Global IndianstoryThese Indian techies break the chain with blockchain

These Indian techies break the chain with blockchain

Written by: Vishnu Anand

From securing critical documents to creating new protocols to unlocking working capital, Indian techies are unchaining blockchain for a variety of applications.

(February 3, 2022) Blockchain has grown from being just an industry buzzword to a full-fledged technology stream that harnesses the power of impenetrable ledger data for a variety of applications. Of course, blockchain shot to fame with crypto, which essentially unleashed an alternate currency for the world to trade in. But today, thanks to innovative Indians who are committed to making a difference, we have a variety of blockchain applications that have a massive impact on our daily lives, as well at the blockchain industry at large. Let’s take a look…

Securing property papers

Tanmay Yadav, founder, CRUBN

On January 24, the Prime Minister of India felicitated the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardees, as per tradition. However, this year was slightly different. Each awardee was conferred with a blockchain-based digital certificate, and this initiative was in partnership with a blockchain startup called CRUBN. The company was incubated at IIT Kanpur in 2020, and is founded by Tanmay Yadav. Tanmay has also started collaborating with individual state government to create innovative solutions aimed at better and safer governance. For instance, he recently tied up with the Center for Smart Governance, Government of Karnataka, to create a blockchain-based property data storage solution, eliminating the risk of impersonation and tweaking of historical records. Explaining the solution, Tanmay says, “The solution gives every property holder a card, which upon authentication by the user, provides access to property-related documents in electronic form. The card can be accessed at citizen service centres for access.” Tanmay believes that solutions like these are an ideal testimony to how blockchain can be used for secure data storage.

Follow Tanmay Yadav on Linkedin

Covid-19 test certificate powered by blockchain

Vignesh Babu Venkatesan, founder, Print2Block

In mid-2020, when the entire country was raging under the first wave of the pandemic, the government of Maharashtra realised that test certificates of those testing negative was around 70 percent of those getting tested. In order to ensure that negative certificates reach users on time, the government turned to blockchain. Chennai based Print2Block, provided this solution by setting up a private blockchain where the data resided on government servers while the processing and retrieval happened at the private Print2Block server. Co-founded by Vignesh Babu Venkatesan and Joji Verghese, Print2Block, the NASSCOM- incubated startup specialises in issuing digital documents on blockchain. Vignesh tells Global Indian, “We were the first to develop a robust trust infrastructure platform, along with a human interactive USB device that facilitates secure document access.” The masters degree holder in mechatronics from Madras Institute of Technology envisions a world where electronic documents exist in the safest possible corner of cyberspace.

Follow Vignesh Babu Venkatesan on Linkedin

Reimagining a blockchain platform

Jaynti Kanani, founder, Polygon Technologies

“Built by developers, for developers” is the mantra of Polygon Technologies. Created with the vision of building a framework and protocol for connecting various blockchain networks, Polygon became a familiar name in the blockchain circuit, when its Singapore-based, Indian-origin founder Jaynti Kanani, became one of the first Indians to secure a huge funding from Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban. Today, the company has crossed market capitalisation of $10 billion. Interestingly, Jaynti was a regular data scientist with housing.com prior to founding Polygon. Oftentimes, he recalls how his humble beginnings as a diamond factory worker’s son in the outskirts of Ahmedabad, slowly morphed into a full-fledged career and entrepreneurship in blockchain. Kanani recalls, “From a monthly salary of ₹6,000 from my first job in Pune, to Polygon, the journey has been amazing. The potential of blockchain is so huge that there’s no looking back now.”

Follow Jaynti Kanani on Linkedin

Ploughing equity back to the industry

Founded by IIT-Bombay graduate Piyush Gupta, Polytrade was created as early as 2014, with the aim of supporting small businesses by providing working capital to those who were struggling for finances. Piyush realised quite early that the main reasons SMEs struggled with finances was lack of understanding around some trade finance instruments such as lack of collaterals, high cost of borrowing, and exhaustion of credit limits. As per industry data, the unmet demands of working capital for SMEs in India is to the tune of ₹2,200 crore. Piyush wanted to change this.

Piyush Gupta, founder, Polytrade

Piyush, MD and founder, Polytrade says, “We’ve just launched (on January 31, 2022), Polytrade Mainnet, essentially opening up a supplementary source of financing for SMEs by creating a blockchain-based decentralized protocol.”

By leveraging the power of blockchain and crypto, SMEs operating in the area of crypto now have access to finances in their own virtual currencies, allowing them to innovate at will. Like most others in the blockchain innovation space, Piyush is passionate about doing his bit for India. “India’s SMEs will be key to achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s objective of making the country atmanirbhar and a $ 5 trillion economy. Polytrade will ensure that these small enterprises have the working cash to achieve their goals,” explains Piyush Gupta.

