Darwinbox: Pioneering the next chapter in Indian HR tech evolution
Written by: Mallik Thatipalli
Published on 18, Aug 2023
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Nimal Raghavan: The ‘Son of Rain’ transforming lives and revitalising agricultural cycles in India and Kenya
(January 3, 2024) Environmentalist Nimal Raghavan, who has revived 180 lakes in India, has won people’s heart in Kenya as well. He has earned himself the moniker ‘Wa Muva’, or ‘Son of Rain’ in the drought-stricken country, through his efforts to tackle water scarcity. “I have revived six lakes so far in Kenya, working along with the Ministry of Water,” Nimal tells Global Indian. “I was invited by the Green Africa Foundation to collaborate on their lake revival drives.” Leaving behind a thriving career in Dubai, Nimal redirected his efforts to environmental activism, focusing on causes like organic farming and the rejuvenation of water bodies, along with tree planting, rainwater harvesting and the fight against climate change. So far, Nimal has overseen lake restorations in seven states across India and the planting of over 1.8 million saplings. Now, he aims to restore water bodies in 10 African countries, especially in areas where the water scarcity problem is most acute. “Last year, we brought water to one of the driest places in India (Ramnad) and to drought-stricken Kenya.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nimal Raghavan (@being_nimal) Recently, Nimal was awarded the title of Jal
Read Moreya ayb ayc ayd aye ayf ayg ayh ayi ayj ayk ayl aym ayn ayo ayp ayq ayr ays ayt ayu ayv ayw ayx ayy ayz aza azb azc" dir="ltr">water bodies in 10 African countries, especially in areas where the water scarcity problem is most acute. “Last year, we brought water to one of the driest places in India (Ramnad) and to drought-stricken Kenya.”
Recently, Nimal was awarded the title of Jal Prahari here in India, a recognition by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. “It was an immense pleasure to have received the award from ‘The great Waterman of India’, my inspiration Rajendra Singh,” he remarked.
Rising above odds
Born in Nadiyam Village, nestled in Tamil Nadu's Peravurani district, often known as the ‘rice bowl of Tamil Nadu’, Nimal’s childhood came with challenges. When he was six months old, his father was diagnosed with a brain tumour and the family’s financial stability crumbled.
“My family spent everything on his treatment. Although we managed to save him, people began seeing me as a bearer of misfortune," Nimal recalls. "Passers-by would deliberately alter their paths upon seeing me on the streets."
[caption id="attachment_47946" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Nimal Raghavan[/caption]
Determined to rise above adversity, Nimal pursued engineering and secured his first job in Pune and eventually relocated to Dubai. His life took a positive turn financially after this move, allowing him to even construct a house in his native village.
The twist of tale
When he was on a vacation in his village in 2018, he witnessed devastation caused by a cyclone. The place was severely affected. In every house that Nimal visited he saw people crying and sobbing due to the misfortune caused by nature. “90 percent of the livelihood got affected,” he shared.
Deeply in love with his native place, Nimal extended his leave. “Instead of retreating, I rallied a team,” he says. Starting from his own village, he lent a helping hand to 90 nearby villages affected by the cyclone. This natural calamity unveiled an overlooked crisis—the mismanagement of water resources due to poor knowledge on the part of the villagers.
Realising the severity of water wastage in his region, Nimal embarked on a mission – to manage the water resources. His efforts didn't just revive lakes, rather they resurrected hope. With meticulous planning, Nimal's team rejuvenated water bodies, elevating water levels from 700 to 60 feet within six months, revitalising agricultural cycles in the process.
“We realised that due to poor management of water resources, the farmers who previously cultivated crops thrice a year could barely manage once annually, Nimal says. Their efforts involved desilting, erecting boundaries, establishing inlet-outlet connections, and facilitating water retention. “Gradually, we successfully escalated the water level from 700 feet to 60 feet within a mere six months. This success sparked a realisation that if six months of dedicated work could resolve a three-decade-old problem here, why not replicate this in other regions?” remarks Nimal.
The power of action
Each revitalised lake symbolised more than water; it represented restored livelihoods. Nimal's impact echoed when a grateful elder, previously unable to farm for many years due to water scarcity, handed him the first produce from his revived land—a gesture that remains Nimal's most cherished moment. “The old man said I have been offering my first harvest to God since I have been farming but this time I'm giving this to you.” This gesture meant a lot especially when Nimal had seen times when people used to change their paths when they saw him coming.
