engineer, as a good Indian boy should. In Cloud Gate, for instance, he bought a milling machine from Boeing, a machine that can "make stainless steel completely flat so you can't see ripples even at a micro level," he said in an interview. "We wanted to see if it would be possible to make curved forms. The whole point was to make an object without any seams and no joints, so there is no scale."

Shades of Red

His fascination for the colour red is known. Anish's artistic expression carries an unmistakable undertone of violence, he creates the distinct sense in the viewer that he or she has walked into a slaughter-house. In 2019, he created Sacrifice, which is not for the faint of heart. The walls and floors are covered with artificial gore while the centerpiece itself, a massive sculpture in steel, is covered in what looks remarkably like human skin, made from a resin that he has created to resemble blood. If you were to think he was making a carnal statement, you might not be entirely wrong.

Svayambhu, an installation created for the Haus Kunst in Munich, is a response to the building's history. The Haus der Kunst is the first monumental propaganda building of the Third Reich and its debut exhibition was "The Great German Art Exhibition," a display of Nazi-sanctioned work. A Sanskrit word, Svayambhu means auto-generating or self-generating and Anish makes sure that it lives up to its title. Tracks ran through the Haus Kunst, on which a motor-propelled block of wood carrying red wax slowly moves through the rooms, leaving a trail of gore in its stead.

[caption id="attachment_28658" align="aligncenter" width="834"] Anish Kapoor Svayambhu. Photo credit: www.anishkapoor.com[/caption]

Other art works include Shooting into the Corner, which includes a fully functional cannon that shoots tons of gory goop into a corner, as the name suggests. His 1992 work, Descent into Limbo, is a cube shaped building with a 2.5 metre hole set into the floor. The hole has been painted black to create the feeling of being an infinite drop - once, an Italian man in his sixties actually fell in.

Anish lives in the UK and works out of his sprawling studio Camberwell District in South London, which encompasses almost an entire block. From here, the Turner Prize winning artist, who was also given a Knighthood, has created works that are on prominent display around the world, at the top galleries and in public spaces. His architectural works are Cloud Gate, in Chicago, Void Field at the British Pavilion, Descension, at the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Arcelor Mittal Orbit, possibly the best-known piece of public art in Olympics and one of Anish's most famous works overall.

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Dr Nikhila Juvvadi: 32-year-old chief clinical officer who gave Chicago its first Covid-19 jab

Dr Nikhila Juvvadi and her team at the 122-bed Loretto Hospital in Chicago had their task cut out when Covid-19 engulfed the US last year. At one stage, Chicago's 60623 zip code had the highest number of people dying in the pandemic. 32-year-old Juvvadi – also Chicago’s youngest Chief Clinical Officer and head of Loretto’s Covid task force – worked round the clock to tackle the pandemic head-on and save lives. Dr Nikhila Juvvadi became the face of the city’s pandemic management efforts. In December 2020, the self-confessed “in-betweener” also became the first to give Covid-19 jabs to frontline health workers. "As an Indian American, administering the first vaccine was the most amazing moment. The entire experience was surreal. To see a light at the end of the tunnel was wonderful," Hyderabad-origin Dr Juvvadi told Global Indian in an exclusive interview. The historic moment was celebrated both in the United States and back home in India. African Americans, Asian Americans and Latin Americans from the city community were the first recipients of the vaccine. The reason: Loretto wanted to send out a message that every section will be catered to equitably through the vaccine roll-out process, says Dr Juvvadi, also the hospital’s internal medicine physician and vice president of operations. But convincing people (especially from disadvantaged communities) to get their first jab wasn’t easy in the early days. "Listening and answering queries helps,” she says. [caption id="attachment_3858" align="alignnone" width="750"] Dr

derful," Hyderabad-origin Dr Juvvadi told Global Indian in an exclusive interview. The historic moment was celebrated both in the United States and back home in India. African Americans, Asian Americans and Latin Americans from the city community were the first recipients of the vaccine. The reason: Loretto wanted to send out a message that every section will be catered to equitably through the vaccine roll-out process, says Dr Juvvadi, also the hospital’s internal medicine physician and vice president of operations. But convincing people (especially from disadvantaged communities) to get their first jab wasn’t easy in the early days.

