Global IndianstorySupermodel to Emmy-nominated TV host: How Padma Lakshmi became a brand in herself

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Supermodel to Emmy-nominated TV host: How Padma Lakshmi became a brand in herself

Written by: Global Indian

(August 26, 2021) The 80s was a different era for a teenager of Indian origin to find a footing in America. With deep-rooted colorism and cultural bigotry, things weren’t too rosy. But Padma Lakshmi wasn’t the one to bow down to any of it. She not only became the first Indian supermodel to walk for some of the biggest names in the fashion industry across the globe but also authored her first book in her 20s.

In the following years, the 50-year-old maneuvered from modelling, acting, and writing to hosting, and the multi-hyphenate has become a brand of sorts in herself in the last few decades. Here’s the story of this Global Indian who stood against racism and made peace with her scar that finally led her to a life of vanity.

Chennai-New York-Chennai: A childhood between two cultures

Born in Chennai in 1970 into a Tamil Brahmin family, Lakshmi’s parents divorced when she was just 2. To escape the stigma and hostility, her mother Vijaya moved to the US, while Lakshmi stayed behind under the care of her maternal grandparents for two years. At four, when she reunited with her mom in New York, little did this kid know that her baby steps into a new country would open up a world of possibilities. She spent most of her young life traveling between the US and India, existing between two cultures.

However, growing up as an Indian in a white country in the 80s wasn’t easy for a young Lakshmi. In her memoir, Love, Loss, and Where We Ate, she mentions that India was mostly perceived as a third-world country back then and she gradually learned that for many Americans her skin color was associated with stinky food, strange clothes and malaria-infested third-world slums. Such was the pressure to fit in that it made her change her name temporarily from Padma to Angelique during the four years of her high school.

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In a conversation with the People, Lakshmi said,

“I think everyone has experienced feeling like an outsider. And it’s something that I’ve carried with me – it’s like this invisible shadow that’s there because I was always flitting between cultures, so I was never really at home in one, and never really an outsider in the other.”

The accident that left a scar

At 14, she underwent a life-changing moment when her family found itself in a horrific car accident. Though the three of them survived but not without scars. With a fractured hip and a shattered right arm, the accident left a seven inch long scar on her arm. For the longest time, Lakshmi harbored the dreams of becoming a model but the scar cast a shadow on her goal, or at least she thought so.

“Now that I had a caterpillar of scarred skin crawling down my arm, it seemed ridiculous to imagine that any agency would be interested in such an imperfect specimen. It angered me that people saw me as a ruined beauty,” she told The Guardian.

Lakshmi was so conscious of the scar that she would often cover it up with makeup.

It was while studying in Spain in the 90s that she caught the eye of a modelling agent at a Madrid bar. He made her meet celebrated photographer Helmut Newton, and that was beginning of her modelling career. Newton was someone who helped Lakshmi get comfortable in her skin, and especially with her scar. It was the same scar that singled her out and made her a star in the modeling business.

The scar that made Padma Lakshmi conscious initially

Modelling: The new beginning

Lakshmi was among the first Indian faces to model for big brands like Armani, Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren. She soon found herself on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar and Allure. “I was the first Indian model to have a career in Paris, Milan and New York. I’m the first one to admit that I was a novelty,” she told Evening Standard Magazine. Modelling assignments took her around the world and helped her pay off her student debt from her time at Clark University. While her popularity grew with each of her modelling projects, she felt that her career wasn’t personally rewarding. “I know that my looks are really the alchemy of my parents’ genetics and have little to do with me or my accomplishment of my own,” she said.

The branching out of a fledgling

It was then that she branched out into writing when she got her first publishing contract in her 20s. It was the inquisitiveness of the people about what a model eats that led to her first cookbook, Easy Exotic: A Model’s Low-Fat Recipes from Around The World. A compilation of recipes and short essays, the book got Lakshmi the best debut award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

For someone who was already modelling and had a book to her credit, Lakshmi dipped her toes into acting with Italian pirate movies like The Son of Sandokan and Caraibi. In 2002, she made a special appearance as a princess in TV series Star Trek: Enterprise and a few years later, she appeared in ABC’s Biblical TV series The Ten Commandments.

Along with her acting career, Lakshmi donned the hat of a host for shows like Padma’s Passport and Planet Food where she whipped up dishes from across the world. But it was Top Chef that changed the game for Lakshmi. In 2006, Lakshmi replaced host Katie Lee Joel, and the show’s ratings shot through the roof helping Top Chef earn an Emmy nomination. The very next year, she cemented her position as a chef when she came out with her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet. Interestingly, Lakshmi’s food career arose from her modelling career and not a culinary school. On her travels, she would often explore the local vegetable markets and ask waiters at the five-star restaurants for recommendations. That’s how she fell in love with food.

