Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveLaw Rewired: Aswini Ramesh is making legal matters simple for all

Law Rewired: Aswini Ramesh is making legal matters simple for all

Written by: Team GI Youth

(February 14, 2024) Ever pondered the legal procedures for transferring ownership of your property to another family person? Does an email agreement hold legal weight? What, after all, is a valid contract? Realising that there is a huge knowledge gap between the various civil and crime constitutional sections and the citizens, a 22-year-old law student decided to launch a website where one could look up any information about the law.

Law | Aswini Ramesh | Global Indian

Founded on the principle of “simplifying complex Indian laws one concept at a time,” the Law Rewired initiative is the brainchild of Chennai-based Aswini Ramesh. “There was an increase in demand for details on family and property law, will or testament, and on court proceedings. And while researching about it, I realised that there were very few reliable resources available about the various sections of the Indian constitution online. Many people have to pay heavy amounts to get even a small work done, and I wanted to remedy the situation,” shared the Global Indian, who is also the recipient of the prestigious Diana Award, adding, “Law Rewired is an online student-run portal, that simplifies laws into easy to understand language for everyone. It is a unique portal offering qualitative information on law and related topics. The two important sustainable development goals – Quality Education and Gender Equality are among the indispensable objectives of this portal. The idea is to make people aware of their duties and remedies so that they do not suffer at a later point in time.”

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Law Rewired uses real-world analogies, concise bullet-pointed explanations, and a comprehensive glossary of legal terms to clarify the intricacies of laws. Additionally, they provide a range of legal translation categories encompassing property law to constitutional law. The group’s materials are freely accessible to everyone through their website and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. “For example, one of the laws that my company translated was India’s Information Technology Act. We explained terms used in the Act like “intermediary,” amendments added to it, why the law was enacted, and when the Act can be applied. After fleshing out those details, we summarised all the information in a section titled ‘In a Nutshell’,” shared the law student, who is also the global ambassador of the World Literacy Foundation.

Playing by the rules

Soon after she started pursuing a degree in law from the Dr. Ambedkar Law University School Of Excellence In Law, the youngster would often volunteer for various NGOs and had to travel to semi-urban and rural areas. It was here that she encountered people struggling to understand even the most basic laws. “Through my work as an activist, I’d often travel to workshops and other social initiatives at different institutions and be flooded with queries about day-to-day legal issues,” shared Aswini, adding, “This one time someone stopped me while I was at a gas station to ask what legal options their daughter had as a victim of domestic abuse. In another instance, a well-educated person who held a position of authority asked me about divorce alimony; another wanted information on a joint will since their grandfather was unwell; a friend’s brother, who was the family’s sole breadwinner, passed away in an accident and they had no idea about third party insurance claim.”

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Motivated to narrow the disparities between Indian law and the general public, she established Law Rewired in August 2020. Currently, the organisation is managed by 22 students hailing from 10 diverse law schools, along with an advisory board comprising esteemed legal scholars who willingly contribute their time to enhance the accessibility of Indian laws. To assemble this coalition, Aswini utilized social media to seek individuals interested in being ‘part of something meaningful’. “When I posted about the organisation for the first time, it immediately caught my attention. We got responses from all over the globe from places like Italy, Mauritius, California, and Madagascar to fill roles like content creator, website developer, and roles in public relations and marketing,” shared the law student.

Talking about the organisation’s current projects, she said, “Currently, they’re collaborating with the Child Awareness Project, which is helping us curate social media posts that involve law related to health, children, education, and women. Law Rewired is also in talks with three other organisations about potential collaborations. We are looking to do a special series on patients’ rights.”