"Listening and answering queries helps,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_3858" align="alignnone" width="750"] Dr Marina Del Rios reacts as she receives Chicago's first COVID-19 vaccination from Dr Nikhila Juvvadi on Dec 15, 2020.[/caption]

Journey of an “in-betweener”

Dr Juvvadi has had a unique journey: She was born in Chicago but her family moved back to Hyderabad when she was 11. She went on to study at Nasr Girls School, Kakatiya Junior College and Bhaskar Medical College. In order to fit into her new surroundings in Hyderabad, she learned both Hindi and Telugu.

“I was made fun of for my accent. People at that time could not relate to my experiences or perspectives. I then moved back to the US after college and did the same thing in reverse. For a long time, I was an in-betweener,” she says.

But those experiences helped shape her as a person who now integrates both her American and Indian side in every walk of life. And that makes her a Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_3861" align="alignnone" width="1400"] Loretto Hospital | Dr Nikhila Juvvadi Loretto Hospital: Where Dr Juvvadi practices.[/caption]

"I would not be who I am today if my journey was not complicated and unique. I can relate to people wherever in the world they are from. Importantly, I am more confident, outgoing and have a belief that I can achieve anything," she says. A piece of advice she has for those embarking on a journey: Expect the unexpected and keep one’s eyes and ears open for new learnings from unexpected quarters. "Anyone can teach you things that will be of use to you on your journey, so always engage them and be kind," she says. One thing that Dr Juvvadi always carries with her is books. "My books stayed with me throughout which made me escape to a make-believe world, especially in those such as The Lord of the Rings."

[caption id="attachment_3870" align="alignnone" width="365"] Dr Nikhila Juvvadi With her proud parents.[/caption]

Indian-ness

Ask her to name one Indian-ness that remained throughout, pat comes the reply:

"My Indian-ness is who I refer to as my family. I am very close to all of my extended family, and they are my support structure."

Engaging with her folks in Chicago and Hyderabad gives her maximum joy as she can connect with them through shared memories.

Indian Americans who inspire

Dr Juvvadi counts Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, as her favorite Global Indian. Murthy had also co-chaired US President Joe Biden's Covid-19 advisory board from November 2020 to January 2021. She believes that Global Indians are breaking every glass ceiling and there is no limit. "Brand India has evolved dramatically," she signs out.

Reading Time: 6 mins

Innovator, STEM whiz, TEDx speaker, Global Teen Leader: Neha Shukla is inspiring teens to solve real world problems

(August 24, 2021) COVID-19’s aftermath deeply vexes her. It changed a carefree 16-year-old to a thinking and inventing one. Innovator and STEM whiz Neha Shukla spent the pandemic-driven lockdowns leveraging science and technology to create social change. She invented a device — SixFeetApart — a wearable social distancing sonic sensor cap which beeps or vibrates when the six foot distance is breached, thus helping slow the spread of Covid-19. Even more credible is that her expectant childlike smile adorned the Nasdaq screen at New York City’s Times Square in 2020 as a ticker congratulated Neha for developing SixFeetApart. The recent Diana Award recipient is thrilled as she speaks with passion about STEM and spreading knowledge on her travels across the US on science and entrepreneurship. [caption id="attachment_8062" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Neha Shukla on the Nasdaq screen at Times Square[/caption] The Indian-origin Pennsylvania resident from Cumberland Valley High School taught herself engineering and technology during lockdown, and her invention is an attempt to address world problems. Honored with the Diana Award for social action and humanitarian work, it was her research on SixFeetApart and running global Innovation and STEM workshops to build the next generation of young problem-solvers and innovators tackling the world’s biggest problems that set her apart. “I’ve impacted over 45,000 students through my sessions. I aim to reach over

en at Times Square[/caption]

The Indian-origin Pennsylvania resident from Cumberland Valley High School taught herself engineering and technology during lockdown, and her invention is an attempt to address world problems. Honored with the Diana Award for social action and humanitarian work, it was her research on SixFeetApart and running global Innovation and STEM workshops to build the next generation of young problem-solvers and innovators tackling the world’s biggest problems that set her apart. “I’ve impacted over 45,000 students through my sessions. I aim to reach over 100,000 students around the world by partnering with corporate companies and local organizations! It means so much to be recognized by Princess Diana as she represents kindness, humanitarian spirit, and service above self. It was also a wonderful surprise to hear Prince Harry’s words of encouragement at the awards ceremony,” Neha Shukla told Global Indian in an exclusive interview.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cAkARPZl_U[/embed]

Evolving with the times

The world of science is ever changing, and her invention too has evolved. It has grown to three devices to be more accessible — an original SixFeetApart hat, a lanyard for school and corporate settings and an armband for on-the-go safety, and is now available on the Google Play Store as a companion app for the device.