Driven by a simple yet profound belief—no one should go hungry, no one should pay for water—Nimal's vision is colossal. He yearns for a world where simplicity sparks profound change. He believes that even a drop of effort can cause ripples of transformation.
[caption id="attachment_47953" align="aligncenter" width="586"] Nimal Raghvan in Kenya[/caption]
“I work with the simple goal that no one should die of hunger. I don't want anyone to pay for water. Through simple mind-set, we can bring powerful changes. With this attitude, I have set to achieve my big dreams,” he signs off.
Reading Time: 5 mns
Indian-origin Rita Kakati-Shah is empowering people in second innings of their career through Uma
(May 6, 2023) After passing out of King’s College London, when UK-born Rita Kakati-Shah joined investment bank Goldman Sachs’ sales training desk in 2001, she discovered that there were very few women at the training floor of the London headquarter. This perturbed her, and over the next ten years that she worked with the firm, she made some changes while climbing up the hierarchical ladder. "I got involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives along the way. Those were the times when the terms 'diversity, inclusion and equity' were not really used, and I just went ahead with the purpose of building community and bringing people together,” she tells Global Indian. Fifteen years later in 2016, Rita turned an entrepreneur with her business focusing on diversity and inclusion in a powerful way. [caption id="attachment_38175" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Rita Kakati-Shah, founder and CEO, Uma[/caption] Now a resident of New York in the United States, Rita Kakati-Shah is the founder and CEO of Uma that works to empower women and minorities to re-enter the workforce. The name of her business venture resonates with the idea with which she forayed into entrepreneurship. “Uma is the Hindu Goddess who is an epitome of a daughter, a
Read Moreian Diaspora | Rita Kakati-Shah | Global Indian " width="599" height="860" /> Rita Kakati-Shah, founder and CEO, Uma[/caption]
Now a resident of New York in the United States, Rita Kakati-Shah is the founder and CEO of Uma that works to empower women and minorities to re-enter the workforce. The name of her business venture resonates with the idea with which she forayed into entrepreneurship. “Uma is the Hindu Goddess who is an epitome of a daughter, a mother, a sibling and a wife, and represents strength, courage and confidence. She is the Goddess of go-getting,” smiles the award-winning gender, diversity, inclusion and career strategist, who is also a speaker, author and advisor to Fortune 500 companies.
Uma is an international platform that partners with organisations across the globe to attract, retain and develop women and minorities in the workforce by boosting their confidence levels, and building leadership and resilience in them to succeed. Headquartered in New York, with presence in London, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Toronto, Rita’s entrepreneurial venture empowers women to: ‘Be Bold. Be You. Be Uma’.
Rita also hosts the popular South Asian television show, The Uma Show, on Mana TV International, and has written a book The Goddess of Go-Getting: Your Guide to Confidence, Leadership, and Workplace Success, that was launched by the Consulate General of India in New York last year. She has co-authored three books on leadership, has written multiple research papers and is actively involved in volunteerism and advocacy.
[caption id="attachment_38177" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Rita Kakati-Shah with her book[/caption]
The empowerment journey
After a decade of experience in finance, Rita’s career saw a transition into the pharmaceutical industry, which led her to move to the US. After working for a few years there, she got married and took close to four years of break to raise her two kids. "Out of all the jobs I had done, by far the most challenging and rewarding was the new journey of motherhood and fulltime parenthood. Without getting a day off as parents we make an impact on our future generation,” she remarks.
"During my motherhood journey I became a pro at certain skills like negotiation and communications, and really learning to listen and have empathy with my toddlers, which I realised were completely translatable into the corporate and paid salaried world," she adds.
It was her journey into motherhood that played a catalyst in helping her identify a new direction in life. Like many mothers when Rita took a career break, returning to work - she discovered - required self-motivation and the skill to market one’s capabilities in such a way that they are perceived as indispensable for the workforce as they are for their families.
This idea gave birth to Uma. “Founding Uma has been an empowering journey to address the issues companies were missing,” tells Rita.
