Global Indianstory BooksAnaik Sachdev: Aged nine, this boy’s Loving Library gives Covid patients, and the homeless respite

Anaik Sachdev: Aged nine, this boy’s Loving Library gives Covid patients, and the homeless respite

Written by: Charu Thakur

(December 27, 2021) Quarantine was named Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2020. Rightly so. Almost the whole world was under lockdown, courtesy Covid-19. Many baked or gardened, yet Phoenix-resident nine-year-old Anaik Sachdev turned inwards – books became his salvation. After a spring-break visit to New York, his mother was diagnosed with Covid 19, and soon after, his grandmother too. During those weeks at his home, Anaik found solace in books, they helped him escape isolation even as his family struggled with illness. This discovery of books gave him the perfect dose of mental relief. It gave birth to Anaik’s Loving Library, for which he has won the Phoenix Business Journal 2021 Philanthropic Hero Award. The little tyke was also invited on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, which catapulted him into the limelight. “Those weeks made me realise how lonely it can get, and how books are a perfect companion for anyone dealing with Covid 19 as they provide mental escape,” Anaik tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview.

Anaik Sachdev donating books with his mom Anjleen

Not isolated when books are your friends

After his grandmother tested positive and was hospitalised, Anaik realised how harsh and cold isolation can be. “I would facetime her during her stay at the hospital and (I saw) she had no sunlight (in her room). She couldn’t interact with anyone, it felt so lonely. Back home, we were reading books to pass time. I thought to myself that books could be a great escape for loneliness at the hospital,” reveals the nine-year-old who launched Loving Library amid the pandemic to help Covid-19 patients combat loneliness and isolation.

Anaik Sachdev with his books

What began as an experiment to help his grandmother soon transformed into a heartening ray of hope extending a helping hand to thousands in Arizona. “It’s a mini-library which travels to hospitalised Covid patients, and helps them battle loneliness through books,” chirps the Class 4 kid.

Anaik’s mother Anjleen Gumer helped her son set up an Amazon Wish List, and invited book donations from people. Soon a plethora of books from various genres started pouring in at Sachdev’s doorstep, and Anaik’s Loving Library started to take form. “We have now partnered with Changing Hands, one of the oldest bookstores in Phoenix and have been asking people to donate books,” announces the student at Iva Elementary School.

Once the stacks of books are assembled at his residence in Phoenix, Sachdev puts a Loving Library sticker created by his brother Jovin and him on the books to let people know that “they are cared for.” In 2020, Anaik’s library donated over 1,000 books to the Valley Wise Hospital in Phoenix, a place that he zeroed in on along with his mother after a great deal of research on hospitals that might need books.

Anaik Sachdev donating books at the Valleywise Health Foundation.

From hospitals to the homeless

Today, the Loving Library has moved beyond the realms of hospitals, and is making books available to the homeless too. “It saddens me seeing so many homeless people, and I want to help them. I want to give them books so that they don’t feel lonely,” says the Sikh boy who has collaborated with Circle to City, homeless healthcare for the expansion of his project. This year, the fourth grader is happy to have collected over 500 books for donation.

In over a year, Anaik’s library has comforted thousands of Covid-stricken and the needy, to great acclaim. Such has been the popularity of his project that even American host Ellen DeGeneres couldn’t resist calling Anaik on her show. The producer of the show contacted Anaik’s mom, and the interest in this nine-year-old catapulted. “It was such an incredible experience to fly to Los Angeles to be on the show. Seeing the DJ perform live and seeing my parents in the audience was a wonderful experience. Getting on stage with all the cameras and lighting was a different ball game but Ellen made me feel very comfortable,” reveals the boy who has become a celebrity among his friends. “My friends were so excited to hear about the Loving Library and in fact, many donated books too,” adds Anaik.

Anaik Sachdev on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Photo by Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.)