Follow Piyush Gupta on Linkedin

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Published on 03, Feb 2022

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Gopichand Thotakura: Meet India’s first space tourist

(September 13, 2024) The 'majestic blue ball' is how Gopichand Thotakura described Earth as he saw it for the very first time from space. The 30-year-old scripted history by becoming the first Indian space tourist as he took off in Blue Origin's New Shephard from a private ranch in West Texas a few months ago. He was the only Indian among the six-member crew that left for Earth's gravity. "Every Indian needs to go to space to see what it looks like," he said in an interview, adding, "I cannot describe it, it has to be seen, it has to be lived in the moment, and then it will change you forever." Gopichand is behind the creation of Preserve Life, a wellness centre worth millions, which is taking shape on the outskirts of Atlanta, USA. It was last year that he became a part of Blue Origin's NS-25 mission, becoming the second Indian chosen for a space mission after astronaut Rakesh Sharma. Recalling his 11-minute space flight experience, he said, "The experience is indescribable, an exhilarating journey of weightlessness and awe-inspiring views. And I didn't realise it until I got the first glimpse of the curvature of the majestic blue

of the majestic blue ball, and then I realised that we are missing on something, it is to realise how fortunate we are to be living, standing, playing, sleeping here on this planet."

[caption id="attachment_55829" align="aligncenter" width="706"] Gopichand Thotakura | Global Indian Gopichand Thotakura returns to Earth[/caption]

Love for aviation

The Vijayawada-born relocated to the US to pursue business opportunities after Covid-19 hit people worldwide. "My roots remain firmly Indian, with my family, schooling, and early career all in India," he told a daily. Growing up, he pursued schooling in various Indian cities, owing to his dad's business travels. This exposed him to varied cultures and he found his love and passion in aviation. However, it was while flying in KLM Royal Dutch Airlines that he first visited a cockpit, which gave him the idea of becoming a pilot. To translate his dream into reality, he ended up enrolling in aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, USA.

Pursuing his passion, he became both a medical and commercial pilot, flying a range of aircraft, including vintage World War II planes. It was in the US that he undertook training, and after five years, he returned to India and moved into medical evacuation. Back in 2010, he always aspired to go to space. "This meant either going via NASA or being a U.S. citizen and these were barriers for me. Blue Origin opened up opportunities," he said.

Gopichand Thotakura | Global Indian

Visiting space as a tourist

So, when the opportunity for travelling to space as a tourist showed itself, Gopichand grabbed it with both hands. "I was hell bent on getting aboard a manned mission. It is a desire to carry Indian blood (ethnicity) to space." But it did require the crew members to undergo training - physical as well as mental. "Can you handle the shock? The awe? The potential for freezing under pressure? These are just some of the considerations."

However, Gopichand believes that more than the resources, it's determination that people need so that they can work on their dreams. But he equally emphasised how governments, investors, and private venture capitalists can play a big role in sending more people to space. He is of the opinion that India has made its mark in space exploration by successfully landing Chandrayaan-3 on the moon's South Pole at a fraction of the cost compared to agencies like NASA. "We don't need foreign agencies. We have agencies in India that can buy foreign agencies that are investing. By bridging the gap between innovative minds and entrepreneurs, India can surpass expectations," he said.

The entrepreneur and pilot, who returned from his maiden flight, can't emphasise enough the importance of space tourism. "Experiencing space firsthand is essential to truly understand its importance. You need to go up there to see what it looks like. And unless you do it, no movie or no globe on your desk will ever be able to convey its importance to you."

[caption id="attachment_55831" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Gopichand Thotakura | Global Indian The six-member crew of NS-25 mission[/caption]

Space tourism

Space tourism is rapidly emerging as a new frontier in human exploration, offering ordinary people the opportunity to experience the wonders of space firsthand. With companies like Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic spearheading commercial space travel, the once-unimaginable dream of venturing beyond Earth is becoming a reality, and Gopichand is proof of it.

The development of reusable rockets and advanced technology has significantly reduced the cost of space travel, making it more accessible to those outside of government space programs. This burgeoning industry not only fuels curiosity and innovation but also has the potential to inspire future generations to explore the unknown and push the boundaries of human achievement. As more private companies invest in space tourism, the dream of making space a regular travel destination draws nearer, expanding the horizon for human experience and understanding.

His dad always pushed him to dream big, and he wants more people to chase after their dreams. "I want to show that you have to have a dream and it is not really important if you are a scientist, engineer or a pilot to be able to go to space," the Global Indian said.

Gopichand Thotakura | Global Indian

Gopichand Thotakura is a trailblazer in this new era of space tourism, becoming the first Indian space tourist and inspiring others to follow suit. From his roots in aviation to his ventures into wellness and space travel, his journey embodies the power of ambition and perseverance. His spaceflight experience, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, reflects his desire to bridge the gap between dreams and reality.

