Belagavi to Brooklyn: How Indian filmmaker Siddharth Salgaonkar’s home-grown short made it to the Toronto Film Festival
Published by: Team GI Youth
(August 27, 2023) “A film so guerilla that it was written, directed, shot, and edited by me, in my house, with no crew, and my mom as the only actor,” Siddharth Salgaonkar said, about his short-film, Monster. The one-minute short was among the 23 selected from around the world to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was a big break for the young Indian filmmaker and put Belagavi, a town in Karnataka, on the world map. “Monster was made using available materials and meagre resources, featured my mother Seema as an actress and my father Hemant as a crew member,” the young Indian filmmaker told The Hindu. “As a child, I wanted to be either a chef or a filmmaker. I think I have made my choice now after a lot of thought,” he smiled.
Siddharth was born in Belagavi and his father, Hemant Salgaonkar is an artist trained at Mumbai’s JJ School of Art. Creativity runs in the family, his mother is a Marathi theatre artist and a yoga teacher and his brother graduated from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad and is now a UX-Designer in California.
Siddharth went on to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia and graduated in 2022. These days, Siddharth lives in Brooklyn, where he continues to pursue his dream of being a writer / director / actor. He’s also exploring a new interest – standup comedy. Now a regular performer in New York’s standup comedy circuit, the polymath is also working on his next independent film. “I’d dreamt of living in New York since I was little,” the Global Indian says. “I’m in love with the city and the people and want to continue living here for the foreseeable future.”
Early Student Films
He began making films as a student at the Srishti School of Art in Bengaluru, doing both fiction and non-fiction. His first film, Call, explores the relationship between a mother and son, and was based on true events. In the film, the protagonist waits for a call from his mother, which never comes. Although he doesn’t know why, he senses that something is wrong. In ‘Delete’, a “seven shot short”, a young man becomes oddly attached to an eraser. His films usually focus on the mundane, but are filled with tension and leave the audience wondering why. In Masala Beda, for instance, he captures the anxious anticipation of a student who waits for his order at the college canteen.
The non-fiction work of young Indian filmmaker, on the other hand, takes on social concerns. ‘Livelihood on a Ride’ delves into the ongoing battle that street vendors have against the municipality and the government in Bengaluru, as they jostle each other for space to make their meagre living. Ganesh Visarjan Bangalore is a brief documentary of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Yelahanka.
Although his shorts make an impact, they have their share of challenges. “As an independent filmmaker, you have to restrict yourself while writing a film to make sure you can afford to make it,” he explains. “I would like to believe that my ability to write humour – especially the dark, satirical kind – is one of my best characteristics,” says Siddharth, who sees himself as a writer first, then an actor and a standup comedian. “Stories play the most important role in my life. Coming from a small town in India, there are a lot of culturally unique stories and experiences that I have picked up that I want to narrate to the world.”
(April 22, 2022) Number whizzes, Dubai-based brothers Raghav and Madhav have turned numerals into more than just that, with their social endeavours. For them, it’s evident that charity begins with numbers! The brothers with roots in Chennai are not only maths wizards but dedicated philanthropists who have raised close to 40,000 dirhams as part of their philanthropic initiatives for Al Jalila Foundation (an initiative of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai) and Smile Train, Dubai (world's largest charity for children with cleft). They have other charity initiatives too. At just 12 (Raghav) and nine (Madhav), the genius prodigies also have a cartload of awards and accolades. “Not using the abilities that we have is useless. We have learned that we should use our talent for a noble cause,” says the older sibling Raghav in an interview with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_15387" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Raghav and Madhav, maths wizards[/caption] Since 10, and seven, Raghav and Madhav have been helping special needs students, the have-nots, and the pandemic saw them raise funds to help those affected. "Since we couldn't really meet face-to-face, we met people online to showcase our mental math abilities firsthand and raise funds," says Madhav.
Since 10, and seven, Raghav and Madhav have been helping special needs students, the have-nots, and the pandemic saw them raise funds to help those affected. "Since we couldn't really meet face-to-face, we met people online to showcase our mental math abilities firsthand and raise funds," says Madhav.
A big brother who showed the path
Raghav, who was felicitated by Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO, Al Jalila Foundation for his humanitarian efforts, has been conferred the coveted Hamdam Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for distinguished student 2020-2021. The then consulate-general of India to Dubai awarded him the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Award, 2020. A math wizard and Diana awardee, there is a depth to his talent and abilities. He represented the UAE national team in the IMSO Olympiad (Indonesia), and is among the top 5 in the Junior Mental Calculation World Championship held in Germany. Dubai Cares has awarded Raghav, the Young-Philanthropist Award in 2019.
