Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveFrom Hobby to Profession: Bala Nivetha’s journey of Russian Sculpture Painting

From Hobby to Profession: Bala Nivetha’s journey of Russian Sculpture Painting

Written by: Amrita Priya

(June 28, 2023) When Bala received an offer to create art pieces for two of the recently opened Haldiram’s outlets in Hyderabad it was a pleasant surprise for the artist. She embarked on her creative journey to showcase Indian heritage through her unique Russian Sculpting Painting – a lesser–known art form in which she has garnered immense expertise. Despite the tight deadline, Bala’s dedication resulted in captivating artworks. Bala remarks in an interview with Global Indian, “Interest towards Russian Sculpting Art is a very recent trend. Not many are aware of it.”

A fusion of painting and sculpture, mastering Russian Sculpture Painting presents a steep learning curve initially, but once people master it, they unleash magic on their canvas. Bala who is not just an artist but also an art educator, has guided over 2,000 learners from India and abroad to create their own enchanting artworks. One of India’s biggest retailer for art and craft supplies, Itsy Bitsy has also commissioned Bala as one of its brand ambassadors.

Bala Nivetha

Organic popularity

Bala finds happiness and satisfaction in her swift success within just two years of venturing into Russian Sculpting Art. As an early adopter of Instagram’s reels feature, she witnessed her creations amassing impressive views, with some reaching as high as 18 million impressions.

Inspired by this organic growth, Bala recognized the potential of social media in expanding her business. She emphasises the importance of monetizing one’s followers. Her influence has transcended national borders, and she has been able to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including the US, UK, Russia, and the Middle East.

Managing rapid growth

Within a short period, Bala’s Instagram account experienced an exponential surge in followers, reaching 100K purely organically. She recalls being unprepared for the overwhelming traffic, as her follower count increased by 1,000 every second. “I didn’t know how to handle it,” she smiles. Acknowledging her remarkable growth, Meta, the company behind Instagram, invited her as one of the few influencers from Tamil Nadu to a conference in Chennai, attended by people from across the country.

Within two years, Bala has successfully trained 2,000 individuals between the ages of 15 and 60, both within India and abroad. Language barriers have posed challenges in expanding her reach further, as enthusiasts from countries such as Iran, and Iraq have expressed keen interest but face communication limitations. “Since the art form originates from the country, the highest level of interest that I have received so far is from Russia but again, language is a barrier,” she remarks.

Bala conducts online classes and offline workshops in Salem, Bengaluru, and Chennai, providing art kits to participants in India and recommending local shops for those overseas due to customs restrictions on shipping Russian colour pastes.

From hobby to profession

Bala had always been interested in the arts. “It was my hobby for as long as I can remember,” she says. From standard eighth onwards, she consistently participated in and won competitions at school, district, and state levels. “I was popular for my art in school,” she smiles.

When she passed out of Cluny Higher Secondary School in Salem, the nearest and easiest course matching her creativity was that of fashion designing at the Kongu Art and Science College in Erode. It took one-and-half hours of travelling from Salem to Erode for Bala to attend college. “I could have gone to other towns like Coimbatore, Chennai, and Bengaluru but being a pampered child, I did not want to go too far from my parents.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕒ℕ𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕒|Art Workshops (@balanivetha_)

Passing out as the second rank holder in BSc, she went on to do her MSc in fashion designing from the same college and eventually gravitated towards the realm of arts.

Discovering Russian Sculpture Painting by chance, Bala immersed herself in the craft through self-teaching and learning from renowned painters’ worldwide by watching their videos. The unexpected boost of social media during the pandemic propelled her career. Now earning six figures per month, Bala looks forward to establishing an art studio in her hometown, Salem.

Future aspirations

Having already taught numerous individuals, some of whom have become teachers themselves, Bala anticipates Russian Sculpture Painting becoming more widespread in the coming days. With that in mind, the artist-educator plans to explore other unique art forms before they become commonplace, continuing her artistic journey.