“I’m most excited about the potential of creating real-world impact amid the new wave of Delta variant seeing a surge, especially in India. I hope that SixFeetApart is a small part of the solution to saving lives. The research paper detailing the creation and data behind SixFeetApart will be published in the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) in London this September,” adds Neha.

Neha was recently chosen by Masayoshi Son, CEO, SoftBank, to join the Masason Foundation and will receive grants, lab facilities, and mentorship for all future innovations too. The recipient of the National Gold Presidential Service Award from President Joe Biden, her scientific explorations have come a long way from when she would code apps using a block coder, and even started designing a heart rate-oximeter. Neha believes that caring enough about a problem, and being willing to take action, and solving it is the key to growth.

Mentors to nurture her mindset

[caption id="attachment_8063" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Meet Neha Shukla, the 16-year-old teen innovator, STEM whiz and recipient of the Diana Award in 2021 for her invention SixFeetApart. Neha Shukla and her inventions[/caption]

That, and having parents who are amazing mentors has nurtured her scientific mindset. Her parents Bharti and Rajiv Shukla are IIT and Harvard alumni — thus asking questions and exploring was encouraged at home.

“I’m currently working on a new innovation to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers' and Parkinsons' at an early-stage using brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence. I’m excited to begin my research and create my innovation starting Fall 2021,” she says.

Even through the pandemic which was “definitely a struggle”, Neha kept focused. “The silver lining of being at home during quarantine has been the ability to explore new research, innovate, and be able to expand the scope of my innovation sessions to students across the world.” By Spring 2022, she plans to launch her book Innovation for Everyone - a guide on Innovation, Problem-Solving, and STEM. The book aims to equip students, adults, and organizations to leverage science and technology to solve problems.

Advocate for innovation

[caption id="attachment_8064" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Meet Neha Shukla, the 16-year-old teen innovator, STEM whiz and recipient of the Diana Award in 2021 for her invention SixFeetApart. Neha Shukla with the Presidential Award[/caption]

The entrepreneurship ambassador for girls, TEDx Speaker and global teen leader also runs Innovation and STEM workshops for students. As an advocate for innovation and youth in science and technology, she says, “Seeing children from even the first or second grade getting excited about innovation and coming up with tangible solutions to pollution, etc, within a 45-minute session is amazing. I see this as a testament that young people need to be a part of the dialogue to solve global problems," says the girl who believes in harnessing her knowledge for positive action. (You can sign up for workshops on her website at: https://bit.ly/NehaShuklaWorkshop)

Selected as a 2021 Global Teen Leader from the 3 times Grammy-winning artist Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation, she aims to continue her mission to help build the next generation of problem-solvers and innovators. “As a Global Teen Leader, I had the opportunity to spend the summer attending the virtual Just Peace Summit, where we learned from experts around the world, met iconic peacemakers and industry experts, and celebrated the work that all the 40 amazing Global Teen Leaders are doing.”

Neha is also the Youth Ambassador for NYU Stern School of Business’ Endless Frontier Labs where she sits amidst venture capitalists and emerging startups in deep tech, to unscramble the world of VCs and startups. For her, this augurs her foray into business, product development and entrepreneurship, which incidentally, she is already doing as executive director at Boss Ladies. She was recently awarded the Whitaker Centre's 2021 Women in STEM - Rising Star. One of Neha’s most fervent drivers is the urge to solve climate change, healthcare and cybersecurity.

Of family ties and roots

[caption id="attachment_8065" align="aligncenter" width="633"] Meet Neha Shukla, the 16-year-old teen innovator, STEM whiz and recipient of the Diana Award in 2021 for her invention SixFeetApart. Neha Shukla working on SixFeetApart[/caption]

Quite Indian at heart, she loves celebrating Diwali with her grandparents, cousins, and family in Mumbai and Pune. Ever thankful for parents who are proud and supportive, she adds, “It means so much to me that they believe in the work that I’m doing. I definitely couldn’t have created SixFeetApart or any other innovation without their support."