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Giving Back

Lakshmi is more than a brand that’s about glamor and gloss. The 50-year-old is also an activist who is involved in spreading awareness about women’s reproductive health. In 2009, she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America, a non-profit organization that’s focused on increasing awareness, education, research and advocacy against the disease. Her foundation was instrumental in the opening of the Centre for Gynepathology Research.

“I suffered from endometriosis all my life and was never treated for it properly. When I got better and saw how normal women lived during the periods, it got me terribly angry inside. It made me realize that there is misogyny even in healthcare,” she told Hindustan Times. Her foundation educates boys as well as girls.

“They need to understand the disease too, You cannot just educate half the population and expect overall change. The basic problem today is that girls have become liberated, but boys have not caught up,” she added.

Apart from this, Lakshmi is also the American Civil Liberties Union ambassador for immigration and women’s rights. In 2019, she was appointed United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador to shine a spotlight on inequality that can affect the people in rich and poor countries alike.

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From being a glamor girl to a multi-hyphenate star, Lakhsmi’s journey has been one of self-discovery. From someone who hated her scar as a teenager to making it big in the world of fashion to authoring books to hosting an Emmy-nominated reality series, Lakshmi has come a long way. The model, actor, author and host is a perfect example of anything is possible till you follow your dreams and take every chance that comes your way.

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Published on 26, Aug 2021

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Mandeep Kaur : Single mom who rose from door-to-door sales to NZ’s first female Indian-origin cop

Many women give up on their childhood dreams especially if they had a failed marriage and single mother responsibilities. Not 52-year-old Mandeep Kaur. Hers is a story of grit, determination, perseverance and eventual glory: A girl who could barely speak English lands ‘Down Under’, does door-to-door selling, becomes a taxi driver and discovers her true calling in a chance conversation with a passenger. Years later, she becomes New Zealand’s first - and highest-ranked - female police officer of Indian origin. [caption id="attachment_2874" align="alignnone" width="1440"] Mandeep Kaur on her wedding day in 1986.[/caption] Humble beginnings Hailing from Punjab’s Malwa region, Kaur was an 18-year-old final-year student of sociology and political science when she had an arranged marriage. Within a decade, the marriage fell apart and a painful custody battle began. In 1999, Mandeep left her two children - then aged 6 and 8 - at her parents’ place and migrated to Australia to help fend for the family. Her first job was that of a door-to-door salesperson, getting people to change telephone services, New Zealand Herald reports. "I was able to read and write but I couldn't really speak. So, I had written my pitch on a piece of paper and I would go door-to-door to sell," she said in a statement to the media. The tipping point came when she landed in New Zealand some years later and started driving taxis. One night she was discussing about the joys of life with a passenger, a psychologist who told her how true happiness

/stage.globalindian.com//wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Mandeep-wedding-day.jpg" alt="Mandeep Kaur on her wedding day in 1986." width="1440" height="2204" /> Mandeep Kaur on her wedding day in 1986.[/caption]

Humble beginnings

Hailing from Punjab’s Malwa region, Kaur was an 18-year-old final-year student of sociology and political science when she had an arranged marriage. Within a decade, the marriage fell apart and a painful custody battle began. In 1999, Mandeep left her two children - then aged 6 and 8 - at her parents’ place and migrated to Australia to help fend for the family.

Her first job was that of a door-to-door salesperson, getting people to change telephone services, New Zealand Herald reports.

"I was able to read and write but I couldn't really speak. So, I had written my pitch on a piece of paper and I would go door-to-door to sell," she said in a statement to the media.

The tipping point came when she landed in New Zealand some years later and started driving taxis. One night she was discussing about the joys of life with a passenger, a psychologist who told her how true happiness comes from realizing one’s childhood dreams. That brought back memories of her childhood fantasy of becoming a police officer. From that point, there was no going back.

The Kiwi father

[caption id="attachment_2875" align="alignnone" width="1440"] Retired police officer John Pegler was her 'Kiwi father'.[/caption]

It’s fascinating how things start falling into place when one makes up her mind. Enter John Pegler, a retired police officer, who Mandeep affectionately calls her Kiwi dad. Pegler worked as a night receptionist at the YMCA women's lodge in Auckland where Mandeep stayed during her cab-driving days, The New Zealand Herald says. He would make her a hot cup of Milo, listen to her and tell her stories of his days as a cop. When Mandeep disclosed her dream, Pegler encouraged her and brought her an information pack on joining the force.