Follow Bala Nivetha on Instagram

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

1 Comment

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Sree Sydhanya

June 29, 2023 10:30 pm

Its such a True inspiration reading about her✨wishing Grt success to you ✨

Published on 28, Jun 2023

Share with

ALSO READ

Basketball player Ishan Sharma is shooting his way to stardom

(October 26, 2023) When he was just about four years old, his father bought him a ball. While he first played soccer with it for the first couple of days, the kid soon started playing basketball with his friends with the same ball. It was here that Ishan Sharma, an Indian Canadian basketball player, started his journey. And today, the 6'5" player has a reputation as a dangerous perimeter shooter. "I think my biggest strength is my ability to shoot the ball in catch-and-shoot situations, off-the-dribble situations, live-ball situations and also creating my shot when defenders overplay me," the player said in a recent interview, adding, "I have a high IQ for the game, play with a lot of skill and feel which allows me to use ball screens as well and make decisions off being a primary ball handler or secondary ball handler and just making the right read every time I touch the ball. So those are my strengths." After winning several games for his team at the Fort Erie International Academy, and leading the Canadian team in FIBA tournaments, the star player is set to join the University of Virginia's basketball team for 2024. "Everybody is really

"600" height="750" />

After winning several games for his team at the Fort Erie International Academy, and leading the Canadian team in FIBA tournaments, the star player is set to join the University of Virginia's basketball team for 2024. "Everybody is really humble here and that really stood out to me," said Ishan, talking about his selection, "I really see myself fitting in well, both on and off the court, and improving my game."

Starting young

Ishan's parents moved from India to Milton, Ontario in search of better opportunities. Growing up Ishan watched several matches - of various sports - with his father and brother, who is also a Canadian Elite Basketball League player. But the one sport that allured him the most was basketball. "I grew up watching a lot of Klay Thompson, Tyler Herro, Devin Booker, those kinds of 2-guards, and they’re really skilled. They really can shoot the ball and I kind of like watching them model my game after them, see what I can add, and all that kind of stuff," the player said, adding, "I started playing basketball when I was around four or five years old. I played rec basketball for the first time when I was in third grade. I played for like the local team in Milton called Halton Basketball and from there I just worked really hard playing for them for a long time. Worked hard, but then COVID happened and I found my way to UPLAY and so through UPLAY, I got some exposure and I met some people who have helped me get to where I am today."

[caption id="attachment_33743" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Ishan with his team[/caption]

While at school, the player started representing his country in the FIBA competitions. Talking about his biggest takeaways, Global Indian said, "Being able to represent that country is the utmost honour. It's truly a privilege to represent where you're from in your home country, but one of my biggest takeaways is that basketball has become a global game. It's not just the US, it's not just Canada, but everywhere in the world. You know, Africa, Europe, these places have really tough, physical, skilled guys who can do everything. So you know, we have to always stay locked in because it's not just North America now, it's a global game. So it just opened my eyes to the world of basketball that's obviously grown."

Goals ahead

With a good height and strong catch-and-shoot ability, the basketball player feels that his greatest strength is the off-the-dribble situation - which can help the University of Virginia win several matches in the forthcoming season. But, there are also several fields that the player is looking to work on going forward. "First of all, I'm trying to get stronger physically. And also work on my finishing package around the rim, finishing over taller defenders, finishing through contact and I feel like those two things will help me at the next level," the player said.

A Rubik's cube enthusiast, who also loves to play pool when he isn't at a tournament, is very proud of his Indian heritage. "I take a huge pride in that because basketball's not that big in India, yet, so I can represent my country in a sport that's not very popular and maybe kids growing up that look up to me who are Indian or Canadian Indian, they can look up to me and see that these things are possible. I can work hard. I can be in a similar situation and I can do whatever I want. I don't have to let my background, my race, my heritage, or my country affect the things that I want to do. So I take a lot of pride in that," said the player after winning a match recently.