"They have always encouraged me to be curious about the world, but let me figure out things on my own — no spoon feeding. My dad is an avid reader who inculcated in me the idea that it is possible to have a super deep knowledge of all subjects. His knowledge is so deep and wide, it’s crazy,” she smiles.

A piano player who loves Beethoven, Mozart, and even contemporary tunes like Rag Time, Neha also strums the acoustic guitar. She paints too — oils and acrylic, with a love for landscapes and still art. Her sister Niharika, her playing companion, is incidentally also a budding innovator.

If science excites you, she urges,

“Start now! The world needs your unique talents and ideas, so find a real-world problem and begin innovating. Put your creativity and imagination towards solving a problem and use frameworks like my three-step process to guide you. Anyone can be a problem-solver, anyone can be an innovator.”

Her goal is to follow her parents’ footsteps and join Harvard, or MIT, but before that, Neha Shukla is busy — taking STEM knowledge to the world.

Reading Time: 10 mins

Pratik Thakker: Israel’s tech ambassador to India

(September 17, 2022) His first day in Israel was a disaster. He felt so overwhelmed and homesick that he landed in an emergency room following an anxiety attack. "My first few months in Israel were very challenging. I longed to go back to Mumbai, but I knew that I couldn't give up," shares entrepreneur Pratik Thakker. Starting his journey as a young kid, who sold firecrackers and pickles in India, Pratik has come a long way to starting two tech-based companies - Webzoly and Testlify, in Israel. Often referred to as Israel’s tech ambassador to India, Pratik is Israel’s top LinkedIn influencer with over a hundred thousand followers. [caption id="attachment_29516" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Entrepreneur Pratik Thakker[/caption] "I have seen many failures in my life to understand that without falling you cannot expect success," shares the entrepreneur as he connects with Global Indian during an interview, adding, "My companies have been helping Israeli tech companies grow in India and Asia-Pacific (APAC) by providing the local team, capital and drive the marketing, sales, and growth. India and Israel have a very long and deep relationship and I am quite proud to be a part of this journey." An entrepreneurial kid Born in Kutch,

entrepreneur/">entrepreneur as he connects with Global Indian during an interview, adding, "My companies have been helping Israeli tech companies grow in India and Asia-Pacific (APAC) by providing the local team, capital and drive the marketing, sales, and growth. India and Israel have a very long and deep relationship and I am quite proud to be a part of this journey."

An entrepreneurial kid

Born in Kutch, Pratik grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. A mischievous child, he studied at a boarding school till Class 4. "That was a difficult time. Staying away from your family at such a tender age can have a very deep impact," shares the entrepreneur, "In the middle of IV standard, my father shifted me to a convent school. It was a bit difficult for me to adjust and frankly, it took about three years to match up to the education level of the students my age. Eventually, I was able to top my class and even got a scholarship from the school."

It was in Class 7 that Pratik began his entrepreneurial journey. Inspired by his father, who had a spice shop, and other relatives, the entrepreneur decided to test his business skills. "Diwali was around the corner, and I wanted to sell crackers - not the usual ones but the fancy firecrackers. After my father gave me about ₹3000, I got a friend on board whom I promised to share my leftover crackers with along with a treat at a Chinese restaurant," Pratik laughs.

Entrepreneur | Pratik Thakker | Global Indian

Excited about his first venture, Pratik took off to a wholesale market in the Masjid Bandar area of Mumbai with his friend and father, and picked some really unique stock for their stall. "But due to the festive season, we couldn’t find a spot for our stall. So I took a small stool, and placed my carrom board on it upon which I put my stock. People were very intrigued by two young boys selling crackers and we earned a good amount," he says, adding that the two friends continued to sell crackers for the next three Diwalis.

The land of Judah

Even during his college years, Pratik continued dabbling in entrepreneurial opportunities and even tried his hand in the stock market. Around the same time, he met his life partner, Nancy. "Nancy is a Jew of Indian origin. After our marriage, she motivated me to move to Israel. It was called the startup nation, and we thought it would be a great place to build our career."