Yet, of paramount importance is his dedication towards developing his mathematical acumen. Raghav took up an algebra honours course meant for seniors at the North-Western University at the Centre for Talent Development, US. Unsurprisingly, he passed with a whopping 92 percent, though still in grade six. The consecutive two-time gold medallist in the math Olympiad, UAE brushes off these brilliant accolades, as his interest lies in using his talent to help others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl6pVsFJTVw
Both Raghav and Madhav enrolled in UCMAS (a worldwide skill development programme promoting the universal concept of a mental arithmetic system) at age five. The course laid a solid foundation for their extraordinary mathematics skills. “There is one competition - Flash in UCMAS, wherein numbers flash on screen, and you’re supposed to add them quickly. In that style of competition, I am the flash champion in UAE,” smiles an excited 12-year-old Raghav.
Private coaching from world-renowned experts, both in India and the UK, Raghav even trained himself in advanced mental math abilities. "We would like to do more charity for causes like teaching visually impaired about astronomy," says Raghav.
The little boy genius
Madhav is an ardent fan of his older brother, and loves emulating him. The UAE national level first ranker in the Ignited Mind Labs Mental Math competition in 2021, he is also a national level gold medallist in the Mathematics Olympiad conducted by IOF in 2021-2022 (UAE).
With three awards in the UCMAS National Abacus Mental Arithmetic Competition 2019 (in visual calculation, flash mental calculation, and listening mental calculation in the junior 4 category), Madhav’s prowess follows closely behind Raghav’s. An international champion at the UCMAS International Abacus competition (Cambodia, 2020), Madhav also learned to spread his wings. The avid cricketer started training at the International Cricket Council Academy in Dubai at five. He won the ICC Academy ADIB Warriors U-7’s coveted One to Watch Award 2019. An exceptional talent as a stylish left-handed batsman, Madhav is determined to take the sport further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BMeqi409VQ
Fundraising through mathematics
The brilliant brothers, Raghav and Madhav set up the YallaGive campaign to raise funds for Al Jalila Foundation’s Ta’alouf (harmony in Arabic) programme which empowers children of determination (special needs kids) by equipping parents and teachers to develop necessary skills to hone potential. The pandemic saw them raise funds (online) by posting videos, and setting up virtual meetings asking mental math questions to potential donors – the better they performed, the greater the donors contributed. Raising 30,000 dirhams for children with Down Syndrome and autism, they facilitated scientific training for 73 teachers across 23 schools in the UAE in 2020.
Chain of Initiatives
Raghav and Madhav's math acumen is spectacular, and that has given them an impetus to use it to help others. Sponsoring the education of an orphan girl child in India, Raghav is also the Youth Ambassador of Water Alliance, and often conducts webinars to propagate handwashing techniques, and water conservation. As youth ambassadors of Smile Train, they bore medical expenses of children suffering from cleft in the MENA region.
Strong roots
“Learning something and developing talent is good. But using that talent for a noble cause is even better, so we figured out that we should do something good with the skills we have,” says Raghav thoughtfully.
[caption id="attachment_15390" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Raghav and Madhav[/caption]
Their father Sumanth Seshadri is head of compliance at Gulf Islamic investments. Their philanthropic urgings were nurtured by a charitable upbringing through generations with their grandfather helming a charitable trust in India as well. While Sumanth encourages and motivates his sons on charity, or specialised courses, and often brainstorms on ideas, their mother, Vedavalli, a Bharatanatyam dancer, guides them in studies, and life.
Shining bright
Not ones to rest on their laurels, Raghav is now keen on taking up astronomy, and wants to become an astronaut or space scientist. “I would also like to be an astronaut because I always like to follow in the footsteps of my brother,” Madhav smiles.
Child prodigies, medals, and 99-100 percent marks is a norm. However, all maths and no play is not what the brothers are about. They hold a brown belt (Kyu 3) in karate, and are set for a black belt test soon. They paint. Are religiously inclined - with the first prize (thrice consecutively) in the Bhagavad Gita chanting. Oh, and the Carnatic music students love reading. “I read many books regularly. Until now, I’ve read almost 100 to 200 books, I’ve won the voracious reader award in school too,” pipes the brilliant Raghav.