[caption id="attachment_38173" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Rita Kakati-Shah addressing students at the USC Marshall School of Business[/caption]
“Too many smart, talented women or even men who left the workforce to raise children or for any other reason are unable to find jobs that match their credentials and lifestyle commitments when they try to return,” she says, adding, “Not enough is being done to retain, retrain or re-engage this talent pool. Companies that once hired and trained these incredible people now suffer an intense loss of headcount and huge drain of hiring and training resources, too.” This is the gap that UMA addresses.
Rita Kakati-Shah and her team try to change the status quo of people for the better, and work with like-minded employers to create opportunities that match the credentials and lifestyle goals of people planning the second inning of their careers.
Giving back and getting recognition
Apart from her business, advocacy and volunteerism is an integral part of Rita’s life. She is actively involved with her alma mater King’s Leadership, Diversity and Entrepreneurial Institute mentoring programs, and is also a member of the New York and Los Angeles Alumni Committees. She coaches and mentors survivors of domestic violence, schoolgirls and students, and serves as an advisor, ambassador, and diversity and inclusion expert to multiple boards and global organizations like the JCC of Manhattan, ACP Women Veterans’ Founding Circle, New York City Bar Association, Democracy Without Borders India, and the Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
At Goldman Sachs in London, Rita was awarded the prestigious Excellence in Citizenship and Diversity Award and since then has received several international recognitions for her contributions.
[caption id="attachment_38196" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Rita Kakati-Shah with her family at King's Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony[/caption]
Involved in advocacy since the time she was a teenager in London, Rita remarks, “My parents brought up my brother and I to always give to others rather than expect to get, and to always remember our roots,” she says, adding, “But I hadn't realised what giving back actually meant till I was in my late teens during a brief encounter with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who congratulated me and other recipients of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for community work.” He had said that it was wonderful that all winners had shown endurance, leadership and community service, but our duties as award recipients had only just begun. ‘And that duty was to serve’.
More than two decades later, those words still resonate with Rita. This year, she won the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for a lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through voluntary service by the executive office of the president of the United States, and the AmeriCorps. Last year she received the Mahatma Gandhi Samman medal in London for her advocacy and community work.
The entrepreneur is a regularly invited speaker and guest lecturer at various academic institutions, multinational corporations and global policy forums such as UNESCO in Paris, European Parliament in Brussels and many more spanning Assam, Meghalaya, Delhi, London, Madrid, New York, San Francisco, Sochi, Toronto and Zambia.
She has been featured as an expert on multiple international television and news shows, interviewed and quoted in various podcasts and publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Thrive Global, Dell Technology, CBS News, Fox News, Yahoo Finance and iHeartRadio.
[caption id="attachment_38174" align="aligncenter" width="801"] Rita Kakati-Shah receiving Mahatma Gandhi Samman medal at the Palace of Westminster, House of Parliament in London[/caption]
Love for India
Whether it’s being part of the London Bihu Committee or adorning the traditional Assamese mekhela chador woven affectionately on the handloom in her ancestral home in Sualkuchi, Assam, Rita embraces all with elan. “Growing up in the UK, I was brought up to read and write Assamese with other second-generation Assamese kids. Being an Assamese means a lot to me and I want my kids to pick the heritage, the roots, the culture of Assam. I try to cook the food that my mum taught me as best as I can,” she signs off with a smile.
Reading Time: 5 mins
Istanbul-based Indian author Ann D’Silva’s debut book turns into a Bollywood film
(November 10, 2022) Amid the chaos, one often finds hope. And usually, the darkest times bring one closer to the light. That's the workings of the Universe, in which Istanbul-based Indian author Ann D'Silva has immense faith. It was this strong belief that led her to leave a corporate career in India and relocate to Istanbul as an author. An activist and a champion of women's empowerment, she has given the literary world women-oriented stories that are glazed with a strong narrative. And one such work of hers - Footprints in the Sand - is set to turn into a Bollywood film soon. The author has joined hands with Bollywood director and producer Prem Raj Soni for the Indo-Turkish project that's set to go on floors sometime next year. It was in 2021 that Prem Raj Soni connected with Ann, asking her to send him her book. "Impressed by the story of Hannah (the main character) - a modern-day woman who is a survivor and a warrior, he decided to make the film as he believes that people need stories like that. And in August this year, he made the official announcement," says Ann who is excited to collaborate with
Read Morethat people need stories like that. And in August this year, he made the official announcement," says Ann who is excited to collaborate with Prem Raj Soni for the film.
