Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveAn Odissi of dance: Danseuse Vrinda Chadha performs across the world, breathing life into the artform

An Odissi of dance: Danseuse Vrinda Chadha performs across the world, breathing life into the artform

Written by: Amrita Priya

(March 25, 2022) Dancing across continents is a many splendoured thing. The beautiful and emotive Vrinda Chadha’s life has been a whirlwind of such experiences. It also shows the depth of her craft. A tryst with mudras which began at 13, has today created a body of work that is noteworthy. It started when the light footed Odissi danseuse would accompany her guru Ranjana Gauhar, a Padma Shri recipient to shows across India and internationally. Now 26, the Delhi-based dancer is also a faculty member at Gauhar’s Utsav dance academy. An accomplished dancer, another feather in her hat is that she is empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Doordarshan. Her evocative performances bring Odissi alive.

Vrinda Chadha, Odissi danseuse

Ask her about her performances, and the danseuse rattles off, “In Spain, Argentina, Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, United Kingdom, Madagascar, and Seychelles.” All this, as part of her guru’s troupe and also for solo renditions. With such a vast repertoire, awards have been aplenty too. The Nalanda Nritya Nipuna Award in Mumbai, Young Talent Award by the International Academy of Mohiniyattam in Delhi, the title of Odissi Ratna in Bhubaneswar, and the Kameshwari Award in Guwahati, Vrinda is a member of the International Dance Council UNESCO, Paris and also a Teach for India fellow.

A step in the right direction

“I was always fond of dance and could express more through the artform than with words,” Vrinda shares in an interview with Global Indian. This knack for dancing was identified by her parents who took the Modern School, Vasant Vihar, kindergartener to Gauhar, who stayed in the same locality. A reputed artiste even back then, Gauhar’s mentorship turned out to be just the impetus the young Chadha needed to flourish.

“Guruji recognised my ability, honed my natural inclination towards dance, and gave me direction. For any person pursuing an artform, getting the right guru is the winning mantra. I am fortunate to have trained under her,” says the Lady Shri Ram College alumna.

A Punjabi girl in love with Odissi

When she first began dancing, Vrinda had minimal knowledge about the artform or the different dance forms in existence. It was as if she was destined for Odissi to take over her entire being. “I did not even realise how it got interspersed with my personality,” quips the nimble footed dancer who is also trained in Hindustani classical music and yoga.

“I was on a dance tour organised by Sangeet Natak Academy, representing Odissi in a multi-style troupe at Seychelles. There, we had a performance in which AR Rahman was the chief guest. It was an absolute joy to dance before him on stage as the show was in his honour. It was lovely to be so close in-person with such a music composer and artiste,” says the dancer who feels that Odissi is very intense and divine. “it gave me a special feeling that drew me towards it. Now, it is very difficult to differentiate me and my dance,” she admits. Over the years, Vrinda has built a special rapport with her guru Ranjana Gauhar, also a Punjabi woman who dedicated her life to Odissi.

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A post shared by Vrinda Chadha (@vrinda.dance)

Giving back

“Performing artistes and people watching them are privileged to have access to art forms. But art seldom reaches the people who need it. With this in mind, I took up the Teach for India fellowship to introduce dance and music to the underprivileged. The idea is not to make them experts, rather to enhance their ways of self-expression and emotional literacy through these media,” adds Vrinda, who has been teaching dance across Delhi’s government schools.

A life aligned to dance

Her father, Bhavnesh, a businessman, and mother, Poonam, a homemaker egged the young girl’s aspirations along, all for her career in dance. “They aligned my education to dance so that I could be happy with my choice. I took up philosophy as my major as it is parallel to dance,” says Vrinda, who has an elder brother.

“The life of an artiste may look very rosy, but it can also be full of challenges in the initial phases when establishing oneself is a slow process. Recognition takes time. During this phase, family support goes a long way. To be able to do what you love is a huge blessing,” Vrinda effuses. Even today, there is more to explore, and to stretch her artistic brilliance every time she takes to the stage.

Vrinda with her family

An avid traveller, not just when dancing in different countries – she loves travelling solo. India’s heartland endear itself to her, be it Himachal Pradesh for hiking and trekking or just the hills.

“When one looks at dance, people think it’s only about performance but there are other aspects to it too,” says Vrinda, who keeps her love for the artform alive by researching and studying about Odissi. Practice is an everyday ritual for her. As she chalks out her future plans, she intends to take forward her guru Ranjana Gauhar’s legacy and work towards furthering the cause of Odissi dance.