The art of loving continues

With 14.3K Instagram followers, today he is a social media sensation, and uses his influence to spread the word about his Loving Library. It, incidentally, also gave a new lease of life to Anaik’s rap repertoire. “I find talking videos boring. I love writing rap songs, and thought that mixing the two would be a great way to garner attention,” adds Sachdev, who aspires to be a rapper if his plans of becoming an NBA player or an anaesthesiologist like his father don’t pan out.

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A post shared by Loving Library (@anaikslovinglibrary)

The cool kid from Phoenix is all praise for his parents who helped him establish the library, and fund his project. “My mom is my biggest support. She helped me launch the project, and has instilled the values of giving in me. Even my dad supported me throughout the process,” says the boy.

With the curtains drawing on 2021, Anaik has plans to expand his library to children in the paediatric departments, and burn centres across Arizona in 2022. “This is my plan. At some point, I want to open my library to the outer world and not just restrict it to hospitals,” the Harry Potter fan signs off.

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Published on 27, Dec 2021

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Animall: The IIT-duo turning India’s traditional cattle trade digital

(October 7, 2023) "Yeh app nahi, aandolan hai," a farmer remarked to Neetu Yadav and Kirti Jangra, the co-founders of 'Animall'. After struggling for over a month, the farmer had just sold three cows within 24 hours through the easy-to-use app. What started as a weekend project back in August 2019 had become what its co-founders had always envisioned - disruptor. Four years later, the company is a top-funded VC startup, boasts an annual income of Rs 565 crore, and has facilitated the buying and selling of 8.5 lakh animals worth Rs 4000 crore, across the country. [caption id="attachment_33434" align="aligncenter" width="371"] Neetu Yadav and Kirti Jangra. Photo: Forbes[/caption] A new bond Neetu Yadav (26) and Kirti Jangra (27) met soon after they each arrived at IIT-Delhi. For Neetu in particular, it was the start of a brand-new life. She was leaving behind the tiny, rural farming community she called home, and finally transcending its rural mentality. Her father was often advised not to invest in his daughter's education, but he "always treated her like a son," he said in an interview. And Neetu wanted to be someone. "With the help of many people, including my uncle, I went to Kota

"Kirti was the first person I met," says Neetu. A few hours later, they discovered they were going to be roommates. It turned out to be the start of an enduring friendship. "We had a cooler company for a few weeks," they recall, laughing. "It was called Kirti-Neetu Cooler Company, we weren't too creative with the name!" The idea came because of the old electrical system at IIT-Delhi. A regular cooler could blow the fuse for the entire campus. So, they decided to come up with a low-cost, low-voltage cooler. They took oil containers from the hostel kitchens and used them to make their cooler. "We thought we could make a lot of money selling and then realised the market was too small. But that was the first time we thought of building a startup together.

Building Animall

The cooler company didn't take off but both young women were enterprising, and driven to make a social impact. Animall first took shape in August 2019 from a room in Bengaluru, where Neetu and Kirti were participating in a weekend hackathon. Organised by a storytelling organisation named Pratilipi, the hackathon theme was to build for one billion users. Neetu leaned into her own roots to get a better understanding of what the One Billion needs - she knew that the next one billion users meant millions who live in rural India. "Whenever you look at a farming family, there are just two aspects - agriculture and animal husbandry. Animal husbandry is mainly dairy," Neetu says.

That's how the Global Indians decided to create Animall and their five-member team went on to win both the jury and audience awards at the event. Neetu and Kirti wanted to grow Animall and used the Rs 2 lakh they received as prize money to fund their early operations. "We used it for marketing, servers etc," she adds.

Animal husbandry contributes anywhere between five to seven percent of the national GDP. But in 2019, when Team Animall conducted extensive research across the country, interviewing thousands of farmers they realised that the sector is largely untouched by technology. In 2022, the gross value added from livestock within the agricultural industry was over seven trillion rupees but the trade of cattle continues to operate in a highly informal, fragmented, and disorganised ecosystem. Kirti and Neetu were both keen on making an impact and realised this was where they needed to be.