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Published on 14, Feb 2024

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Swinging his best: Indian Golfer Hardik Chawda is aiming for the big shot

(April 2, 2022) As a child, Hardik S Chawda would often wonder where his father Sunil would go early each morning. One such morning in 2008 when Hardik was eight, he insisted on accompanying his father and Sunil drove him straight to the golf course. “This is where I come every morning,” the businessman told his son, who scanned the golf course with excitement. That was also the first time he held a golf club. Today, at 21, Hardik is at his golfing best. He recently became the first from the Hyderabad Golf Association and Telangana to crack the professional golf tour of India's "B" card, on his first attempt. Hardik achieved this feat at the PGTI qualifying school which was held in Ahmedabad at Kalhaar Blue and Greens golf course in February this year. [caption id="attachment_13785" align="aligncenter" width="469"] Hardik S Chawda[/caption] His driving force “My dad introduced me to golf. He often told me to focus on one sport and indulge in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the

ge in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the top 40 made the 'A' card and those who finished 41 to 80 got the 'B' card. I finished 51st," says the beaming golfer. With an 'A' card, one can play all the events irrespective of the prize money at stake while the 'B' card holders will get to participate in fewer events. Nonetheless the 'B' card gives him access to about 20 tournaments across the country and he will also be eligible to play tourneys in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

"It was a great week for me and kind of a mixed bag. After the third day, I was doing well and in contention for the 'A' card. But during the final round, I had two bad holes which denied me a top 40 finish and I slipped to 51,” says the young golfer about the recent tournament.

What it takes

"One of the key aspects in this sport is patience. At my level of game, it is all about your mental strength,” says Hardik, a BCom final year student of St Mary’s college in Yousufguda, Hyderabad. He is now completely focussed on his game, putting in many hours of practice, shaping his game to the best.

The youngster says that you either win or lose a tournament with your decision making. "On a professional tour, everyone has a good swing, short game and able putting. A player who makes the right decisions on the course and plays with a very relaxed and confident mindset wins,” says the professional golfer, who has 14 clubs in his 'arsenal' besides other equipment. “Golf equipment is quite expensive and not affordable to most but I'm very thankful to my parents who support me," he says.

Practice makes perfect

Hardik spends anywhere between six to eight hours on his full golf days, which includes close to two hours of fitness. “I do try to play every day except for the days when I have an exam or other academic commitments,” says the Hyderabad-born lad, who studied in Delhi Public School. During lockdown and post lockdown, when there was no golfing, he assisted his father in their chemical business. “But now that I have turned pro, I barely get any time.” The Chawda family originally belongs to Gujarat but have settled in Hyderabad for decades.

[caption id="attachment_13787" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Hardik S Chawda with his family[/caption]

He says fitness plays a huge role in professional golfing. “Golf is no more for a short hitter. Everyone now understands the importance of fitness and how it can benefit their game and we see players hitting more than 320- 330 yards of carry distance,” says Hardik. His workout comprises warm up stretches which he does before he leaves to play. Upon return, he does foam rolling just to release and relax the whole body. “I also do a little bit of meditation before my rounds. I try to eat healthy and avoid oily and junk food as much as I can,” informs the golfer, who likes to play cricket and basketball with friends in his free time besides watching adventure or rom-coms on Netflix and other OTT platforms.

So what are Hardik’s future plans? “Firstly, I want to play well on the Professional Golf Tour Of India this year. Thereafter, I aim to move on to the Asian Tour, European tour and ultimately the PGA tour. For me nothing matters until I'm on the PGA tour. It's like a dream come true for me competing against the world's top golfers,” smiles the golfer, who is hoping he would compete against the greatest golfer of all times Tiger Woods himself one day. He credits his coach Sanjay Kumar Singh (Hyderabad), Jesse Grewal (Chandigarh), Muneer sir (fitness coach Hyderabad) and Sagar Diwan (fitness Coach Chandigarh). "Importantly, my whole family supported me and backed me throughout," says Hardik, for whom the Hyderabad Golf Association has been his home club, since he started his golf career from there.

