SEEMA August Issue by SEEMA

AUGUST 2021

INSIDE

SOUTH ASIA’S OLYMPIANS AVANTIKA VANDANAPU ON STARRING IN A DISNEY FILM

PLUS

PAIR WINE WITH VEGGIE DISHES THE VACCINE TOURISM OPTION

ANJALI SUD A WINNER AT VIMEO

ON BREAKING GLASS CEILINGS

YES. SHE. CAN. Borne from adversity & against all odds, this toy company has landed a spot at Target to provide activity kits and cards that support the emotional and mental health of our children.

Every sale made supports the Spread the Joy Foundation in delivering activity kits to hospitalized children across America

Preeti Chhibber page 20

Dr. Seema Rao page 30

Avantika Vandanapu page 42

CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS

BEYOND LIMITS

SPECIAL

South Asia’s Olympians

PIONEERS

14 Nothing Is More Exciting

Than Being in the Field

20 ‘We Lift Each Other up,

and Lift Each Other’s

Voices Up’

24 Making All the

Right Moves

30 Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove

TEEN

42 ‘I Have to Pinch Myself

to Check if It Is True’

BEAUTY

48 6 South Asian-Owned

TRAVEL

52 The Vaccine

ON THE COVER

Makeup Brands for Summer

Tourism Option

FOOD

A Winner at Vimeo

56 Food for the Soul 60 How to Pair Wine with

Veggie Dishes

62 Berries for Health

BOOKS

66 Food for

Delicious Thought

HOROSCOPE

69 Forecast with Farzana

PHOTO CREDIT: ANJALI SUD / VIMEO

MEET OUR

CONTRIBUTORS FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SEEMA KUMAR CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SAJID MOINUDDIN

SHARE/ LIKE/ TWEET/ US ON

DESIGN

HB DESIGN EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

ROHINI KAPUR EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE

AHAD SANWARI WRITERS @seemanetwork

@seemanetworks

@seemanetwork

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ANJALI MANIAM

SEEMA™ ISSUE 008 | AUGUST 2021 EMPOWERING SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN GLOBALLY SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER

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ON THE COVER: ANJALI SUD (PAGE 36).

PHOTO CREDIT: ANJALI SUD / VIMEO

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EDIT | SEEMA

GOING

BEYOND LIMITS Citius, Altius, Fortius

ugust is a transition month. It’s summer’s last hurrah and augurs the imminent arrival of fall. August also brings a bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits from the garden, including berries, ripened tomatoes, melons, sweet corn on the cob, and zucchinis. This year, August also finds us watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Yes the International Olympic Committee decided to keep the name Tokyo 2020, partly because the Olympics have only been canceled before during world wars. This was a way of preserving the tradition and avoiding the $20 billion budgetary implication of changing all the branding logos and signs to 2021. This semiotic anachronism isn’t the only thing unusual about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Besides masks and social distancing and a hermetically sealed Olympic park, this year has seen many surprises. But strip away the pomp, panoply and controversy, one thing still lingers on, perhaps itself an anachronistic vestige of less cynical times – the Olympic spirit, the one that celebrates “friendship, solidarity and fair play.” The Olympics teach us lessons in persistence, grit and determination, contests during which we celebrate and cheer the winner and gold medalist, empathize with the loser, and join in the full-blooded throaty joy of the underdog who beats all the odds to win. That is the case for many athletes who traveled to

Japan this year, including people from South Asia, women of color, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. The odds are, as an athlete, you are not gonna make the final cut. It’s almost Darwinian, and that’s why, when you do win a medal, or even just finish a race, it is cause for celebration. Two of the biggest newsmakers were Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, both withdrawing for reasons related to mental health. Biles has introduced the world to the inner struggles of gymnasts, who can suffer from a case of the “twisties,” spatial disorientation as you tumble in the air before landing. Her stepping down has also demonstrated the value of those at the top making room and space to give others a chance. She also brought back attention to the long-lasting effects of sexual assault, since she had accused her coach Larry Nassar, who is serving a 60-year sentence. Biles stepping away opened the door for Suni Lee, an underdog who beat the odds and won the women’s allaround gold. And what about South Asian women competing in the Olympics? I don’t know about you but I rarely saw them in the coverage. Where are they and how did they fare? In this issue of the magazine we showcase these South Asian Olympics stars who competed, in fencing, tennis, track and field, boxing, discus, and some lesser-known sports. Each is a star in her own right. In the true Olympic spirit, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose – as long as you compete, you are an Olympian and you deserve praise! Congratulations!

SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER

AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 5

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT: OLYMPIC OFFICIAL SITE AND TWITTER

SPECIAL | SEEMA

South Asia has produced some fine sportswomen, some of whom made their presence known at the Tokyo Olympics. With good records despite often lacking finances, support and facilities and backing, these redoubtable women have become inspirational figures for many girls who would not otherwise take to sports. Win or lose, these sportswomen are some of the champions we all celebrate SWARNENDU BISWAS

6 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

SPORT: Table tennis ACHIEVEMENTS: Won silver

medal in the under-21 category in the Chile Open in 2011, won three medals at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship in 2015 (two silvers and a bronze), following up the next year with three golds at the South Asian Games. She led the Indian women’s team to a gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games by defeating four-time gold medalist and defending champions Singapore. She also won three medals in different categories (gold, silver and bronze, respectively).

ACCOLADES: Batra has won India’s

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and is the only Indian to receive ‘The Breakthrough Star Award’ from the International Table Tennis Federation.

PERSONAL DETAILS: The New

Delhi girl who won a state-level under-8 tournament, dropped out of college and refused modeling offers to concentrate on her game.

M A N I K A

B AT R A

( born 15th June 1995) India AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 7

SPORT: Fencing ACHIEVEMENTS: The

C A B H AVA N I D E V I ( born 27th Aug ust 1993): India

first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics, Bhavani won a bronze (Sabre Team) in the Second Commonwealth Championship, held in Malaysia, in 2009. She won four bronze medals in 2010 – one at the Asian Fencing Championship, held in the Philippines; one at the International Open, Thailand; one at the Cadet Asian Championship, held in the Philippines; and one at the Asian Championship held in the Philippines. She won a silver (Sabre Team) and a bronze (Sabre Individual) at the 2012 Commonwealth Championship, held in Jersey, and a gold medal at the 2014 Tuscany Cup, held in Italy. She also bagged a silver in the under-23 category, in the 2014 Asian Championship, held in the Philippines, becoming the first Indian to do so. Bhavani won two bronze medals from international competitions in 2015. One was in the Under-23 Asian Championship, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the other at the Flemish Open, held in Belgium. Bhavani is the first Indian

to win a gold medal in fencing at an international competition, doing that at the Women’s World Cup Satellite Tournament in 2017, held in Iceland. Bhavani earned a gold at the Commonwealth Championships in 2018 – another first for India. One of Bhavani’s major triumphs is a silver medal in the Women’s Sabre Individual Category in the 2019 Tournoi Satellite Fencing Competition, held in Ghent, Belgium.

ACCOLADES: One of the 15 athletes selected for the ‘GoSports Foundation’ set up by the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Program.

PERSONAL DETAILS: Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to a Hindu priest and a homemaker, Bhavani had to take up fencing in school because all the other slots were filled. She could not afford an electric sword and so often borrowed swords from others, and had to practice in less-than-ideal facilities. The family sacrificed much to hep her travel and buy equipment. Her mother even took loans.

M I L K A G E H A N I D E S I LVA ( born April 24, 2003); Sri Lanka SPORT: Gymnastics ACHIEVEMENTS: De Silva, an artistic gymnast, represented Sri Lanka in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the 2019 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, held in Stuttgart, Germany. In the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, de Silva was placed 28th all-around in qualifications though she did not reach the finals. De Silva also competed in the 2016 Junior 8 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

Commonwealth Championships, held in Namibia, where she qualified to every individual final. In September 2020, Milka also competed at the AllJapan Championships, held in Takasaki, where she was ranked 40th.

ACCOLADES: None to date. PERSONAL DETAILS: Born in Colombo, she won her first junior national title when she was eight.

D I YA S I D D I Q U E ( Februar y 19, 2004); Bangladesh SPORT: Archery ACHIEVEMENTS: Siddique and Ruman Shana won the silver medal in the recurve category in the 2021 Archery World Cup, making it the first time Bangladesh reached the final in the Archery World Cup.

ACCOLADES: None to date. PERSONAL DETAILS: Siddique is the eldest of the three

children of journalist Nur Alam Siddique and homemaker Shanaj Begum.

P V S I N D H U ( born July 5, 1995); India SPORT: Badminton ACHIEVEMENTS: Most famously won the

silver medal in the women’s badminton singles in the Rio Olympics. She is the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the BWF World Championships, and the second woman badminton player to win five or more medals at the same competition. Other than in 2015, Sindhu has won a medal at every world championships since 2013. She is the second Indian player, after Prakash Padukone, to win a medal in a singles event in the BWF World Championships. In 2013, she won the first of the five medals in the Badminton World Championships. She won a bronze in the championships, held that year in Guangzhou, China. In the South Asian Games in 2016, she won the gold medal as part of the women’s team; a silver medal in women’s singles in the same tournament: a silver medal in the women’s singles in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia; a silver medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the women’s singles; and a gold medal in the same tournament as part of the mixed team.