"Just the idea of trying to organise, trying to disrupt an unorganised market like this... the market is hungry for a platform like Animall," says Kirti. They set about trying to create a user-friendly, one-stop-shop for cattle farmers. However, their idea was not well-received, either at home or by investors. "If you wanted to herd cattle, why did you go to IIT? We could have done that for you right here," Kirti's father joked when she first pitched the idea. Neetu's family, who had pulled out all the stops to make sure their daughter made it to an IIT, was appalled by the thought of her quitting her job to build an app, that too an app for cows but resigned themselves to it saying, "But since you want to do this, how can we stop you." Investors were skeptical too. "Who will download this," they asked the co-founders. "Will people use this? Even their batchmates didn't buy into it. "Do you think rural people will be able to download and use an app?"

Disrupting the market

They chose the herd, however, and shunned the herd mentality, and 10 million downloads later, their critics have more than retreated. "Build for Bharat is real," Kirti insists. "Bharat is online." Sequoia led a $6 million funding round for the fledgling company and they arrived on the scene. But they are not without challenges, even now.

Indian farmers are happy to hop onto the tech bandwagon, but buying and selling cattle is, at the end of the day, a hands-on process. It's not easy to convince a seller who is far away, to invest in a cow he has never milked. That's not all. Their market is in the heartland of rural North India, in states like Haryana and Jharkhand that are mired in patriarchy to the point where Neetu and Kirti find it hard to be taken seriously, simply because they are women. "Men have a larger network. To enter those rooms as women is very hard. We ignore the glass ceiling. We don't make it the limit. We just do our thing," Kirti says.

It has only taught them to think differently. "Our thought process has changed significantly," says Neetu. "It's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to be wrong," Kirti adds. "You just have to learn from it. We have taken short-term decisions and then realised, hey, this is not who we are, we want to plan for the long-term." And above all, they value each other. "I think stereotypically, women friendships are underplayed," Kirti remarks. "I think they bring a lot to your life. Just like bro-hood has its advantages, sisterhood has its advantages too."

Read more about Animall on their website.

Reading Time: 6 mins

Chess prodigy Alana Meenakshi’s moves are to watch out for

(September 15, 2022) Alana Meenakshi Kolagatla was barely four when she first got the feel of the king, queen, rook, bishop, and pawn on the chess board. The child hardly had any understanding of the game, yet she was just about able to arrange the pieces in order. By the time she turned six, the chess prodigy began playing professionally. Success followed her everywhere ever since. Having won several locals, national and international championships — of which she admittedly has lost the count — Alana, now 11, has been making all the right moves. “I want to become a grandmaster as soon as possible," declares Alana Meenakshi, the World No.1 in the Under-11 girls' category, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_21903" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi, chess prodigy[/caption] Since 2018, Alana has taken the world of chess by storm with her consistent performance. She continued her winning streak with gold, silver, and bronze medals to the country's tally and went on to bag the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title when she played in Sri Lanka in 2018. “Sometimes when you're winning, you just feel you're winning and let go of it and end up losing the game

onsistent performance. She continued her winning streak with gold, silver, and bronze medals to the country's tally and went on to bag the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title when she played in Sri Lanka in 2018. “Sometimes when you're winning, you just feel you're winning and let go of it and end up losing the game or end up in a draw. I have never really kept track of how many games I won and lost,” informs the chess prodigy, who has travelled to Albania, China, Sri Lanka, Serbia, and Hungary among other countries for her tournaments, besides vacations. Her father, Madhu Kolagatla is a businessman, and her mother Dr Aparna Kolagatla is a scientist and a career counsellor.

A move in the right direction

The chess prodigy from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, who was also the world No 2 in the Under-10 category (December 2022) before she made it to the top, finds chess a very lonely game. “Sometimes you feel very bored, just like you're looking at 64 squares with 32 pieces. And if you don't enjoy what's going on, you don't understand what's going on,” says the chess mastermind. But at the end of the day, she says, the combinations and the tactics in the game are what draw her towards it. “People feel that chess is very hard to play and only smart people can play the game. But that's not true. If you play chess, you will become smarter. It's actually the opposite,” smiles the class VI student of Timpany school, Visakhapatanam.

