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Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveVibing to his own tune: Rishaad Chaudhry has many musical gems in his bag
  • Global Indian Exclusive
  • Indian Musicians

Vibing to his own tune: Rishaad Chaudhry has many musical gems in his bag

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(August 8, 2022) Rishaad Chaudhry began his musical journey as an amateur who used to write songs in his room during the pandemic-induced lockdown. As the world opened up, he continued to make music, very different from that of others. He could incorporate numerous genres into one song or make songs of different kinds of genres.

From pop and hip-hop to rap and indie Hindi music, this Geneva-born singer has created his brand of music, which sets him apart from other artists. “While making music, I simply reflect on my own life, experiences, learnings, and emotions,” smiles Rishaad, in conversation with Global Indian. His latest track, ‘Tu’, is a Hindi pop song with a touch of desi rap, which is refreshingly different from a regular Hindi song.

Singer | Rishaad Chaudhry | Global Indian

Singer Rishaad Chaudhry

“I have played with the pop and rap styles that my English songs have and integrated these into a Hindi one. I was inspired to write a Hindi song that my audience would relate to,” informs the 20-year-old, who believes that the desi rap and pop genres are growing rapidly and his latest song fits perfectly in both. The song, he informs, came to be as a result of Rishaad’s own experiences as well as those of others about how love can have a huge impact on us.

He says the beat for ‘Tu’ really struck out for him as it has a happy yet gloomy melody and tune. “After deciding the beat, I thought of the chorus of the song. I was slowly able to bring the harmony together with elements of desi rap,” explains the singer, about what all went into the making of the song.

Musical journey

Rishaad was born in Geneva, where his father was transferred for a job opportunity in 1997. The family, however, returned to India later and settled down in Gurgaon. The budding singer went to Shri Ram school Aravali, Gurgaon, and then to La Martiniere, Lucknow. “Having spent a major part of his school life at the boarding school, I made lifelong friends and memories, along with gaining important life lessons which I believe are of use to me till today and will be for the rest of my life,” says the youngster, who is currently studying Business in OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat.

Rishaad began writing songs in the pop/hip hop genre. “As I grew as a musician, I delved into rap as well as Hindi songs. I initially did not choose rap and was inclined only towards singing. However, after listening to the kind of music my generation and target audience listen to, I gave rap a shot as well and found my niche in it,” he says. His previous song ‘Khafa’ echoes the pain of longing. ‘Not Alright’ and ‘I’m Sorry’ are also two of his most popular previous releases.

Singer | Rishaad Chaudhry | Global Indian

“Not Alright is a song for everyone who is putting up a happy face for the world but is struggling within themselves. I wrote this song to remind everyone to be kind because we can never know what is happening in someone else’s life. ‘I’m Sorry’ is an apology for all the wrongs I did while being hurt in love,” informs Rishaad.

The music he has been listening to over the years has had a huge impact on the way Rishaad began to make his own. “I am a huge fan of the rap, pop, and hip-hop genre as well as Indie Hindi music. Some of the artists I have been listening to for years, including 21 Savage, Powerful, Drake, The Kid Laroi, Juice Wrld, Zaeden, and Yashraj have inspired me to showcase my take,” says Rishaad, who also performed in his high school band. The youngster believes rap is a genre that has become increasingly popular among the people of his generation. “This inspired me to incorporate the genre into my songs.”

Finding his voice

With his music, says Rishaad, he intends to connect with people and allow them to connect as an audience. “Life is full of ups and downs, and no one should feel as if they are alone on this roller coaster ride,” says the singer, who is looking forward to travelling abroad to obtain a degree in digital marketing, which will assist him in his career as a musician.

So what more tracks are in the making? “Currently, I am working on an English song, its working title is  ‘Broke My heart’. It is a song about heartbreak and betrayal and echoes the feelings of sadness one feels after losing the one they loved the most. This song is an extremely special one as I am in the process of recording my first ever music video for the same,” informs the talented singer, who also has several Hindi singles in the making which will also be released soon.

He says the constant motivation to create music is what gives him immense joy and satisfaction. “Each day, my passion only grows along with my experience and knowledge regarding the brand I wish to build as a musician,” smiles the youngster who indulges in different kinds of sports including football. “I now see a clear image of where I wish to be in the coming years and what I wish to achieve. My main focus is on creating music and content to reach an audience all around the world and continue to do what I love,” says Rishaad.