Follow Gopichand Thotakura on Instagram

The ‘Batterman’: How Mani Krishnan became California’s ‘dosa king’

(April 20, 2023) The year was 2003. Subramanian 'Mani' Krishnan was broke in the Bay Area, with a wife and two kids to feed. Work would begin early, by 7 am, when Krishnan and his wife, Anandhi, would begin preparing freshly-fermented dosa batter at their home in San Jose. Then, Krishnan would leave his house in San Jose, his car packed with 32-ounce containers filled to the brim. He would go from one grocery store to the next, requesting them to sell his batter. Mani Krishnan was in his forties, then, and had mortaged his house for his dosa batter business. "I thought it's better to be miserable on your own than to work for someone else and be more miserable," he reasoned. His idea was not new - there were many small-time, homespun ventures making dosa batter. A handful of stores agreed to stock his product, only if it sold. Still, demand was rising and Krishnan's USP was his scientific method, his use of technology and the fact that he followed the FDA guidelines. Twenty years later, Mani Krishnan, the founder of Shastha Foods, is the undisputed 'dosa king' of the USA. Shastha Foods has sold over 170 million

lank" rel="noopener">Shastha Foods, is the undisputed 'dosa king' of the USA.

Shastha Foods has sold over 170 million 'south Indian crepes', as they are lovingly known by the non-Indian population. With the courage to take a risk, the determination to rise up from very challenging circumstances and unwavering belief in the potential that his childhood breakfast food - the dosa - held, Mani Krishnan doesn't just sell food - he introduced South India's best loved dish to an appreciative global audience. "I want to sell a billion dosas," he often remarks. The company has 350 stores across the the US and Canada, functioning out of 35,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art manufacturing unit. Shastha's dosa batter is a staple in Indian households in the west. The immensely popular video of Vice President Kamala Harris and Mindy Kaling making a masala dosa also features Shastha dosa batter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz7rNOAFkgE

Journey to the USA

Mani was born in Thirunelveli, a small town in Tamil Nadu (famous for its halwa, made from milk and wheat berries). Like so many thousands of others before him, Mani Krishnan arrived in the USA, in 1977, to join his family. He had a degree in commerce and some experience as an accountant in Mumbai. His family, who had moved there a few years prior, were living in San Jose, where Mani also set up his base.

He found a job at a tech company, realising early on that he didn't want to work for someone else. So, he set up a hardware export business, sending hard disk drives, motherboards and processors to India. Business did well at first - this was at the start of the dot-com boom and although times were rough, Mani decided to stick with it. By the time the 1990s came to an end, the company folded. "When that business went south, I came to a point where I had to re-build my life from scratch. I was in my 40s then," the Global Indian said.

Mani had to make ends meet, he had a family to sustain. He knew the export-import business and could see the Indian diaspora - and its demands - grow over the years. He decided to bring filter coffee powder, which every South Indian loves and longs for, to the US. It led to his million-dollar-idea - making idli and dosa batter. He noticed a rising demand for food - the Indian diaspora was growing and they longed for home food. Dosa and idli are the morning staples at most South Indian homes but making the batter is a time-consuming process. “We stumbled upon the idea to sell idli batter in 2003; we did not do a formal market study but we made an observation; it was the phase when there was a steady rise in Indian nuclear families in the US and people had no time to buy the rice, soak it, grind it and allow it to ferment," he recalled. Mani cashed in, mortgaging his house to help him get started.

[caption id="attachment_37572" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Mani Krishnan[/caption]

Challenges to opportunities

This was 2003, and after the initial investment, Mani was left with very little. Failure just wasn’t an option. His wife, Anandhi, joined him and they began working out of their home kitchen, doing everything from manufacturing, to labelling and distribution. The couple would rise early, getting to work by 7 am and sitting by the 2-litre grinder to make dosa batter. After the batter was made and packed into 32-ounce containers, Mani would begin the hard journey around San Jose, dealing with sceptical grocery store owners.

"In good faith, I would leave our products with them. I would make regular calls to take follow-ups and even have to drive back to collect all the unsold packets and discard them," he recalled. It was this perfectionism, this unerring attention to detail and top-class customer service, which paved the way for his success, much like Mafat Patel, co-founder of the Patel Bros chain of grocery stores. "There were already players in the market. I think the system that I created helped me maintain quality, ensure consistency in delivery and also scale up. I am proud to say that it is Indian technology in the US," Mani said.

The Shastha Foods empire

At the end of their first year in business, Mani had paid off his mortgage and his delivery system had been upgraded from the backseat of his car to a refrigerated truck. "Soon, we out-grew that and we invested in small refrigerated trucks," he said. These days, the delivery department is buzzing everyday, with over a dozen refrigerated trucks travelling through the city. There were challenges, though. The first was the ingredients themselves - rice and dal, which he bought from Africa, Dubai and the USA.

Over, 12,500 kilos of batter are made everyday, at the San Jose headquarters of Shastha Foods. The process, which Mani takes great pride in, is completely automated. Rice and dal are loaded onto an automatic weighing and dispensing machine, then soaked in water. The ingredients are cleaned and loaded on to custom-made stone grinders. "Every minute, four containers of Shastha idli batter are being sold across the US," Mani told The Hindu. In 2017, the company also launched its organic products and they make batter with millet, as well as an Ayurvedic Khichdi mix.