The struggles

Many roadblocks were awaiting her. She had to lose 20 kg "to be fit", learn swimming, and have a stronger command over English. Swimming was the hardest — baring one’s legs and wearing a swimsuit wasn’t easy for a woman from a conservative Punjabi household. But she persisted. Meanwhile, things started to improve on the personal front: She secured her teenage kids’ custody and moved them to New Zealand in 2002.

[caption id="attachment_2879" align="alignnone" width="1440"] Mandeep with her late mother and children.[/caption]

Bhangra in uniform

Two years later, she donned the uniform by joining as an ethnic people’s Community Relations Officer at Henderson Police Station in Waitemata. The job entailed attending community meetings, hosting media programs, visiting family violence victims and attending to any other matters where there was a need for ethnic or cultural advice. Her CV boasts of work as a frontline officer in road policing, family violence, investigation support unit, neighborhood policing and community policing. Throughout this journey she has been in sync with her Indian roots. She is a frequent attendee at the gurudwara in Counties Manukau. Mandeep also started a Bhangra dancing group within the department which performed in their uniforms during Diwali last year.

[caption id="attachment_2885" align="alignnone" width="640"] Single mother who went from door-to-door sales to New Zealand’s first Indian-origin female cop: How Mandeep Kaur defied the odds Mandeep's stripes being upgraded by senior officers.[/caption]

Hello Sergeant

She loved her work but was keen to get into a decision-making role to do more.

"I must have applied for so many positions to be promoted, and so many times I didn't get it," she told The New Zealand Herald.

Each time she failed to tick promotion criteria, she'd go back to the drawing board, work on her weakness and tell herself: One more time. Eventually, she went on to become New Zealand’s first Indian-born woman to attain the rank of a Sergeant — effectively in charge of overseeing an entire district’s police functioning. Officers like her make just five percent of the entire force. Recently, she was moved to Police National Headquarters in Wellington for a new role as Senior Engagement Adviser in a unit tasked with preventing harm across all of New Zealand's ethnic communities.

"My grandkids were born here. I want to leave this country a better place for them so they don't face issues as the children of migrants," she says.

Reading Time: 7 mins

Indo-Canadian mathematician Sujatha Ramdorai awarded with Padma Shri 2023

(March 1, 2023) On Republic Day 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the names of the recipients of the highest civilian awards of India – the Padma Awards. The list included Sujatha Ramdorai, the Indian-origin mathematician who is a professor of mathematics and Canada Research Chair at University of British Columbia. The algebraic number theorist is known for her work on Iwasawa theory - the study of objects of arithmetic interest over infinite towers of number fields. Professor Ramdorai has earned several awards and accolades over the years for her contributions to mathematics. She became the first Indian to win the prestigious ICTP Ramanujan Prize in 2006 in recognition of her work, which has implications in the fields of complex geometry, topology, number theory and cryptography. She is also a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award - the highest honour bestowed by the Government of India in the field of STEM. One of the finest Indian mathematicians, Professor Ramdorai received the Krieger–Nelson Prize in 2020 for her pathbreaking research by the Canadian Mathematical Society. [caption id="attachment_35602" align="aligncenter" width="401"] Professor Sujatha Ramdorai[/caption] Despite achieving so much both in India and abroad, the Global Indian remains humble and is not at all a fan of the pursuit of

Ramanujan Prize in 2006 in recognition of her work, which has implications in the fields of complex geometry, topology, number theory and cryptography. She is also a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award - the highest honour bestowed by the Government of India in the field of STEM. One of the finest Indian mathematicians, Professor Ramdorai received the Krieger–Nelson Prize in 2020 for her pathbreaking research by the Canadian Mathematical Society.

[caption id="attachment_35602" align="aligncenter" width="401"] Indian Origin | Sujatha Ramdorai | Global Indian Professor Sujatha Ramdorai[/caption]

Despite achieving so much both in India and abroad, the Global Indian remains humble and is not at all a fan of the pursuit of success. “Today we have put success in such a high pedestal that we have lost our moral moorings,” she said in an interview.

We worship others’ success without questioning how they really achieved that. Many people succeed by deliberately pushing others to the ground. I don’t think that kind of success should either be worshipped or appreciated.

The ace mathematician believes in acknowledging not just those who have attained success but even those who might not have succeeded but have done good work to help the society. “This approach should be applied to both individuals and nations,” she remarked. “How much money one has accumulated should not be an indicator of success. I don’t think that’s a good lesson to impart to youngsters,” believes the ace mathematician.