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Published on 08, Aug 2022

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To a tee: Indian origin golfer Sahith Theegala’s rise to stardom

(October 13, 2022) Every evening when he was a child, when it was time to leave his beloved golf course for the day, Sahith Theegala would burst into tears, begging begging to stay a little longer. He went on to win the Junior World Championships at the age of six. Now in his senior year at Pepperdine University, the Indian-origin golfer is already a star, winning four collegiate titles and the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2020. In that year, he also won the Haskins Award, the Ben Hogan Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award. He is the fifth player ever to win all the Player of the Year honours. In the American golf scene, dominated by whites, Sahith Theegala stands out, also because Indian-American sports stars don't come around too often. Theegala is an inspiration for more reasons than being a prodigy. The 24-year-old suffers from scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine - one shoulder is visibly higher than the other. He works with his chiropractor and although it doesn't cause him pain, it does account for a "pretty big bend to the right," and an unorthodox swing. Despite this significant setback, the Global

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right," and an unorthodox swing. Despite this significant setback, the Global Indian went on to become one of the best golfers at Pepperdine University and is loved for his infectious enthusiasm, both on and off the greens.

Born and raised in LA, the son of Karuna and Muralidhar Theegala, Sahith maintains a strong connection to his Indian roots. He lives at home with his parents, for one. In February 2022, when he lost out to Scottie Scheffler at the very last moment, he won more fans than he could have hoped when, according to Golf Digest, he teared up and sobbed on his mother's shoulder, as his dad stood by saying, "It's okay." Sahith's father, Muralidhar, moved to the US from Hyderabad in 1987, to attend graduate school and the family still goes back to India as often as they can.

 

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A post shared by Sahith Reddy Theegala (@srtheegala)

The Indian-American golfer's childhood was spent on municipal golf courses, which charge a modest $30 for a round. The courses aren't well-maintained but it was all his middle-class family could afford - and they were keen to nurture their son's talent. "My dad, even though he never plays golf, he's the one that taught me the game pretty much," he told PGATOUR.com.

"We weren't in the greatest financial situation when I was a kid and we had no experience with sports at all, so my father spearheaded the whole mission to college and professional golf... He put everything that he could into me." Despite their financial constraints, Theegala's parents spent their savings on buying him equipment, paying course fees, for a trainer, travel costs and the litany of expenses that came with his passion.

Determined not to let his scoliosis stand in his way, Theegala would spend days out on dusty golf courses, adapting "his putting stroke by tilting his head to the right so he could see the appropriate line from the gall to hole," according to the New York Times.

In 2015, Theegala graduated with honours from high school in California and had won a number of golf awards by that time. "I'd say I was a pretty good golfer," he said, in the interview with PGATOUR.com. He made it to Pepperdine University in California, which is ranked in the top 10 in men's golf among US universitites. "At Pepperdine, I went from average to slightly good to what I felt like was ready to be a decent professional golfer." 

An emotional @SRTheegala is consoled by mom and dad after coming up 1 shot short of a playoff @WMPhoenixOpen.

The 24-year-old earned countless new fans this week. pic.twitter.com/tq5Q2YsFCy

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2022

His winning streak in 2019 came to an abrupt pause after a wrist injury. He bounced back, though, making his professional debut in June 2020, somewhat unconventionally. Theegala might not have imagined starting out with the Outlaw Tour but gave a stellar performance nonetheless. The pandemic dealt a heavy blow, when the Pepperdine campus closed and Theegala had to return home. Although that season ended prematurely, Sahith's team ranked first in the country.

His family is always in the stands as he plays, cheering him on. And his fan base is always growing. "I'm an introvert by nature," he told NYT. "You hear about the best performers in the world - singers and dancers - who are really big introverts. But it's different when you get on the stage. When I'm in the act of playing golf, I don't even think about people watching."

Theegala is, however, always aware of being an Indian American, of the fact that it means he is viewed differently by default. He's also playing a sport that has never really welcomed non-white players. "I'm definitely proud of my Indian heritage and I hope I'm inspiring other Indian Americans and people in India to know they can compete in sports," he says. "It's obviously not the main purpose of being out there but it's an ancillary effect of what we're doing and I'm all for it."

  • Follow Sahith Theegala on Instagram

 

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What’s with Indian-Americans and the US Spelling Bee contest?