[caption id="attachment_37574" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Shastha Food's millet khichdi[/caption]

Customer is always king

Mani takes nothing for granted, he says. "For us, service and quality is paramount.So, if due to unforeseen circumstances, any item goes bad, I make sure to take personal responsibility for that and either issue a full refund or replacement." As often as he could, Mani would drive up to meet customers personally, to take back a sub-par product and replace it.

Shastha Food now offers some 16 varieties of dosa batters and also sells essentials like rice, lentils, dals, pickles, sweets and millet-based items. And even after such success, Mani remains humble, a staunch advocate of high thinking and simple living. "A large house or a luxurious lifestyle was never a goal for me," he said. "I know from experience that money comes and goes and so I wanted to create something that could make a meaningful difference."

Follow Shastha Foods on Instagram and Mani Krishnan on LinkedIn.

Ruskin Bond: The British descent author whom India loves too much

(October 12, 2022) The eminent contemporary Indian author of British descent, Ruskin Bond is one of India’s most-loved authors. The 88-year-old has been prolific for decades, writing mainly for children but also for adults. For his illustrious work in literature, he has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award (1992), Padma Shri (1999) and Padma Bhushan (2014). Many of this celebrated author’s works are part of Indian school curriculum. Generations have grown up reading his books. [caption id="attachment_30483" align="alignnone" width="1057"] Ruskin Bond, one of the most loved authors of India[/caption] In his latest work, A Little Book of India: Celebrating 75 years of Independence, the acclaimed author pays homage to the country that has been his home. In the books introduction, he writes: I have dwelt on the highlights of the last 75 years of India’s progress to maturity as a nation. It is a record of some of my memories and impressions of this unique land — of its rivers and forests, literature and culture, sights, sounds and colours — an amalgamation of the physical and spiritual. Born in 1934, in Kasauli, British India, Ruskin Bond is the son of an Anglo-Indian mother, Aubrey Bond, and British father, Edith

have dwelt on the highlights of the last 75 years of India’s progress to maturity as a nation. It is a record of some of my memories and impressions of this unique land — of its rivers and forests, literature and culture, sights, sounds and colours — an amalgamation of the physical and spiritual.

Born in 1934, in Kasauli, British India, Ruskin Bond is the son of an Anglo-Indian mother, Aubrey Bond, and British father, Edith Clarke, who taught English to the princesses of Jamnagar Palace. Ruskin and his sister Ellen lived there till he was six. Later, his father joined the Royal Air Force, and little Ruskin got an opportunity to travel to different places soaking in the diversity of people and their behaviours.

[caption id="attachment_30508" align="aligncenter" width="773"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Ruskin Bond calls the dictionary his favourite book[/caption]

Huge impact of personal experiences

Unhappy experiences at an early age had a deep impact on the author. He was just eight when his parents separated and his mother left him to marry someone else. In the absence of love from his mother, he became emotionally distant from her and this resulted in a very complex mother-son relationship. However, his father’s undivided attention helped him grow as a mindful child.

[caption id="attachment_30484" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Little Ruskin Bond[/caption]

Little Ruskin faced another tragedy with the untimely demise of his father in a war. Heartbroken, the 10-year-old moved to Dehradun to be with his mother, step father and grandmother. He was sent to Bishop Cotton School, Shimla from where he passed out in 1951. That year, he wrote one of his first short stories, ‘Untouchable’. Ruskin won several writing competitions in school, including the Hailey Literature Prize and the Irwin Divinity Prize. In 1952, he moved to England and stayed with his aunt for four years.

[caption id="attachment_30491" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Busy at work[/caption]

Ruskin learned to cope with his difficult childhood by expressing himself on paper. He was also a voracious reader, a habit inculcated in him by his father. However, despite a lonely childhood, he grew up to be an optimistic human being, which is evident in all his works. Since writing came naturally to him, he became an earnest writer just as his father had hoped.

Life in London

It was in London that Ruskin began writing his first novel, ‘The Room on the Roof’. It is about the life of Rusty, an orphaned Anglo-Indian teenager, a character inspired by his own life. He poured his heart out in the novel, portraying distinct experiences of his life, like living in a small rented room on the roof in a house in Dehradun. It was published in 1956. It fetched Ruskin the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial prize (meant for British Commonwealth writers under 30) in 1957. Basking in his newfound success, he wrote its sequel, ‘Vagrants in the Valley’. Apart from writing he did several other odd jobs to make a living in London.

[caption id="attachment_30486" align="aligncenter" width="679"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Ruskin Bond in his youth[/caption]

Back to where heart belonged

The yearning for India was too strong. At the end of his four-year stay, Ruskin returned to India and worked as a journalist in Delhi and Dehradun for some years. Later, he relocated to Mussoorie in 1963, a town in the foothills of Himalayas, working as a freelance writer for The Pioneer, The Leader, The Tribune and The Telegraph. Gradually he shifted his focus to short stories, essays, novels, memoirs and poems.