In the 2017 BWF World Championships final, Sindhu lost to Nozomi Okuhara from Japan in the second-longest women’s singles match in the history of badminton, one that lasted 110 minutes and which is widely regarded as one of the best women’s singles matches in a final. The same year, Sindhu finally defeated Okuhara in the final of the 2017 Korea Open Super Series, thus becoming the first Indian to win the Korea Open. She followed that up with a silver medal in the 2018 World Championships. In the 2019 World Championships held in Basel, Switzerland, she won a medal by again defeating Okuhara.

ACCOLADES: She has won the Arjuna

Award, the second most prestigious Indian national award for a sportsperson. She has also won the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest and fourth-highest civilian honors, respectively.

PERSONAL DETAILS: Born in Hyderabad

to national level volleyball players (her father PV Ramana, is an award-winning a member of the Indian volleyball team that won the bronze medal in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games), Sindhu began playing badminton at the age of eight. She was inspired by Pullela Gopichand, the 2001 All England Open Badminton Champion and a renowned badminton coach. Exposure at Gopichand’s badminton academy helped Sindhu to hone her skills. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 9

D U T E E C H A N D ( born Februar y 3, 1996); India SPORT: Track and field ACHIEVEMENTS: Chand is the current

national champion of India in the women’s 100 meters event. She is the first Indian to win a gold medal in a 100-meter race in a global competition, when she won the gold in the 2019 Summer Universiade in Napoli. Chand became a national champion in the under-18 category in 2012. The next year she reached the finals of the 2013 World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine. In the 2016 Federation Cup National Athletics Championships in New Delhi, Chand won another gold medal in the 100 meters dash. Two months later, she broke her own national record twice in the same day at the XXVI International Meeting G Kosanov Memorial at Almaty, Kazakhstan, which enabled her to participate at the Rio Olympics.

Chand won the silver medal in the women’s 100 meters at the 2018 Asian Games, held in Jakarta and Palembang, following it up with another silver medal in the women’s 200 meters at the Asian Games.

ACCOLADES: She won a US $420,000

award from the government of the state of Orissa after winning the silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games..

PERSONAL DETAILS: Chand was born on

to Chakradhar Chand and Akhuji Chand, weavers in Chaka Gopalpur village in Orissa. Dutee was inspired by her elder sister Saraswati, who ran at the state level. Dutee used to run barefoot around a lake as she practiced. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) dropped her from the 2014 Commonwealth Games contingent at the last minute, asserting that hyperandrogenism made her ineligible to compete as a woman athlete. She was also dropped from the 2014 Asian Games that year. Chand appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and had her suspension lifted in 2015. In 2019, Chand came out as India’s first-ever openly lesbian athlete.

M A H O O R S H A H Z A D ( born October 17, 1996); Pakistan SPORT: Badminton ACHIEVEMENTS: Shahzad

is Pakistan’s top-ranked female badminton player but her world ranking is 146. She won gold medals twice in the Pakistan International tournament (in 2017 and 2019), in the women’s singles. She also won one

10 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

silver medal in the Pakistan International in 2016, also in the women’s singles. Shahzad is the first player from Pakistan to represent her country in the Olympics in badminton.

ACCOLADES: None to date.

S A I K H O M M I R A B A I C H A N U ( born Aug ust 8, 1994); India SPORT: Weightlifting ACHIEVEMENTS: Chanu made India’s

hope of winning a medal in the Tokyo Olympics a reality by winning silver in the women’s 49 kg category, lifting a total of 202kg (87 kg snatch and 115 kg clean and jerk) in the event. Chanu is only the second weightlifter from India to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari, who won a bronze at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Her first major medal in an international event came in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow. She won a silver medal in women’s weightlifting, in the 48 kg category. In 2017, after doing badly at the Rio Olympics, she won a gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, California, lifting a competition record of a total 194 kg (85 kg in the snatch and 109 kg in the clean and jerk). In the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she won gold after she lifted a total of 196 kg (86 kg in the snatch and 110 kg in the clean and jerk). In the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand, she came in fourth, pushing her personal best total lift to 201 kg (87

kg snatch and 114 kg clean and jerk). Four months later, she won a gold, breaking a national record, lifting 203 kg in all in the 49 kg category (88 kg in the snatch and 115 kg in the clean and jerk), at the 2020 Senior National Weightlifting Championships in Kolkata. In April 2021, Chanu won the bronze medal at the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent. She lifted 86 kg in the snatch and then went on to create a world record by lifting 119 kg in the clean and jerk. The total of 205 kg lift in the competition is her career best performance.