[caption id="attachment_21904" align="aligncenter" width="616"] The young prodigy with all her medals and trophies[/caption]

Alana plays chess every day. “I need to work a lot to reach a certain level. I practice for about 8 hours a day. So usually it's like four to six hours coaching and then maybe two hours games and then two hours I work by myself,” informs Alana, who occasionally takes a break from the game when she is overstressed. When it comes to tournaments, her games last up to six hours.

So what does it take to become a professional chess player like her? “Hard work, talent, and seriousness. One should be willing to work a lot, even though sometimes it gets very stressful. Strategy and confidence will keep you going in the game,” feels this huge Potterhead, who has read all Harry Potter books.

She is now trying yoga and meditation to beat the stress. “My parents recommended it and though I am trying my best for the past few weeks, it feels boring sometimes,” she laughs. Before every tournament, she makes sure to check who she is playing against, prepare against them and make note of their weaknesses and strengths.

Alana’s achievements have made her parents and friends proud of her. “It feels great when family members and friends tell others that I am an international chess player and stuff like that. Parents, sometimes say I could have done better after a particular tournament,” says the prodigy, who lists her win in her first international chess in Sri Lanka as one of the major highlights of her journey so far.

Beyond the chequered world

Besides chess, Alana likes to play tennis. "I actually play tennis just for physical fitness, go swimming, and indulge in basketball once in a while," says Alana, who likes to watch all the action stuff on Netflix.

Ask her if she comes across children who love Chess, the Vizag girl feels that people should start playing chess because it develops intellectual skills, calculations, and quick reflexes. "People don't play chess because they think it's very hard and boring, but I don't think so. There are a few people who are interested in chess, who are around my age, plus or minus a few years, but many are not," says Alana, whose elder brother Dhruv is a tennis player.

What else does Alana like to do? "Fashion designing interests me but I am not very sure. I am still in VI grade so I have another three to four more years to decide," informs the champ, who like most kids her age, loves Dario for Wimpy Kid as well. She is a huge fan of Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and Justin Bieber as well. Alana makes it a point to visit as many places as places while on a foreign trip. Recently, she was in Budapest where she visited the castle, Parliament, and many more places to understand its history and rich culture.

"Kids should do more something creative than just watching TV or spending time on mobile phones. They should go out and play or, try some arts and crafts. Maybe, they should try learning a new thing like chess," is her message to children her age.

Reading Time: 7 mins

At 15, Anahat Singh is India’s squash sensation

(March 18, 2023) The international media sings her praises, calling her 'squash's teenage sensation'. Before her 15th birthday, Anahat Singh had won not one but two British Junior Open titles and the US Junior Open, often touted as the most prestigious global squash tourney. In 2023, at the British Open, dropping only one game combined in the four matches she played. She was also the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and even returned home with a victory, defeating Jada Ross of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Although she bowed out in the next round, Anahat Singh had made a name for herself as a prodigy, in one of the world's top global senior competitions. [caption id="attachment_28587" align="aligncenter" width="554"] Anahat Singh[/caption] Rooted in sport Born in March 2008 in Delhi, sporting culture was always strong in the Singh household. Her father, Gursharan Singh is a lawyer and her mother, Tani, is an interior designer. They encouraged their two daughters to develop their athletic abilities however. Anahat's older sister, Amira, is an accomplished badminton player - she was one of the country's top Under 19 players. Eventually, she gave it up to do her Bachelor's degree

ir athletic abilities however. Anahat's older sister, Amira, is an accomplished badminton player - she was one of the country's top Under 19 players. Eventually, she gave it up to do her Bachelor's degree at Harvard University, where she continues to play for the women's team at the university level. Her parents were athletic too - both her parents were hockey players in college.