[caption id="attachment_31554" align="aligncenter" width="526"] Ann D'Silva moved to Istanbul in 2019[/caption]
India and Türkiye have played an important role in her journey, and it's her way of giving back to the two nations that have nurtured her as an individual and a professional. While her first book is about a modern woman, her second book focuses on displacement. "These are the subjects one cannot ignore. Cinema is the medium to bring stories about humanity beyond borders," Ann tells Global Indian.
Deepening cultural ties through cinema
Cinema transcends barriers, and Ann believes it holds true in India-Türkiye scenario too. She has seen Turkish people swoon over Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, as some of the Indian content is dubbed in Turkish. "If you tell someone in Türkiye that you are from India, the first thing they say is Raj Kapoor. They still remember Awara Hoon; that's the power of Indian cinema," she adds. And now the author is keen to explore the cinematic experience for the people of India and Türkiye through the screen adaptation, which she is writing as well as co-producing.
"There is a lot of similarity between the cultures and storytelling of the two countries. Most of the content has been dubbed, but there has never been a crossover. And that's what we are going to do with our film. It's for the first time that the talent from both nations will work together on a project, thus helping deepen the friendship and ties between the countries." Calling it a "first-mover advantage," Ann says that the story of Footprints in the Sand is woven in both the cultures. "Both the countries share histories and cultures, and it will be shown through the film."
[caption id="attachment_31555" align="aligncenter" width="514"] Ann D'Silva's debut book is set to be made into a film[/caption]
Ann explains that the ties between India and Türkiye go centuries deeper, and her book has in-depth mentioned the blossoming friendship between the two nations. "Not many know but Mahatma Gandhi and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk were friends who exchanged letters. Both of them were visionaries who gave freedom to their countries. They were both fighting the British, while one fought a war for Independence, the other chose the course of non-violence," reveals Ann, adding, "Almost 5000 Hindi words are a part of Türkçe (Turkish dialect)."
A home, away from home
Ann, who now calls Istanbul her home, is its resident for the past three and a half years. For someone who lived across India, moving to a new country was a leap of faith. Having intriguing recurrent dreams about Türkiye led her to her maiden visit to Istanbul in 2017, and the author instantly knew this is where she belonged. "I believe in the magic of the Universe, and I know I am supported and guided. It was this guidance that led me to Istanbul. I didn't know anybody in Türkiye, but the country drew me in," says the 50-year-old who has now become a part of the Indian diaspora, which she says includes 500 families in Türkiye.
[caption id="attachment_31556" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Ann D'Silva in Istanbul[/caption]
"Turkish people are very polite, warm, and welcoming. When I initially moved here, I instantly felt a sense of belonging," says Ann, whose only challenge was the language barrier. However, she is bridging the gap by constantly brushing up on her language skills. Moreover, she calls Turkiye a country that's devoid of any racism. "There is no colour bias. I am considered exotic here because of my colour," she smiles.
The short stint in Türkiye has made her realise that the people of the country are very much in love with everything Indian. "They love yoga, chakra healing, and aura healing techniques. Oh, and they are majorly into astrology too," smiles Ann, as she connects with me from a cafe overlooking the Bosphorus in Istanbul. "I love observing people, and it's them who inspire me to develop the characters for my stories."
Championing women issues
Her move to Turkey was a blind bargain laced with adventures and learnings. If Ann released two of her books that made her a bestselling author, she also fell in love with a man in Istanbul who she ended up marrying after a whirlwind romance. However, things started looking down soon after. The abusive marriage and an ugly divorce led her to stand in the face of adversity and rise like a phoenix from the ashes. "I built an ecosystem of Turkish friends who have been my biggest support system during trying times," says Ann, who reveals that those hard days made her an "insightful writer and an activist."