PERSONAL DETAILS: She was born in

Nongpok Kakching, located more than 25 miles from Imphal, the capital of the Manipur state of India. Her redoubtable strength became evident even when she was 12 and nonchalantly carried home a huge bundle of firewood home that even her elder brother found hard to pick up.

S E E M A P U N I A - A N T I L ( born July 27, 1983); India SPORT: Track and field ACHIEVEMENTS: A discus thrower, Punia-Antil

won a gold medal in World Junior Championships in 2000, held in Santiago, Chile when she was 18. She was stripped of the medal due to a positive drug test for pseudoephedrine. Two years later she won a bronze medal in women’s discus throwing in the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica. In the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Delhi she won a silver medal. In the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Punia-Antil won a bronze medal, but she came in 13th in the 2012 London Olympics. She won a silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, following up with a gold medal in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Punia-Antil qualified for the Rio Olympics with a gold medal-winning 62.62 meter throw at the Pat Young’s Throwers Classic 2016 at Salinas, California. She won another silver medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. At 37, Punia-Antil achieved her personal best throw of 63.72 meters at the National Senior Interstate Athletics Championships 2021, thus becoming qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.

ACCOLADES: She has been honored with Bhim Award by the Haryana state government.

PERSONAL DETAILS: Punia-Antil was born

in Khewda village of Sonipat district, in Haryana state in India. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 11

SPECIAL | SEEMA

M A RY KO M ( born November 24, 1982); India

SPORT: Boxing ACHIEVEMENTS: Mangte

Chungneijang Mary Kom is the only female boxer ever to win the World Amateur Boxing Championship six times, and the only female boxer in the world to win a medal in each one of the first seven world championships. She is the only boxer in the world, male or female, to win eight world championship medals. In 2001, Kom won the Manipal state boxing championship. Two years later, she won her first of her six gold medals – in the AIBA Women’s World Championships (Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships) in Antalya, Turkey, in 2002. The year before, she had won a silver in the AIBA Women’s World Championships, held in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Her six th gold medal came in the AIBA Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, in 2018. Kom took a break from boxing following her marriage in 2005, returning to the ring only her twin sons were born in 2007. That was when she won her fourth gold medal – at the AIBA Women’s World Championships, held in Ningbo, China in 2008. She won gold medals at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 and at the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018. Kom became the first Indian female boxer to win a gold medal in the Asian Games when she won a gold at Incheon, South Korea. She won the bronze medal in the London Olympics, where for the first time women’s boxing was featured as an Olympic sport. For it, Kom shifted to the 51 kg category because the rules allowed only for three weight categories and eliminated the lower weight classes.

ACCOLADES: She has been awarded the

Padma Vibhushan (2020) Padma Bhushan (2013) and Padma Shri, India’s second-highest, thirdhighest and fourth-highest civilian honors, respectively.

PERSONAL DETAILS: Born in Kangathei

village in the Manipur state of northeast India, Kom came from a family of poor tenant farmers . Eldest among the three children, she used to assist her parents with farm-related chores along with her schooling. When Dingko Singh, a boxer from Manipur, won a gold medal, at the1998 Bangkok Asian Games, Kom was inspired to switch to boxing from athletics. Initially, Kom kept her boxing a secret from her father, an ex-wrestler. He was worried that boxing would hurt her face and spoil her chances of marriage. Only when Kom won the state boxing championship in 2001 did he learn about his daughter’s boxing prowess. A biopic on her in 2014, where Indian screen diva Priyanka Chopra played her, cemented Mary’s celebrity status.

S A N I A M I R Z A ( born November 15, 1986); India SPORT: Tennis ACHIEVEMENTS: The winner of six Grand

Slam titles (three each in women’s doubles and mixed doubles), Mirza was a doubles World No. 1 for 91 weeks. The highest-ranked women tennis player ever from India, Mirza was world No. 27 in mid-2007. Mirza is also the only Indian female tennis player to win a Grand Slam title, and among two female tennis players from India to win a WTA title. Mirza’s first major breakthrough was probably winning the 2003 Wimbledon Championships Girls’ Doubles title, while partnering with Alisa Kleybanova. Mirza and Martina Hingis won the women’s doubles in Wimbledon, at the US Open in 2015, and the Australian Open in 2016. She also won the mixed doubles in the Australian Open (2009) and the French Open (2012) with Mahesh Bhupathi; and the mixed doubles in the US Open (2014) with Bruno Soares. She has reached the finals in the Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open) four times as a women doubles partner, and seven times as a mixed doubles partner. She has also won two Women’s Tennis

Association finals in Singapore, in partnership with Cara Black in 2014, and with Martina Hingis in 2015. In 2005, she won the Hyderabad Open, the first WTA singles title by an Indian female tennis player. Mirza reached became number one in the WTA doubles rankings in April 2015, becoming the first Indian to achieve that feat. She held that position for 21 months.