[caption id="attachment_30488" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Ruskin Bond with his cat Cleopatra[/caption]

In the 1980s Penguin established its operations in India and approached him to write books. There was no looking back for the author after that, who became known for stories that were simple but immensely powerful.

Such is the best-selling author’s love for writing that in one of his interviews he said:

If I were not a professional writer who was getting published, I would still write.

Connection between India and Ruskin Bond

In his essay, "Scenes from a Writer's Life", Ruskin has emphasized his Indian identity, "Race did not make me one (an Indian). Religion did not make me one. But history did. And in the long run, it's history that counts.”

[caption id="attachment_30480" align="aligncenter" width="526"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Ruskin Bond in his childhood with his sister Elle[/caption]

Since 1963 Ruskin Bond has been staying in Mussoorie with his adopted family. His sister Elle who lived in Ludhiana is no more. Life and works of Ruskin Bond are deeply revered by people of the country.

The Global Indian said in an interview:

I do not know what happens when one dies. I will want to be reborn in India and nowhere else and be a writer.

Rich body of work

Ruskin Bond has written more than five hundred short stories, essays and novels and over 64 children’s books. He has also penned autobiographical books like Scenes from a Writer’s Life that encompasses his formative years in India, The Lamp is Lit and Leaves from a Journal that consists of journal entries, essay collection and experiences of his years trying to make it as a freelance writer. The autobiography, Lone Fox Dancing is a magnificent biographical sketch of Ruskin Bond full of anecdotes and photographs.

[caption id="attachment_30494" align="aligncenter" width="883"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Amidst the books[/caption]

Many of his works are inspired by his life in the hills. Some notable works include Rain in the Mountains, Blue Umbrella, Roads to Mussoorie, Angry River, Till the Clouds Roll by, The Cherry Tree, and more. “Men can come and go; the mountains remain,” he writes, in his latest book.

Film and television adaptations of Ruskin Bond’s works

His works have been adapted for television and film. The 1978 Bollywood film, Junoon directed by Shyam Benegal and produced by Shashi Kapoor is based on his novel, A Flight of Pigeons, that encompasses an episode of the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

[caption id="attachment_30500" align="aligncenter" width="611"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Playfully pretending to be a flower[/caption]

Stories of Rusty, the character that bears resemblance to him have been adapted into a Doordarshan TV series called Ek Tha Rusty.

His short story, Susanna’s Seven Husbands, has been adapted into a BBC TV-series and also into a film, 7 Khoon Maaf, by Vishal Bhardwaaj in 2011. Ruskin Bond made his maiden silver screen appearance in it as a Bishop. Earlier Bhardwaaj collaborated with him for adaption of his popular children’s novel, The Blue Umbrella which won the National Film Award for best children's film.

[caption id="attachment_30511" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Indian Author | Ruskin Bond | Global Indian Busy at work[/caption]

Ruskin Bond’s memoirs that shouldn’t be missed:

A Song of India
All the roads lead to Ganga
Scenes from a Writer's Life
With Love from The Hills
Looking For the Rainbow: My Years with Daddy

Follow Ruskin Bond on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Indian-origin Google CEO Sundar Pichai receives Padma Bhushan

(December 4, 2022) “India is a part of me and I carry it with me wherever I go,” Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said after receiving the Padma Bhushan award from the Indian envoy to the US. The Indian-origin CEO is among the 17 others who have been bestowed with India’s third-highest civilian award. "I am deeply grateful to the Indian government and the people of India for this immense honour. It is incredibly meaningful to be honoured in this way by the country that shaped me," added the 50-year-old while accepting the award from Taranjit Singh Sandhu. [caption id="attachment_32421" align="aligncenter" width="979"] Sundar Pichai received Padma Bhushan award[/caption] The CEO of tech giant Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc hardly needs any introduction. In the last 18 years with the Google, Sundar has contributed immensely to the trade and industry sector, thus making his mark. Interestingly, the email service provided by Google, Gmail, was launched on the very day Pichai joined the company – April 1, 2004. Unaware of this new product, he admitted his ignorance in the job interview of the organisation. Luckily for Pichai, that moment of uncertainty got viewed as one of the qualities that

by Google, Gmail, was launched on the very day Pichai joined the company – April 1, 2004. Unaware of this new product, he admitted his ignorance in the job interview of the organisation. Luckily for Pichai, that moment of uncertainty got viewed as one of the qualities that Laszlo Bock, Google’s former senior VP of people operations was looking for in a candidate. Bock remembers Sundar Pichai as the candidate with "intellectual humility”. Today, Pichai’s meteoric rise from humble beginnings to a top CEO is a success story that people cherish globally.