[caption id="attachment_15391" align="aligncenter" width="422"] Raghav and Madhav with parents[/caption]
Their interests and lives are a lesson in time management. “With careful planning, we manage time. We schedule plans early, and are persistent on what and when to do things. We put extra effort in whatever we do, with our whole mind in it,” enthuses Raghav as Madhav nods in affirmation. They study in Delhi Private School, Sharjah in class 8 and New Delhi Private School, Sharjah in class 5 respectively. For siblings of such stellar acumen and talent, their parents are their inspiration, even as world looks on in awe at their brilliant and well-rounded achievements.
(October 6, 2024) Every day, millions of people use toothbrushes and toothpaste packaged in plastic tubes as part of their daily oral care routine. While these products are essential for oral hygiene, their environmental impact is severe. According to the British Dental Journal, “The UK uses 300 million tubes of toothpaste every year. Spread end to end, that's about 75,000 kilometres of plastic, almost twice around the world.” Now, consider the global scale of this problem, with billions of dental hygiene products contributing to plastic pollution worldwide. An estimated 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes are consumed each year globally, and more than 23 billion plastic toothbrushes are discarded annually across the globe. To play his part in addressing this issue, Harsh P, an IIT-Guwahati student pursuing Master’s in Interaction Design came up with the innovative solution of biodegradable single-use, water-soluble toothbrushes that are infused with toothpaste. His design tackles the growing plastic waste crisis in dental care, and earned him the prestigious iF Design Student Award 2024. Harsh travelled to Milan in Italy this June to receive the award. “I wasn't expecting it. I just entered the competition, and my innovation emerged the winner in the student category,” the 24-year-old tells
avelled to Milan in Italy this June to receive the award. “I wasn't expecting it. I just entered the competition, and my innovation emerged the winner in the student category,” the 24-year-old tells Global Indian.
[caption id="attachment_39759" align="aligncenter" width="637"] Harsh receiving award from Uwe Cremering, CEO of iF Design Awards[/caption]
The iF Design Award
In 2024, the iF Design Award, presented by the non-profit iF Design Foundation, received nearly 11,000 submissions from 72 countries across both student and professional categories. The foundation aims to highlight design's significant global influence through this initiative.
Harsh competed in the product design category of the awards which spanned across various fields, including packaging design, communication design, interior architecture, and service design, among others. The entries were judged by a jury of members from around the globe.
To win the award, participants had to go through a two-stage selection process where their designs were evaluated by renowned design experts. “When I received the award in Milan, I felt very humbled by this honour, as I was sharing the stage with many famous designers,” says Harsh, who received the award from Uwe Cremering, CEO of the iF Design Awards initiative.
Although the award does not come with any monetary benefits, receiving this global recognition is a significant achievement for professionals and students. Harsh says his parents, peers and professors are proud of this accomplishment.
[caption id="attachment_39773" align="aligncenter" width="769"]Finger-based and tongue-based oral care biodegradable products designed by Harsh[/caption]
The innovative solution - Zero Brush
“I saw how plastic is affecting our environment, oceans and earth, so I thought let's change small things that can have huge impacts,” tells Harsh about his biodegradable toothbrush which he has named Zero Brush.
Zero Brush addresses the global problem of discarded toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes through two innovative designs - finger-based and tongue-based brushes, ideal for accessibility.
These single-use, water-soluble brushes are infused with toothpaste and made from semolina, corn, agar, and mint extracts. Unlike conventional brushes that contribute to plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, Zero Brush biodegrades naturally. “It’s unique UNO bristles and projections gently clean teeth and massage gums, while being vegan, sugar-free, and affordable,” tells Harsha. “I want everyone to join the fight against plastic and unleash a wave of sustainable smiles.”
[caption id="attachment_39760" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Harsh P at Milan[/caption]
In the world of designs
After completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical, electronics, and communications engineering from the Government SKSJT Institute in his hometown, Bengaluru, Harsh joined IIT Guwahati for his masters.
Talking about his decision to pursue design at the master’s level, he shares, "During my engineering studies, I had a great mentor who ran a research and innovation lab at my college. That experience exposed me to various fields, including design, which sparked my deep interest in it."
In addition to the biodegradable toothbrush that earned him the prestigious international award, Harsh has also developed other innovative products, such as a road profiler and a smart switch, among others.
“My future plan after completing my masters is to make better designs that reach and benefit the people of India and ultimately be beneficial to the whole world,” he says.
When Harsh travelled to Milan to receive the award, it was his first trip abroad. “The Milan experience was amazing. I explored new places and immersed myself in a different culture during my week-long stay,” says the young designer, who travelled solo.