ACCOLADES: The winner of the Arjuna Award, India’s second-highest accolade for a sportsperson, Mirza has also been awarded the Padma Bhushsan and the Padmi Shri, the third- and fourth-highest civilian honors in India.

PERSONAL DETAILS: Hailing from

Hyderabad, Mirza began playing tennis at the age of six. She turned professional in 2003. She was trained by her father Imran Mirza, a former sports journalist. According to her father, there were only two hard courts in the city when the tennis star first began playing, making things hard at the outset. Besides, there were also financial constraints that Mirza had to address, with help from her family. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 13

PIONEER | SEEMA

‘NOTHING IS MORE EXCITING THAN BEING IN THE FIELD’

Conservation scientist Dr. Krithi Karanth on her passion to protect both people and wildlife

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT: CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES

JACQUELINE EMIGH

“I

’m pleased to have mentored over 200 young scientists and engaged with 7,500 citizen science volunteers in my research and conservation projects in the last 12 years. I find this process extremely rewarding even though it is a heavy investment of personal time with each individual,” says Dr. Krithi Karanth, chief conservation scientist and executive director at the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) in India. “There is so much potential and so little guidance for people who want to engage fully in wildlife. I feel we can do much more,” she says in an interview with SEEMA.

14 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

MULTIPLE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES Karanth oversees the CWS’s conservation, research, education and policy efforts. “I do a lot of public speaking, writing and outreach through several talks every year,” she says. “I also spend a lot of time fundraising and recruiting new staff joining us. We have grown from 16 to 60 people in the 36 months that I have managed CWS.” The conservationist also teaches and mentors students both at Duke University, where she earned her PhD, as well as at the National Center for

Biological Sciences (NCBS), where CWS has established a highly regarded master’s program in wildlife. “I love teaching and so we run study abroad programs for international students to visit and learn with us in India,” Karanth says. “I also have guided many PhD and master’s degree students in India, U.S., U.K., Chile, Australia, and other countries.” Karanth remains involved in Wild Seve, a human resettlement project she founded in 2015 at CWS. It helps families impacted by wildlife causing injury, death, or loss of livestock or crops to navigate India’s governmentrun compensation program, She explains the process: “If you had a conflict incident happen, you could reach out to us through a tollfree number linked to a data portal and our team will arrive on the scene to help build the claim and all the documents associated with it.” She says the program has been a great success with Wild Seve having helped file more than 18,000 claims for “vulnerable and often marginalized people who live with wildlife and bear the brunt of conflict.” 3 INSPIRATIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS Karanth has been fascinated by wildlife her entire life. Growing up in India, she loved observing the activities of tigers, leopards, and other wild animals outdoors, especially while alongside her father, the renowned conservation scientist Dr. Ullas Karanth. “I got to radio-track big cats, examine scats, walk line transects and set up camera traps with my father,” she says. “He took me to several parks, and I spent hours just watching animals for 17 years of my childhood. This is an extraordinary gift he gave me, one I came to appreciate only much later in life. I watched him go through the scientific process. The way he sought knowledge, framed research questions and collected and analyzed data systematically inculcated curiosity in

Dr. Krithi Karanth, chief conservation scientist and executive director at Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS). AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 15

PIONEER | SEEMA

Dr. Krithi Karanth with a panda

me. I did want to become a scientist.” Aside from her father, the founder of CWS, other major childhood influences were her mother, Dr. Prathibha Karanth, a noted speech therapist, and her grandfather, the famous polymath Shivarama Karanth. “Being around parents who were both PhD scientists and pioneers in their fields was deeply inspirational,” Karanth says. “I got a first-hand window into their lives and saw the 16 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

dedication to their fields and their organizations.” She described her grandfather as “the most extraordinary person I have met. He was 77 when I was born and I got to have him as my tata for 18 years. His multi-faceted personality, tireless energy and endless enthusiasm to meet people and do things were remarkable. When we would visit he would make time for us his grandkids - making up amazing stories every night, buying crafts and sports toys for

us, taking us for gadbad ice cream, taking us to see Yaksha Ranga performances. I am very lucky to have had three deeply inspiring people in my family.” A CHANGE OF HEART, A MOVE TO CONSERVATIONISM Aside from the PhD degree from Duke University, Dr. Karanth holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a master’s degree from Yale University. Also, after receiving her PhD, she did