[caption id="attachment_26171" align="aligncenter" width="991"] Google CEO Sundar Pichai Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO[/caption]

The first non-white CEO of Google also serves on Alphabet’s Board of Directors. He has been focused on developing products and services with the vision to be of value in all big and little moments of people’s lives.

Talking at Google’s flagship I/O Developers Conference 2022, Pichai informed:

“Throughout the pandemic, Google has focused on delivering accurate information to help people stay healthy. Over the last year, people used Google Search and Maps to find where they could get a COVID vaccine nearly two billion times!”

His zeal for leadership with purpose got recognised in India in the form of Padma Bhushan award 2022. Global Indian turns its spotlight on the journey of the man who inspires millions.

The academic flight

Ironically, the CEO of American multinational technology company has not studied computer science, rather metallurgical engineering from IIT Kharagpur. Coincidentally, he has also studied inside the campus of IIT Chennai. His school, Vana Vani happened to be located inside the sprawling Chennai campus.

[caption id="attachment_26157" align="aligncenter" width="984"] Google CEO Sundar Pichai In India Sundar Pichai interacting with IIT Kharagpur students in one of his India visits.[/caption]

Born in 1972, he was raised in a middle-class household by an electrical engineer father who worked at General Electric Company (GEC) and a stenographer mother. Interested in the world of engineering, he was keen to explore the field, and he did so when he enrolled in the IIT Kharagpur. The passion for material sciences and engineering later took to Stanford University for a master's degree and then to Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for an MBA. But making that first trip to the US wasn't that easy for someone who came from a humble background. His father had to spend a year’s salary to buy a plane ticket for him to go to the US for his studies. That was Sundar's first flight journey. The sincere student did not let his parents down and got recognised in his foreign academic institutions as one of the best in the batch.

Foundation of the effervescent leader

Before his association with Google, Pichai worked at Allied Materials and McKinsey & Co. Though both the organisations specialised in metallurgy, the stints groomed him well. He picked up the nuances of product strategy, execution, and team building that eventually set the foundation for his pivotal beginnings at Google. Pichai nurtured his career by aligning it to Google’s success.

“We try to work on things that billions of people will use every day”

No wonder Google is part of everyday conversations and happens to be a significant part of the vocabulary of kids and adults alike across the world!

[caption id="attachment_26172" align="aligncenter" width="817"] Google CEO Sundar Pichai With Team Sundar Pichai with Nigerian Google team during his visit to Africa[/caption]

It has established itself as the organisation that cares with breakthroughs like use of machine learning (ML) to make web images more accessible to people who have vision problems. It generates real-time captions for online videos to help those who struggle with hearing.

Rise and rise of Google under Pichai’s leadership

Sundar Pichai joined Google as its vice-president of product management. He was entrusted with the responsibility of development of Google Toolbar and Google Chrome. These went on to become the world’s most popular internet browser. Undoubtedly, with these quantum leaps, Sundar Pichai climbed the hierarchical ladder. He launched Chrome OS and Chromebook in 2011 and went on to launch Android operating system in 2013. By 2014, the super talented Indian-origin professional was leading all products and engineering divisions at Google, overseeing vital platforms like Search, Gmail, Chrome, Play, Android, Maps, and Google Workspace.

[caption id="attachment_26158" align="aligncenter" width="884"] Google CEO Sundar Pichai With Modi From Left to right : Larry Page (Google's co-founder), Sundar Pichai (Google's CEO), Narendra Modi (India's PM), Eric Schmidt (Google's former CEO), and Ram Shriram (American businessman)[/caption]

When Google reorganised into Alphabet in August 2015, Sundar Pichai got selected as its CEO. In December 2019, he became the CEO of both Google and Alphabet, replacing founder Larry Page. In 2021, under Pichai’s leadership, Alphabet crossed $2 trillion in market value due to sales and profit growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building impact with powerful breakthroughs

Bringing the world together through different platforms, and giving unique experiences to people has always been the core of what Sundar Pichai and his team thrive upon.

While talking about war drift Ukrainians at Google I/O Developers Conference 2022, he remarked:

“In countries around the world, Google Translate has been a crucial tool for newcomers and residents trying to communicate with one another. We’re proud of how it’s helping Ukrainians find a bit of hope and connection (in countries where they have taken refuge) until they are able to return home again.”

While many other technology giants embrace the metaverse as the next frontier of growth, Sundar Pichai sees Google’s future in its oldest offering - the Internet search. He foresees people asking computers more questions with voice and multimodal experiences.

From overseeing new investments like acquisition of YouTube and launching of Google Cloud, Pichai leads the organisation by advancing AI, digital technology, machine learning and quantum computing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NJ-juLXoFxM&list=PLjq6DwYksrzyHa9RtflCUniCMTFG4twFD

"AI can make humans more productive than we ever imagined," he remarked in the conference stressing that it can play a foundational role in every aspect of people’s lives, right from healthcare, education, manufacturing to how people consume information. Emphasizing on the significance of ML he said, “When machines would be programmed to simulate human mind, mimic human activity and solve problems, it will have a bigger impact than most of the breakthroughs in recent history."