(June 14, 2022) In 1985, Balu Natarajan became the first Indian-American kid to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. And since then, the Indian-American community has pretty much dominated the competition. Even though they make up only about one percent of the United States' population, 27 Indian Americans have won the Spelling Bee championship so far since 1999, including the most recent winner Harini Logan. According to Pawan Dhingra, professor of sociology and American Studies at Amherst College, the success of Indian-Americans at the Scripps National Spelling Bee stems from the firm commitment of their families to spend the kind of time and money needed to prepare their kids. "These children are not just brilliant in spellings, they also excel in geography, mathematics and other academic competitions", Dhingra wrote in The Conversation. Global Indian puts the spotlight on five Scripps National Spelling Bee champions, who have made us all proud. Harini Logan Indian-American teen Harini Logan emerged as the champion of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee. A student of Grade VIII from San Antonio, Texas won the 94th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee by spelling the most words correctly in a spell-off, the Bee's first since its inception in

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as won the 94th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee by spelling the most words correctly in a spell-off, the Bee's first since its inception in 1925. Harini managed to spell through more words than more than 230 other competitors at the national level, including 12 other finalists. “I’ve been working towards the Bee for nearly seven years, since I was in first and second grade,” Harini said in a media interaction shortly after winning the title. “Spelling is something that sticks with you for life. Once you get into this journey, there’s a dedication you develop along with a work ethic. Networking for the bee is another skill you learn along the way.”

[caption id="attachment_18041" align="aligncenter" width="712"]Spelling Bee | Global Indian Harini Logan[/caption]

The competition was rigorous, with 20 rounds culminating in a lightning round that pitted the top two finalists in a showdown in which they attempted to correctly spell as many words as possible within 90 seconds. The youngster beat Vikram Raju, another Indian origin student, who studies in Grade VII in Denver. While Logan spelled 21 words correctly, her opponent could only manage 15. Harini's parents are from Chennai, and she has a younger brother.

Karthik Nemmani

A soft-spoken eighth-grader from McKinney, Dallas, Karthik Nemmani was declared the champion in the 2018 edition of Scripps National Spelling Bee. Interestingly, this 17-year-old came to the Bee through a new program called RSVBee, which allows spellers who haven’t won a regional bee or had a chance to compete with the best. Karthik was in a nail-biting competition against another Indian-American, Naysa Modi who misspelled “Bewusstseinslage” and paved way for Karthik’s victory.

[caption id="attachment_18042" align="aligncenter" width="582"]Spelling Bee | Global Indian Karthik Nemmani[/caption]

The champion took home 40,000 USD and a trophy from Scripps Bee, which is sponsored by the EW Scripps media group, in addition to a $2,500 cash prize from Merriam-Webster, the dictionary publisher and other prizes. Karthik had to spell two words correctly to seal the title, which he did with ease, and the teenager stepped back and smiled as he was showered with confetti. His winning word was “koinonia,” which means Christian fellowship or communion. "It was just an adrenaline rush," he told media after winning the competition, adding, "I had confidence, but I didn’t think it would really happen."

  • Follow Karthik Nemmani on LinkedIn
Nihar Janga

At 11, Nihar Janga emerged as the youngest speller to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee title in the year 2016. The young kid from Austin, Texas nearly won outright twice in the championship rounds following errors by another contestant - Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar, who was the co-winner of the title. Interestingly, an audience favorite, Nihar was often seen verifying definitions of obscure words with the judges — "is that an Irish prime minister?" — rather than requesting them.

[caption id="attachment_18043" align="aligncenter" width="632"]Spelling Bee | Global Indian Nihar Janga[/caption]

"I am just speechless. I can't say anything. I am only a fifth grader," Nihar said with the trophy in his hand, as he attributed his success to his mother. "My mom. It's just my mom," the Spelling Bee champion said.

  • Follow Nihar Janga on Twitter and LinkedIn
Ananya Vinay

Ananya Vinay became the 13th consecutive Indian-American to win the contest and 18th of the past 22 winners with Indian heritage, in 2017. The 12-year-old from Fresno, California, showed little emotion and didn’t take much time as she ploughed through word after word. Sometimes she would blurt out questions, with little intonation “Part of speech?” “Language of origin?”