His trip to Milan coincided with a three-week student exchange program in France. “I was selected by the French embassy in India for the French+Science course,” he tells. On his way from Italy to France, Harsh spent two days in Switzerland, as it was en route, exploring the region's beautiful landscapes.
The iF Design Award and the experience of travelling to multiple locations in Europe not only broadened the youngster’s horizons but also deepened his appreciation for international collaboration in design and education.
(July 5, 2024) The U.S. has an estimated 750,000 Sikh-Americans. Anmol Narang made history when, at the age of 23, she became the first observant Sikh to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point in 2020. It was a dream come true for the young officer to pass out from the most famous military academy in the world with more than a 200-year-old history. As the saying goes, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’, she recalled mailing her application to West Point, the military academy in the US from a hotel in Hawaii during her junior year of high school. She had just visited the Pearl Harbor National Memorial there and had felt inspired to serve. “Gender and religion do not hinder a person’s ability to be successful,” Anmol said, adding, “That’s the great thing about the United States military is that it brings together people from all corners of the world.” [caption id="attachment_38497" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Anmol Narang[/caption] After completing a rigorous four-year training programme at the 222-year-old U.S. Military Academy, Anmol Narang finished her Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. She then reported to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, for
"Indian Youth | Anmol Narang | Global Indian " width="705" height="594" /> Anmol Narang[/caption]
After completing a rigorous four-year training programme at the 222-year-old U.S. Military Academy, Anmol Narang finished her Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. She then reported to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, for her first posting, as a second lieutenant. After a year of her posting there, she was conferred the Federally Employed Women (FEW) Meritorious Service Award for her outstanding performance.
Inspired by her grandfather
Growing up in Roswell, Georgia, Anmol found the real stories her maternal grandfather, a veteran of the Indian Army, “very fascinating.” Her career choice to enter the Army was a natural progression. “The idea of a career in the Army seemed appealing” to her, even when she was young and didn’t know how to make it a part of her life.
Her grandfather, who served in the Indian Army in the 1960s and 70s, instilled in her the values of service and giving back to the community. A visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii during a trip strengthened her desire to follow her grandfather’s example. Learning about the sacrifices of service members, and the results of those sacrifices was very impactful on her impressionable mind.
When she graduated from the US Military Academy, excited and happy to be fulfilling her dream, she remarked, “The confidence and support of my community back home in Georgia has been deeply meaningful to me, and I am humbled that in reaching this goal, I am showing other Sikh Americansthat any career path is possible for anyone willing to rise to the challenge.”
Choosing the air defence branch
Anmol Narang had pursued a year of undergraduate studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology before joining West Point military academy, where she studied nuclear engineering which led her to a career path in air defence.
Upon graduating from the U.S. Military Academy, Anmol chose the air defense branch. “Air defense units play a pivotal role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region and help ensure that events like the bombing of Pearl Harbor don’t happen again,” Anmol had shared, explaining her choice. She highlighted that she was honoured to share such an important mission in the Pacific with her teammates.
Anmol went on to serve as the fire control platoon leader for Delta Battery, 1-1 ADA (Air Defense Artillery) which consisted of a diverse group of soldiers who operated U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) systems.
After a year at Kadena Air Base in Japan, Lieutenant Anmol Narang was awarded the Federally Employed Women (FEW) Meritorious Service Award during the annual FEW virtual leadership conference.
FEW’s Military Meritorious Service Awards recognise outstanding military service members within the Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to their service in the US.
For her consistent engagement with subordinates and mentoring of female soldiers in Delta Battery, she got nominated by one of her mentors, Lt. Col. Rosanna Clemente, former commander of 1-1 ADA, and finally won the award.
Through her journey of becoming the first observant Sikh to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy and her dedicated performance as a soldier, Anmol Narang has been an inspiration for young people to pursue their dreams, regardless of gender or religion.
(April 25, 2023) Till early 2021, Priya Kansara was still working in healthcare communications for a pharmaceutical company, while nursing her childhood dream of becoming an actress someday on the side. The youngster became an overnight star after she appeared in season two of the period drama Bridgerton for Netflix as Miss Eaton. Her critically-acclaimed in the period drama was followed by another great performance in Netflix's The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. And quite recently, the young actress gave another stellar performance in the recently released British action-comedy film Polite Society from Nida Manzoor. Referred to as the “Stars of Tomorrow” by Screen International, the British actress portrayed the part of a stunt woman in training and London schoolgirl Ria Khan, as she attempts to kidnap her older sister from her own wedding in Polite Society. "Ria is a character I would have waited for my entire career to play — it felt like she already resided in me,” the actress said in an interview, adding, "There were moments when I was playing Ria where I thought, ‘I wish I saw this growing up'." Chasing her dreams As a young girl, Priya would quite often find herself staring
ciety. "Ria is a character I would have waited for my entire career to play — it felt like she already resided in me,” the actress said in an interview, adding, "There were moments when I was playing Ria where I thought, ‘I wish I saw this growing up'."