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Published on 25, Mar 2022

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How Bal Puraskar winners are shaping kid entrepreneurs

(February 11, 2022) These young achievers stepped up in the darkest times, helping society find relief during an unprecedented lockdown. They reached out to other children in need. The Bal Puraskar winners are in the limelight today, and are inspiring other pint-sized thinkers to address world issues. Holding his mother's hand and clutching an outsized bouquet, eight-year-old Pal Sakshi stepped out of the district magistrate's office, into a sea of cameramen outside. Despite the media attention, Sakshi's concerns were more pragmatic - as they walked through the crowd, he asked his mother where he could keep his bouquet at home. The eight-year-old prodigy, also a keen volunteer with the Swachh Bharat Mission, is one of four recipients of the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022. As the country battled the pandemic, trying to survive the lockdowns in safety, Sakshi began conducting musical performances online for charity, sending the proceeds to the PM Cares Fund. That’s not all, the pre-teen whiz kid even developed an app to create awareness about Covid-19, listing various ways to stay safe. These efforts cannot be allowed to go in vain. and while the award ceremony was cancelled last year, the awardees were given a digital certificate, using

l certificate, using blockchain technology created by the government for the purpose.

Shaping young entrepreneurs

As Bal Puraskar awardees dominate the public discourse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even remarked, “While talking to you, I feel that the Indian government's efforts over the past few years to create jobs are having an impact. We have been promoting the idea of entrepreneurship in young people so they can make the nation stronger.” These words were said to 11-year-old Meedhansh, as he received his award at the local district administrative complex. When the Janta Curfew was imposed in March 2020, Meedhansh launched a website, working tirelessly to post information on his online platform. He even started a medical helping service and has participated in the state-level corona prevention project, Mission Fateh, launched by a former CM of Punjab. He was also awarded by the government of Punjab for developing Mission Fateh's IT portal.

A solution to pandemic woes

The four young recipients are, undoubtedly, a powerhouse of talent. And each has tried to utilise those abilities towards making the world a better place. Through his portal, karnalcovid.in, 17-year-old Aakarsh Kaushal helped people in his district find access to real-time data regarding cases, deaths and RT-PCR test reports. Moved by what he saw during the pandemic, Aakarsh, always a passionate coder, decided to create the portal, which has had over 2,00,000 visitors. “Around the same number of RT PCR reports have been sent to patients directly on phones,” he posted on Facebook. He also created a portal to track the availability of beds in Karnal district, where the situation had grown dire. In the end, the initiative came to the authorities’ aid too, especially as it became a credible source of information.

Timely recognition can go a long way. Prasiddhi Singh, the 2021 awardee for social welfare, feels, “The award gave me recognition, and also a sense of responsibility towards society and the planet. To me, awards are not the destination but the motivation to achieve more.”

Driven to do more

Far from being driven to complacency, with recognition so early in life, these youngsters are even more driven. Prasiddhi is working on her latest mission, to plant one lakh trees by the end of 2022. Describing the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar as a “catalyst,” she says, “My mission to plant one lakh trees by the end of 2022 is almost complete, and I hope to accomplish the milestone with everybody’s support.”

It's the “magic mantra,” avers Anjali Razdan, director, academics, Meluha International School, Hyderabad. “Whether it is in a child or an adult, being recognised generates lifelong motivation. The appreciation coming from the Prime Minister will go a long way in shaping their character, building patriotic sensibilities and a liberated mindset, all ingredients for inculcating good citizenship.”

Visionaries beyond their years

Sixteen-year-old Abhinav was described as “wise” by the Prime Minister on Twitter. “Reading is among the greatest joys in our society. The wise Abhinav is using technology to popularise books and has helped many youngsters,” he tweeted. During the lockdowns, Abhinav helped 10,000 underprivileged children who couldn’t afford new books, by arranging second-hand copies through an online store, Cruise Books, designed for the purpose. He helped the reselling of some 30,000 books, and in the process, did the planet a good turn too. “I helped save around 19,000 trees,” he told the PM. His web store even provides low-cost printing services all over India, making it easy to sell and collect used books.

Although the young awardees say they would have no laurels without the support of their families and mentors, they are beyond doubt, stars in their own right. As the PM rightly emphasised, “for doing good, age is not a barrier. Youngsters have the potential to transform society for the better.”