[caption id="attachment_18044" align="aligncenter" width="650"]Spelling Bee | Global Indian Ananya Vinay[/caption]

Unflappable to the end, Ananya seized the opportunity when her steely opponent, Rohan Rajeev, flubbed a simple-looking but obscure Scandinavian-derived word, “marram,” which means a beach grass. She calmly nailed two words in a row, ending on “marocain,” which means a type of dress fabric of ribbed crepe, to win the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee. “I knew them all,” Ananya said, after winning the trophy, adding, "It’s like a dream come true. I’m so happy right now.”

Sukanya Roy

Most people couldn’t spell “cymotrichous” with a dictionary. Fourteen-year-old Sukanya Roy from Pennsylvania isn’t most people – she spelled her way through it with ease, going on to win the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The teenager who participated in the high-profile annual U.S. spelling competition for the third time, won after 20 rounds in the final competition that went on until late evening. An eighth grader at Abington Heights Middle School, Sukanya traced the letters of each word on her hands, round by round, increasing her confidence, she said.

[caption id="attachment_18045" align="aligncenter" width="588"]Spelling Bee | Global Indian Sukanya Roy[/caption]

After winning, she was shaking with excitement. “My heart started pounding, I guess. I couldn’t believe it,” Sukanya told an ESPN broadcaster immediately after receiving her trophy. Speaking about spelling “cymotrichous” - which means having wavy hair - correctly, she said, "I knew it immediately, but I focused on just spelling it right." Besides the trophy, she took home a $30,000 cash prize, a $2,500 U.S. savings bond, a complete reference library, a $5,000 scholarship, $2,600 in reference works and other prizes.

Reading Time: 7 mins

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Across the metaverse: Chennai’s Sanchi Taleda one of 79 NFT artists to showcase her work at Times Square  

(July 12, 2022) Sanchi Taleda was "beyond thrilled" and also, "a little confused," when she heard the news that her NFT was to be displayed in the Metaverse. Just like that, the 22-year-old artist found her name in lights, with her work, Quarter Past Midnight, splashed across a Times Square billboard on June 19, the opening night of NFT.NYC. She's one of 79 artists (and one of the youngest of the lot) from around the world to have their work showcased on the first night of the week-long event. [caption id="attachment_19157" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Quarter Past Midnight, by Sanchi Taleda. Photo credit: Instagram[/caption] A dose of (augmented) reality For one week, the young NFT artist was given access to cryptovoxels.com, one of the largest and most popular metaverse spaces. "It was very intimidating," she tells Global Indian. "I was one of the youngest artists among a group of people who had massive fan bases. I was wondering how I fit in there, to be honest, but it was an amazing experience."  After the billboard display, her work was showcased at a virtual gallery, at an exhibition titled 'Figureglyphs', which dealt with artistic interpretations of the human body. "It was an augmented

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ntimidating," she tells Global Indian. "I was one of the youngest artists among a group of people who had massive fan bases. I was wondering how I fit in there, to be honest, but it was an amazing experience."  After the billboard display, her work was showcased at a virtual gallery, at an exhibition titled 'Figureglyphs', which dealt with artistic interpretations of the human body. "It was an augmented reality setup, where people could walk (physically) through Times Square and use their phones to enter virtual galleries in the Metaverse.”

Where it began

It all began with a Discord group, where "they had put out a search for artists," she recalls. The young NFT artist had just begun sharing her work on Opensea, when she stumbled upon a call for artists put out by SearchLight.Art. To her, the chances of being accepted seemed so remote that Sanchi, acting almost on a whim, sent out a piece of work she had already completed. "Here I was, trying to understand how NFTs work and suddenly, I'm part of a gallery in the Metaverse and being told my art would be on a billboard in Times Square."

Back in 2020, Sanchi, who will graduate soon from the Measi Academy of Architecture, was given an iPad to help her with college assignments. "Instead, I got into digital illustrations," she says. "It was just fun for me, a break from college." She began researching NFTs and wondered if she could enter the space herself. She pleaded with her brother to get her a crypto wallet - "He did, but only after I had done my research," she laughs.

Seeking magic in the mundane 

"Where do I find inspiration? It happens when I go walking through the streets, that inspires me the most," Sanchi says. An experienced swimmer, Sanchi walks to the pool every day, soaking in the countless, poignant vignettes that make up everyday life on the bustling streets of an Indian city. "One day, for instance, I saw a man yawning to himself and scratching his head. It was such a busy road but he was lost in his own world. It made me wonder what his life is like, what he has been through."