“INDIA’S ECONOMIC BOOM POST 2000 HAS LED TO AN EXPLOSION OF WILDLIFE TOURISM. GOING ON A WILDLIFE HOLIDAY HAS BECOME MUCH COOLER, WITH THE OBSESSION CENTERING AROUND A FEW ANIMALS. SOMETIMES IT’S TOO MUCH OF A STATUS SYMBOL”

postdoctoral work at Columbia University’s Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Department. While she made an early decision to become a scientist, she was hesitant as a youngster about becoming a conservationist. But she received no pressure from her parents about her career choices. “But by the time I was a teenager I was keenly aware of the struggles that my father and many of his contemporaries faced: constant backlash to research projects being implemented and opposition to conservation projects that questioned inefficiencies and failures in the system, particularly when it came to the government,” she said. Karanth changed her mind years later, embracing conservation science while pursuing an interdisciplinary program in ecological and social science research toward her master’s degree. This brought her back from university studies in the U.S. to Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in India for four months of fieldwork. INTRIGUING FIELDWORK Karanth has led multiple research projects evaluating the impacts of voluntary resettlement. “Our work has evaluated government led voluntary resettlement initiatives in multiple protected areas, including, Bhadra, Tadoba, Kawal, Nagarahole, and Wayanad in India,” she says. “We tried to understand what influences people’s decisions to relocate and the processes implemented by different state governments and agencies. Post-resettlement monitoring of people and communities was identified as an important next step, along with exploration of how people can diversify their income opportunities and skills.” Later, while doing her postdoctoral work at Columbia University, she began studying the origins and impact of wildlife tourism in India. “We have done multiple research projects across multiple parks across India, trying to assess how wildlife tourism has grown,” Karanth says. “India’s economic boom post 2000 has led to an explosion of wildlife tourism. Going on a wildlife holiday has become much cooler, with the obsession centering around a few animals. Sometimes AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 17

“MY CAREER HAS TRANSITIONED FROM BEING A SCIENTIST, CONSERVATIONIST AND EDUCATOR TO RUNNING AN ORGANIZATION, WHICH I NEVER IMAGINED” Below: Dr. Krithi Karanth

it’s too much off a status symbol.” Social media, which promotes the best picture of video, feeds the frenzy, she says. “Unfortunately, most of our tourists do very little to engage in supporting the government or local NGOs working to save these extraordinary places,” Karanth concedes. HOW YOU CAN HELP You don’t need to be a conservation scientist to support the effort. You can give your time. “Typically, most NGOs struggle because of limited resources. So supporting their projects through volunteering skills can help make a difference,” Karanth says. Skills particularly helpful for volunteers include filmmaking, photography, and content-writing. “Nothing is more exciting than being in the field, either on a conservation or research project,” Karanth tells SEEMA. IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE Where does she see her own career heading? “My career has transitioned from being a scientist, conservationist and educator to running an organization, which I never imagined,” she says. “Innovating, stabilizing CWS and growing the scale of what we do in India has become the main focus. It has been an exponential learning curve learning to manage media outreach, accounts, administration, and fundraising along with science and conservation.” She agrees she does not do as much science as she used to. “But I love all the new things I have to be engaged in,” she says. “I want CWS to become one of Asia’s and the world’s premier wildlife science and conservation organizations.”

18 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

Dr Krithi Karanth in the field, and working in the local community

AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 19

PHOTO CREDIT: RANDY FONTANILLA

PIONEER | SEEMA

YA author, speaker, and freelance writer Preeti Chhibber 20 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

‘We Lift Each Other up, and Lift Each Other’s Voices Up’ Preeti Chhibber, who has written the character of Kamala Khan into the Marvel franchise, describes her multifaceted life and what makes her tick PRATIKA YASHASWI

reeti Chhibber is the first South Asian-American woman to have written Ms Marvel aka Kamala Khan, a South Asian-American, Muslim character headlining a much-anticipated series estimated to release by November this year. Chhibber is a prolific writer and has been writing for Marvel since 2018. She’s versatile, and has to her credit several books, comics and articles for all kinds of audiences: young children, teenagers and

adults. Apart from writing, she also runs a podcast called “Desi Geek Girls” with her friend Swapna Krishna. Though she is pure geek, she believes that anyone who watches and loves a Marvel/DC movie or story can be referred to as a geek. SEEMA sat down for a chat with Chhibber about Ms Marvel and the wonderful, growing South Asian community of writers. It’s immediately obvious that Chhibber is a kind and grounded person who is extremely