The math guru

In one of her TEDx Talks, Professor Ramdorai cited Galileo - the father of modern science, who made major contributions to the fields of astronomy, physics, cosmology, philosophy and mathematics. “Learn math because it’s the language in which the Gods have written the universe,” she shared, elaborating how Galileo’s words have affected her choices in life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=--LI0ZRsglg

The illustrious professor is a member of the scientific committees of several international research agencies, including Banff International Research Station, International Centre for Pure and Applied Mathematics, and Indo-French Centre for Promotion of Advanced Research. In the past, she was also associated with the National Knowledge Commission, a think tank constituted by former PM Manmohan Singh, and Government of India’s Scientific Advisory Council.

A little-known fact…

While people may be aware of her achievements in maths, Professor Ramdorai is a true inspiration in many other ways. In 2015, she was diagnosed with brain cancer and had to undergo an emergency surgery. “For me the main concern was whether I would be able to do math again, she said during one of her TEDx Talks. “This deep concern led me to think about, why I love mathematics so much – there is a sense of mystery, there is a sense of being confronted with the unknown,” she told.

Throwing light upon the connections between math, and art she pointed out:

There is a component of mathematics which is pure art. In the sense, if you prove something in maths, small bits come together, it’s like crafting and planning a symphony.

Her road to recovery from brain cancer interestingly involved discovering a new hobby, and that was painting.

Making math more welcoming

Professor Ramdorai strongly believes in transforming learning of mathematics in the classroom in a way that encourages students to develop more interest in it. “We don’t have to make it competitive. Make it cooperative and make students aware that knowledge is a collective endeavour.” This, she believes, would turn the whole process of learning into a more equitable endeavour, making students embrace the subject wholeheartedly. “They would become more imaginative. It will give a ‘can do’ feeling to the learners,” she remarked.

[caption id="attachment_35603" align="aligncenter" width="351"] Indian Origin | Sujatha Ramdorai | Global Indian Photo Credit: International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy[/caption]

Along with her husband, Srinivasan Ramdorai and Indian mathematical writer VS Sastry, the Padma Shri awardee has partially funded the Ramanujan Math Park in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, which was inaugurated in 2017. The park is dedicated to mathematics education and honours the work of the great Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, who is an inspiration for Ramdorai. “He is one of the greatest mysteries of the mathematical landscape. He had a great grasp on the subject and was self-taught. This to me is tremendously admirable,” she said.

Early years

Professor Ramdorai grew up in Bengaluru (then Bangalore) and loved mathematics, even as a child. “By the time I was in class five, I realised that maths was a subject where all you need to do is to understand what was happening. You didn’t need to learn by rote, like in History, where I faced problems remembering the details like the dates of wars, ascensions to the throne and how long the various rulers ruled and so on,” she said, reminiscing about her childhood.

For me mathematics was equivalent to the computer games that today’s children play.

Ramdorai used to indulge in the fascinating world of numbers wherever she could. “For instance, after I learned addition, whenever I went out in a car or a scooter, I used to add the digits on the number plates of the vehicles on the road. It became a game for me and my brother, both wanting to add the numbers faster than the other.”

One of the greatest influences in Professor Ramdorai’s life has been her grandmother from whom she imbibed the values of discipline and earnestness. “She taught me and my brother the dignity of labour. Whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities is what she used to tell us,” she said in an interview.

[caption id="attachment_35604" align="aligncenter" width="354"] Indian Origin | Sujatha Ramdorai | Global Indian Photo Credit: Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru[/caption]

After finishing high school, the math enthusiast completed her B.Sc. in Mathematics at St. Joseph’s College, Bengaluru and went on to do her M.Sc. from Annamalai University. She completed her PhD from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) where she worked for a few years before moving to Ohio State University to do her post-doctoral research.

Life then took her to Canada where she currently works and lives with her husband. “Whether you are a boy or a girl, just keep in mind that you can do anything. Gender does not come in the way of attaining knowledge if one is curious, focused and believes in deep learning,” believes Professor Ramdorai.