[caption id="attachment_19160" align="aligncenter" width="521"]Sanchi Taleda | Quarter Past Midnight | NFT | Global Indian Photo credit: Instagram[/caption]

The ideas take seed, she says, when she's actually in the pool, swimming. "That's my time to take stock of what I have seen, to understand what has inspired me." Her art itself, however, is unplanned - she begins with an idea and let it take form. "I don't always know what it will turn out to be," Sanchi remarks. It's an advantage, she agrees, to being a digital artist working with a tool like ProCreate. Here, she has greater room for spontaneity, vastly different to conventional art where usually, everything is planned to the last detail before it makes it to the physical canvas. "I simply allow myself to draw and as I do, find different ways to build on it."

Unassuming and even a little reticent – Sanchi is not given to words, preferring to let her art speak for her. And it does. Her digital artwork, all done at home on her iPad, is reminiscent (although she doesn't intend it to be), of the Surrealists. She simply smiles at the reference - she's familiar with their work Sanchi does not borrow, her work as an artist is deeply introspective, taken from everyday scenes in the streets of Chennai, where she is based. "I want people to look at my work and go, 'but what is she thinking'? Everyone who looks at my art should interpret it differently." The NFT artist mentions digital creators like David Shrigley, who has a huge following on Instagram. Although their work is nothing alike, "he makes you think and that's what I want to do as an artist."

Breaking the norms of architecture – and art 

[caption id="attachment_19163" align="aligncenter" width="494"]Sanchi Taleda | NFT artist | Global Indian Photo credit: Instagram[/caption]

Now in her final year at Measi, Sanchi has created for herself a way to think in abstract terms, producing work that is very removed from the conventional approach. Her friends, she says, became used to her huddling in a corner and scribbling away - "They all know I'm a little different," she smiles. "I would spend my days scribbling my own drawings instead of actually listening in class." She shied away from "the usual rectangles, squares and boxy designs," preferring to work with shapes like triangles. "My professor would ask me, 'How do you even think this way'? It took some convincing but, in the end, he told me that he likes my designs the best." At home, however, there is no need for convincing - her father, she says, is her biggest fan. "He even comes up with names for my work."

Sanchi, who is even toying with the idea of being an architect in the Metaverse, where she can give her abstract thinking full rein, intends to do her master's degree in the UK. It's the only place "which offers courses that bridge art and architecture. I want to be at that intersection."

  • Follow Sanchi on Instagram, Twitter and check out her work on Opensea.io

Reading Time: 6 min

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Abhishek Salvi: The college dropout who impressed the Money Heist team and the world with his artwork

(April 21, 2022) “Wow! I’m freaking out. I'm going to get a tattoo (like that) of Alvaro Morte. With everything around, magic and Bollywood. There's a bit of joy too,” is how the star cast of Netflix’s Money Heist or La Casa De Papel reacted to Indian digital artist Abhishek Salvi's artwork. With his work featured on the official YouTube channel of Spanish heist show, the 27-year-old has become a name to reckon with, making him the first Indian artist to achieve the feat. “It’s a popular show and there was a lot of buzz around it last year. So I decided to make the portraits of the Professor and Berlin (characters from the show). But I didn’t know that my work will get showcased on a global platform. It was mind-blowing,” Abhishek tells Global Indian. Caricature callings This has made the Vadodra boy an overnight sensation whose Instagram page currently boasts of over 45k followers. “Even Money Heist actor Pedro Alonso, who plays Berlin, commented on the photo. It was quite a moment,” says an excited Abhishek. However, it has been an uphill journey for the digital artist. [caption id="attachment_15264" align="aligncenter" width="541"] Abhishek Salvi[/caption] Born in Maharashtra in 1994,

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uphill journey for the digital artist.

[caption id="attachment_15264" align="aligncenter" width="541"]Digital artist | Abhishek Salvi Abhishek Salvi[/caption]

Born in Maharashtra in 1994, Abhishek was raised in Baroda by an artist father, and an art teacher mom. Witnessing beautiful strokes on canvas was a common occurrence. “I was always surrounded by art. I’d find my parents immersed in their work. However, I’d often ask them ‘why aren’t you famous like other artists?’” laughs Abhishek, who now understands the hard work and persistence behind reaching the top. While his parents’ love for art was apparent in their career choices, Abhishek wasn’t inclined towards art at a young age. “My friends in school used to make fun of me during art classes. They couldn’t fathom how with artist parents in the house, I could be this bad,” smiles Abhishek.