[caption id="attachment_31557" align="aligncenter" width="493"] Ann D'Silva is also an activist[/caption]
The Global Goodwill Ambassador and the recipient of the Books for Peace Award - Italy 2022, Ann champions the idea of inclusivity, diversity, and women empowerment. "In some parts of the world, women are emancipated and empowered. In others, many are still struggling for their fundamental rights like what's happening in Iran right now. Though there is a collective consciousness right now, where women believe it's high time to change the narrative." She reveals that according to a UN report, around 1.3 billion women face some sort of sexual assault, and it's the fear that keeps them silent despite the atrocities meted out to them. "That's what I want to change through my writing and activism," says Ann, who is currently working on a script for a Hollywood film based on the prostitutes of Kamathipura. "I want to put the spotlight on subjects that are often brushed under the carpet. It is stories like these that give courage to the women to come out as survivors and not victims."
With a few months left for her to begin working on the script of the film, Ann is currently immersed in writing the third installment of Kun Faya Kun in the trilogy - which speaks about the power of nature. "Man has abused nature so much, and tsunamis and droughts are the results of it. Since it's the final book, it talks about the good and bad, and how nature corrects the imbalance," adds the author who shuts herself each day for a few hours to write her book, which is expected to hit the stalls in 2023.
[caption id="attachment_31558" align="aligncenter" width="481"] Ann D'Silva is currently writing her third book[/caption]
For someone who moved countries to chase her dreams, Ann is grateful for all experiences - good or bad. She calls "today - the biggest gift". "Today is all we have. The past with its traumas and lessons is behind us. Whatever we choose to do today, impacts our future," she signs off.
Reading Time: 7 min
Indian hotelier Anjan Chatterjee taking Calcutta to India and to the World
(January 8, 2022) They are calling it the 'Bengali food's latest outpost'. And it took two friends — former Indigo Airlines CEO Aditya Ghosh and well-known Indian hotelier Anjan Chatterjee to come together to open Chourangi in the heart of London. Located at the intersection of Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, Chatterjee calls it fulfilling to bring the eclectic cuisine of Calcutta to the city of London. The restaurant opened to rave reviews last year and despite the pandemic, it is going strong. So how did Chatterjee and Ghosh come up with the name Chourangi? "Chowringhee, from where the name has been originally derived, is a central business district of Calcutta and is also a very famous movie (36 Chowringhee Lane) by Aparna Sen. The name apart from being iconic represents the soul of Calcutta," he tells Global Indian. On his union with Ghosh, Chatterjee says that it is a friendship of twenty years. Introduced to each other by late Pranab Mukherjee (Ex-President of India), Chatterjee reveals they connected over their love for food. "One fine evening over drinks I had shared my dream with him to take Calcutta's cuisine to London, and he just jumped to the idea and
Read Morenks I had shared my dream with him to take Calcutta's cuisine to London, and he just jumped to the idea and thereon, he has been a constant guide in this venture,” says the Indian hotelier.
[caption id="attachment_18611" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Anjan Chatterjee's Chourangi[/caption]
Chatterjee may want to take Calcutta/Kolkata to the world, but over the years, his Speciality Restaurants group, a listed entity, has introduced Bengali and world cuisine to much of India with very well-known restaurants such as Mainland China, Haka, Oh! Calcutta, Machaan, Sigree among others. Each restaurant is unique for its cuisine, and unlike each other. "Oh! Calcutta is a Bengali centric fine dining space, while Chourangi is much more than that. It represents Calcutta's heritage cuisine and not just 'Bengali' cuisine," adds Chatterjee.
The origins
A hotel management graduate, Chatterjee dabbled in the hospitality sector working for the Taj Group and others. He also had a stint as an ad-selling executive in Mumbai for Kolkata's ABP Group. But the pull of the food was too hard to resist and in 1992, he started Only Fish, with the Bengali diaspora in mind. Then came Oh! Calcutta, again in Mumbai.
Since then there has been no looking back for this IHM Kolkata graduate. In these twenty-seven years, the Speciality Group has standardised recipes, created a chain of fine dining, casual dining, bar & lounge and bakery & confectionery outlets and restaurants not only across the country but also the world. There are around 130 restaurants and confectioneries in over 25 cities in India as well as in Dhaka (Bangladesh), Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Dubai (UAE) and now in London.
Speciality Restaurants went public in 2012 and became the first food chain in India to get listed in the stock market.
When the pandemic came calling
The hospitality sector was coming out of a trough when the pandemic struck, and Chatterjee had to go back to planning with his son, Avik, taking active interest in the business now.