(With inputs from Charu Thakur)

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Maanasa Mendu: Indian-American teen making clean affordable technology accessible

(December 20, 2022) "Imagine a place where life ends after dark, where there are no electric lights for school work or refrigeration for perishables. This is not part of some dystopian society - it’s a part of our world today. Over 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity," is how Indian-American girl Maanasa Mendu begins her TedX talk. Born and raised in Ohio, her first brush with the global energy crisis began when she visited her grandmother in rural India for her summer break, and witnessed persistent blackouts. Seeing children huddled over a single kerosene lamp, something shifted in the then teenager who was keen to make a difference. That's when she designed Harvest - an energy harvesting device that combines piezoelectric effect that harvests energy from sun, wind and precipitation. It not only won her the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and $25,000, but also made her the youngest person to make it to the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 list at just 14 years of age. [caption id="attachment_25605" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Maanasa Mendu designed Harvest 2.0 to make clean energy accessible[/caption] That visit to India left her searching for answers. Upon her return, she

rican | Maanasa Mendu | Global Indian " width="620" height="413" /> Maanasa Mendu designed Harvest 2.0 to make clean energy accessible[/caption]

That visit to India left her searching for answers. Upon her return, she began digging deep into information and found that 88 percent of the energy supply comes from non-renewable sources, which are not only harmful to the environment but also depleting. A renewable source was the answer but not many opted for it owing to its high cost. That's when Maanasa took it upon herself to design an "inexpensive and potentially globally application energy solution."

At age 11, she discovered piezoelectric effect (the ability of certain materials to produce an electrical charge when applied with mechanical stress) while reading about JRE's railway station in Japan that has piezo electric floors that produce electricity from people's footsteps. She knew she had found the perfect renewable energy solution. After a year of research and reading, the inspiration for piezoelectric "leaf" device struck here while watching tree branches sway in the wind during a storm. To her, the branches looked like piezoelectric materials - tiny devices that generate power through vibration. She soon began to imagine a renewable energy technology that could harness the energy in the wind and rain. This motivated her to work on her first design. While the initial idea was to focus only on wind power, she ultimately built a prototype that can harness solar and wind energy and the vibrations of rain drops. The device consists of three solar "leaves" that act as solar panels but also move and bend with the wind and rain. The design won her the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which the Global Indian built using recycled materials for only $5.

[caption id="attachment_25606" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Maanasa Mendu with the design of Harvest 2.0[/caption]

"The issue with the energy crisis lies not in the fact that we lack ideas or solutions to solve it, but rather in the fact that we are unable to get these solutions to the people who need it the most," said Maanasa.

When she began working on the design, her focus was only on wind energy as she wanted to solve the problem of how to capture wind in urban areas where wind turbines don't make sense. But while working on it, she realised "there are a lot more untapped energy sources in our environment, like solar power and precipitation." "If my device just relies on one specific environmental condition, the power output can vary throughout the day. Whereas if it relies on multiple environmental conditions–like sunlight intensity, wind speed, precipitation–all of these factors could create a more stable power source with a higher power output,” she told Fast Company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuqCsU_ap-c

Maanasa, who is studying at Harvard University, reveals that Harvest can power a 15watt LED bulb after three hours of charging. It took her three years to come up with Harvest, that has the potential to be the answer to the global energy crisis, and she says that it was curiosity that led her to the solution. She believes that "student inventors try to seek inspiration from everyday things. I feel like they connect the dots better."

Follow Maanasa Mendu on Twitter

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How international youth awards are creating global teen leaders, spearheading innovation

(January 19, 2022) Come February, the world will witness two Indian child prodigies - young innovator Vinisha Umashankar and teen golfer Avani Prashanth gracing the stage in Dubai to receive the Global Child Prodigy Award 2022. If one is an activist to protect green cover, the other teen wonder is India’s number one amateur golfer. It’s their contribution to the world of innovation and sports that’s made them stand tall among the 100 child prodigies from across the globe. https://twitter.com/Vinisha27738476/status/1470675490134388739 With their passion, dynamism, and appetite to learn and adapt fast, the youth of today is bringing an incremental change in society, and putting India on the global map. While their work is attracting global attention, their efforts are being lauded and recognised too, helping catapult them into the league of future leaders. Be it social activist Devanshi Ranjan who has won the Diana Award 2021 for her work to uplift marginalised groups in highly sensitive rural areas in India or teenage brothers Vihaan and Nav Agarwal who received the Children’s Peace Prize 2021 for tackling pollution in their home city by recycling household waste - these youngsters are making the right noise with their work and the well-deserved recognition.

l-deserved recognition.