[caption id="attachment_33744" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Ishan with his family[/caption]

As he starts a new journey in his life, Ishan is looking to inspire the next generation through his game. "I would just want to be remembered as someone who used their platform to inspire upcoming players, especially young kids who are of Indian descent or South Asian descent who maybe look at me and see something that they want to do and see that it's possible. So just inspiring those kids who really want to do something with basketball or with sports in general," the player expressed.

Follow Ishan Sharma on Instagram

Neel Moudgal: Indian-American teen helping scientist efficiently study RNA to cure diseases

(March 5, 2023) It was in 2022 that Michigan-based Indian-American teen Neel Moudgal learnt about winning a $25,000 scholarship from the Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program for his project Using Unassigned NMR Chemical Shifts to Model RNA Secondary Structure. The honour for the Saline resident came from creating a platform that could help scientists easily develop treatments for cancer, viruses, genetic disorders, and other diseases. "It means so much for them to recognize my work as having some benefit to society,” said the teenager, who began working on the project in the summer of 2020. The project has made him win $250,000 at the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023. Neel’s quest to work towards finding cures for diseases is personal – his grandfather suffers from Alzheimer’s and Neel has seen his suffering firsthand. [caption id="attachment_28062" align="aligncenter" width="471"] Neel Modugal[/caption] It is no secret that RNA (Ribonucleic acid) teaches the body how to make proteins that can support your immune system or even treat diseases. Scientists believe that understanding RNA structure could unlock cures for many diseases, and Neel's project aids scientists to help develop treatments for many diseases. For this, he developed a new platform to predict the structure of various

nderstanding RNA structure could unlock cures for many diseases, and Neel's project aids scientists to help develop treatments for many diseases. For this, he developed a new platform to predict the structure of various RNA molecules rapidly with easily available data, with the help of his mentor Professor Aaron Frank at the University of Michigan.

"Unfortunately, understanding the structure of RNA has been a difficult task due to the limitations in equipment and computational power and remains a major challenge in biophysics. My project focused on developing a new platform that can predict the structure of various RNA molecules rapidly with easily available data, thus allowing researchers the opportunity to develop novel treatments," the Global Indian wrote on the David Institute website.

Since the project involved science that wasn't taught in high school, the 16-year-old had to rely on academic papers to learn the required material. And that in itself was one of the exciting parts for Neel - to learn and actively apply it. However, the project came with its share of challenges - the prime being the pandemic. Due to the lockdown, lab access was impossible, and it felt limiting to not be able to walk up to people for quick clarification or feedback on an idea. However, Zoom, Slack, and other platforms came to his rescue and helped him connect with lab members to clear his doubts or seek any kind of guidance.

One and a half years into the research, he found success in developing a platform that can rapidly and accurately predict the secondary structure for RNA molecules using only unassigned chemical shift data. "Our methods can help predict the structure and behaviour of RNA molecules in both physiological as well as pathological states and as a result, this platform has the potential to greatly increase our understanding of the molecular and cellular processes that underlie human diseases," said Neel, who is hopeful that researchers will have the opportunity to work rapidly with RNA molecules in emerging pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.

Neel, who is a senior at Saline High School in Michigan, enjoys travelling, reading, and collecting rocks, coins, and stamps. He hopes to major in biophysics and statistics in his undergraduate studies and eventually pursue a career in medicine and research. "My goal is to conduct translational research and develop treatments “from bench to bedside,” working in a laboratory to devise cures for diseases and working with patients to deploy these treatments. I feel that this would put my passion for research to use to benefit others."

Reading Time: 4 min

Indian-origin Omishka Hirachund is bridging healthcare divides in South Africa

(February 10, 2024) When Omishka Hirachund was a child, her grandmother suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and was admitted to the ICU. At that tender age, she was extremely frightened to enter the ICU, and her heart shattered when her grandmother passed away. "But it sparked a passion in me to become a doctor and make a difference in patients' lives,'' Omishka shared. Omishka, who is of Indian descent and living in Africa, went on to study medicine, viewing it not just as a career but as a means to serve society. Having completed her MBBCH at the University of Witwatersrand in 2019 and her Masters in Medical Sciences at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2023, she has been serving as the medical officer, internal medicine in the Department of Health, South Africa. She has also now aligned herself as a volunteer doctor with the #keready project – an initiative of DGMT, a South African foundation that uses mobile units to provide free health services in underdeveloped, rural communities of South Africa to promote primary healthcare. [caption id="attachment_35742" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Dr Omishka Hirachund[/caption] For her selfless service for the #keready project and other voluntary initiatives to promote healthcare and wellbeing,

ces in underdeveloped, rural communities of South Africa to promote primary healthcare.