The Indian hotelier understood very early that something profound was happening for the sector and it would never be the same again. It called for alacrity to acknowledge and change.
[caption id="attachment_18606" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Anjan Chatterjee with his son Avik[/caption]
From a restaurant company that was known for fine-dining, they had to seriously look at the home delivery side of business. "We have strengthened deliveries in the last one-and-a-half years. In the process, we have created a kitchen within the kitchen, where we increased the capacity of the kitchen by optimizing and by putting cloud kitchen because Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta and other brands are formidable brands,” says the Indian hotelier.
Cloud kitchen is a separate vertical within restaurants, and while it formed almost 60 percent of all business, it hasn't come down 35-38 percent even after all restrictions got lifted. "A lot of cloud kitchens are being added to the places where either we do not have restaurants or we have shut down. We are expanding through the cloud kitchen. I think this has been the biggest learning because we knew that any variant of COVID can hit at any point in time,” says Chatterjee.
The new normal
Chatterjee feels that the trend of cloud kitchen is here to stay as it has now become the 'new normal' and has given birth to an 'ordering out culture'. "The other reason has been the pricing and convenience of ordering food from the comfort of your home as it is incomparable to the experience of going to a restaurant or finding people to party in the first place." he adds.
[caption id="attachment_18612" align="aligncenter" width="664"] Braised Lamb Shank Curry[/caption]
Cafe Mezzuna, the contemporary European all-day diner, is a hit among the young diners. It has also been adopted to the cloud kitchen format with Mezzuna Gourmet Pizza, an app for ordering deliveries. Chatterjee and his team concentrated on pizzas with some innovative toppings as well as regular menu. "We have created a brand that’s slightly more glocalised but with the Mezzuna legacy. We are quite a puritan brand when it comes to Cafe Mezzuna, it’s pure Mediterranean. We have done an innovation in terms of packaging. It’s thermo-insulated, so the pizza stays hot. These are gourmet pizzas 12-inch and 15-inch, slightly glocalised and not like (Cafe) Mezzuna’s. We have seen a good off take of the brand as of the present considering the prevailing circumstances," he explains.
Increasing footprints abroad
The Speciality Group has opened their second outlet of Asia Kitchen by Mainland China at the Mall of Emirates (Dubai). "Riyasat is set to launch in Dubai and then there’s Mainland China opening soon in Houston too," shares Chatterjee. However, considering the pandemic situation, the hotelier is more inclined towards expanding the Cloud Kitchen vertical in India. "Surely we wish to expand both the brands further but maybe through a cloud kitchen model," he says.
A foodie family
His wife Suchhanda and son Avik are better chefs claims Chatterjee. But the family is involved in various parts of business. "While my wife, Meenoo has been the hands behind all the interiors and décor that you come across for Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta, my daughter-in-law is not directly involved in the business but she keeps on sharing some valuable inputs time to time," Indian hotelier says.
The family is into hospitality business, and it is but natural that it discusses food and latest trends even at the dining table. "Avik keeps bolstering me with the latest videos and updates on the changing food trends," he says.
Despite having a busy schedule, Chatterjee loves to put on the apron once in a while for the family. As for his favourites, he has the usual Bengali cuisine suspects--chingri malai curry, Calcutta fish fry with gondhoraj lemon and jhurjhure alu bhaja on the side. "But, do not get shocked or surprised if I savour an entire portion of Calcutta biryani at two in the morning or a steamed jasmine rice followed with fish in Tobanjan sauce specially made by our chef De Cuisine, Rajesh Dubey!," Chatterjee laughs.
- Follow Anjan Chatterjee on Linkedin
Reading Time: 7 min
Beyond labels: Fashion influencer Diipa Khosla is a true global icon
(February 16, 2024) Her initial vision as a teenager growing up in India was to join a reputed law firm and become a human rights lawyer. However, fate had other plans for Diipa Khosla. Soon after completing her degree in international human rights law from University College Utrecht, in the Netherlands, she moved to London for her master's from BPP University. It was here that she bagged an internship at a fashion agency during the four-month break between her university and job as a lawyer. "To my utter surprise, it turned out to be Europe’s first influencer agency. I knew nothing about this world, yet on my third day in the sales team, I was closing huge deals with fashion brands like Mango and Kiara," the fashion influencer said in an interview. From there, Diipa has come a long way - and recently created history by addressing the universal themes around ‘Changing the Narrative as Minority Women Leaders’ at the Harvard Business School. Bringing her inspirational entrepreneurial journey to the fore, the fashion icon said, "As a proud Indian, building a global business and being a minority woman doing that globally is something extremely powerful. It’s truly our time as
Read Moreirational entrepreneurial journey to the fore, the fashion icon said, "As a proud Indian, building a global business and being a minority woman doing that globally is something extremely powerful. It’s truly our time as Indian women to be able to do that."