Finding their tribe

It's these laurels and accolades that has made these youngsters a name to reckon with, and helped them find their tribe. Bengaluru's Sia Godika was a regular teenager working for a social cause until she found herself in London brushing shoulders with the bigwigs while receiving the Diana Legacy Award 2021. The girl behind Sole Warriors initiative that collects used shoes, refurbishes them, and donates them to the needy, has found an army of supporters and mentors, thanks to the accolades bestowed on her.

“The recognition which ensues is extremely helpful as it allows me to build a network of volunteers, supporters, and mentors. During the Diana Legacy Award, I connected with many international do-gooders. I met a co-awardee from Liberia who was so impressed with my initiative that he is helping me expand Sole Warriors to his country,” Sia shares with Global Indian.

Amplifying the impact through guidance

The awards ceremonies often work as the perfect platform for young minds to meet mentors, exchange ideas, and find healthy support systems. This synergy helps amplify the impact multifold. STEM innovator Niharika Shukla, whose ASD device helps detect autism, agrees, “The support and mentorship I’ve received from companies through awards, scholarships, and programmes have enabled me to learn more about technology and increase my impact through creating innovations to solve problems.”

The 2021 Science Fair Grand Champion and Broadcom MASTERS Top 300, Niharika is finding solutions to global issues, and believes that the support paves a way for better prospects. “Even though I’m only 14-years-old, and in middle school, support and mentorship from companies encouraging youth innovators goes a long way in helping me pave a way for my future in STEM careers and studies in college in technology and innovation,” adds the 14-year-old researcher.

Sia, too, believes in the power of such opportunities as they open the floor for interaction and knowledge dissemination. “During the Diana Legacy Award ceremony, I had the opportunity to meet CEOs, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and influencers who have their social ventures. They taught us how to manage stress, set SMART goals for ourselves, deal with the mental challenges which come with working in a challenging sector at a young age,” adds Sia, the recipient of APJ Abdul Kalam Social Volunteer Award 2021. She informs that she will be a part of a two-year mentorship programme where awardees like her are helped by mentors in their initiatives.

Motivation is the key

For some youth, motivation is the driving force to keep up the good work, and Feeding India founder Ankit Kawatra is the perfect example of it. After being selected as the United National Young Leader for Sustainable Development Goals in 2016 for tackling the issue of food waste in India, he received the Queen Young Leaders Award in 2017 for his contribution to solving India’s hunger crisis. His exceptional work has helped serve over 15.3 crore meals as of September 2021, and he takes every award as a guiding light towards fulfilling his mission.

Sharing a picture with Queen Elizabeth II, he tweeted, “Throwback to the day I was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen of England at the Buckingham Palace for my work at @FeedingIndia. Thank you @queenscomtrust and my fellow @QueensLeaders for motivating me to always work harder!”

Throwback to the day I was honoured by Her majesty the Queen of England at the Bukingham Palace for my work at @FeedingIndia. Thank you @queenscomtrust and my fellow @QueensLeaders for motivating me to always work harder! #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/22Z0eiDzTp

— Ankit Kawatra (@ankit_kawatra) January 3, 2019

Vinisha, who designed solar ironing cart, found her moment in the sun after she received the Children's Climate Prize 2020 and was the finalist for The Earthshot Prize 2021. Calling the award a stepping stone,she says, "I was happy that environmental innovations like a solar ironing cart got due recognition. It can play a crucial role in reducing environmental damage and climate change. I hope my innovation motivates students to innovate on products that could help protect the environment for future generations. I am happy that the solar ironing cart is my little contribution towards an ambitious goal.”

Paving the future

But more than anything, these honours are helping young minds carve a bright future for themselves. For the Indian American 2021 Global Teen Leader Jeeva Senthilnathan, such recognition has helped her in building trust within the community. The Chicago-based teenager, who is hoping to create change through leadership and mental health awareness, calls it the perfect validation for her work.

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A post shared by Jeeva Senthilnathan (@jeeva.senthilnathan)

“I want people to know that I am a trusted leader, and with these recognitions, I think that I know it will pave the way for me when I am older to gain other powerful political positions. We need more women in the office writing policies and leading the government. I hope to run for US Congress in the House of Representatives one day, and I want people to remember my name. These recognitions give me an opening into future college pursuits,” adds the winner of the Philanthropic Education Organization STAR Scholarship who ran for Parker Town Council.