Incidentally, that's where Anahat started too - badminton. Being around her sister Amira was one thing. At the age of six, she watched PV Sindhu play the India Open, where she fell in love with the sport. She took it up too, going on to win a few tournaments in Delhi. A couple of years later, at the age of eight, she moved to squash. "I was drawn to it because I loved the noise of the ball hitting the wall," the Global Indian said. "I love exploring different sports but it is squash I love more than any other. I am pretty fast around the court and I don't give up, even if the score is against me."

Anahat Singh creates history as she becomes the first Indian girl to win the US Junior Squash Open title. Congratulations and well done on your fantastic achievement 🏆👏👏 #VKF #ViratKohliFoundation #Squash pic.twitter.com/nqtLqSjPFp

— Sevva Foundation (@sevvafoundation) December 22, 2021

Discovering squash

Her early coaches were her sister, Amira, as well as two former national-level squash players - Amjad Khan and Shraf Hussein. She moved up the ranks in no time, becoming number 1 in the Under-11 category before she graduated to the U-13 category. She rose to number 1 there too, in Asia and Europe. In 2018, she won her first international tournament, bringing home a bronze at the Asian Juniors, followed by a silver in the Malaysian Open.

In 2019, at the age of 11, she was catapulted into stardom when she brought home the gold at the British Open squash tournament. She was also the first Indian to do so. Also in 2019, she bagged a bronze at the Asian junior championships and a gold at the Scottish Open. Her victory was momentous but she didn't let herself grow complacent. "When I won the British and US Open, it was really exciting for a few days, but I felt like I needed to enjoy it then leave it behind, otherwise I wouldn't be able to focus on getting better for my next tournaments," she said.

Finding a balance

Now a tenth grader, Anahat studies at the British School in Chanakyapuri, where she has received support from her school teachers as well as her parents, who don't pressurise her to study. "I aspire to become a world champion in PSA and hopefully get a medal in the Olympics when squash get an entry," she said.

She has lofty dreams academically, too. Although she said in an interview that "as of now there isn't so much pressure in studies," Anahat hopes to study in an Ivy League, like her sister, Amira. "My school is very supportive and give me leave whenever I need to travel for tournaments. My teachers also help me catch up."

Commonwealth Games 2022

In 2022, Anahat became the youngest member of the Indian contingent, travelling with the nine-member squash squad which comprised stars like Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa. To say she was younger is putting it mildly - there was a 22-year age gap between Anahat and the veteran Chinappa. "I was worried about being in the camp with such experienced players at first, but they were really sweet and helpful, they helped me fit right in," Anahat said, just before leaving for the games.

The thrill of the game

"I just focus on playing good shots and not making an error," Anahat says, adding that her favourite shot is the back hand drop. She also plays an aggressive game but keeps her spirits up, even if things aren't going in her favour. And if there's anything that keeps her from getting complacent, it's her sheer, unbridled love for the sport and thrill of the game itself.

A slam dunk for 3X3 basketball: How Govinda Sharma is dribbling for the FIBA sport

(January 31, 2022) Unlike India’s favourite sport cricket, basketball is still languishing in the shadows. While Indians like Princepal Singh and Sim Bhullar have made it to the NBA in the US, and created a buzz, the sport is still finding its place among the other more revered sister sports. One lively young man is trying to change this. Govinda Sharma who ranks #1 in FIBA 3X3 and is in the top 2,000 in the world, according to FIBA. The talented basketball player has taken it upon himself to make the sport a household name. Sharma, 26, is already one of the leading names in Indian basketball. That in itself is an achievement. He has worked as a coach at the NBA Basketball School, is the first Indian to be a FIBA 3X3 certified professional, trying hard to make this three-a-side game popular. Global Indian speaks to Govinda Sharma about his journey, and how he is helping popularise the FIBA 3X3 game in the country. The days when basketball was just an idea Born in Punjab, Govinda travelled around India as his father Kamal Sharma was in the Border Security Force (BSF) and his mother Geeta is a homemaker. His

content/uploads/2022/01/govinda1.jpg" alt="Indian Sports | Govinda Sharma | Indian Basketball Player | FIBA 3x3" width="1080" height="720" />

The days when basketball was just an idea

Born in Punjab, Govinda travelled around India as his father Kamal Sharma was in the Border Security Force (BSF) and his mother Geeta is a homemaker. His father's job meant frequent transfers and relocations. Although, a keen athlete, basketball was not his first love. He donned boxing gloves, and dreamt of becoming an international level pugilist. But that was not to be. Contact sport was a big no-no at home. “My parents were against boxing as I would come home with bruises and injuries on my face,” he laughs.