[caption id="attachment_35742" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Dr Omishka Hirachund[/caption]

For her selfless service for the #keready project and other voluntary initiatives to promote healthcare and wellbeing, Omishka Hirachund was named in the annual Mail and Guardian's ‘200 Young South Africans’ list of 2023. She was one of the 18 Indian origin changemakers to be named in the list.

The #keready initiative

The #keready mobile clinic project has been made possible through a grant from the Department of Health of the Federal Republic of Germany that DGMT received. The project is making healthcare accessible, affordable, and relatable. With her goal of making South Africa a safer place, especially for children and women, Omishka has played a vital role in the movement.

The #keready is being carried forward in association with the provincial departments of health in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape areas of South Africa. Durban based Omishka provides voluntary services in the eThekwini and the Umgungundlovu districts.

With the help of young doctors and nurses #keready is not just focussed in providing free healthcare but also uses social media channels, and podcasts to help people find the right health information. Since social media and podcasts are platforms that attract more young people, this demographic segment is receiving healthcare tips and advice, which they tend to overlook.

[caption id="attachment_35743" align="aligncenter" width="831"] #keready mobile clinic[/caption]

Passionate about making South Africa better

“I would like the healthcare system to support primary healthcare initiatives and ensure equitable access to healthcare for all,” remarked Omishka after being named in the ‘200 Young South Africans’ list. Minimisation of discrimination against people living with HIV, more accessible and acceptable obstetric healthcare to pregnant women, and menstrual hygiene are some of the issues that she deeply cares about.

“The gender-based violence rates and the repercussions of the violence on our society and healthcare systems are devastating. I would like South Africans to remember who they are and what we fought so hard for — equality,” says Omishka who has started the anti-substance abuse project in the Wentworth area for teenagers, in coordination with Dr Daniel Kocks and the Department of Social Development, Government of South Africa.

The young doctor serves as a volunteer Subject Matter Expert on a medical talk show aired by Megazone Radio, aiming to educate people about common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Additionally, she contributes articles on healthcare to scholarly journals.

Volunteering – a passion

Since her school days, Omishka has had a passion for volunteering. She actively participated in feeding schemes and donation campaigns organised by the Seva Bhakti Foundation in Durban and neighbouring areas. Additionally, she contributed to regular feeding and baking initiatives at the social service organisation, Aryan Benevolent Homes. Her involvement as a volunteer with St. Thomas Children’s Centre in Durban dates back to her growing up years. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the then medical student had dedicated herself to assisting people in various ways. “I was part of the mask drive organised by the department of paediatrics, King Edward Hospital, Durban,” she shared. The youngster was also part of the sanitary pad drive by Kerr House Women's Hospice in 2021.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Keready SA (@kereadysa)

Driven by her life’s mission to empower disadvantaged women, Omishka has been providing donations, assistance, lectures and educational counselling workshops at the Open Door Crisis Centre supporting abused women and children. She is also a member of the Umhlanga Women's Association which works for food relief in destitute areas.

Life beyond healthcare and future plans

Born and brought up in Durban, Omishka was a very dedicated student right from her school days. She was selected as the head girl of her school and vice house captain of the school house, and had passed the International Benchmark Tests with distinction in Mathematics, Science and English.

Although she is armed with a bachelors and master’s degree in medicine along with diploma in primary emergency care and diploma in HIV Management Omishka’s educational goals are far from over. She aspires to specialise in cardiology or endocrinology.