The Global Indian is also the founder of a very successful ayurvedic skincare brand, Indē Wild, and an NGO, Post For Change. "In today's day and age having an online presence is almost a form of like a marketing channel or like a social currency. So it's really ultimately the people that you've built over the last few years, they trust you so much. So when you create something - a product or service - for them, they know you would have created it with the best intentions. For me is the best way to create a brand, to be honest, because you take them on the journey of creating the brand for them and then the brand is out there and they're the first ones who trust you to buy it," said the fashion influencer, who boasts a massive following of 2.1 million on her Instagram page alone.
The Indian fashionista
While that is what people know about her, being a lawyer also wasn't Diipa's first aspiration. "The funny thing is, I was first a pre-med student. I was studying medicine because well, mom is a doctor and it was kind of expected of me to be a doctor or an engineer. But then I did an internship at a hospital in India, and I realised it wasn't for me. There was too much sadness. And I remembered that the reason I wanted to be a doctor was to help people and create an impact on them. But I would come back home drained. So, I realised that maybe there's a different career that can help me help people. So, when I went back to university, I switched tracks and I took up law because we had an amazing international human rights law professor. And because you have the International Criminal Court (ICC) and The Hague in Amsterdam, a lot of big international human rights organisations were around. I thought maybe I can help people by fighting for human rights," shared the fashion influencer who spent her early childhood in Chennai.
After finishing her bachelor's there was only one goal that she had, "to be a human rights lawyer". However, upon observing friends engaged in the legal domain, Diipa realised that while the impact on people was assured, it would be a gradual, long-term endeavour. Fueled by an eagerness for more immediate change, she contemplated if there was a way to make a quicker impact.
"When I was pursuing my masters in the UK, I had just stepped into the world of social media, and towards the end of the course, I had to decide what I wanted to do. I told myself: Diipa, you cannot be a jack of many trades; you need to be the queen of one, so which one is it going to be? Either you're going to give it all you got and become a lawyer or you're going to make it big in this whole new world of social media, that nobody believes in yet," she said. And that was her calling. The fashion influencer started a YouTube channel (which now has around 18.6K subscribers). Though that decision was an easy one, telling her parents was quite a challenge. "They were quite shocked, but I asked them to give me one year. If at the end of the year, I can't make it, I'll go back, finish my master's, and become a lawyer. And they agreed."
More than just a pretty face
She gained confidence rapidly, recognising the need to consistently showcase her best efforts and perform effectively within the space. The obligation to present herself daily, even on challenging days, contributed to the development of resilience and a thicker skin. But, the fashion influencer shared that the online community she cultivated over the years has been overwhelmingly supportive and kind.
Eventually, the influencer had about a million people following her on Instagram. At a time when people were fawning over her beauty, the influencer decided to do something no other influencer had ever done. "I remember feeling that I wasn't doing the best I could by putting out this filtered version of me the whole time. So I decided to like, come clean about my acne and do this entire thing like showcasing how bad it was. I was one of the first people who put out that real skin candidness. And back then I had a blog site like a website and the whole website crashed and a lot of people followed me from there about just the honesty of it," reflected Diipa, who is also the first Indian fashion influencer to have walked the Cannes Film Festival red carpet. "I remember at that moment how important it was to remind yourself that you deserve to be here. That you know the world is changing, the media landscape is changing, that digital is going to be such a big force to be reckoned with."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lpUokyIwi0
A mother of one feels that anyone who is beginning their career as a content creator or influencer should learn, but not mimic others' journey. "I have pivoted and evolved, changed my content and my strategy. Try to put out something that you’re passionate about or something that's organic. The great part of social media today is that you can be an influencer, in pretty much every space, as long as you can give value to people," the fashion icon said.
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