He slowly discovered basketball when he saw his father’s colleagues playing the game. He was taken in by the skill, stamina and speed. “I loved the way the BSF boys played. I started developing an interest, and realised that I had a bit of talent too,” says Sharma. Mohit Vasisht, the BSF team coach was instrumental in shaping Govinda’s career at just 14 when the basketball bug bit him. A few years on, Sharma joined the Sports Authority of India team in Jammu and Kashmir.

He pursued the sport, but not how he would have ideally liked to - he had to continue studying, thus basketball took a back-seat.

Chasing his dream again

The Punjab University student did his BA in business management, and another BA in physical education. As opportunities came his way, he worked in different companies like Track, Byjus and Indospirit. He even worked as a guest service officer at the ceremonial lounge of Indira Gandhi International Airport in 2014.

But leaving basketball behind rankled him. He finally called it quits and followed his passion. “I just wanted to play basketball,” Govinda says.

That took the bright-eyed boy to Singapore in 2017 for training. It made a world of difference. “I was trained by professional coaches and used the latest equipment to brush-up my game and gain strength. The best memory is when a local club - CBL, (Community Basketball League) asked me to play in the basketball league. I have learned a lot over there. I also witnessed the ASEAN Basketball League in Singapore,” recalls the sportsman.

Back in India, Govinda saw what the US National Basketball Association (NBA) was doing in India to promote the game at the grassroot level - Jr NBA programme, NBA Basketball School, NBA Academy, Basketball Without Borders, etc.

“Even the Basketball Federation of India has announced a professional league in India. Many state associations have started their own leagues like Rajasthan Basketball League, Mizoram Super League and others. It’s good to see Indian players participating in the NBA draft in the US too. That is an indication of the talent and the sport gaining popularity in India,” adds the sportsman, who founded an NGO - Sab Khelo Sports Foundation (now closed) where he taught wheelchair basketball players and the underprivileged to promote the sport he loves.

Taking basketball to a different level

Rather than taking the regular basketball route, Govinda has chosen the 3X3 version to take the game to various corners of the country. He was also an ambassador for the Indian government’s Fit India Movement, where he spread the word about fitness across the country. "I promote healthy lifestyles, fitness and motivate the youth towards fitness with workout videos. I ask basketballers to send workout videos to correct mistakes, and do zoom sessions to clear doubts," says Govinda, who does these free of cost.

As the first Indian to be FIBA 3X3 certified player in 2017, he has been driving the sport ever since. “FIBA 3X3 basketball is a variation of basketball with three-a-side, with one backboard, and played in a half-court set-up,” he explains.

According to an ESSEC Business School study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, 3X3 is the largest urban team sport in the world. In fact, in 2017, it was included in the Olympics. Is it gaining popularity in India? “Yes, it’s gaining popularity in India because of the style, and format of the game,” replies Govinda. Further, he explains, “Players who participate in FIBA 3X3 get ranking from FIBA and they can play at the international level too.”

Govinda Sharma is now a full-fledged coach and he has his own sports academy called KAGA Basketball Academy in 2021 - in Delhi, Noida, and Siliguri. “We aim to promote basketball in the northeast. We also offers hostel facilities,” he says. Darjeeling is also set to have an academy soon. Incidentally, KAGA is named after his parents - KA from Kamal and GA from Geeta.

Govinda says that his dream is to see more Indians taking to 3-a-side basketball, and India figuring in the Olympics. “There is no reason why India cannot produce a team of international standards as we have very talented basketball players in the country,” he says, hoping to lead this 3X3 revolution.