[caption id="attachment_29518" align="aligncenter" width="716"] Entrepreneur | Pratik Thakker | Global Indian Pratik with his wife, Nancy[/caption]

But all was not rosy. Soon after the couple landed in Israel, Pratik struggled with homesickness. Unable to find a job and having a hard time adjusting to the high-tech ecosystem of Israel, Pratik took up cleaning jobs. To get the ball rolling, the entrepreneur decided to offer something of value for free to the people. "On a Facebook group called Secret Jerusalem, I posted that I will help the first five people who approach me, with building a website for free. I had about seven customers in the first three months, and their testimonials got me my first high-tech job as a webmaster at Masa Israel Journey," shares Pratik, who later became the Director of Digital Marketing in the same company.

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

Having gained much experience, the entrepreneur eventually decided to start his own company in 2016. "I was working as a freelancer on the side. One of my start-up clients requested if I could help them with sales development in India as they found it challenging to get the results. I immediately agreed and that's how Webzoly was born. The idea was to start a customer service-centered and results-oriented outsourcing solution for companies. Currently, my team consists of highly trained skilled experts. From the beginning, Webzoly had an organic extension. We look into what is important for our clients and work on it," he shares. Pratik's other company, Testlify, which he co-founded in 2022, helps recruiters find the best candidates with deep analysis that’s accurate, automated, and unbiased.

According to the Indian Embassy in Israel, approximately 12,500 non-Jewish Indians work in Israel, many of whom are students, employees in IT companies, or diamond traders. Speaking about Indians living in Israel and the opportunities there, the entrepreneur explains, "There are a few hundred Indians in Israel, who are pursuing engineering or MBA. Since Israel's focus is on innovation and technology, youngsters can benefit from the curriculum here. Many Indians are working as caregivers as well. However, a major setback is that once they complete their education or finish their work contract, non-Jewish foreigners are asked to leave the country. So, you can study here and learn a lot, however, you cannot get an Israel passport."

Inspiring millions

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

The young entrepreneur today is a LinkedIn influencer, with over a hundred thousand followers. However, building a brand for himself wasn't an easy job. "No product would sell if it is not marketed well. And that is true even for people. When I first started posting on LinkedIn, I hardly got any likes, however being consistent got people to notice me. Earlier this year, the LinkedIn team reached out to me to help them build a creator community. Through my posts, I try to inspire and educate people about scaling up their careers, business strategies, and much more. It is great to impart the knowledge that I have about the industry with people who wish to start something of their own," shares the entrepreneur.

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Reading Time: 7 mins

Dr Cool: Dr AV Gurava Reddy is making India stand on its feet

(May 5, 2024) Decades ago, when Dr AV Gurava Reddy got an opportunity to go to England to study Orthopaedics, his joy knew no bounds. The very thought of getting into a flight for the first time in his life had the young doctor all excited. But there was a hitch. He needed money to buy his ticket. Contemplating his options, an idea struck him and he wasted no time implementing it. He sold off his scooter and refrigerator. The next 10 years he spent in England, changed his life forever. "I never dreamt I would go to England one day. At best, I thought I would be practising in my native place Guntur (in Andhra Pradesh) or somewhere nearby. Going to England was the biggest turning point of my life," smiles Dr AV Gurava Reddy, the renowned Orthopaedic surgeon and Joint replacement expert, in an exclusive with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_51315" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Dr Gurava Reddy[/caption] Dr Reddy, who is the Managing Director of KIMS-Sunshine hospitals in Hyderabad, has a rare distinction of performing about 4,000 plus joint replacements per year, one of the largest in Asia. Patient-first "Whatever little success I have had is primarily because of my

th="575" height="1024" /> Dr Gurava Reddy[/caption]

Dr Reddy, who is the Managing Director of KIMS-Sunshine hospitals in Hyderabad, has a rare distinction of performing about 4,000 plus joint replacements per year, one of the largest in Asia.

Patient-first

"Whatever little success I have had is primarily because of my patient-first attitude. I develop a deep bonding with them in the very first meeting and become their family member in no time," says Dr Reddy, who has been recognised as "the leading physician of the world and top adult reconstructive orthopaedic surgeon in India" by the International Association of Orthopaedic surgeons, which is a rare honour.

Unlike many in his profession, Dr Reddy does not hesitate a bit when it comes to performing the most complicated and risky surgeries. "I take it up with complete and blind faith in god. When you want to do something passionately, the whole world conspires to help you," says the 65-year old, widely regarded as a visionary in the field of orthopaedics and embracing the human side of health care.