Chasing her dreams
As a young girl, Priya would quite often find herself staring at the TV at her home, mesmerised by the actors and actresses on screen. In fact, her passion for acting and dancing was ignited by watching Bollywood films with her mum. She started working on numerous commercials, television series, and independent films, however, despite her talent she wasn't able to score a substantial role.
[caption id="attachment_29503" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Priya played the part of Miss Eaton, in Netflix's period drama, Bridgerton[/caption]
Soon after earning a bachelor's in science from the University College London, the youngster took up a job in the healthcare communications department of a global pharmaceutical company. Not losing faith in her dreams, Priya started attending night classes at the Identity School of Acting in London, which she continued for three years. It was quite a challenging period for the actress, who shared during various interviews that "keeping on track despite the failures" took a lot of strength. “It was nerve-wracking jumping into a career that you don’t know is going to work in your favour, but it was never a choice, it was just about timing. Acting is all I ever wanted to do,” the Global Indian said.
[caption id="attachment_29504" align="aligncenter" width="656"] A scene from movie Polite Society[/caption]
Encouraged by her friends and family the actress left her job in March 2021 and made it straight to an audition being held for season two of Bridgerton. While she didn't have much hope, the actress stepped out of the audition venue after bagging an important role in the series about a few hours later. "People would say, ‘Maybe one day you’ll do something like Bridgerton.’ I felt very lucky for that to be the start,” said the actress.
A stellar journey
Though it was a small role, it was an impactful one - and having got the part after such a long wait, Priya put all her efforts into ensuring that her performance spoke volumes about her talent. And of course, it did. The young actress landed the role of Flo in Netflix's The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. The show got a positive review on the OTT platform, and again Priya was the talk of the town for her amazing performance. And that was the turning point for Priya.
The actress who was, till now, only getting character roles in various shows and movies, got a call one morning from the writer and director Nida Manzoor, who was quite impressed by her previous performances and insisted on casting Priya in her upcoming project. That afternoon, the actress found herself in Nida's office where the two discussed the story and script of Polite Society. After a formal audition, the actress ended up securing the lead role of Ria, a teenage girl with aspirations to be a stuntwoman, who embarks on a heist to try to stop her sister from getting married.
"It felt like she (Ria) already resided in me," the actress said during the premier of the movie, which was held at the Sundance Film Festival. Praising her performance, several media houses described her as a “delightful newcomer”. In fact, Nida referred to Priya as “the next Tom Cruise", as she chose to do so many of her own stunts.
Currently basking in the Los Angeles sun, the young actress is working through the many scripts being sent her way. "I would love to do things that are versatile and interesting and fresh, and grow as an actor," she exclaimed when asked about her future plans.
(December 13, 2022) "Didi, I need to protect myself." Pooja Nagpal was taken aback, to say the least, by the diminutive teenager who stood before her, hand in a sling. The girl, Neha, had been beaten by a family member and knew she had to learn to defend herself. Pooja, an Indian-American activist with a second-level black belt in Taekwondo, is the founder of For a Change, Defend, a non-profit that teaches girls self-defence techniques. In 2013, soon after the Nirbhaya tragedy, Pooja arrived in the upper mountain areas of Himachal Pradesh, to take a crash course in self-defence for young girls there. A determination to prevail "Neha’s grandmother had told her that girls can't laugh, her brother got more food from her, she had been told that there was no point in girls being educated past the ninth grade, that she had to wear a veil when guests came home. How does anyone have an ounce of confidence in that environment," Pooja demands. From that point on, Neha became her most dedicated student, staying back after class to ask questions, determined to perfect every kick and punch. On Independence Day that year, 250 of Pooja's students demonstrated in front of an
On Independence Day that year, 250 of Pooja's students demonstrated in front of an audience. Neha, who was holding the Indian flag in her hand, addressed the crowd, saying, "The time is now. We need to start fighting for women's equality. Parents, teachers, and family members need to understand the power that girls can bring to the future of India." Pooja, who was watching, realised at that moment the true power that a fighting spirit can bring.