Follow Govinda Sharma on LinkedIn

Indians that made a mark in National Basketball Association (US)

The National Basketball Association or NBA is one of the four major sports leagues in the United States and Canada. Many Indian origin players have made their mark in this popular world sport. Here are a few…

Satnam Singh: The 25-year-old was the first-ever Indian to be drafted into the NBA after the Dallas Mavericks picked him in the 2015 draft.
Sim Bhullar: Sim Bhullar is revered in the sport as the first-ever player of Indian origin to score a point in the NBA. He was signed by the Sacramento Kings on a 10-day contract in 2015.
Sachin Gupta: As the first Indian origin person to be an NBA executive, Gupta was appointed as the interim president of basketball operations of Minnesota Timberwolves in 2021.
Princepal Singh: Princepal Singh scripted history in 2021 as the first Indian in the NBA championship-winning roster. The 20-year-old won the title with Sacramento Kings.

A royal affair: Jaipur’s Princess Gauravi Kumari balances tradition with modernity

(October 28, 2023) Polo matches, race cars, luxury holidays and Fashion Weeks - welcome to the opulent world of India's young royals. Making her presence felt in global upper crust circles is 23-year-old Princess Gauravi Kumari of Jaipur, who like the rest of India's blue-blooded elite, balances tradition and modernity as she juggles high society life with the responsibilities of her title. Currently running the show at the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (named after her mother, the founder), she works to train disadvantaged girls and women in handicraft making and provides scholarships to bright young students. Princess Gauravi Kumari is the great-granddaughter of Man Singh II and the sister of Maharaj Padmanabh Singh, the 303rd descendant of the Jaipur royal family. Her mother, Princess Diya Kumari serves as an MP from Rajsamand and is the BJP State General Secretary for Rajasthan, while her brother, who heads the royal household, is a global style icon and a top-notch polo player who plays for the Indian team when he isn’t tending to his royal duties. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gauravi Kumari (@gauravikumari) New York Minute After graduating from the famed Mayo College in Ajmer, Princess

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New York Minute

After graduating from the famed Mayo College in Ajmer, Princess Gauravi Kumari headed to New York University where she majored in Media and Communication. "I absolutely loved my boarding school, I give it so much credit for shaping me," she said. "And NYU was such an independent space to be in too. In both, I was treated just like one of the other girls and I honestly enjoyed that."

The Global Indian made the most of her time in NYC, interning at the New York-based magazine, Paper, the top-tier lifestyle publication that also happened to be behind the controversial photos of Ranveer Singh. "Micky Boardman was my boss and we had such a great learning experience with him," she says, adding, "I actually liked the Ranveer cover too."

le Bal des Débutantes

In 2017, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, Princess Gauravi made her entry on the global social circuit at the 25th anniversary of the pretigious le Bal. Gauravi was joined by 21 débutantes, including Ava Philippe, the daughter of actor Reese Witherspoon, Cecily Lasnet, great-granddaughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire and the Royals from Luxembourg. Her brother, Maharaja Padmanabh Singh, escorted Ava Philippe, while Princess Gauravi's cavalier (a term used to refer to the male escort or partner of the debutante) was the prince of Luxembourg.

Every year, le Bal des Débutantes, one of the world’s most sought-after soirees, debuts around 20 young women and their cavaliers into global high society. Held in Paris, the star-studded charity event is attended by royals, business tycoons and A-list celebrities from around the world. The cavaliers wear a white tie, while top couture houses line up to dress the débutantes. A seat at the table for this high-profile charity event comes with a whopping fee of 100,000 euros and the approval of its iconic founder, Ophelie Renouard. The money raised is dedicated to a charitable cause.