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PIONEER | SEEMA

A SELECTION OF BOOKS

articulate and graceful. She gave us much to think about and it was a pleasure to chat with her. How did you get started writing for Marvel and DC? I started writing for Marvel in 2018. They were looking for someone to write a tie-in book to the movie “Spider Man: Far from Home.” A friend of mine who writes for Disney told me they were looking for somebody who can turn around projects pretty fast and that it was a secret project. I sent over some samples of my work and they went “Yes, okay, we want you to write this book.” And that’s how it happened. It was very fast and very overwhelming because at that point, I had only written one thing professionally in terms of fiction. But then I got to write this tie-in story. Then I got a literary agent, and Scholastic reached out to me about writing “Avengers Assembly” in the spring of 2019. Now I get to write some of my favorite characters. Do you find it weird that Kamala Khan is a Pakistani Muslim but her first name is Kamala? That’s not something I would nitpick at because she was created with such love and care by Sana Amanat and G. Willow Wilson, both of whom are Muslim and know that. Also, she’s so much more than the pieces that 22 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

make up her identity, you know what I mean? She knows she’s not “normal,” and speaks very clearly to this idea that, the world is telling you that you’re one thing, but you want to be another. And how uncomfortable you are when you live in this space between identities, which I think is who she is. That’s why she’s so relatable to so many people. What’s your favorite thing about Ms Marvel? When she premiered, they called her “the new Peter Parker,” who’s my absolute favorite superhero of all time. Also all she wants to do is be really good at what she’s doing. But life is so hard: she’s a teenager, she doesn’t have full agency, she makes decisions and she messes up, but she still continues to try to be and do good. All within the guise of being a firstgeneration Pakistani-American kid. There’s a relatability there, to the fish out of water, dealing with a hyphenated identity and how to kind of exist as an American. And for a South Asian-American person, those two identities sometimes don’t speak to each other. So all of those things are so relatable and easy to connect to for so many kids in this country. As South Asian Americans, our history in this country is pretty fraught. They don’t necessarily teach it here, but we mass immigrated after they got rid of the Chinese Exclusion Act in

“IT USED TO BE THAT I COULD COUNT THE NUMBER OF BOOKS BY SOUTH ASIAN AUTHORS IN THE CHILDREN’S SPACE ON ONE HAND. NOW, I CAN’T KEEP UP WITH HOW MANY BOOKS ARE BEING PUBLISHED BY SOUTH ASIAN AND SOUTH ASIANAMERICAN WRITERS. AND IT’S AMAZING AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH”

1965. Then, there was a boom of immigration from South Asia. A lot of us are growing up at the same time and existing in this space at the same time. We’re dealing with a lot of similar issues. And I think Ms. Marvel represents a lot of that for us. Tell us more about your podcast, Desi Geek Girls! My friend Swapna Krishna and I wanted a place where we could just unapologetically enjoy things. It’s just us hanging out with each other and talking about the TV shows we like. If we don’t like something, we don’t talk about it. We pick things that we really enjoy and have in depth conversations with each other through the lens of us both being first generation born Indian-American women, and use a feminist lens. And we don’t have to explain perspective in that way to each other. It’s very easy when you don’t have to code-switch. You just have someone at the other end of the microphone who just gets it. It’s not work; we’re having fun. And if people enjoy listening to it, then that’s awesome. It is very nice when we get notes from other South Asian-American listeners who say stuff like “I didn’t think there was a space for me in geek culture.” Or “I didn’t think this is something I was allowed to like.” Or “I didn’t think that I was welcome in this space.” So that’s always nice. You have a really diverse range of work that you do: You have a podcast, the YA novels, comics AND you write for all ages. Where does all this creativity come from? I think part of it is that my mom always encouraged us to read very widely. It was never: “These are the

right kinds of books. These are the wrong kinds of books.” It was: “As long as you’re reading!” So I always read everything. I have a very wide palette of interests. Maybe the only thing I don’t enjoy is horror. I’m a fan of being a fan. I just liked things. And so I try to bring that joy to everything that I create. Part of it is also being a millennial in America. We have this mindset of a constant hustle and productivity, which isn’t super healthy, but it means so many of us have found a way to monetize our interests. What’s the South Asian writers’ community like in the US? It’s great. I’ve watched it grow actually – the children’s side, at least. It used to be that I could count the number of books by South Asian authors in the children’s space on one hand. Now, I can’t keep up with how many books are being published by South Asian and South Asian-American writers. And it’s amazing and I love it so much. There’s Samira Ahmed, who’s taking over Miss Marvel. [She will be writing a new series titled “The Magnificent Ms. Marvel”] She was early on one of the first South Asian YA authors I got to meet and I’m so glad that she exists. Sona Charaipotra, Nisha Sharma, Aisha Saeed – there are so many wonderful people. And we all make sure that we are supporting one another. And we try to be conscious of what is happening in the community and know what books are coming out. We lift each other up and lift each other’s voices up. In 2019, before the pandemic, my friend Nisha set up a writer’s retreat. And there were 10 South Asian women, and it was awesome. It was just really nice. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 23