Empowering youngsters

Awards are often a way of celebrating youngsters and turning on the spotlight on their work. Luke Tester, a judge for the Diana Award said in a statement, “Recognising young change makers can empower them, and those around them, to continue the good work – to let them know that the world has noticed and wants to say thank you. They may not be doing the task for recognition, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve it.”

If the International Eco-Hero awards honour the work of young environmentalists, Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar recognises children with exceptional abilities and achievements and Jefferson Awards praise the local unsung heroes who are making the world a better place through volunteering. The recognition not just helps them spread their wings but also makes them confident leaders.

“International awards and recognition give a lot of exposure to the children which eventually supports them in building a better career. It also enables them to indulge in creative innovations. Not only this, these awards encourage youngsters to think and act as global citizens,” says Vibha Suri, a teacher at Bhai Parmanand Vidya Mandir School, Delhi.

As more and more Indian-origin youngsters are coming into their own as entrepreneurs, innovators, and activists, the recognition is helping them find the courage to continue their initiatives and keep creating a change in society.

(With inputs from Team Global Indian)

Sitar for Mental Health : Rishab Sharma spreads peace through music

Grief had debilitated him and Rishab Rikhiram Sharma locked himself in his room, turning himself away from the love of his life - his sitar. Growing up, the instrument had always been his greatest source of comfort, his "happy place," the thing he turned to in good times and bad. When he lost his grandfather before the pandemic, his "third parent and best friend," there was no comfort to be found. Global Indian looks at how this young prodigy, the youngest and final disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, pulled himself out of his abyss, picked up his sitar once more and found a way to bring peace to other people through the music that had given him so much. At 24, Rishab, the founder of Sitar for Mental Health, has performed before a live audience of 60,000 and appeared on Indian reality TV shows and channels. [caption id="attachment_25588" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, founder of 'Sitar for Mental Health'[/caption] The Rikhiram legacy Born in Delhi into a renowned family of luthiers, the Rikhirams, Rishab laughs as he recalls never being allowed to touch the sitar. His grandfather, Rikhiram, after whom the family business was named, crafted instruments for India's top

The Rikhiram legacy

Born in Delhi into a renowned family of luthiers, the Rikhirams, Rishab laughs as he recalls never being allowed to touch the sitar. His grandfather, Rikhiram, after whom the family business was named, crafted instruments for India's top musicians, including Pandit Ravi Shankar. "My parents didn't let me touch the sitar for the longest time. I come from a family of instrument makers, we have been doing it since 1920. When I was a child, I wanted to get my hands on the sitar but my parents said no, saying it is a sacred instrument. When someone tells you not to do something as a kid, you want to do it even more," he said in a recent interview.

Rishab was, however, allowed to play the guitar and got quite good at it, "playing songs and barre chords and everything." One day, a broken sitar was sent back to the house. His father, the national award-winning luthier Sanjay Sharma, fixed it up and left it on the wall to dry. Rishab looked at it quietly, gathering the courage after a couple of days to ask his father for permission to play it. Finally, his father consented. He held the sitar in his hand, it was a fretted instrument, like the guitar. "I figured out 'sa ri ga ma' within minutes and started playing Bollywood songs," he recalls. "I was 10 at the time."

Finding a guru

His father was impressed and agreed to teach his son, becoming his first guru. In 2011, his father allowed him to perform on stage for the first time. That debut performance caught the eye of sitar legend Pt Ravi Shankar, whose own instrument had been made by Sanjay Sharma. He rang Sharma the next day, saying, "Bring Rishab to Delhi when I am there."

[caption id="attachment_25594" align="aligncenter" width="704"] Rishab with his father, Sanjay Sharma[/caption]

When the maestro was in town, the family duly paid him a visit. "He surprised us by offering to make me his disciple," Rishab said in an interview. "That was the moment I fell in love with the sitar and decided to make it my life." He was around 12 at the time.

Being a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar is perhaps the greatest honour that a young musician can ask for but Rishab learned, quite quickly, that it wouldn't be easy. His guru was a strict teacher, pushing his students as much as he could to unleash their potential. "That strictness was only during the teaching," Rishab laughed. "The moment we left the music room, he would chat with me, about my favourite food, my girlfriends. I had a great time with him and there were moments when I got scolded, 'Are you stupid or what?' he would say."