The Princess Diya Kumari Foundation

Alongside attending debutante balls and elite fashion events, Princess Gauravi Kumari is intent on living her life with purpose. The fruits of this can be seen at the City Palace in Jaipur, where dozens of rural women are hard at work, trained and employed by the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation. It came about in 2013, when Princess Diya was serving as the MLA in Sawai Madhopur. "The women of the community were constantly asking my mother for help as they needed a mode of income and employment. So, my mother started the foundation with the idea of supporting women," says Princess Gauravi. The PDKF began with a skill-building unit in Sawai Madhopur, meant to train women in stitching and craft techniques.

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A post shared by Gauravi Kumari (@gauravikumari)

When Princess Gauravi returned from NYU in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and witnessed the plight of women artisans who had become associated the foundation, she decided to join hands with her mother. Life was at a standstill then and the rural women were struggling to make ends meet. "I started coming here to see whatever little we could do and that's how we started making masks that retailed on platforms like Ajio and Myntra," Princess Gauravi recalls. It seemed like the obvious thing to do, and would become the inception of the PDKF label. The women had already been trained to stitch and sew and "the idea was for us to guide them to create more complicated silhouettes and help hone their design sensibilities."

PDKF grew quickly, soon occupying space in the City Palace and setting up its headquarters in Badal Mahal. Around seven PDKF centres are spread across Rajasthan, for training and upskilling women. Although textiles and handicrafts remain their mainstay, the foundation also offers short-term courses on health, education, computer literacy, beautician work, tourists guides and self defence, too.

Where high fashion meets Rajasthani tradition

The City Palace remains the headquarters for PDKF’s textile work, with which Princess Gauravi is most closely involved. The Palace museum also houses the PDKF's first retail space. Here, rural women trained and employed by PDKF create a savvy fusion of modern fashion and ancient textile traditions, overseen by Princess Gauravi and her collaborator, the Parisian socialite and designer Claire Deroo. "We wanted to match block-printing with today's world, and create relevant designs," Princess Gauravi says. Together, they make contemporary designs fused with Rajasthani traditions, from blockprint to gota patti. PDKF creates a range of fashionable dresses, tops, shirts and Indian attire for men, women and children. They do a line of accessories too, from crochet bags to scrunchies.

They're known for their blockprint dresses - "Blockprinting is our most popular technique," Princess Gauravi says. "We do some beautiful clothes inspired by Jaipur's frescoes and motifs. She also likes lac bangles, a "struggling industry" she is working to revive. "The famous Jaipur minakari work on jewellery is always in style," she adds. Their Jaipur-themed t-shirts are also quite popular.

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All this is proudly on display at the PDKF stores, both online and offline - another brainchild of Princess Gauravi, who opened up the first retail space in the City Palace museum. In 2020, she launched in the e-commerce space, and expanded the existing physical store too. "The store needed an update, we needed to give the women a bigger and possibly international platform," Gauravi believes. "I've learned so much working with the women at the foundation," she adds. "It's a very different sort of work experience as everyone comes from different backgrounds. It was challenging, but the ladies made it so easy for me."

Royal hospitality in the Pink City

Princess Gauravi, along with her brothers Pacho and Maharaj Padmanabh Singh, is also involved in restoration efforts in their beloved home city. They have listed a section of the City Palace up on Airbnb. In November 2019, the Gudliya Suite at City Palace was thrown open to tourists on the popular travel lodging platform. Maharaj Padmanabh Singh is the first royal to offer his palace as a homestay. Even the proceeds raised from this go to the PDKF. According to Airbnb, guests can book the luxurious suite, which, until now, had been used by the royals and their special guests. It comes with its own lounge, kitchen, bathroom and private, indoor swimming pool and is priced at sizeable $8000 per night.

Through her involvement with the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, her fusion of high fashion with Rajasthani tradition, and her initiatives to bring the glory of the Pink City's to the world, Princess Gauravi Kumari's embodies the evolution of royal responsibility in the 21st century. As a scion of the Jaipur royal family, she has not only upheld her legacy but has also forged a path that resonates with a new generation, making a difference in the lives of many and charting a promising future for both herself and those she seeks to uplift.

Follow Princess Gauravi Kumar on Instagram.

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