Reading Time: 6 min

Ashwath Kaushik: Singapore based rising chess star making history and inspiring minds

(March 22, 2024) After a challenging three-hour match last month at the Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open in Switzerland, Ashwath Kaushik, a third-grade student, was on cloud nine. At just eight years, six months, and 11 days old, he made history by becoming the youngest player on record to defeat a chess grandmaster in a classical tournament match. His opponent was the 37-year-old Polish Grandmaster Jacek Stopa. “I feel very proud of my game and how I played against the grandmaster. My expectation was to win and my goal was to beat the grandmaster and get the world record,” said the Indian-origin chess player, who represents Singapore in international tournaments. At the Burgdorfer Stadthaus-Open in Switzerland, he finished 12th overall. 'It's a classical contest, and I am very happy with the results,' he shared after the win. Impressive milestones at young age Before facing Stopa, Ashwath had won his opening three games at Stadthaus-Open. The tension in the game had escalated from the early stages. In the 13th move, Stopa proposed a draw, but Ashwath chose to continue. As the game approached its conclusion, the young player capitalised on a mistake made by Stopa, ultimately securing the most significant triumph of his burgeoning

young age

Before facing Stopa, Ashwath had won his opening three games at Stadthaus-Open. The tension in the game had escalated from the early stages. In the 13th move, Stopa proposed a draw, but Ashwath chose to continue. As the game approached its conclusion, the young player capitalised on a mistake made by Stopa, ultimately securing the most significant triumph of his burgeoning career.

The youngster does not like to go for draws. “Fight till the end, even if you are losing because there is still some hope. Never give up and keep playing, try your best,” he said. “Just get to the centre and develop lots of pieces. Don't blunder pieces randomly and just develop pieces and you'll be better and your opponent will blunder pieces and then take advantage of the mistakes of your opponent," he remarked. This is part of his winning strategy, and the young player emphasises, 'Go in confident, don't take draws, and always go for the win.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s_dH6p6vio

Born in 2015, the young player has swiftly garnered recognition by securing victories in several youth tournaments. He had emerged the World Under-8 Rapid champion in 2022.

The same year, the then six-year-old had won three gold medals at the Eastern Asian Youth Championships in the Under-8 segment. A year prior to that in 2021, he had in the World Cadets Rapid Championships in Greece, and proved his talent.

“Chess is very important to me because it's fun to play. You get to think a lot, and it's good for your brain,” the young boy shared in a recent interview. The eight-year-old travels overseas multiple times a year for tournaments, and has displayed the patience and diligence by playing the game for up to five-and-a-half hours in tough tournaments.

Extraordinary talent

No one in Ashwath’s family plays chess and it was a surprise for his parents to see their son getting such a fine grip of the game at such a tender age. After discovering the game at the age of four the young player would spend hours engrossed in it. “It’s surreal as there isn’t really any sports tradition in our families” Ashwath’s father Kaushik Sriram said in an interview with Chess.com.

When he was introduced to the game by his parents, Kaushik had quickly surpassed their skills and had even outplayed his grandparents. Recognising their son’s extraordinary talent, his parents enrolled him in chess lessons to further hone the game’s tactics.

He ‘has a photographic memory’, Ashwath’s father said. “He solves long complex puzzles visually. He finished GM Jacob Aagaard’s entire Grandmaster series recently without using a board,” he added.

Ashwath also loves building LEGO in his leisure time. However, chess always remains on top of his priority list.

[caption id="attachment_36776" align="aligncenter" width="389"] Ashwath Kaushik[/caption]

Dedication and support

The young player who aspires to become a world champion, was so focussed since the beginning that he could play chess all day. Looking at his extraordinary talent his father had approached some of the best coaches in Singapore, who readily agreed to train the youngster looking at his talent. Amongst Ashwath’s trainers are Kevin Goh Wei Ming, a grandmaster and CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation.

“He is tactically very sharp, mainly due to lots of practice and we are trying to build his strategic understanding,” Goh remarked in an interview. Ashwath has also received training from grandmasters Thomas Luther and Andrey Kvon. A member of the Under-14 squad of Singapore, Ashwath considers Late Soviet-Latvian chess legend Mikhail Tal his idol.

He receives constant support from his parents and his school, Overseas Family School in Pasir Ris. Interestingly, he is keen on introducing his four-year-old brother to the game of chess as well. Like any child, he has his favourites, such as Juicy Drop candy, and enjoys family outings to the Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios Singapore.

The Indian-origin player had moved to Singapore with his parents in 2017 when he was barely two years old.