Follow Professor Sujatha Ramdorai on LinkedIn

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EXCLUSIVE: Scientist, innovator, TEDx speaker, trainee pilot – how teenage prodigy Gitanjali Rao is raising the bar

GLOBAL INDIAN EXCLUSIVE “I know a lot of people say that kids are the future, but I want to spread the message that we are here now, and we can make a difference.” - 11-year-old Gitanjali Rao in 2017 Meet Indian American teen scientist and TIME’s First Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao. She is wise, confident, knowledgeable, self-assured and loves reading Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s websites. A chat with her is refreshing: Lucid thoughts flow almost as if scripted. It’s hard to fathom how a 4 foot something girl with sparkling eyes oozes such clarity. Picture a pre-teen walking into the Denver Water Treatment plant with a lab coat over gummies, and holding forte among science professionals. https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/1356357624376287233?s=20 In an exclusive interview with Global Indian, She radiates poise as she speaks on her first prototype in use – Tethys, which detects lead contamination in water and shares that information through Bluetooth. Her occasional giggles make this child scientist more endearing. Today, at 15, she has 11 innovations to her name, of which three are in the prototype stage with one released. Innovation-driven by empathy Gitanjali, named after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s famous book of poems, has an altruistic sense of scientific purpose that takes one aback. In 3M’s Not the Science Type docuseries, she says: “All of us can make a difference. It’s just about finding

trong> with Global Indian, She radiates poise as she speaks on her first prototype in use – Tethys, which detects lead contamination in water and shares that information through Bluetooth. Her occasional giggles make this child scientist more endearing. Today, at 15, she has 11 innovations to her name, of which three are in the prototype stage with one released.

Innovation-driven by empathy

Gitanjali, named after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s famous book of poems, has an altruistic sense of scientific purpose that takes one aback. In 3M’s Not the Science Type docuseries, she says:

“All of us can make a difference. It’s just about finding that one thing you want to change, and changing it. I want to use science to inspire kindness. Find yourself with it.”

https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1334727929037606912?s=20

Wearing multiple hats

A weighty quest for science guides the toothy teen scientist. She is described as a Forbes 30 Under 30, America's Top Young Scientist, TEDx Speaker, STEM Promoter, TIME Top Young Innovator, author and student. Moreover, she is a proficient glider, pianist, classical dancer, fencer, and a (self-proclaimed) average cook. This quest started with her proclivity to ask questions. Years on, those very questions led her to solutions. First, she tackled water scarcity and contamination that led to the Tethys prototype at just 11.

[caption id="attachment_5592" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Meet Indian American teen scientist and TIME’s First Kid of the Year. At the age of 15, Gitanjali Rao she has 11 innovations to her name. At the age of 15, Gitanjali Rao has 11 innovations to her name.[/caption]

The technology, Rao says, can be easily enhanced to other contaminants. “More students, especially in the recent Regeneron Science Talent Research, Stockholm Junior Water Prize, etc have taken the same technology and enhanced it for other contaminants or water purification with doped nanotubes. Arsenic, Mercury and Cadmium are a few,” she tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview. Further, she has provided some Brazilian students her solution for further research.

“I am in the process of working with American Water Works Association to explore influencing state and federal policies on water testing,” says Rao.

She paid for Tethys materials through her Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge prize money, which she won when she was barely 12.

Addressing the opioid crisis

Rao became fixated with another question – how to address the opioid crisis - when a family friend was prescribed opioids after an accident. She developed Epione – a tool to diagnose prescription opioid addiction using an ELISA-based protein detection method. Epione works on a fluid sample and uses protein expression from the mu-opioid receptor gene to find out if a patient is at the onset of addiction. “The device uses standard colorimetry processes to identify addiction status. Results on a mobile app show the status of addiction, and includes a map of the nearest addiction centre,” Rao adds about this early-stage research.

[caption id="attachment_5611" align="alignnone" width="852"] Gitanjali Rao enjoys talking about science with kids.[/caption]

Parental guidance

Rao feels her upbringing - thinking, trying and ideating differently were encouraged - made problem-solving a habit. She probably inherited intellectual rigor from her parents - Rama and Bharathi Rao, who migrated from Mangalore to the US and have strong academic credentials. Her parents instilled the freedom to choose and that she says taught her to be resourceful and take risks.

“If I felt like learning to fly a glider, I had to earn it, find a scholarship. If I wanted to attend a space camp, I had to search for scholarships and apply. To learn more about a concept, they would help me search for an expert, article or professor. They ensured I was safe, and allowed me to take risks.”

Today, she has a student’s flying license and can fly a glider.

[caption id="attachment_5593" align="alignnone" width="1010"] Gitanjali Rao learning how to fly.[/caption]

The Raos knew they were raising a special kid very early on. As a 10-year-old, a parent can expect the kid to ask for a new video game or a toy but the Raos had to service a carbon nanotube request.