Pooja opens her ted talk in Manhattan Beach with a kick and a 'kihap', which is a traditional shout and rapid exhalation of breath used in Taekwondo. The sound is as essential to the kick as the movement itself, a means to concentrate a martial artist's power. "It is a declaration of one's fighting spirit and the determination to prevail," she told her audience.
Discovering India
Pooja's parents were both born in India and hers was a "bilingual household," the young Global Indianexplains. Growing up in Manhattan Beach in the United States, she would listen eagerly as her parents told her stories of the rich, Indian culture, of the "rush of colours and festivities and the euphoria." More than anything else, however, she loved Indian mythology. She was in awe of the Goddess Durga, who rode into battle on a lion and destroyed demons, who was the protector of all living things. She loved the elegance of Goddess Saraswati, seated atop a white lotus, the Goddess of learning and knowledge. "Growing up," she says, "These were my superheroes. They are powerful women with a unique, symbolic fighting spirit who help and protect the vulnerable."
As she grew older, however, the enchantment of Indian mythology gave way to a hidden dark side. She heard stories of violence and discrimination against women and girls. "There are girls who were defeated before they had begun to dream. They are stripped of their fighting spirit. The determination is not to prevail, but to survive." In 2012, the stories she had heard became more real and frightening than she could have imagined, with the Nirbhaya tragedy rocking the country - and the world. She knew something had to be done.
The time to act
"How could this happen in a country so beautiful and so magical," she asked. Activists around the world swung into action, all fighting for women's safety and rights. They worked to raise awareness, towards strength in numbers and changes at the legislative level. Pooja felt this could only be one part of the solution.
While it was a wonderful effort, the fact remained that women continue to face violence every day and, in most cases, there are no repercussions for the perpetrators. In India, women are unsafe both in private and public spaces, with violence meted out in various forms, including eve-teasing, domestic violence, mental and physical torture, and marital rape. And it was a problem, she soon learned, that was not exclusive to developing countries; there was domestic violence everywhere, from Los Angeles to Ladakh.
Training girls in rural India
In 2013, trying to earn her 'Gold Award for Girl Scouts, Pooja travelled to Himachal Pradesh with her sister, to teach self-defence at a village there. She arrived there to find young girls giggling and chatting together, much like she did with her friends back home. Pooja was, however, starkly aware of the fact that their "futures were worlds apart."
Pooja was wary at first, she was not sure how she would be received in a remote, rural region in a developing country. To her surprise, she was welcomed. "I was determined to give the girls what a kihap had given me," she said, in her TEDx Talk. "A fighting spirit and the determination to prevail." She worked flexibility, physical strength, self-defence, and mental confidence into her curriculum, spending around three hours a day training the girls.
The girls were weak - physically and mentally. She taught them the kihap. "As the weeks went on, they became louder and stronger," she recalled, smiling. After class, they would sit down to discuss role models, or the girls would make speeches to their classmates. "Many of these girls had never been asked, 'What do you want to be when you grow up'?" When she asked a 14-year-old, Rakhi, what she wanted to be, the girl's eyes were downcast. She was married, she said. She would be a housewife.
For A Change, Defend
The following year, Pooja Nagpal created her non-profit, For a Change, Defend. She returned to various rural schools in India, turning down offers from private schools that wanted her to teach martial arts lessons. "I wished to teach lower income girls, especially in rural areas that tend to be those that need the most help, since, in these areas, cases mostly go unreported,” she said.
Pooja also worked with Kiran Bedi, as she trained over 500 girls and women in various villages and slums. Bedi gave her a valuable piece of advice. "Start with six girls, then go to 60, then 600. Soon, you will have a six million-girl revolution. There is power in acting and power in activism." She watched the young girls she trained transform before her eyes. "They learned a fighting spirit and a determination to prevail. None of this could have been done without the kihap."
Raghav Krishna Seshadri Sumanth[/caption]
Madhav Krishna Seshadri Sumanth[/caption]
Raghav and Madhav[/caption]
Raghav and Madhav with parents[/caption]
Harsh receiving award from Uwe Cremering, CEO of iF Design Awards[/caption]
Harsh P at Milan[/caption]
Harsh P[/caption]
Anmol Narang[/caption]
Anmol Narang[/caption]
Priya played the part of Miss Eaton, in Netflix's period drama, Bridgerton[/caption]
A scene from movie Polite Society[/caption]
Pooja Nagpal[/caption]
Pooja Nagpal[/caption]