ALSO READ | Praggnanandhaa: The prince of chess and Arjuna awardee 2022

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From Delhi to Stockholm via Madras: The journey of Mannat Kaur’s award-winning greywater project

(September 18, 2024) A few years ago, when Mannat Kaur witnessed her home tap run dry, she began exploring solutions for the widespread use of greywater (domestic wastewater) to address the water crisis. Little did she imagine that her curiosity and efforts to develop a water-conservation project would eventually lead her to being felicitated by the Princess of Sweden, and attend the Royal Banquet hosted by Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf. The 16-year-old, class 12 student spent an unforgettable week in Stockholm this August when she travelled to represent India at the 2024 International Stockholm Junior Water Prize, held as part of World Water Week. Winning the national championship at IIT Madras, which led to these remarkable experiences, had already been a golden opportunity in itself. [caption id="attachment_39296" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Mannat Kaur at the royal banquet[/caption] Accompanied by her father and the national organizer, Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi from the Department of Environmental Engineering and School of Sustainability at IIT Madras, Mannat joined participants from 30 countries for the prestigious event. Although the United Kingdom took home the international prize, the experience has filled Mannat, the Head Girl of DPS RK Puram, with immense confidence and unforgettable memories. 'Every moment

ng and School of Sustainability at IIT Madras, Mannat joined participants from 30 countries for the prestigious event.

Although the United Kingdom took home the international prize, the experience has filled Mannat, the Head Girl of DPS RK Puram, with immense confidence and unforgettable memories. 'Every moment was unforgettable,' she tells Global Indian.

The joy of being a national champion

IIT Madras served as the national organizer for World Water Prize. Mannat competed against 350 applicants from 23 states at the national level and emerged as the winner, earning the opportunity to represent her country. “The top 12 shortlisted teams were invited to present their projects in person at the IIT Madras campus, where my project was selected,” Mannat shares.

This was the inaugural year of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize India (SJWP India), an initiative by the Sustainability Venture Studio (SVS) at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. It was organised in collaboration with the SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and sponsored by AquaMAP Center for Water Management and Policy, IIT Madras, to empower young innovators to tackle critical water challenges.

[caption id="attachment_39298" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Mannat Kaur with IIT-M Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi in Stockholm[/caption]

Calling her victory at the national championship a significant personal achievement, Mannat who had dedicated the past four years to this project said, “Receiving recognition at the national level in a competition focused on the water domain is truly rewarding. This recognition has also strengthened my determination to continue contributing to solutions that can have a positive impact on both my country and the world.”

Earlier this year, the youngster had participated in the Genius Olympiad, organised by the US based Rochester Institute of Technology and held at the RIT campus in India where the same project earned her an honourable mention.

The award-winning water project

Mannat’s project is an applied research project which focuses on the development of an indigenous, sustainable, cost effective, decentralized greywater treatment unit which collects, treats, and reuses greywater generated in a household at the source.

“This product driven intervention has two units: Scupper Valve and Bilge Vessel which help households save and fight the water crisis without any major modifications in the current home plumbing system and takes up very little space in the bathroom,” explains Mannat adding, “The preliminary prototype testing demonstrates its effectiveness in collecting and treating greywater to an improved level. The solution also has an image processing component which is able to distinguish effectively between the pre-rinse and post-rinse water from the heavily soapy flows, enabling selective collection of greywaters.

[caption id="attachment_39300" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Mannat Kaur with IIT-M Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi in Stockholm[/caption]

Mannat estimates that a single-family can save around 5,000-6,000 litres of precious potable water per month and can reduce 50% of their water demand if her solution gets implemented. This decentralized approach reduces carbon emissions by 80-85 percent compared to the traditional centralized sewage treatment setups (water pumping and operational energy), offsetting 18,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

“Additionally, due to lower sewage output, it contributes towards embodied carbon savings linked to the plumbing network infrastructure and construction of sewage treatment plants. This solution, therefore, addresses two main challenges - water scarcity and operational carbon emissions associated with freshwater supply, wastewater treatment and conveyance of treated water,” says the youngster, who has applied for a patent at the Indian Patent Office.