One such surgery was of a young girl whose four joints had been damaged because of arthritis. "I replaced all four joints in 10 days. This was one of the most daring decisions I've ever taken," informs Dr Reddy. This patient regularly sends greeting cards to Dr Reddy, who is well known to have taken several such bold decisions, which would often stump his team. "It's all about having a positive attitude and the willingness to help the patient," he says about his decision-making abilities.

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While each surgery takes about two hours, Dr Gurava Reddy completes the critical part in about 30 minutes. The rest is taken care of by his team.

Dr Cool

Dr Reddy, who describes himself as "pathologically optimistic," says he doesn't get bogged down by anything. "God has given me a very positive attitude that I never worry about any situation, including the complex surgeries. The only time I got depressed was when my daughter was not well, years ago. Otherwise, every day is a celebration for me,” says the first orthopaedic surgeon in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to use computer navigation system for total knee arthroplasty.

Dr Reddy, who has been felicitated with the “Distinguished Doctor” award by the British International Doctors Association in recognition of his pioneering work, has performed joint replacement surgeries on patients from Tanzania, Nigeria, Middle East and South Africa. He also performed the highest number of Buechel-Pappas mobile bearing total knee arthroplasty in the whole of India.

Collaborations 

Dr Reddy collaborated with CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) in conducting research to identify early bio markers to diagnose Osteo Arthritis of the knee and degenerative disease of the spine. He also collaborated with the University of Christchurch, Canterbury, UK on Stem Cell research for treatment of knee arthritis.

Dr Gurava Reddy | Global Indian

Besides, he is a visiting faculty at Badr-al-Sama hospital in Muscat and trains 10 post MS orthopaedicians in Arthroplasty fellowships every six months and hosts about 40 shorter term trainings from India and abroad. "We also have collaborations with several hospitals in the US and Germany for research and academic programmes," informs Dr Reddy, whose hospitals are the only one in Asia to have been recognised by the International Society of orthopaedic centres, which is the most elite body in the field.

His Innovations  

Dr Reddy brought about several innovations in the field of Arthroplasty in the last two decades. He introduced the concept of bilateral simultaneous total knee replacement in India, which enabled patients undergo both knee replacements in the same sitting, leading to a shorter period of rehabilitation, which brought down the cost. He also introduced the bilateral staggered total knee replacement for the aged and those with comorbidities, where the knee replacement is done three days apart.

Among his other innovations is the rapid recovery protocol, a concept of having selective patients being made to walk within four hours of surgery.

Andhra boy

Born in Guntur in September 1958, Dr Gurava Reddy is the eldest of the three brothers. He was six months old when his parents moved to Bapatla after his father Dr Satyanarayana Reddy got a job in the Agricultural College and went on to become its Principal. His mother, Rajya Lakshmi was a home maker.

Dr Reddy studied in Sitaramaiah elementary school, which used to be run from a thatched hut. “When it rained, the school would be closed as the water used to leak and accumulate inside. There were no tables or chairs in the school, we used to sit on small wooden pitas and listen to the teachers,” smiles Dr Reddy, recalling the good old days.

A saree for mother 

After completing his Intermediate from Arts College, Bapatla, he went on to do B.Sc. Agriculture from Agriculture College, Bapatla. He always excelled in academics. “I could not secure a medical seat so got into B.Sc agriculture. I got the medical seat in my fourth attempt,” says Dr Reddy, whose best academic performance got him a ₹1,000 scholarship from the institution. "With that money, I bought a saree for my mother. I still remember the happiness in her eyes,” recalls Dr Reddy.

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Though his father wanted him to go to the US to do M.Sc in Agriculture, Dr Reddy refused and enrolled himself in Guntur Medical College, of which he has fond memories. “I was doing everything except studying,” chuckles Dr Reddy, who used to be the captain of the college cricket team, table tennis team and also headed the college quiz team.

Dr Reddy’s mother harboured dreams of her son becoming a doctor. "I also used to like the doctor’s white coat and used to be fascinated by it when I used to watch my favourite movie stars wear them,” he says. But strangely what inspired him to become a doctor was a room full of tubelights. In those days when most people in Bapatla had candle bulbs, there was a doctor whose room was brightly lit, courtesy the tubelights. "Funny as it may sound, for me tubelights was an indicator of affluence and being wealthy. This served as an inspiration for me to become a doctor,” says Dr Reddy, who has four grand children.