Beyond the world of healthcare Omishka’s passions include travel, running and reading.

Follow Dr Omishka Hirachund on LinkedIn and Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

Spaceonova: Enabling space tech for therapeutic applications

(August 11, 2022) India's Space Activity Bill 2022 is all set to give private sector participation in space tech the launch pad for which they have been waiting. As space-related activity and research are ramped up around the world, India, which is home to over 100 spacetech startups, intends to be a major a global player. In November 2021, Hyderabad-based space tech firm Skyroot Aerospace successfully test fired Dhawan 1, India's first privately-built fully Cryogenic rocket engine. As Skyroot makes headway on its launch vehicle, Vikram-1, the company will give private innovation another boost, through its collaboration with Spaceonova. A space-research startup co-founded by Shivam Singh and Dr Shreya Santra, Spaceonova is currently developing a one-of-a-kind miniaturised lab in space that will be launched on Vikram-1. "We are looking at biophysical experiments in microgravity using technology called micro-electromechanical systems," Shivam says, in an interview with Global Indian.This year, Shivam will head to the US to complete his training as a Scientist-Astronaut Candidate by Project PoSSUM, the Aeronomy Research Program at the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). At the time of our conversation, Shivam had just moved to Hyderabad, where Spaceonova will be part of the Atal Incubation Centre at

>At the time of our conversation, Shivam had just moved to Hyderabad, where Spaceonova will be part of the Atal Incubation Centre at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. The Incubation Centre falls under the umbrella of the Atal Incubation Mission, a non-profit company established in 2019. It is part of the larger Atal Innovation Mission, a flagship initiative by the government of India and NITI Aayog. "Here, we have access to the high-tech biological labs and other facilities we need," Shivam says.

Missing out on IIT to being a citizen space scientist

Born in Visakhapatnam, into a Navy family, Shivam's early years were spent moving around the country. He returned to hometown and finished his tenth grade at the Navy Children's School, showing a deep interest in both science and psychology. So, he ended up at the FIITJEE junior college with a 100 percent scholarship, where all roads led to IIT and the focus was concentrated solely on strategising for the rigorous entrance exam.

"I almost gave up on studying at that point," Shivam admits. "I spent two years thinking of everything except my coursework." He didn't get into the IIT of his choice and instead joined Delhi University for a BSc Honours in Electronics. "There was a certain mindset at the time - if you take BSc, you are a failure," he remarks. "But I decided to follow my passion for the subject and prepare for B.Tech. The course also had an entrepreneurial element, which interested me."

In college, Shivam, who was interning with i3 Indya Technologies, would conduct technical workshops at local colleges. As he did this, he realised the glaring gaps in the system and the fact that students aren't adequately prepared to meet industrial needs. "Even the IITs train you to work at Google and other MNCs but don't really delve into newer technologies," he says. At the same time, he and a friend were discussing the absence of telescopes in college and decided to start their own astronomy club, Vyoma. This was back in 2019. "We did some research and participated in an asteroid search, we managed to locate three confirmed asteroids," Shivam says. Hhey also interned with the Star Lab in Surat, which was working to build a 3D printed, high-powered rocket. "They were working on the recovery system and although I didn't have enough knowledge then, I joined the team as a Systems and Propulsions Engineer."

[caption id="attachment_20364" align="aligncenter" width="543"] Team Spaceonova[/caption]

How Spaceonova came to be

One year later, Vyoma, which began amid great opposition from their seniors in college, emerged as Spaceonova. At the time, their aim was to teach astronomy and the latest technology to students and faculty in their college and to underprivileged kids. The idea was to "create a space ecosystem where anyone can be a space technologist." So far, over 45,000 students across some 40 countries have been impacted by their work, which involves helping them to pursue careers in the space sciences.

In August 2021, their organisation became Spaceonova Private Limited, a space tech and research company, which received its government of India recognition in October that year. "We have two laterals," Shivam explains. "One is space research and tech, we're using microgravity research for therapeutic applications."