It all started when…

In 2016, during an agitation, Mannat witnessed her home tap run dry as the Munak Canal, which supplies water to Delhi, was breached. Her entire neighbourhood struggled to secure even a single bucket of water. “This incident was a wake-up call, prompting me to explore ways to conserve water,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_39301" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Mannat while showcasing her project during Water Prize national championship at IIT-Madras[/caption]

She began monitoring her family’s water usage and identifying areas of waste, conducting water audits at home. Mannat noticed a significant amount of water going to waste and observed her family collecting greywater in a tub for reuse in flushing. When she inquired why this practice wasn't more widespread, she learned that collecting, treating, and reusing greywater requires major retrofit of the toilet and plumbing piping.

“This is how I started looking and developing practical solutions which can be easily implemented and bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application,” she says.

Experiences at Stockholm

Apart from soaking in the mesmerizing beauty of the European city of Sweden, Mannat got the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with experts. She was selected to participate in a talk show titled 'Bridging Borders and Generations with the Stockholm Junior Water Prize,' sponsored by Xylem, the U.S.-headquartered global water technology provider. Later engaging with experts from the Xylem team at their office and touring their facilities was great experience for the teenager.

Visiting the Indian Embassy and meeting Chargé d'Affaires, Mr Rakesh Tiwari, was a cherished moment too. Additionally, interacting with Taikan Oki, professor at the University of Tokyo and former Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations who won the 2024 Stockholm Water Prize in the senior category, made her overall experience even more enriching.

[caption id="attachment_39315" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Mannat Kaur at Stockholm[/caption]

A visit to the Royal Palace, not as a tourist but as an invitee to the Stockholm Water Prize royal dinner and banquet with the King and Queen of Sweden was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Future plan and good influences

Mannat has a deep passion for computer science, machine learning, and emerging technologies. “The myriad challenges that the world has to confront today, such as climate change and water scarcity have ignited in me the desire to work for environmental conservation,” she says adding, “I would like to make use of my technological knowledge to address the impending challenges our generation will inevitably face.”

As a Steve Jobs fan, the youngster believes in proactive resolution rather than passive observation. “I want to impact the world as Steve Jobs had, using technology to change the way we live life. Just as he made personal computing accessible through Macintosh, the first widely sold personal computer (PC), my dream is to make environmental sustainability the easier choice,” she remarks.

[caption id="attachment_39303" align="aligncenter" width="725"] Princess Victoria of Sweden with participants of the Junior Water Prize including Mannat Kaur at Stockholm[/caption]

Mannat lives in a close-knit family of five which consists of her grandfather, her parents and a younger brother who is in grade 10. Considering herself fortunate enough to have spent some time with her late great-grandmother during the formative years of her life, the youngster mentions “I have inherited my creativity from my architect father and analytical thinking from my mathematician mother, a blend of both has shaped my approach to both life and problem-solving.”

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Swetha Kannan: Empowering cancer patients and caregivers with mental health support

(August 2, 2023) She remembers sticking her head out of the school bus window on her way home, to catch a glimpse of the HCG in Bengaluru, the oncology hospital that came up with cyberknife technology and hormone therapy to cure cancer. Such was Swetha Kannan's passion for cancer research, that in Grade 7, she decided to become an oncologist. "The disease was so mysterious; there's so much you don't know about it. I was curious as to why we don't have a definitive cure for cancer," Swetha tells Global Indian. But little did Swetha know that a few years down the line, the deadly disease would come knocking on her door. Her world came crashing down at the beginning of 2018 when her grandmom was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Being her primary caregiver, Swetha understood the importance of psychological well-being in cancer patients. This prompted her to start the Lalitha Foundation (named after her grandmom) in 2019, dedicated to the betterment of the lives of cancer and post-sepsis patients. The initiative, which has positively impacted hundreds, won her the Diana Award 2023. "I thought I was daydreaming. It was a pleasant surprise," she smiles. [caption id="attachment_32352" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Swetha

leasant surprise," she smiles.