Matters close to heart…

Keeping India close to his heart, Pichai has led Google to invest in the foundational infrastructure of the country by developing technology specific to its needs. Google Pay app is one such example. “India will be a global player in the digital economy,” he concluded in an interview.

In a statement, the California-headquartered company has mentioned that it will invest ₹109 crore to support healthcare facilities and a further ₹3.6 crore to upskill frontline workers in India. The tech giant has entered into a tie-up with NGOs like GiveIndia, ARMMAN, PATH and Apollo Medskills to fulfill these commitments.

In the last five years, Google has granted funds to the tune of $57 million to India. Out of this $18 million was part of Covid 19 response.  In April 2020, Pichai made personal contribution of ₹5 crore to GiveIndia so that the country can fight the first wave of pandemic.

Love and life

Keeping his private life pretty private, Pichai stays with his wife Anjali who happens to be his heartthrob and classmate from IIT Kharagpur, son Kiran and daughter Kavya in California. The cricket buff is a Sachin Tendulkar fan. The love for the game comes from childhood aspiration to be a cricketer. As a high school student, he was the captain of the school cricket team, displaying his leadership skills on the field.

[caption id="attachment_26161" align="aligncenter" width="849"] Google CEO Sundar Pichai Sundar Pichai trying his hands at cricket[/caption]

Pichai’s love for sports does not end at cricket. He is also an ardent fan of FC Barcelona – the football club and seldom misses to watch it’s match when its competing on field.

The top CEO recently admitted in one of the interviews of the Wall Street Journal that he is not very good at meditation. Instead, he prefers NSDR (non-sleep deep rest), listening to podcasts or taking his dog for a walk.

Do you know how Sundar Pichai connects people?

Google’s flood forecasting technology sent flood alerts to 23 million people in India and Bangladesh in 2021 helping in timely evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.
Around the world, Google Maps has mapped around 1.6 billion buildings and over 60 million kilometers of roads to date with the vision to keep everyone within the reach, and make the world a well-connected chain of individuals.
The number of buildings on Google Maps in Africa has increased by 5X. Google has made a dataset of these buildings publicly available so that international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank can use it to better understand population density and to provide support and emergency assistance.
Google Translate broke down language barriers by recently adding 24 languages which together are spoken by 300 million people, bringing them closer to communities across the globe.
Google has been building augmented reality into many products like Google Lens to provide more interactive experiences and prevent technology from coming in the way of the real-world environment.
Follow Sundar Pichai on Twitter and Instagram

Reading Time: 8 min

Aquin Mathews bejewels the Pearl City with India’s longest running international photography festival and ‘Hyderabad on Wheels’

(January 17, 2023) In the last month of 2022, Aquin Mathews was thrilled to see his idea turn into reality when ‘Hyderabad on Wheels’ – India’s first photo exhibition on wheels was flagged off. By collaborating on this unique idea, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) became the first state transport department in the country to promote the concept. While ‘Hyderabad on Wheels’ is the latest feather on the ace photographer’s cap, Mathews has garnered immense praise for founding India's longest running international photography festival - the Indian Photo Festival (IPF), which successfully completed its eighth edition in 2022. [caption id="attachment_34106" align="aligncenter" width="548"] Aquin Mathews[/caption] "As the artistic director, every edition is special to me. However, a notable high point was having National Geographic come on board as a partner and the fact that the festival has been able to facilitate photography grants up to ₹10M (roughly £100,000) so far," Aquin says, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Born and raised in Kerala, Aquin is a globetrotter. Apart from India, he has curated several photography exhibitions in France, Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, and is currently the advisor to the Auckland Festival of Photography, in New Zealand. [caption id="attachment_33921" align="aligncenter" width="726"]

rd as a partner and the fact that the festival has been able to facilitate photography grants up to ₹10M (roughly £100,000) so far," Aquin says, speaking exclusively to Global Indian.

Born and raised in Kerala, Aquin is a globetrotter. Apart from India, he has curated several photography exhibitions in France, Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, and is currently the advisor to the Auckland Festival of Photography, in New Zealand.

[caption id="attachment_33921" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Aquin Mathews during inauguration of 'Hyderabad on Wheels' with TSRTC vice chairman and MD, VC Sajjanar[/caption]

He has also been a judge for several photography competitions including, Portrait of Humanity by the British Journal of Photography, the Print Swap by Feature Shoot Magazine, and has addressed various art and literary festivals in the last few years.

The Indian Photo Festival

Over the years, the Indian Photo Festival has successfully built an ecosystem for the Indian photographers, with a wide-ranging bouquet of offerings in the form of exhibition opportunities, photography grants, portfolio reviews, free mentorships from world-class mentors and more.