It wasn't until he reached Class 12 that he started giving art a serious thought. With a career path to charter, after finishing school, Abhishek pinned his hopes on becoming an artist as he loved doodling. He slowly developed his skills, but things soon spiralled after the sudden death of his father due to a stroke. “It was a dark and disturbing phase. With dad suddenly gone, we didn’t know how to pick up ourselves and start afresh. We were lost,” reminisces Abhishek whose older brother was majorly disturbed and resorted to alcohol. “There was tamasha at home every single day. Things were going out of hand. I decided to shift my attention to art, and started practicing more,” adds the digital artist who dropped a year after his school.

Getting artsy

That one year gave him time to master his art, and soon he was studying BDes in moving images at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Vadodra. “It gave me exposure and helped hone my skills. But unfortunately, I had to drop out in the third year due to financial problems,” says Abhishek, who also lost his brother the same year. “We didn’t have the money to pay my final year fees. Mom went into depression after my brother’s death. Things were not going well,” reveals Abhishek who had already found his niche in pencil portraits.

Digital artist | Abhishek Salvi

Despite commissions, Abhishek wasn’t happy with the way his life was panning out. “Anxiety and panic attacks became common. I then decided to pull myself together- I was made for better things. The ray of hope came in the form of artists on Instagram. Seeing their art inspired me,” adds Salvi who posted a portrait of Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda on Twitter. “He immediately retweeted the photo, and it got many likes. That’s when I understood the power of social media. It gave me the confidence to showcase my artwork,” says the Baroda resident for whom more commissions started pouring in. “I charged ₹100 for my first commission, and now years later, I take ₹25,000-₹30,000 for the same A4 size pencil portrait. That’s how things have moved up for me,” beams the artist.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Abhishek Salvi (@abhisheksalvi.art)

In to La Casa De Papel!

In 2018, Abhishek decided to explore the digital medium, when a friend suggested a short course in graphic designing. “Back in college, I considered photoshop and illustrator as mere editing tools, without realising their true potential,” says Abhishek who soon developed an interest and started exploring vector art. “I was excited to learn something new, and now understood the potential and relevance of a medium,” says the digital artist, who started getting 30-40 orders a month. Soon his artworks on social media grabbed the attention of actors Vin Diesel and Tom Felton.

Yet, it was the portraits of the Professor and Berlin from Money Heist that were game-changers. They not only attracted a comment from Money Heist star Pedro Alonso but were also featured in a video on La Casa De Papel, the YouTube channel of Money Heist. “I couldn’t believe it. It was exciting,” says Abhishek, who made the artwork during the fifth season of Money Heist, and suddenly the likes increased, and someone on Instagram asked him to check the YouTube channel. Happy that art can open doors to international recognition, Abhishek hopes to inspire other artists.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Abhishek Salvi (@abhisheksalvi.art)

Now on to his next project on NFT, he gushes, “It’s the next big thing, and it’s time I start to work on it,” adds Abhishek, who loves watching films and is a huge Harry Potter fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WqtZKQAXlM&feature=youtu.be

His advice to amateur artists is to “focus” on their art. “Consistency is key. Don’t get swayed by instant fame, instead work hard to hone your art,” he concludes.

  • Follow Abhishek Salvi on Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin

Reading Time: 6 min

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Race queen: Athlete Jyothi Yarraji is on a winning streak

(February 7, 2023) A new year, and a new record for one of India's latest additions to the world athletics. 23-year-old sprinter and hurdler, Jyothi Yarraji has created yet another record - this time in the 60 m hurdles event. The young athlete has broken the national record once more and claimed the second position at the Elite Indoor Meeting Miramas 2023, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze level meeting, in France. Jyothi clinched the silver medal, reaching the post at 8.17 seconds in the finals - losing to Cyprus athlete Dafni Georgiou by just 0.145 seconds. It was only last year in November that the Indian athlete established a new national record for 100 m hurdles at 11.51 seconds. Regarded as one of the rising stars of Indian athletics, Jyothi - despite the several setbacks she has faced - is currently the fastest women’s 100m hurdler in India. Going by her records, this young athlete has all the potential to be a superstar in track and field, and put Indian athletics on the world map. Global Indian takes a look at the glorious journey of this athlete who is winning despite the odds stacked against her. Fighting her way

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he potential to be a superstar in track and field, and put Indian athletics on the world map. Global Indian takes a look at the glorious journey of this athlete who is winning despite the odds stacked against her.