[caption id="attachment_32352" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Swetha Kannan is the founder of The Lalitha Foundation[/caption]

A personal experience led to her purpose

Having personal experience with mental health struggles, Swetha recognises the lack of awareness and the struggle of opening up, especially in India. "I have anxiety and panic disorder. For me, it was living through these experiences that taught me how important it is for you and the people around you to know what's happening to you, and know that there is support," says the changemaker, who spent three months with her grandmom while the later went through umpteen tests and a surgery.

Those months were taxing not just physically but mentally for both Swetha and her grandmom. "Part of my panic and anxiety disorder arises from the fact that my body went through so much physically and mentally in such a framed period. I was taught to give her blood thinning injections after the surgery, and I thought I was infecting my grandmother and it's not okay. The worst part was that we didn't know what stage the tumour was." Understanding the problem, she founded the Lalitha Foundation with the mission to create awareness around both cancer and mental health widespread across communities in India, especially among underprivileged people. "The second was to find ways to make access to care more equitable."

She realised that one essentially needs to be in an urban setup to either get cancer treatment or be screened for mental health. "The mortality rate of cancer in rural India is double that of rural India, even though the incidents of cancer in urban India are much higher. The statistics rang alarming bells because people don't choose what community or social status they are born into. Having someone have to fight so much harder for something so basic as healthcare based on factors that they didn't even choose for seemed unfair," adds Swetha. This nudged her to make awareness reach places that they needed to. "The mission was to let people know that having cancer or mental illness is not the end of the world. You need to know your symptoms and take action for your good."

Swetha, who a few months after her grandmom's surgery interned at HCG Bengaluru, came across patients from rural areas who were at the mercy of doctors and had no idea about the right treatment or awareness about the disease. "Simple things like awareness about the disease can go massive miles in improving or stabilising one's psychological wellbeing in the long term. You know what's happening to you and you feel in control."

How a teenager transformed lives

In 2019, Swetha was elected to be a fellow of the Clinton Global Initiative in LA. Only nineteen at the time, she began the Lalitha Foundation, to create awareness on mental health and cancer. She began by reaching out to medical students and doctors and using YouTube and WhatsApp to spread the word. "Within a few weeks, I had 300-400 sign-ups," she smiles. The next step was to impart training to the volunteers. Her mentor at The Clinton Foundation suggested creating a Google classroom with training materials including videos, podcasts, and reading. There were assignments to gauge the understanding of the issue on the part of the volunteer. "I can't have a volunteer talking to a patient who has no idea what he's saying." Later, the very few specialists in mental health like therapists and psychiatrists were recruited to train generic healthcare professionals like nurses, and general practitioners on the basics. "As volunteers, their job is to educate patients and tell them to access support, but they can't mediate support," says Swetha who has volunteers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal.

Changing lives

It's been over three years since the Lalitha Foundation came into existence, and the nonprofit has created awareness on mental health and cancer, trained volunteers, done in-person programs with the support of the Clinton Foundation, and raise funds to provide free psychotherapies. "More than the impact in the commercial sense, I have seen families being more supportive and patients talking openly about mental health to their oncologists. That's the kind of impact we have made. We have created shared and safe places for people to open up. It's about telling people that your health is not a one-dimensional entity," says the 24-year-old changemaker who had a profound conversation with Sri Sri Ravi Sankar. "He said, 'A strong mind can withstand even the weakest of body but a weak body can't withstand even a very strong body.' And I couldn't agree more."

The Lalitha Foundation which currently operates in India is planning to expand in Africa, with a focus on countries like Uganda and Tanzania. "The stigma for mental health in India stems from different socio-cultural aspects than one in Africa. So, currently, we are in the process of understanding what the mental health situation in Africa is like," adds Swetha, who is pursuing a PhD at University of Cambridge. Ask her about her thesis, and pat comes the reply, "My project is looking at tumour immune interactions in Burkitt's lymphoma. It has two subtypes - Endemic which is more common in Africa. It's a paediatric cancer and kids with this cancer almost always die as they don't have access to intensive care. While sporadic is more common in kids in developed countries like Europe and the prognosis is okay but kids who relapse almost always die. It was only last year that I realised that paediatric cancers are extremely under-researched and also underfunded for research." Before her Ph.D., she did her BSc (Hons) in Immunology from the University of Edinburgh and her MPhil in Medical Sciences from the University of Cambridge.