[caption id="attachment_33924" align="aligncenter" width="761"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Indian Photo Festival[/caption]

"Today IPF has become a great networking platform for photographers in the country. They get to meet editors, collectors, curators, gallerists, and many other experts from around the world. It’s now one of the most highly-awaited events on the Indian art calendar," he mentions.

IPF is not just a platform for professional and aspiring photographers, but also for the photography lovers and the public, offering a wide range of photography from India and around the globe. Through talks, discussions, exhibitions, screenings, book launch and workshops, people upskill their understanding of the art.

[caption id="attachment_33925" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Indian Photo Festival[/caption]

The festival doesn’t just promote the art of photography but also touches upon social issues through the medium. One cause is the lack of support for the Indian photography community, which led Aquin to establish the festival back in 2015. Through years’ worth of passion and dedication, the festival has come a long way, although fundraising, Aquin admits, remains a challenge.

It’s all for a purpose…

“There is a lot of interest in photography in India but not enough avenues for people to discuss, appreciate, and examine the medium,” remarks Aquin. “It’s essential to have platforms to support photography and photographers, but these spaces are dwindling fast due to a lack of institutional and governmental support,” he adds. The pandemic, he reasons, has only contributed to the problem.

[caption id="attachment_33926" align="aligncenter" width="789"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Kids at Indian Photo Festival[/caption]

“Even now, there are only a handful of galleries which show photography year-round,” he remarks. The Hyderabad Centre for Photography (HCP) is one example. "HCP is a dedicated space that presents and develops contemporary idiom in the art, showcasing photography year-round," tells Aquin who is the director of HPC.

Advocate of clicking photos with mobile phone cameras

Surprisingly, Aquin strongly advocates taking photos with mobile phone cameras and calls it ‘one more medium for creating images.’ “In fact, the mobile phone made photography more accessible and so popular that today we can't imagine a world without images,” he remarks.

"The main reason I advocate clicking pictures with mobile phones is because there is a notion that you need costly camera gear to capture beautiful images, and I want to break that."

[caption id="attachment_33938" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Picture clicked by Aquin with his mobile phone[/caption]

To emphasize how beautifully images can be captured with mobile phones, Aquin has even published a photo book with images shot only on mobile. “More than the medium, how you photograph and why you photograph is really what matters at the end of the process,” remarks the photographer.

The man behind the unique drone project

Always looking forward to do something new, Aquin has worked on a distinctive drone project – a series of images shot using drone camera exploring the landscape of Hyderabad and surrounding areas fresh after a few spells of rain.

[caption id="attachment_33941" align="aligncenter" width="747"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian The aerial view of the winding roads in the Ananthgiri Hills | Picture clicked in the drone project of IPF[/caption]

“Monsoon is the most awaited season of the year especially in a place like Hyderabad. The effect of the monsoon in the landscape is pretty interesting. A complete series has been shot using a drone camera, primarily in the Hyderabad countryside,” he says. "The drone shots offer a completely different perspective which many of us might have never seen before."

The primary idea, in Aquin’s mind, was to play with colours and contrasts and also to explore the patterns and shapes that appear from an aerial angle. "I wanted to create a great experience for the viewers and transport them to a different world through the drone project," he tells.

[caption id="attachment_33942" align="aligncenter" width="749"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian An aerial view of the kayak's at the Kottapalle Lake | Picture clicked in the drone project of IPF[/caption]

Away from the run-of-the-milieu

Not many leave a corporate profession behind to follow one’s heart to an artistic career. Still, Aquin Mathews chose to be different from the milieu. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in computer science from the University of Kerala, and an MBA from the National Institute of Business and Management, he worked in the corporate world before quitting to pursue photography fulltime.

He has since gone on to become the founder of India's longest running international photography festival and is the brain behind unique ideas in the world of images.

[caption id="attachment_33944" align="aligncenter" width="797"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Aquin during the inauguration of 'Hyderabad on Wheels'[/caption]

"My interest for photography started in my childhood, when I would play around with my dad's camera and handycam," tells the ace photographer.

The childhood passion remained a hobby all through college and the eight-years he spent in the corporate world. But he wanted to be different, and make a difference too, and finally, took the plunge into full-time photography, embarking on a journey filled with one milestone after the next.

[caption id="attachment_33951" align="aligncenter" width="689"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Aquins's photography | Lone tree in Vikarabad, Telangana[/caption]

The globetrotter

As his family lives in the US, Aquin frequently flies to the country, although he has been living in Australia for the last twelve years. Primarily there for work, he is immersed in commercial photography projects. “I live and work between Australia, US and India,” says the photographer and curator.

When he’s not busy taking photographs, Aquin explores nature in every way he can. “You can find me off-roading, exploring unchartered territories and taking the road less travelled,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_33946" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Indian Photographer | Aquin Mathews | Global Indian Aquin's photography | Flight on a cloudy day[/caption]

Follow Aquin Mathews on LinkedIn and Instagram
Follow Indian Photography Festival on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and its website

Reading Time: 5 mins