Fighting her way

Born in 1999 in Visakhapatnam, Jyothi grew up with limited resources. Her father, Suryanarayana, works as a private security guard while her mother, Kumari, is a domestic help who works part-time as a cleaner in a city hospital. Combined, they earn less than ₹18,000 per month. Jyothi, however, was destined for greater things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H0_5AQ08rI

The path was set during her school days when her physical education teacher saw the potential in her and encouraged her, due to her height, to become a hurdler. Since then, there has been no looking back for the girl who came into the spotlight after winning a gold medal at an Andhra Pradesh inter-district meet in 2015. Interestingly, fearing that her parents would deny her request to participate in the event, Jyothi didn’t inform them about it. It was only after she won the medal and people started flocking to their house that her parents got to know about their daughter's talent. This was the beginning of a career that saw her win various medals in junior and senior national meets.

After the athlete started winning state and inter-state level medals, she was hand-picked by James Hillier, a British coach, at the Odisha Athletics High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar in 2019. However, the journey was hardly rosy.

Rising despite setbacks

Hillier’s confidence in her talent did start reflecting in Jyothi's progress as well. In January 2020, the athlete clocked 13.03 seconds to win gold at the All-India Inter-University athletics meet in Moodabidri, Karnataka. Even though the mark was enough to hand her the Indian women’s 100m hurdles national record, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had failed to test her before the championship, making her feat ineligible for the official record books. While she wasn't very pleased with the situation, the young athlete didn't break down. "Every competition is important because it helps me run faster. To run good timing is a gradual build-up and my body needs to adjust and go with the flow. Every run gives me a lot of experience and helps with improving my speed consistently," she told answering a press question.

[caption id="attachment_27246" align="aligncenter" width="574"]Athlete | Jyothi Yarraji | Global Indian Jyothi with her coach James Hillier[/caption]

Her fight didn't end just here. The same year, as the athlete was preparing to represent the country in her maiden international tour for the South Asian Youth Games, COVID stuck the world and all the competitions were called off. With other events like the Indoor Asiad and World University Games also called off in 2020, Jyothi had to wait for her international bow. Things took a bad turn after the athlete sustained a serious back injury, and took a while to return to the track and field.

"She had no confidence because she had injury problems,” James Hillier had told a media outlet during an interview, adding, "She was scared of hurdling at that time. In our first session, the single hurdle was at the lowest setting. She didn’t even want to go over that.”

A rising star

Almost missing the 2021 season, the athlete made her presence felt in 2022 - and how! Jyothi clocked a national-record-setting time of 13.09 seconds at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode but was yet again denied the official mark because it was a wind-assisted run. Refusing to bow down, she made her international debut at the Cyprus International athletics meet in Limassol in May 2022, finally pocketed the women’s 100m hurdles national record with a timing of 13.23 seconds, shattering the previous mark of 13.38 set by Anuradha Biswal way back in 2002. And this win was despite the athlete starting a fraction of a second later than the other participants.

Athlete | Jyothi Yarraji | Global Indian

“In India, they use a manual gun to start the race but in Europe, they use an electronic starter. I was not familiar with the sound it makes so I didn’t realise when the race had started. I only started running when I saw the other athletes start,” Jyothi shared during an interview. With a reaction time of 0.243 seconds, Jyothi was the slowest runner off the blocks at the meet by a big margin.

The athlete ended the 2022 season with a flurry as she won gold in the 100m hurdles at the National Games with a new personal best of 12.79s, which made her the first Indian woman to dip below the 13-second mark in her discipline. Unfortunately, however, this win too couldn't make it to the national record.

Olympics in her sights

Athlete | Jyothi Yarraji | Global Indian

"My next aim is to win a medal for India in the Olympics," the athlete said, after her most recent win in France, adding, "I aspire to get more young kids to take us athletics as their career. We have an abundance of talent in India and I hope I can help in inspiring youngsters to represent the nation on various international platforms."

Reading Time: 6 mins

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About Global Indian

Global Indian – a Hero’s Journey is an online publication which showcases the journeys of Indians who went abroad and have had an impact on India. 

These journeys are meant to inspire and motivate the youth to aspire to go beyond where they were born in a spirit of adventure and discovery and return home with news ideas, capital or network that has an impact in some way for India.

We are looking for role models, mentors and counselors who can help Indian youth who aspire to become Global Indians.

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