With such tutelage to guide him, Rishab's career blossomed - in 2016, he was among the lineup at Howdy Modi in Texas, playing to an audience of 65,000 people, who sang in chorus as he played 'Sare Jahan Se Accha'. He has been mentored by Pandit Parimal Sadaphal, one of Pandit Ravi Shankar's seniormost disciples and by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Rais Khan and Pandit Arun Bharatram.

Coping with grief

In 2020, his world came crashing down. Rishab's grandfather, the man who was always in the front row, clapping when his grandson played, passed away. All his life, the sitar had been Rishab's ultimate therapy, "If I was angry, I would practice for hours and let the emotions flow. When I lost my grandfather, I was grieving, I stopped playing." He stayed in his bedroom instead, barely eating or sleeping, struggling to cope.

Finally, Rishab's friends suggested therapy. He looked for help online but this was the pandemic, everybody was struggling and there were no therapists available. By this time, the family had moved to New York and Rishab was studying music production and economics at the City University in New York. Rishab went to a psychiatrist - at the time he didn't know the difference. The psychiatrist was patient with him and Rishab came away knowing that he couldn't give up on his music.

Sitar for Mental Health

Looking for an outlet, he went live on social media. Clubhouse, the invite-only voice-based social networking platform that was popular at the time. Rishab opened a hosting room and went live. Three people turned up. The next day, there were six. The number grew and eventually, Rishab had around 4,000 people listening in the audience. "It was a beautiful space because I wasn't just playing the sitar. I was talking about grief. Other people opened up too, they made music and recited poetry."

The Clubhouse event grew into Sitar for Mental Health, which Rishab continues to sustain. The event always begins with ten minutes of breathing exercises before the show itself, leading into the Jod and Alaap he learned from his gurus. "I am no therapist. I am just using my music to heal people in all ways possible," Rishab told NDTV.

These days, he plays a lot of bhajans, he says. He's also working on an EP called Sitar 'n Chill, making romantic sitar music, he chuckles. Another album, Navaras, explores the nine human emotions. A big hip-hop fan, he hopes to collaborate with Kanye West and Drake, given the chance and if he had his pick of Indian musicians, Nav and Diljit Dosanjh.

Follow Rishab Rikhiram Sharma on Instagram and Facebook

Chhavi Kohli: Journey from fencing rings to mind’s wellspring

(April 2, 2024) At 15, Chhavi Kohli was honoured with the National Child Award by the President of India. Now, at 23, this fencing athlete wears multiple hats. The sportsperson has represented India at many international tournaments. She has been a part of the Indian national fencing team and was the youngest fencer to participate at the age of 14 at the National Games in 2015. She is also a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist. Apart from being a sportsperson, Chhavi is a professional painter, and mental health practitioner. She completed her MSc in Performance Psychology at The University of Edinburgh in 2023, and is working on her goal to become a licensed psychologist in the UK. [caption id="attachment_36978" align="aligncenter" width="453"] Chhavi Kohli[/caption] “Currently, I work as a psychologist for Indian nationals in the UK offering services through my initiative Spark Matters. I deal with clinical and non-clinical cases of couples, students, families, athletes, and young professionals,” Chhavi tells Global Indian. “My journey in sports has taught me to keep growing and never lose hope,” added the athlete who has also given motivational talks on well-being as a TEDx Speaker. Pressures of sports, mental health and emerging a winner Born and raised

ugh my initiative Spark Matters. I deal with clinical and non-clinical cases of couples, students, families, athletes, and young professionals,” Chhavi tells Global Indian. “My journey in sports has taught me to keep growing and never lose hope,” added the athlete who has also given motivational talks on well-being as a TEDx Speaker.

Pressures of sports, mental health and emerging a winner

Born and raised in Patiala, Chhavi had always been inclined towards sports as a child. She tried her hand at multiple sports before taking up fencing at the age of nine. Reminiscing about her school days, she mentions, “Lalit Gandhi was my coach at school and he had a major impact on my performances while I played for India.”

When she took up fencing, her parents enrolled her under coach Mohit Ashwini. For nearly a year, the fencing coach did not allow her inside the training hall meant for professional players as he wanted to test Chhavi’s consistency, and interest levels. After the young fencer had proved her seriousness for the game by attending the coaching sessions regularly, he started making her train at the training hall.