'Kindly' to prevent cyberbullying

Among the other technologies that Rao has developed is Kindly, where she started with the question of how to prevent cyber threats. Kindly is an anti-cyber-bullying app that detects words related to cyberbullying using machine learning and natural language processing. As trailblazers go, her meeting with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella helped guide her with the initial prototype for Kindly. In an awe-inspiring meeting, Nadella was “kind enough to meet a 13-year-old, listen to her ideas and support,” she says.

Kindly has a Beta standalone app and browser extension now, and she has partnered with UNICEF to roll this out as a product that can be used worldwide to measure the number of preventable cyberbullying events.

Promoting STEM education through innovation workshops

A three-time TEDx speaker and winner of the US President’s Environmental Youth Award, Rao is hoping to solicit new innovators to address the world’s problems through her innovation workshops. She has already reached about 50,000 students in 26 countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBEPYDLD3vg

“I hope to reach out to 50,000 more by 2021-end in partnership with MJP Foundation for schools in Cambodia, Royal Academy of Engineering for students in the UK, Transformation Ghana, and individual schools in India,” says the girl, who is now working on parasitic water contamination detection using genetic engineering. The key is to inspire girls to be unafraid of science and technology and help them connect it to real impact. But challenges abound. A workshop for girls in Gaza was canceled due to security issues. In Afghanistan and Chile, her struggle was to help people understand her accent.

“In a refugee camp in Kenya, some students had to walk 45 minutes just to listen, and had to leave before dark.”

The students at Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp started their own STEM classes using Rao’s book (A Young Innovators Guide to STEM – 5 Steps for Problem Solving).

“Schools in India that reach out and facilitate are much easier, though I have to tune my message for kindness, empathy, and collaboration.”

The TIME accolade has amplified her voice to influence and introduce innovation into the early education system. Since April 2018, Gitanjali has been working with UNICEF and was recognized as one of America’s Top Youth volunteers by Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. She even donated to UNICEF’s India COVID-19 response.

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

A family girl

She is often teased by her family that she might be “Kid of the Year” but she still has to do her chores and clean her room. Her friends can’t fathom how America’s top kid scientist forgets adding key ingredients like melted butter while baking.

Her Indianness comes out in glimpses - eating hot bhajiyas on a rainy day. Or sipping on borrowed chai from her mom with a Parle G biscuit or rusk. Due to the pandemic, Gitanjali missed her yearly visits to India to see her maternal grandparents in Navi Mumbai and paternal grandfather in Hyderabad. But she’s thankful they are in the US now.

Mentored by icons

Having good mentors is an important crucible in any Global Indian’s journey. Rao speaks of being under the tutelage of Dr Kathleen Shafer from 3M (Tethys), Dr Selene Hernandez (Denver Water), and Dr Michael McMurray who guided her on genetic engineering concepts. Moving forward, her goal is to reach out to the US Department of Education to bring innovation into daily curriculum, which means innovations in education.

[caption id="attachment_4066" align="alignnone" width="425"] Jayshree Seth with Indian-origin teen innovator Gitanjali Rao When Global Indians meet: Gitanjali Rao with 3M's chief science advocate Jayshree Seth in 2018[/caption]

Marvel’s hero project

Gitanjali was featured in the web series Marvel’s Hero Project as Genius Gitanjali for her valuable contributions to society.

“I think that being a scientist is like being a superhero, because superheroes save people, and want to do what is best for their society – scientists do the same exact thing,” she earlier told Google.

Reading Time: 8 mins

From Singapore to the world: Carnatic singer Sushma Soma’s ragas ring out loud

(April 26, 2022) One of her earliest memories of music is listening to her now 92-year-old grandmother singing as she was fed. Today, the award-winning 35-year-old Carnatic singer, Sushma Soma, enthuses about how music was always her passion. Kicking off her journey as a singer at just four, the Singapore-based artist has under her belt an impressive repertoire of performances at several prestigious venues – such as the Indian Embassy Brussels, the Bhavan London, and the Madras Music Academy in Chennai. In 2021, Soma collaborated with Bharatanatyam exponent Mythili Prakash at the Reflektor Festival, Hamburg curated by Anoushka Shankar as vocalist and co-composers. “My most precious childhood memories were listening to Tamil songs on my grandfather’s transistor radio, and waking up to the sound of MS Subbulakshmi’s morning prayers. My grandmother would sing, in fact she still sings so sweetly. I started training at a young age, all this shaped my path,” shares Sushma during an interview with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_39147" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Sushma with her gramdmother[/caption] Her recently released second album, Home, incorporates environmental issues and raises awareness about sustainability through her music. Sushma created the album along with Aditya Prakash. “Home combines my Carnatic sensibilities, and my

t="860" /> Sushma with her gramdmother[/caption]