Microgravity is a condition in which the pull of gravity is so low that objects appear weightless. These 'G-forces' can never entirely be absent - however, one would have to go very far from the Earth's orbit to experience this state. "We are looking at simulators, high altitude balloons and parabolic flights to create microgravity conditions," Shivam explains. "We could, for instance, launch our lab in a balloon and allow it to free fall, mimicking microgravity for a few seconds. This will give us real-time data on how the lab performs."

High altitude balloon tests for the miniature lab are being planned for the end of 2022. "This is our milestone for the year. Once it's done, we move to space qualification testing and expose it to thermal radiation. Next year comes the orbital launch." They are also working to access parabolic flights through the US-based spaceflight services. A Falcon 20 aircraft is specially modified to simulate microgravity conditions.

Revolutionising therapeutic research

The possibilities of using microgravity are endless, especially in terms of therapeutic applications," Shivam says. "For instance, there are many recessive traits which are revealed in those conditions that are not revealed on earth. It can lead to faster R&D, more innovation and generation of IP and holds great potential in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and fluid physics." Pharma giant AstraZeneca has been studying nanoparticle formation in microgravity to revolutionise molecular-targeting strategies in drug delivery systems.

"In India, we still tend to think of space research in terms of satellites and launch vehicles," Shivam remarks. "But there are many companies already exploring therapeutic applications, software and space robotics." Spaceonova currently has a core team of four people, led by Dr Shreya Shanta and Shivam.

Follow Spaceonova on Instagram

Trash to Triumph: Vivek Gurav’s global impact with Pune Ploggers

(November 15, 2023) Imagine being dubbed a ‘Kachra Wala’ while striving to keep your city's river banks clean. This was something that software developer and environmentalist Vivek Gurav faced. With a deep passion for environmental cleanliness, he weathered the initial backlash and founded Pune Ploggers. His community of volunteers engages in ecological rehabilitation through clean-up drives and plogging (combining jogging with picking up litter), and adopting rivers like Mula-Mutha, Indrayani, and Pawana in Pune for rejuvenation. What began as a modest initiative in Pune has blossomed into a movement spanning 32 cities across India with more than 10,000 volunteers, and has also expanded to the United Kingdom, impressing the prime minister of UK, earning the ‘Points of Light’ award and wide recognition in UK’s media. [caption id="attachment_34111" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Vivek Gurav[/caption] Pune Ploggers in the UK After completing his bachelors in computer science engineering in Pune, Vivek went on to pursue a master's in environmental policy and management at the University of Bristol in the UK. Undeterred by cold weather and snowfall, he extended his community-benefit efforts in the United Kingdom as well, and gradually got successful in establishing plogging communities in several cities of the UK with thousands of

d management at the University of Bristol in the UK. Undeterred by cold weather and snowfall, he extended his community-benefit efforts in the United Kingdom as well, and gradually got successful in establishing plogging communities in several cities of the UK with thousands of volunteers.

Vivek's initiatives earned him the Point of Light award from the UK PM, leading to an invitation to 10 Downing Street. He met PM Rishi Sunak who showed immense interest in the youngster’s plogging initiatives. Reflecting on this journey, Vivek remarked in a speech “What made this small campaign transform into a global voice was the intention to make an impact. My purpose didn’t allow me to sleep, and keep my dreams confined to one location. I wanted to expand and reach out to as many youngsters as possible and build a community that would thrive on the simple idea of change making.”

The life changing journey

In 2014, Vivek moved to Pune from a small village of Maharashtra with aspirations to attain something big in life, oblivious of the milestones he would soon achieve in the sphere of community development. “As a village boy the first thing that caught my attention in the big city was the poor condition of Mula-Muttha river. It was filthy and looked like a drainage.” It stinked and the water was black due to the trash that flowed through the heart of the city. Vivek witnessed the same filthy condition of another river that flowed near his engineering college.