Under his guidance, Chhavi made India proud by winning the Commonwealth Championship medal twice. She also went on to win the Thailand Minime series Under-16 series twice in a row in 2016, and 2017. The young fencer was honoured with the President's Excellency Award in 2016 by former President of India, late Pranab Mukherjee for her good performances at the international games.

[caption id="attachment_36968" align="aligncenter" width="535"] Chhavi Kohli[/caption]

Despite achieving a lot at a young age, in 2018, Chhavi had to give up fencing briefly due to burnout and anxiety induced by performance pressure. “I experienced burnout due to the overwhelming pressure of academics. Since I was in 12th grade and had no breaks for rejuvenation or recovery from my sport over a decade as my coach did not believe in the idea of taking a break,” she remarks.

It was a time when her passion for fencing had turned into pressure for her. “I constantly indulged in thoughts of what others would think about me and my performances,” she shares.

Chhavi had to take a sabbatical of a-year-and-a-half. By the end of it, she bounced back with the support of her parents and after undergoing therapy to look at her passion for sports with a different lens. The athlete went on to win multiple competitions after her return to fencing, and since then has become an advocate of mental health.

Journey of rising above self-doubt

The experience of getting counselled was therapeutic and helpful for the athlete, making her look at her passion with a different lens. “The attitude of running after medals and the pressure that accompanied that mindset got altered in playing the game for the love of it,” she remarks. Not only this, Chhavi passed her 12th board exams with flying colours earning 96.75 percent marks.

Owing to her personal positive experiences of taking therapy Chhavi developed an interest in counselling, and started using social media to spread awareness on this vital issue and has eventually turned a counsellor.

Despite being a sportsperson she never neglected academics and pursued bachelors of arts in psychology, certificate course, diploma and advanced diploma in guidance and counselling from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and pursued MSc in performance psychology at the University of Edinburgh.

The sportsperson has won the BUCS championship and won the Scottish student sport champion award for 2022-23 in the UK.

Inner spark matters

As a mental health and well-being enthusiast, Chhavi has started her counselling service - Spark Matters - dedicated to supporting individuals and communities in their journeys towards improved well-being.

The mental health advocate has curated a wealth of resources, including articles, self-care tips, and evidence-based practices for people to achieve greater balance and resilience in life. “As someone who has experienced the benefits of therapy firsthand, I believe that seeking help for our mental health should be just as normalised as seeking help for our physical health,” Chhavi remarks.

[caption id="attachment_36967" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Chhavi Kohli[/caption]

As a mental health and wellbeing practitioner, Chhavi believes that therapy is not just for people who wish to solve problems; it is also for improving as a person and working on one’s state of mind. “Well-being is extremely important. We are running after things without realising that it's costing our health,” she remarks adding. “Just like we take care of our physical health by exercising and eating well, we should be taking good care of our minds by seeking assistance from a professional if needed.”

Giving back and gaining recognition in the UK

Last year Chhavi was conferred the UK Achievers Award by British Council (India) and the Department for Trade (UK). “The award was for my pro bono work in mental health for underprivileged athletes,” says Chhavi, who keeps on counselling such athletes in an attempt to give back to the society.

The athlete, artist and mental health practitioner expresses gratitude towards the National Indian Students and Alumni (UK) for helping her gain recognition for promoting mental health and well-being as an athlete. “It was an honour to share the stage with other phenomenal achievers Parineeti Chopra, Raghav Chadha, Purva Aggarwal and Adrija Biswas,” she shares. “Representing my University, The University of Edinburgh at the award event was also a big matter of pride.”

[caption id="attachment_36973" align="aligncenter" width="865"] Chhavi Kohli while receiving the Achievers Award in the UK[/caption]

Life in Scotland and future goals

Chhavi currently lives in Scotland. With specialisation in performance enhancement, mental health, and wellbeing, she is dedicated towards promoting holistic wellness and performance psychology through her consultancy service - Spark Matters.

For the moment, fencing has taken a backseat for Chhavi. “I do not have the finances to support my fencing in the UK. Indian Fencing is not particularly flexible in accommodating the needs of fencers who are also pursuing other careers,” tells the athlete. “I am working to become a licensed psychologist in the UK and hopefully resume fencing,” she signs off.

[caption id="attachment_36977" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Chhavi Kohli with one of her paintings[/caption]

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To know more about her work visit Spark Matter's website

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