Her recently released second album, Home, incorporates environmental issues and raises awareness about sustainability through her music. Sushma created the album along with Aditya Prakash. “Home combines my Carnatic sensibilities, and my passion for the natural world. The starting point was a series of incidents that left me feeling gutted; from the pregnant elephant in India who tragically died when she fed on a pineapple stuffed with explosives, to the loss of indigenous plants and wildlife in the Amazon forest fires. This album is special as it stems from so many things I care about - forests and wildlife,” shares the Carnatic singer, who has won several awards in her career, including the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council Singapore, 2020.

Her archival work with the National Archives of Singapore was also given a special mention at the Singapore Parliament in March 2019.

The Land of Lion

A Tamilian from Chennai, Sushma was hardly 41 days old, when her parents shifted to Singapore (1980s). Growing up, she felt like a minority in Singapore. “Back in the day, Indian expats were not a common sight in Singapore. I grew up around kids who would talk in Chinese or English. While I knew the language, I was deeply connected to Tamil, which we spoke at home. That’s why I loved visiting my cousins in Chennai on vacation,” shares the Carnatic singer.

At four, Sushma started learning the basics of Carnatic music from a teacher who lived right across the street. Being around her teacher, Sushma shares, made her fall in love with music. “She used to perform at temples and would take me along. So, I have been performing on stage since four. During many events, my parents would come back stage to take me home. But I would stay back, because I just loved being around my teacher,” Sushma reminisces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caa9qcrddXE

A diploma in Carnatic vocals at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFA) in 1993, although she loved to perform, she continued to pursue a traditional career. A mathematics lover, she was obsessed with books growing up. The artiste attained a degree in accountancy from Nanyang Technological University, and a job at one of the Big Four accounting firms. However, it was not long before she realised that her heart was not in her work and she felt a “growing obsession” for music.

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When she said as much to her father, a chartered accountant, he was shocked. “He freaked out that his daughter was leaving a set career for music. However, he never stopped supporting me,” says the Carnatic singer.

A musical journey...

Not long after leaving her job Sushma shifted to Chennai in 2009, where she lived with her uncle and grandmother. She started training under well-known artiste Lalita Sivakumar, an experience she defines as “a blessing.” Over the course of the next decade, back in Singapore, Sushma performed solo and in collaborations across the world - London, Luxembourg, Brussels, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore just to name a few.

[caption id="attachment_23468" align="aligncenter" width="5081"] Sushma during 2017 Wandering Artist concert[/caption]

"I constantly find myself seeking that one moment during my performances, where it is just me and my music. These moments are fleeting, and rare, but I keep chasing them. For the past five years, I have been trying to express my emotions through music, and that is very liberating and empowering,” shares Sushma, who is currently student of RK Shriram Kumar, a leading Carnatic musician and musicologist.

Actively engaged in the arts as a researcher, educator and writer, Sushma shares that she always reads up about the theme of her songs. “I think that is something that my husband instilled in me - to research about anything before making a song about it,” she laughs sharing, “My husband, Srinivas, is one of the first I share my songs with, and only when he likes it, I finalise it.” Sushma’s husband is an IT professional, working in Singapore.

[caption id="attachment_23465" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Sushma with her co-creator and best friend, Aditya Prakash[/caption]

Busy with rehearsals and events, Sushma shares that she enjoys long walks which are “like meditation. But, of late I have started listening to podcasts on human behaviour to understand our psychology,” shares the Carnatic singer, who loves to bake.

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Reading Time: 7 mins

Mississippi Masala to The Green Knight: How Sarita Choudhury wowed the West

(September 18, 2021) Mira Nair launched a new girl, one who worked with the great Italian director Federico Fellini, opposite Denzel Washington in the 1991 romantic drama Mississippi Masala. But little did this girl know that she would soon be going to wow the entertainment industry with her sheer talent. When Sarita Choudhury erupted on the big screen with her debut film, critics across the globe couldn't stop raving about this new talent. And now three decades later, the 55-year-old is still making the right noise with her choice of work. It was in college that Choudhury fell in love with acting, and knew that this was the course to be followed. While the journey wasn't all sunshine and rainbow for her, she kept delivering her best. Here's the story of this Global Indian who wowed the West with her stunning performances. College resurrected the dream of acting Born in London to an Indian father and an English mother, Choudhury was raised in Jamaica, Mexico and Italy as her dad was a scientist and had a moving job. Living her initial life literally out of the suitcase, Choudhary made a stop over in Canada for a while to complete her