Dealing with her grandmom's cancer to starting The Lalitha Foundation, Swetha calls it a transformative journey. "As a 19-year-old when my grandmom was diagnosed, I used to think Why Me? I was disconnected from reality as I was working like a machine and wasn't processing anything on an emotional level. In retrospect, it was the most transformative part of my life. If not for this, forget Lalitha Foundation, I wouldn't have grown as a person," she says, who has now translated her passion into purpose in the field of oncology.

The girl, who sings and writes poetry to unwind, says that her biggest learning in the journey has been to trust the process and let go. "The things that don't work are just distracting you from your bigger goal and the role you have to play in this world."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-3jjohf8WU

The Lalitha Foundation gave her a purpose, and Swetha is on a mission to transform the lives of cancer patients and their caregivers. "We teach people to love themselves and be kinder to themselves. You don't fight cancer but you heal from it, and you can only do it with love and kindness along with the treatment. Things might not be okay right now but some day things will be better," she signs off.

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Ashay Bhave: How this 23-year-old is getting “kicks” out of plastic waste, and is sold out

(November 27, 2021) "Don't just do it, do it right," puns the Thaely slogan, taking a dig at an international shoe brand. Rightly so, as Thaely sneakers are 100 percent recycled, and made from plastic trash. In fact, truth be told, CEO and founder of Thaely, an ethically produced ecologically fashioned sneaker brand, Ashay Bhave, is as honest, sceptical and idealistic in life as he is in deed. This, and a talent for art saw him create a niche with his vegan sneakers which he shrugs off – "This is just the beginning of greater things to come." Modest words. Interestingly, his first art installation at the Jameel Art Centre in Dubai, a show he curated too, got government attention, and he was given a UAE Golden Visa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thaely (@thaely.inc) Thaely has an ethos of sustainability as the 23-year-old Ashay upcycles plastic bags and bottles to create shoes. Named after the common place plastic bag's Hindi word for it, thaely, the shoes use plastic waste with cutting edge design. "We are the only company that uses plastic bags to make shoes. When you look at their aesthetics and design,

4">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thaely (@thaely.inc)

Thaely has an ethos of sustainability as the 23-year-old Ashay upcycles plastic bags and bottles to create shoes. Named after the common place plastic bag's Hindi word for it, thaely, the shoes use plastic waste with cutting edge design. "We are the only company that uses plastic bags to make shoes. When you look at their aesthetics and design, you would never know that they are made from plastic," says the creator. Each sneaker uses ten plastic bags and 12 plastic bottles – an overall whopping 50,000 plastic bags and 35,000 bottles have been used so far.

The sneakers won the PETA's Best Vegan Sneaker Award 2021. Head honcho Anand Mahindra tweeted his interest in funding and buying these ecologically attuned sneakers.

This is awesome!
A startup in India 🇮🇳 is making these sneakers (a $70 billion market) are made of garbage (12 plastic bottles and handful of trash bags). And for $110, they will be shipped anywhere in the world.@Thaely_inc

pic.twitter.com/ogNwVCFhXY

— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) November 17, 2021

Today, Thaely sneakers are sold out. Behind the minimalistic and soft leather shoe is a boy with a curly shock of hair forming a whimsical halo around his artistic head, with an endearing schoolboy drawl. He rattles off the science behind the shoes, fabric, and his depth is clear to see. The boy who studied at DY Patil in Navi Mumbai, comes from a Maharashtrian family - his mother Sheetal Bhave is a counsellor, and father Sameer Bhave works in Dubai at an oil company, and he has a younger sister.

The birth of an eco-friendly sneaker

Thaely was initially developed as a design exercise by Ashay using recycled material from waste at the Eureka competition during his final BBA entrepreneurship semester at Amity University (Dubai) in 2019. "I wanted to find a solution to the 100 billion plastic bags used each year that use 12 million barrels of oil which kill 100,000 marine animals annually," quips Ashay, who finished 12th and went to the Big Apple to study accessory design. A year into the course, unhappy with his progress, what work the alumni were doing, job prospects and the cost of the course, he signed up for a BBA in Dubai.