[caption id="attachment_34118" align="aligncenter" width="860"] Pune Ploggers Team[/caption]

“I come from a village where clean rivers flow. We can actually go and drink the clean river water. When I came to Pune I was disappointed to see that rivers of the city in such a polluted state,” said Vivek adding, “People from villages go to cities to study, to build their dreams but the problem in the cities is that people are not mindful enough about their natural resources.” This discovery compelled him start changing the scenario, one step at a time.

Initiating change

In his first year of college, he launched a cleaning drive along the littered river near his campus. To begin with he approached the local municipal council but encountered a blame game between residents and authorities regarding their responsibilities. Frustrated with finger-pointing on each other, he decided to take action on his own. Igniting his inner eco warrior, he started cleaning the river at five am daily, inviting friends to join. Over three months his efforts transformed the once filthy riverside into a clean and popular hangout spot for students. This became a powerful example of an individual initiative and team effort bringing about positive change.

The birth of Pune Ploggers

In 2019, after graduating, Vivek finally transitioned from recognising a problem, working for community around him to launching a city-wide movement—Pune Ploggers. Combining jogging and picking up plastic, a concept originating from Sweden in 2016, the campaign aimed to make a positive impact for the residents of Pune. Volunteers would pick up trash during their morning walk or jog, engaging in a dual purpose - personal fitness and environmental clean-up. “Since our inception in October 2019, Pune Ploggers has evolved into a global community with over 10,000 active participants, spanning four years of dedicated efforts,” Vivek shared.

[caption id="attachment_34119" align="aligncenter" width="685"] Vivek's plogging efforts in the UK[/caption]

Movement to the UK – dream come true

Vivek got so steeped into the cause of tackling climate change by managing garbage that he wanted to gain expertise as a climate scientist and environmental policymaker that he thought was crucial for his non-profit’s growing environmental initiatives.

With no funds and limited financial backing, securing a loan also proved difficult as the only asset that the family could project for guarantee against the loan repayment was a small farm land in the village.

As he had been trained as a software developer, his decision to study a master’s in climate science was also met with rejection from several universities, who said he had no prior academic exposure to the subject. However, the University of Bristol finally recognised his achievements beyond his engineering course and offered him a full scholarship. Vivek Gurav left his IT job and seized the opportunity. “Coming from a humble background with no financial support, securing full scholarship was a boon and strengthened my determination to mitigate the impact of garbage and trash on the climate,” he said.

[caption id="attachment_34114" align="aligncenter" width="663"] Vivek Gurav at BBC's studio, UK[/caption]

The cause in UK

When Vivek moved to Bristol for his studies in 2021, he went on to establish a plogger community there. “When thousands woke up early on weekends, gathering to pick up trash, their collective positive intentions became a powerful force for better environment,” the Global Indian said.

“Against all odds, I found myself in a foreign land, talking to climate scientists, conducting research, and expanding my knowledge. Last year, I undertook a remarkable journey, traveling to 30 cities in the UK in 30 days, facing challenges like snowfall. This journey expanded the plogging community with thousands of active ploggers in the UK.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Plogman | Vivek Gurav (@theplogman)

Chalk of Shame

To reshape mind-sets, Vivek Gurav and Pune Ploggers team has introduced an innovative initiative called ‘Chalk of Shame’. “Using chalk, we circle cigarette butts and other such litter on the streets, and write sarcastic slogans to make people realise their shameful act,” he says. This creative tool became a nationwide phenomenon, garnering millions of views on social media. It not only tackled the litter problem but also fostered creativity and awareness. The Pune Ploggers community has further expanded its focus on solving problems and encouraging values like equality and diversity, allowing like-minded individuals to thrive in generating ideas and solutions that contribute to positive societal change.

Good intentions can bring change

What began as a small initiative in Pune expanded across 32 cities in India and several cities of the UK, with a significant presence in London. Vivek Gurav’s journey, from a small town to studying climate science, exploring UK as a climate activist, and establishing a global task force, stands as a testament to the power of intentions and the transformative impact of a small yet significant issue of litter management with the big goal of averting climate change.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pune Ploggers (@puneploggers)

Follow Vivek Gurav on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
Follow Pune Ploggers on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins