Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveVeruschka Pandey: Teen helping save lives through CPR training invited to UN

Veruschka Pandey: Teen helping save lives through CPR training invited to UN

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(March 13, 2024) Losing her grandmother to no first aid, Bengaluru teen Veruschka Pandey knew she wanted to do something in the field of public health. Her determination solidified when she saw people losing their lives to cardiac arrest during covid. Upon research, she found that many weren’t trained in CPR, leading to the loss of many lives. This prompted her to start Surya Nayak, a project that helps give CPR training to ASHA workers, bus drivers, factory workers and security personnel in Karnataka. “Now I want to make it a mass movement,” said the 15-year-old.

International recognition

Recently, she became the first teen from Karnataka and the second from India to have participated in the 1M1B Activate Impact Youth Summit held at the UN in New York. It was here that she got a chance to present her project which showcased her contribution to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India.

Veruschka Pandey is the founder of Project Surya Nayak.

During the summit, she emphasised the need to create awareness and make it a mass movement among health workers and the Indian youth to achieve the SDGs by 2030. “I believe it’s our responsibility to educate people about CPR.” Comparing hearts to vessels filled with empathy, love, and life, she highlighted the importance of teaching CPR to save lives and prevent untimely deaths.

ALSO READ | Syamantak Payra: The young scientist using technology to solve healthcare challenges

Her impactful work and thoughts were showcased through a documentary titled ‘Heart is a Vessel’ at the UN, followed by a panel discussion featuring her mentor Manav Subodh and acclaimed filmmaker Amit Madheshiya. Additionally, a documentary on Veruschka by Madheshiva was screened at the event. Veruschka’s efforts also gained recognition beyond the summit. She recently presented her project at UC Berkeley, San Francisco, under the 1M1B programme and secured the second prize. Her project, Surya Nayak, focuses on training ASHA workers in CPR, leveraging their significant presence in rural India to create a domino effect of awareness.

Saving lives

“My project Surya Nayak aims to train ASHA workers in CPR because currently there are 1.5 lakh ASHA workers in India and one per 1,000 population. I thought teaching this substantial population predominant in rural India would help me advocate my cause and raise awareness like a domino effect because these ASHA workers are well-knit within their local community” said the student of The International School Bangalore.

Project Surya Nayak

It all began after she lost her grandmother, and wanted to create an impact on public health. For cardiac arrests, she found the loophole in the initial first aid – CPR, and decided to learn herself and soon felt the need to impart the education to others. However, many eyebrows were raised when they realised her age. She was only 14 when she started working with ASHA workers. “When I started training, they weren’t sure and confident of their own capabilities if they could learn and really perform CPR. Finally, they realised that they could do it properly after training sessions,” she added.

Over the last year, she has expanded her project to different parts of Bengaluru. Sharing her experience of carrying out the project in Kolar, she said, “I reviewed their first aid material and went for a five-hour course on CPR myself, to review what they would teach. After this partnership, I collaborated with them for my first training in Kolar.”

Proud to have presented her project at the UN and in front of the UC Berkeley faculty, she said that she feels motivated and appreciated. “My efforts require bigger hands to join in to make this a successful mass movement. I feel that to achieve UN sustainable goals by 2030, each one of us has to join hands and work hard to achieve the goals and make them a possibility,” she said.

Veruschka Pandey has undoubtedly made a significant impact on public health with Project Surya. Her initiative to train ASHA workers and bus drivers in CPR not only empowers these essential frontline workers but also has the potential to save countless lives. By spreading awareness and providing crucial training, Veruschka’s work addresses the critical need for timely intervention in medical emergencies, ultimately enhancing survival rates. Furthermore, her recognition at the United Nations not only acknowledges her remarkable efforts but also amplifies the importance of youth-led initiatives in addressing global health challenges. Veruschka’s dedication and passion serve as an inspiring example of how individuals, regardless of age, can drive meaningful change and make a tangible difference in their communities and beyond.

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Published on 13, Mar 2024

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Sejal Akerkar: The Seattle poetess who donates her books’ royalties to the needy

(February 17, 2023) Sejal Akerkar had attended poetry camps in middle school and continued to write but hadn’t really thought about doing it as a profession. That changed when she found inspiration in the Canadian-Indian poet, artist and performer, Rupi Kaur. Rupi’s first collection of poetry was published in 2014 and became a New York Times bestseller. “When I started reading Rupi’s poetry, I was inspired to write because she was so similar to me – a young, Indian-American student. I found great comfort in reading her poems and started to write.” By the time Sejal turned 15, she had written over 100 poems. [caption id="attachment_27571" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Sejal Akerkar[/caption] Following in the footsteps of her role model, she self-published her first poetry book, Walking down the sensory strip. The Sammamish High School student introduced her second poetry book, Optic opening to the world soon after. While the first book made it to the top 35 in the women’s category on Amazon, her second book did even better, finding a place in top 5 in the category of Asian poetry. The India experiences Like her parents, Sejal was born and raised in the USA. However, the seventeen-year-old spent three years

height="863" /> Sejal Akerkar[/caption]

Following in the footsteps of her role model, she self-published her first poetry book, Walking down the sensory strip. The Sammamish High School student introduced her second poetry book, Optic opening to the world soon after. While the first book made it to the top 35 in the women’s category on Amazon, her second book did even better, finding a place in top 5 in the category of Asian poetry.

The India experiences

Like her parents, Sejal was born and raised in the USA. However, the seventeen-year-old spent three years of her life in Gurugram, India, where her father was posted. That’s when she came across the non-profit Udayan Care, which gave her a fresh perspective on life.

After returning to the US, the teenager published two poetry collections and on instinct, decided to donate the royalties that her books fetched. “When my books were published, I knew that I didn’t need the money earned from royalties and giving away the money to Udayan Care seemed the best thing to do,” says the youngster as she connects with Global Indian.

Udyaan Care, Sejal says, "has multiple houses and homes across India where they foster orphaned and abandoned children and give them higher education. It helps them succeed in the world instead of getting into the orphanage system.”

[embed]https://twitter.com/udayancare/status/1591042430824230912?s=20[/embed]

When Sejal and her family was in India, her mom became associated with one of the houses in Gurugram, teaching English to the girls there. “She would take me and my younger sister along to hang out with them and over time we built lasting connections,” she recalls. “We use to hear their stories of how they lost their parents, or were abandoned by them. We built deep connections and started celebrating festivals and birthdays together. We would see them all the time.”

When the family went back to the United States, they wanted to stay connected to the cause. “While my mom joined Udayan Care USA as the president, I became a volunteer. We planned lots of fundraisers and activities,” Sejal says.

Teaching poetry

These days, the teenager also teaches poetry writing in an elementary school. “It’s my after-school activity," she tells, adding, she loves being a mentor to kids between seven to 10 years of age. “I even created the entire curriculum of the poetry class,” she says.

By applying a different approach to teaching, the young teacher enjoys great bonhomie with her little pupils. “I teach differently because I think that usually poetry is taught in a very structured manner which tends to get boring for students. I don’t teach them how it is supposed to be. I give them creative prompts,” she says.

Sejal helps her pupils imagine with visuals, drawings, videos and more, and makes them write whatever comes to their mind. This keeps them interested. “It’s like giving them a little seed and let them water it, allow sunlight to come and help them grow their poetry without structuring them or restraining them from anything.”

As for her own poetry, Sejal writes on a wide array of topics – ‘life as a teenager and how it feels to go into adulthood, about my immigrant grandparents, how they came here and what they gave up to get here’, she tells. “I also write about the destruction of nature by humans, my relationships with my loved ones, social media, technology, my friends, myself,” smiles the teenager who loves dancing and golf.

While her first two books have done well, she is in no hurry to come up with the third one, and rather prefers to evolve a bit as a poet. With all her focus on the ongoing college application process, the teenager looks forward to take up biology. “That's complete opposite of what people would expect from me,” she chuckles adding, “I think combining creative and scientific things are very useful to the world today and I want to focus on a lot of multidisciplinary studies in my life.”

Follow Sejal Akerkar on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Meet Tanishq Abraham, the teenage prodigy changing the biomedical world

(August 2, 2022) As you read this, the two-hundred-year-old Dutch publishing house, Elsevier, is busy printing copies of their latest book on artificial intelligence and deep learning in pathology, with a 30-page chapter written by a 19-year-old Indian-American scholar, Tanishq Abraham. And it is not his first contribution to the scientific world. This young scholar has been writing journals and authoring scientific papers since he was merely ten years old. He is also responsible for discovering a supernova, an exoplanet, and a solar storm while going through hundreds of images from NASA's Long-Range Observatory and Kepler projects - just when he was eight. [caption id="attachment_20251" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Tanishq Abraham[/caption] When most youngsters his age are still trying to figure out the course of their lives, Tanishq is a member of the Levenson Lab at UC Davis, where he is working on understanding the application of deep learning for digital pathology. In the running for the Global Student Prize 2022, the young scholar is the youngest ever member of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic society in the United States of America. Global Indian takes a look at the marvellous journey of this child prodigy, who is revolutionalising the world of

g for digital pathology. In the running for the Global Student Prize 2022, the young scholar is the youngest ever member of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic society in the United States of America. Global Indian takes a look at the marvellous journey of this child prodigy, who is revolutionalising the world of biomedical engineering.

Child Genius

With their roots in Kerala, Tanishq's parents, veterinary doctor Dr. Taji Abraham and techie Bijou Abraham, moved to the United States in search of better career opportunities. A few years into his birth, his mother knew that her son was a special kid as he could solve basic mathematics problems at the age of two, a feat not many can achieve. Two years later, he took the Mensa exam and scored a brilliant 99.9 percent.

Realising that it would be difficult for any school to match their son's genius, the couple decided to home-school Tanishq. At five, the child prodigy cracked Stanford University’s math course, offered under their Education Programme for Gifted Youth, in just six months. Owing to the need that he had to socialise with other people, Tanishq was enrolled at the local community college, while he prepared rigorously for his high school exams at home.

[caption id="attachment_20253" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Tiara and Tanishq Abraham[/caption]

At nine, Tanishq became the youngest person to speak at NASA’s Ames conferences in 2012, after he discovered a supernova, an exoplanet, and a solar storm while going through hundreds of images from NASA's Long-Range Observatory and Kepler projects. Just a few months before his 11th birthday, the scholar earned his high school degree, making him the youngest to do so in the US. Interestingly, Tanishq's younger sister, Tiara, is no different than him too. The 16-year-old musical prodigy recently received the Young Arts award in Classical Voice 2022.

Changing the course of biomedical engineering

A 10-year-old armed with a high school degree, Tanishq's next stop was American River College, where he graduated junior college with three associate degrees. Motivated to pursue a career in medicine, the scholar joined the University of California to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering. “I decided to go into biomedical engineering because it’s interdisciplinary and at the forefront of medical research. It’s a field with the potential for positive impact on society," Tanishq said during an interview with the UC Davis Magazine.

[caption id="attachment_20249" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Tanishq during his graduation ceremony at the University of California[/caption]

However, the journey was tougher than he imagined. While the curriculum was a cakewalk for the child genius, he had to deal with bullying at the hands of his peers and unsupportive faculty. So much so that many professors refused to take him seriously and even barred him from taking up their courses. However, his love for learning kept him going, and he was able to earn his undergraduate degree summa cum laude.

At 15, Tanishq decided to join the University of California's Ph.D. programme in biomedical engineering, which he is still pursuing. Under the able supervision of Dr Richard Levenson, the scholar is researching the application of deep learning (especially generative networks) to novel microscopy techniques for digital pathology. "Through deep learning, we should soon be able to enhance images from microscopes to make them easier for pathologists to interpret. Radiology and pathology are already suited for the integration of AI technology as these areas of medicine involve sets of digitised images," he informed UC Davis Magazine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3FopGY6Fc&t=68s

A STEM educator on Twitter, Tanishq has been inspiring young minds to follow their passion through TEDx Talk. Recently, the scholar also wrote a 30-page chapter titled, Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Image Enhancement in Pathology, as a first author. The book, which focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Pathology, is a multi-author book.

But it’s the funding that’s keeping him at a hand’s distance from his goal. Urging the society and governments to fund research facilities, the scholar told UC Davis Magazine, “It’s amazing that science accomplishes as much as it does when research receives so little funding in comparison to other budget priorities, such as the military. We need to fund the NSF and the NIH, cash from them trickles down to many labs, including those at UC Davis. And you never know when science will make a huge discovery that changes lives and helps many people."

Follow Tanishq Abraham on Twitter, Instagram and his website

Reading Time: 6 mins

Indian teen racing champ Atharva eyes Formula 3

Atharva Desai was eight-years-old when he watched his first Formula 1 race on TV, at his Virginia home. He was enchanted. He ran and pressed his face up against the screen. Today, at 19, the US-born Indian-origin racer is testing for Formula 3 in the UK with Arden Motorsports Team, Banbury. Now the Indian teen racing champ’s sights are set on a Formula 1 seat, and hopefully even a world championship. In early February, Atharva and a small group of drivers headed out to the Young Racing Drivers’ Academy racetrack at the Anglesey Circuit to test Arden Motorsports’ F3 cars – all whetted through a series of simulation rounds. Unfortunately, it was a rainy day - the track lay wet and glistening - hardly ideal for a racer. “I had never spent an entire day driving in the rain,” he recalls, in an exclusive interview with Global Indian. “But I kept it under control. I kept it fast and it went well,” said the Indian teen racing champ. A chance to sign on as an F3 driver and make headway to the coveted Formula 1, Desai is hopeful. [caption id="attachment_11211" align="aligncenter" width="875"] Atharva Desai at the Anglesey Circuit in Wales[/caption]

ance to sign on as an F3 driver and make headway to the coveted Formula 1, Desai is hopeful.

[caption id="attachment_11211" align="aligncenter" width="875"] Atharva Desai at the Anglesey Circuit in Wales[/caption]

A Brit Indian with a need for speed

Atharva entered racing before he hit his teens. A cutthroat world that required emotional stability far beyond his years, just as much as talent and skill, he says, “Attitude and confidence are important. You never know who is watching you. While talent is the first thing scouts look for, the second round involves testing a person’s confidence and approach to life. They want someone who can endorse them, who will bring their team a good name.”

Soon after he watched that first race on TV, his obliging parents took the excited eight-year-old to a go-karting track called the Allsports Grand Prix in Northern Virginia. He failed to meet the height requirements but was back the following year, determined to practice on his own. He was noticed by the track owner, Francois, who remarked to Atharva’s father that the boy “drives like a young Sir Jackie Stewart” and began teaching him the fundamentals of racing.

“I was 10 when I entered my first junior league,” says the Indian teen racing champ. A rookie, going up against opponents far more experienced than himself, he went on to win the championship, levelling up, and emerging victorious the next year too. “There was the last level left to compete at but my teacher stopped me. He thought I would beat everyone. My adult opponents wouldn’t have been happy about that,” he smiles.

After finishing second at the ROTAX National Race, Atharva was invited to test Formula 4 cars. And he impressed all. “I got blazing times. It got me noticed,” says the Indian teen racing champ who, in search of a good school to study engineering, chose Oxford Brookes College in the UK due to its motorsports curriculum.

At the Young Racing Driver Academy in Virginia, he met Jamie Horner, director, an established name, Horner’s brother, Christian, the British team principal for team Redbull Formula 1. “I became a developing driver to improve my skills, and hopefully race for them in the future,” says the 19-year-old. At the academy in Anglesey, drivers were put on simulators, chosen based on skills and timing. Atharva found out soon enough that F4 cars in the UK are quite different from those in the US. “The American cars are digital, less rigid. They’re not meant for aggressive racing. In the UK, they’re built for aggressive drivers – which is what I am,” says the Indian teen racing champ who re-honed his skills, leaving his mentors impressed.

How Nikki Lauda inspired him

Committed and driven, Atharva is up before 6 am, starting with an hour at the gym. Back home, he cooks breakfast, and heads to class. Unwavering discipline, born of mental fortitude, he explains, “I don’t get angry often. Motorsports, especially, the earlier phases are competitive and full of aggression. You’re getting attacked both on and off the track. So, you learn. If someone provokes me, I think, my goal is to be in F1. My goal is not to meddle with the guy.”

Even his choice of idols is unusual – Nikki Lauda, the legendary Austrian Formula One and three-time F1 World Drivers’ Champion, the only driver in history to be champion for both Ferrari and McLaren. In 1976, Lauda’s Ferrari swerved off the track and burst into flames. “He was pulled out of the car with half his face on fire. He didn’t give up, with dedication and mental strength, he made it through. Nothing could stand in his way,” says the Indian teen racing champ.

All about motorsport

Doing engineering in motorsport technology at Oxford, Atharva is uncommonly mature. “I was raised with Indian values. I understand that a little competition can go a long way,” he adds.

This year, he hopes to join a Formula 3 team in the US. “I have built good relationships there, and they are willing to give me an F3 seat,” says the racer whose connection with Arden Motorsports will continue alongside. “Next year, I start negotiating with Formula 2 teams. I also have to work at getting sponsors to back me,” says the Indian teen racing champ.

The chequered flag beckons

Much of his success, the Indian teen racing champ attributes to his unwavering resolve. “Attitude, confidence and general likeability all count for a lot. Being a race driver requires huge mental fortitude,” says the boy whose daily regimen involves mental training, “I do reaction time testing and I juggle - for balance and skill.”

Racing is an expensive sport, and staying on the track is thanks to the unflinching support by his parents. “I'm motivated by the fact they trust me and know I'm working hard,” says Atharva. He practices on iRacing, a simulation software. “There are actual drivers and scouts on it, so I practice and register for races,” says the teen, who loves to skateboard or decipher the Rubic's Cubes. Music is also a pet passion, “When I have time to spare, I make electronic music on my laptop,” he adds. The Indian teen racing champ’s 3,420 followers on Instagram are fondly called A4Rians, and he regularly updates them on race day highs.

As Youth Ambassador for Quench 66 by AquaKraft Pvt. Ltd, an initiative by the government of Maharashtra, he is also moving forward the mission to provide 50 million litres of drinking water across 500 schools in the state.

Follow Atharva on Instagram or visit his website, https://www.atharva4racing.com/

Reading Time: 6 min

Apoorva Panidapu: The human calculator is a gem in STEAM

(February 3, 2023) When Apoorva Panidapu was invited to NBC National TV show Genius Junior, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris in 2018, her excellent performance in mental math created a buzz. Her effortless execution of complex math problems on the American television show established that the talented youngster is one among a select few internationally. Since then, she has been popularly referred to as the human calculator. The seventeen-year-old high-schooler Apoorva of San Jose, California is not just a math genius. She wears many hats, and is well-known for her abilities in STEAM - an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) model. The student, teacher, mathematician, artist, social entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker loves helping kids around the world. [caption id="attachment_27111" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Apoorva Panidapu[/caption] Apoorva has received several global awards in mathematics such as the prestigious Davidson Fellow Laureate, Steven S Strogatz Prize for Math Communication, Spirit of Ramanujan Fellowship, and 2020 Global Child Prodigy Award. Home-schooled since grade six, Apoorva tells Global Indian, “When I was younger, my parents noticed that I loved puzzles and numbers. They realised that I was learning math at a faster pace than what a

l Child Prodigy Award. Home-schooled since grade six, Apoorva tells Global Indian, “When I was younger, my parents noticed that I loved puzzles and numbers. They realised that I was learning math at a faster pace than what a traditional public school could accommodate.”

The math prodigy’s foray into the world of art

The multi-talented youngster is an enthusiastic artist who loves to oil paint and sketch portraits. She is the founder of Apoorva Panidapu’s Art Gallery, an online platform through which she shares her artwork and raises funds for charity and social impact. Her paintings and stories have been featured on platforms like Ellen & Cheerio's, ‘One Million Acts of Good’, Artists for Peace, and Stone Soup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An6m2Oa3Sdk

The grand prize winner of the NASA Langley Research Center’s Centennial Student Art Contest while talking about her exceptional achievements and choice of home-schooling mentions, “It gave me the chance to forge my educational path, learn at my own pace and work on exciting projects.”

The exceptional path

A genius in mathematics, Apoorva started taking college classes at age 11 and has since completed several upper-division and graduate-level mathematics courses with a keen interest in number theory. As the youngest researcher in the institution, she attended the prestigious highly selective Canada/USA Mathcamp and the University of Virginia REU both in 2020 as well as 2021. “I am grateful to have worked with world-renowned mathematicians, and to have co-authored six number theory research papers,” she tells.

[embed]https://twitter.com/apoorvapanidapu/status/1435432834840158214?s=20&t=YdrDk1Tw6EfVJWFaYxEpjw[/embed]

Apoorva executes complex problems with mental math using the abacus method of calculation, a technique that relies on an ancient tool. “I started my journey in math through abacus when I was 5 or 6 years old,” she says. “It’s just a different way of thinking about computation, adding, subtracting – all the operations,” she adds.

The STEAM enthusiast believes in giving back

A recipient of the Diana Award, Apoorva has also received six Presidential Volunteer Service Awards between 2016 – 2022 for her initiatives. She has been speaking on global platforms encouraging girls, gender minorities, and youth to pursue STEAM fearlessly. Apoorva is a global ambassador for GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup), through which she encourages girls between the age of eight to 12 from diverse backgrounds to pursue leadership and careers in the field of technology.

[caption id="attachment_27114" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Apoorva has just received commendation from California State Senate which was presented by Senator Dave Cortese[/caption]

Since she was 10, the philanthropic youngster has been using her talents to help underprivileged children with the mission to encourage them to use their gifts to make a difference in the world. “I have helped raise more than $50,000 to support children around the world by using the gifts in math and art,” Apoorva reveals.

The prodigy donates the money she makes through tutoring in math to help schools for visually impaired and tribal children in India. “I have very open conversations with my parents about what I value and want to invest my time in,” she says, adding, “I try to be intentional about having a schedule such that I’m truly motivated to do the things I do.”

Bringing together art and activism

From raising over $10,000 for the Child Hunger and Famine Relief fund to protesting racial injustice with her painting of George Floyd and donating $1,400 to Black Lives Matter organizations, Apoorva has thrived to bring together art and activism. As the mentor of the Girls Leadership Academy Meetup (GLAM), she has mentored over 1,000 young people through outreach.

[caption id="attachment_27143" align="aligncenter" width="818"] Apoorva in one of the sessions as keynote speaker[/caption]

The prodigy has also been associated with the Research Science Institute (RSI), which is one of the most prestigious international summer research programmes for high school students. It is sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I was glad to be selected as one of the top STEM talents from around the world to conduct original scientific research for six weeks,” she says. “This off-campus work in science and technology research has added to my perspectives of future goals,” she adds.

From numbers to letters

Apoorva has created an online column, Gems in STEM. Its her initiative to simplify technical topics of STEM through storytelling and pop culture. "In my journey in the world of math, I’ve realized that the 'human' part of the 'Human Calculator' that I am often called relates to my ability to connect to other people through humour and empathy, especially when I'm a student who is still learning and growing," she remarks. "Through my articles, I want to convey that STEM has something or the other in store for everyone. You just need to know where to look at," she adds.

"Gems in STEM has managed to reach out to more than 70,000 people," tells the youngster who has also been publishing her monthly newsletter - Letter? I Hardly Know Her! "Through it I connect with my network of professionals, peers, and friends and keep them updated about the projects I’m working on, and upcoming events while sharing some interesting content to read," she says.

The course of life

Apoorva’s parents hail from the southern part of India. The engineers moved to the US more than 20 years ago. It was there that Apoorva was born and raised. Following in the footsteps of her parents, the youngster intends to study math and engineering at university next year.

In her spare time, the teenager enjoys reading classical literature, playing the violin, and practicing Kung Fu. “I aim to work on projects with which I can make an innovative and positive impact on the world,” tells the expert in STEAM.

Well, her accomplishments so far tell us that she is already making a difference.

Follow Apoorva Panidapu on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and her website

Reading Time: 5 mins

Global Kitchen: International food influencers spicing up their pages with desi flavours

(December 12, 2023) Whether it's a simple dal-khichdi or an extravagant biryani, the harmonious fusion of Indian spices has always been a culinary marvel. For years, iconic Indian dishes like butter chicken, dal makhani, and garlic naan graced the global stage. However, in today's age of social media and cooking shows, the representation of Indian flavours has expanded far beyond these classics. The diverse flavours of regional Indian cuisines have now captivated global audiences, thanks to the expertise of several culinary influencers on Instagram. The growing popularity of veganism has also played a significant role in elevating Indian cuisine's global appeal. Many traditional Indian dishes are inherently vegan or can be easily adapted to meet vegan preferences. Global Indian explores the world of international Instagram food influencers who may not hail from India, but their profound love for Indian cuisine knows no bounds. Beryl Shereshewsky (@shereshe) One of the most unique Instagram food bloggers, Beryl Shereshewsky is a New York-based creator who wears multiple hats as a producer, writer, and videographer. Her content spans various series, one of which is 'Dishes Around The World.' In this series, she takes everyday ingredients like tea, coffee, and eggs, and recreates five recipes

Beryl Shereshewsky (@shereshe)

One of the most unique Instagram food bloggers, Beryl Shereshewsky is a New York-based creator who wears multiple hats as a producer, writer, and videographer. Her content spans various series, one of which is 'Dishes Around The World.' In this series, she takes everyday ingredients like tea, coffee, and eggs, and recreates five recipes from different countries, all suggested by her followers.

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A post shared by Beryl Shereshewsky (@shereshe)

Beryl's Instagram following is impressive, with over 174k followers. One of her recent and highly popular series was 'Eating the Alphabet in India: A to Z,' which she filmed in New Delhi, India. This series featured a wide range of traditional Indian dishes and snacks, including packaged foods, along with their historical backgrounds. Moreover, this influencer's channel frequently showcases Indian recipes, such as paneer biryani and mutta chaya (egg tea), which are unique and specific to certain regions in India. Interestingly, she's married to an Indian, which likely adds to her love for desi cuisine!

Jake Dryan (@plantfuture)

In today's digital age, a rising number of young Indians are discovering their passion for cooking, thanks to Instagram sensation Jake Dryan - known to his followers as @plantfuture. One of the few food influencers, who is strictly vegan, Jake's innovative plant-based approach to Indian cuisine has garnered significant attention, shining a spotlight on authentic recipes from local Indian kitchens.

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A post shared by JAKE DRYAN (@plantfuture)

Based in the UK, this food influencer boasts an impressive 1.4M followers on Instagram. His channel features a captivating series that delves into the diverse culinary traditions of India, highlighting recipes from each of the country's states. Thus far, he has already shared delectable dishes from 11 different states. From the tangy khatti dal of Hyderabad to Odisha's flavourful ghanta tarkari, his recipes have received not only international acclaim but also earned praise from the very regions in India where these dishes originate. Jake's culinary journey serves as an inspiration for both Indian and global audiences, igniting a newfound love for Indian home cooking.

Maya Leinenbach (@fitgreenmind)

Hailing from Germany, Maya Leinenbach is a passionate vegan who demonstrates how simple it can be to enjoy plant-based meals from all around the globe. Her recipe collection spans various cuisines, including Southeast Asian, German, American, and even Indian. She skillfully uses ingredients like chickpeas, tofu, and vegan cream to bring out the delightful flavours of these cuisines.

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A post shared by Maya // vegan recipes (@fitgreenmind)

With an impressive Instagram following of 3.1 million, this youthful food blogger not only shares individual Indian recipes but also dedicates entire weeks to showcasing Indian cuisine. From the mouthwatering pav bhaji of Maharashtra to the delectable Amritsari kulcha from Punjab, her array of offerings is boundless and can instantly transport you to your favourite Indian state.

Cheyenne Singh (@cheysingh)

Cheyenne's last name, 'Singh,' is a nod to her Punjabi husband, and she's making waves on Instagram with her hit series, 'Lunch For My Husband.' In this heartwarming series, she shows what tasty meals she prepares for her husband , all while bravely confronting racist and negative comments that sometimes pop up on her feed.

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A post shared by Cheyenne (@cheysingh)

When it comes to cooking, Cheyenne is all about sharing delightful recipes from both India and America. Whether it's her Indian-inspired chicken curry or the tasty desi chinese hakka noodles, her flavours have won the hearts of her 167k-strong audience. Cheyenne's culinary journey is a testament to love, delicious food, and standing up against negativity in the online world.

Jennifer Pallian (@foodess)

Jennifer Pallian, a food blogger and writer on Instagram, is all about sharing "tried-and-true comfort recipes." Hailing from the USA, she brings the flavours of the world to her followers, whether it's gochujang chicken or potato-seafood chowder.

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A post shared by Jennifer Pallian, BSc RD (@foodess)

With a robust following of 193k fans, her channel is a treasure trove of recipes that include chicken biryani, garlic naan, and samosas, all of which have become fan favourites. Her approach to Indian cuisine is easy to follow, making it a hit among both Indian and international audiences. Interestingly, she's married to an Indian, which could be a big reason why her social media feed reflects her deep love for Indian cuisine. Jennifer's food journey is a delightful mix of comfort and international flavours that brings smiles to food lovers worldwide.

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