Off to Pune & marriage 

After medical school in Guntur, Dr Reddy went to Pune for his post-graduation in orthopaedics from Sancheti Orthopaedic Hospital, one of the premier orthopaedic institutes in India. Around the same time, he married Bhavani, who was also doing her post-graduation from Pune. Her father Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and her mother was also a Minister in the state cabinet. "Though I got married in to a political family, we were both living a very frugal life in Pune. My salary was ₹800 and our house rent was ₹1200. But we managed to get on with our lives with so much happiness. This is an indicator that only money cannot buy happiness,” says Dr Reddy.

Among the many people he met in Pune was Dr Satish Kutty, who eventually recommended his name for studying orthopaedics in England. "It was in England that I learnt to take care of people, not as patients but as persons. I also learnt many new techniques in orthopaedics," says Dr Reddy, who did his M.Ch. Ortho from the University of Liverpool and FRCS from London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Back to India

Upon his return to Hyderabad, Dr Reddy joined the Apollo Hospital, where he worked for the next five years. Thereafter, he along with his co-brother, Dr. Bhaskar Rao (who is the chairman of KIMS Hospital now), started the KIM's Hospital in 2004. Later, he started Sunshine hospitals and drove it towards the zenith of healthcare delivery.

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In 2021, Sunshine hospital’s major stake was sold to KIMS and the group is now called KIMS-Sunshine hospitals.

Busy schedule 

Dr Gurava Reddy’s work keeps him busy for almost 12 to 14 hours everyday. He wakes up at 5 am and begins his day with a game of tennis with his wife Bhavani. By 7 am, Dr Reddy is in the hospital. "I have breakfast in my car which saves me almost half an hour.  In between the cases I go to operating theatres and operate. On an average I operate 15 to 20 surgeries a day," informs Dr Reddy, an active faculty member at the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, UK.

Family time

It's family time for Dr Reddy after he returns home from work. "I divide my time between my four grand children and play with them," he says.

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In his early days, he would get calls even in midnight. But not anymore. “My team handles all the night calls now unless close friends or some VIPs face any emergency,” says Dr Reddy, who has performed surgeries on several top government functionaries and many from the film industry as well.

Book worm & Movie buff

A voracious reader, he loves biographies and comedy besides history books. He authored a book - Guruvayanam, a collection of his musings on life and even acted in a comical teleserial named Amrutham.Also, a huge movie buff, he enjoys romantic, comedy and adventure films, along with Telugu and Hindi music.

As a traveller, Switzerland has captivated his mind and soul. "I try to do two or three international destinations every year,” informs Dr Reddy, a hardcore Beatles fan. In fact, while studying in England, he travelled across Europe and visited all the places where Beatles had performed.

Dr Gurava Reddy | Global Indian

Future of medical field

Dr Reddy feels that a MBBS degree won't be sufficient in the near future as doctors would need to have an expertise or a speciality. “The technology too is evolving and doctors need to keep themselves updated. Artificial Intelligence, robotics will play a key role in the medical field," he says.

Giving back

He says a surgeon's life is divided in four decades. “The first decade is learning, next is earning, then teaching and last is giving. I am now in my fourth stage,” says Dr Reddy, who has started a trust - Sarvejana - under which surgeries are performed free of cost to disadvantaged people, who otherwise cannot afford knee replacement surgeries. Dr Reddy has already performed over 100 such surgeries and plans to do many more in future.

Awards received by Dr AV Gurava Reddy

Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Healthcare (coordinated by IMA, Govt of AP, Indo-Global)
Felicitated by Indo-German Orthopedic Foundation
"Top Adult Reconstructive Orthopedic Surgeon in India" award from Leading physician of the World, USA
"Outstanding citizen of Andhra Pradesh" by Indian Express Group
Felicitated with the “Distinguished Doctor” award by British International Doctors Association in recognition of his pioneering
Felicitated with the “Paul Harris Fellow” by Rotary International
Excellence Award by Delhi Telugu Academy, Ugadi Puraskar 2010 for contribution in field of medicine.
“Vocational Excellence Award” by Rotary International District

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