"I was doing a few design projects for fun - one was Thaely. Plastic bags are a huge problem, most marine animals confuse them for jelly fish. I experimented at home with different household appliances - irons and hair straighteners. I got familiarised with some industrial equipment during design school, and tried to replicate the tech used in t-shirt printing to form a texture called ThaelyTex with PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) used for coating, shoe bands, etc while the soles are from discarded tyres," he explains. With a rough idea of the fabric that he developed over two years; a prototype was made at a neighbourhood shoe repair shop. That prototype and design, he pitched along with a business plan at Eureka as proof of concept. Ashay won the competition, was spotted by a judge, Matteo Boffa, a Dubai-based Swiss social entrepreneur, who funded and mentored Ashay who was only 20 at the time. "I definitely needed guidance when it came to business and enterprise," says the designer who has since sold out his inventory.

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"As soon as I heard Ashay’s pitch about Thaely I fell in love with the concept. Being a serial entrepreneur in the field of sustainability and social impact, I saw a great fit. The idea was great but the person behind was even better! The brand can compete with the giants of the industry. We have a real and concrete positive impact on hundreds of people in India," says Matteo Boffa, Social entrepreneur, Forbes 30under30, and co-founder of Thaely.

[caption id="attachment_16837" align="aligncenter" width="851"] Ashay Bhave[/caption]

Ashay identified Trio Tap Technologies, a waste management plant in Gurgaon for plastic bags. Then, the pandemic hit. All work came to a standstill. Beginning 2021, Bhave again started work and finally launched the recycled sneaker.

"It is difficult to create a sneaker with those specs, so we designed a process that is scalable and efficient. Thaely is a casual sneaker. I took inspiration from the many basketball and skateboarding shoes of the 80s – the design is timeless, minimalistic and easy to style. It looks like a leather sneaker," explains the designer, who started off as a freelance designer creating album art, packaging, animation, toys, etc. A name in Dubai already, he now wants to impress the rest of the world with not just products but also his art.

"The installation show was a pretty important point - it helped me become more established. I got government attention, and was offered a UAE Golden Visa. I had designed a fake toy with a packing and gaming console - it was basically critiquing world leaders acting like children and sort of playing with our lives," says the avant-garde thinker.

With funding, the second prototype was made, and the recycled "kicks" were on their way to make feet accountable and responsible. Thaely sneakers are currently sold at Level One, among the biggest shoe stores in the world at Dubai Mall, and online.

[caption id="attachment_16838" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Thaely's vegan sneakers[/caption]

Tapping the market

"We were sold out on all the shoes produced – 1,600 pairs with 500 pre-orders – mostly from Europe, some from America and Australia. India is not a very big market right now," says Bhave, who is grateful for the acclaim, and success, "It was my dream to be in design or a CEO of a fashion brand - now that it has come true, I am thrilled," says the eco entrepreneur who wants to diversify, and add more colours too (Thaely sneakers are in white, white-brown and white-blue, and pre orders of all-black).

Like other 20-somethings, sneakers are an appendage and lifeline – his, he says, are comfortable and function like regular shoes. They are different though, "We are 100 percent recycled, completely transparent on production processes, our shoes have a QR code, and we are cheaper than other sustainable sneakers at $99 (others are $150, etc)," adds the Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_16839" align="aligncenter" width="771"] Thaely sneakers[/caption]

Proud parents, a sister who is a tad intimidated by attention, and impressed friends, Bhave knew they all had "pretty high hopes" (for him), and admits they expect much more now.

Mentor Matteo has been instrumental in giving Ashay a deeper perspective, "He is pretty young – 30, and (is) always inspiring me to stretch my boundaries," says Bhave who loves sci-fi movies, art and fashion.

Not many know that Ashay was a national level rifle shooter from sixth to eleventh grade in Mumbai, and even today loves going to the range in Dubai when he visits his parents. His larger aspiration is to make Thaely a lifestyle brand – clothing, furniture, other accessories – recycled and sustainable. Sneakers done, now it’s back to the drawing board to create more from trash.

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