ry was raised in Jamaica, Mexico and Italy as her dad was a scientist and had a moving job. Living her initial life literally out of the suitcase, Choudhary made a stop over in Canada for a while to complete her graduation in economics from Queen's University in Ontario. When Choudhury arrived on the campus in the fall of 1986, she had plans of becoming an economist. But Queen's helped her live her childhood dream of being an actress. It was here that she became interested in film studies and began experimenting with acting by making appearances in the films made her by her classmates. This exposure was enough for Choudhury to feverishly pursue a career in acting, and it was one of her professors at Queen's who played the perfect catalyst in bringing her closer to her dream.

"Prof. Frank Burke from Film Studies had written a book about Federico Fellini, the great Italian film director, and he gave me a letter of introduction. When I told my mother this, she said, 'Well, let’s get in the car and go see him.’ I thought she was crazy, but away we went. The address Frank Burke had given me was at Cinecittà Studios, in Rome. When I knocked on Fellini’s door, not only did he see me, he gave me a job translating scripts," she told Queen's Alumni Review.

The big break with Mira Nair

This opened up a sea of opportunities for a young Choudhury who made connections in the industry that led her to auditioning for film roles. One such audition helped her land her first big role in Mira Nair's Mississippi Masala alongside Denzel Washington. The film on interracial romance between a South African American man and an Indian woman became an art house hit and got Choudhury some rave reviews for her performance. Despite a grand start, Choudhury didn't find the landing she was looking for in Hollywood. So the 55-year-old focused on finding diversity through her work across theatre, television and films.

[caption id="attachment_10660" align="aligncenter" width="495"] Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury in a still from Mississippi Masala.[/caption]

If she played a Pakistani singer in Wild West (1992), she essayed the role of a Chilean maid in Bille August's adaptation of The House of the Spirits. After five years, Nair once again collaborated with Choudhury for Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Seashell award at the 1996 San Sebastián International Film Festival. It was by the late 90s that Choudhury added a touch of Hollywood to her repertoire with films like A Perfect Murder (1998) and Gloria (1999). Simultaneously, Choudhury found interesting scripts on the small screen. Be it NBC drama Kings or Homicide: Life on the Street, the actress pulled off each character with elan.

Diversity in Hollywood

Choudhury kept going strong at a time when diversity was something that Hollywood completely ignored. It was her faith in herself and her hard work that worked in her stride. "How the business perceives us is something I’ve never concerned myself with. I just try to beat the odds of rejection by preparing a lot for auditions, and hopefully changing someone's mind. Minds and the gate keepers have to change. It's an exciting time, it’s still slow, but we're all part of this change," she told Hindustan Times in an interview.

[caption id="attachment_10662" align="aligncenter" width="502"] Sarita Choudhury as Mira and Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson in Homeland.[/caption]

This same grit got her roles in films like Lady in the Water, Midnight's Children, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay and The Last Photograph. But it's her film A Hologram for the King with Tom Hanks that she is most proud of. "It took me to another level," she told Mint Lounge.

Choudhury, who paved the way for many South Asians in Hollywood, is truly a global icon. She has worked with the best talent in the industry and has some very powerful roles to her credit. But for her, being a global actor has never been her intention. In an interview with WION, she said, "As actors we don’t really have any intent to be perceived globally in a certain way. But if that is the result of following your dream no matter what the obstacles that is amazing. My dad had seen Satyajit Ray’s films in India when he was young, my mum had seen the same films in England, I saw them in Canada when I was at university. That's global! And (that) makes me proud."

Despite two decades of good work to her credit, Choudhury is unstoppable in her 50s. After making heads turn with her performance in fantasy film The Green Knight, the actress has now grabbed a plum role in Sex and the City reboot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcOHajVcl44

Indian at heart

Choudhury is a popular actress in the West but her heart is still in India. " I feel like if I don’t go to India once a year, I lose my sense of roots. I have an Indian father, and when you grow up in a house with an Indian father, culturally that’s what becomes dominant in the house. So that’s the tradition we grew up with. And it’s not a coincidence that my dad retired and moved back home to Calcutta. So, no matter which country my brother and I grew up in, we would come home to my father. And that stayed with me, that’s my heart," she told Times of India.

Choudhury is one of those rare South Asian actresses who made a mark in the West at a time when diversity wasn't the focus point of Hollywood. However, with her determination and grit, she kept breaking the stereotypes and wowing the global audience with her stellar performances.

Reading Time: 6 min