PHOTO CREDIT: JSP PHOTOGRAPHY

Joya Kazi 24 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

PIONEER | SEEMA

MAKING ALL THE

RIGHT MOVES

About what Bollywood choreographer Joya Nandy Kazi is doing in Hollywood PHOTO CREDIT: RUTVIK KATURI

ABHIJIT MASIH

oya Nandy Kazi is a dancer, choreographer and owns Joya Kazi Unlimited, a dance company in Los Angeles, California. Kazi’s team has been featured in television programs, commercials, live shows, and music videos. She is the most soughtafter choreographer for traditional Indian and Bollywood dance styles. Kazi recently won a US Telly Award for a commercial choreographed and featuring her in the lead. She is the first South Asian woman to be a judge for The World Choreography Awards – the Oscars of dance. Kazi has performed with the likes of actors Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan, Ranveer Singh and Allu Arjun. Her students include Jacqueline Fernandes and Avantika Vandanapu – who is going to be seen

Joya Kazi

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PIONEER | SEEMA Joya Kazi as a child with mother Papiha Nandy and sister Tanya Nandy Kazi

IT WAS SUCH AN EYE-OPENING MOMENT FOR ME. I JUST COULD NOT KEEP MY EYES OFF THE DANCERS, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ALL THESE STARS ON THE STAGE – LIKE SHAH RUKH KHAN AND AISHWARYA RAI. THERE WAS SO MUCH PASSION AND VIBRANCY ON THE STAGE. THE INCREDIBLE PROPS AND OVERALL PRODUCTION VALUE JUST BLEW ME AWAY.

Joya Kazi with her family 26 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

Joya Kazi with choreographer Remo D’Souza during Dance Plus show

in the next Disney blockbuster, “Spin.” However, Kazi’s most remarkable work has been her choreography and dance performance in Mindy Kaling’s “Never Have I Ever.” Speaking to SEEMA from her dance studio in Los Angeles, she shares her life experiences, details of her training, current work, and future projects. Please share with us your journey, both personal and professional. I was born in Bombay but my parents moved to the U.S. right before my first birthday. They are Hindu and Muslim. Not everyone has the capacity of understanding love [across religions]. But they wanted to create a life that was full of opportunities and devoid of any sort of prejudice as far as religion is concerned. To me, they provided a balance of American culture and the Indian heritage. Why did you decide to pursue a career in dance? How difficult was it to convince your parents about your decision? It was the result of going to one of those Bollywood dance shows choreographed by Shiamak Davar here in

the U.S. That was my first exposure to something that I thought could be a viable career. [My parents] were fine with it and told me, “Whatever you do, just put your best foot forward and fully dedicate yourself and we are here to support you.” How did a Bollywood show convince you that this is your passion – and future profession? It was such an eye-opening moment for me. I just could not keep my eyes off the dancers, even though there were all these stars on the stage – like Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. There was so much passion and vibrancy on the stage. The incredible props and overall production value just blew me away. The glamour and vibrancy of a Bollywood dance show is so unique – a completely different ball game. When did you start your formal training in Indian classical dance? How did you manage learning Indian classical dance here in the U.S.? From the age of 4 to 16, I mainly studied Indian classical dance, which was very difficult to do here in the West, because there were not many teachers around that time. I studied Kathak, Bharatnatyam, AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 27

PHOTO CREDIT: NAYAN BEHERA

PIONEER | SEEMA

Joya Kazi performing

SO FAR ALL OF MY FOCUS HAD BEEN INTO DEVELOPING MY DANCE CAREER BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY TIMES THAT THE UNIVERSE PUSHES ME TO BE ON SCREEN

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PIONEER | SEEMA Odissi, Kuchupudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. Wherever I could get the education in dance, my mother would drive me there. How did you start Joya Kazi Unlimitedm and how did you manage to do it at 16? My Dad gifted me a car for my birthday. I wasn’t expecting that at all. But what I was absolutely not expecting was the gift from my mother. She told me, “Get in that car and apply for jobs.” It was her way of making me independent. I already knew in my heart that I wanted to become a choreographer and dancer. That is what I had done all my life. So I decided that I would work in a space where I am already growing creatively. If I just start, I will figure out a path. How does Joya Kazi Unlimited help to promote Indian classical dance? My approach has always been to present Indian traditional dance not just in a very dignified way but also in a modern way so that both the East and the West can be proud of it. I took it upon myself to make sure that Indian dance and culture is represented in a more authentic manner. Describe your experience as a choreographer for “Never Have I Ever” and being cast in the show for a special dance in season 2? Obviously, I was very excited. It was Mindy Kaling. The show was about a South Asian girl and her story about growing up in America. It was a representation of what I really grew up with. What made the experience so wonderful was that there was no head-butting about ideas and concepts, about the correct representation of Indian dresses or jewelery, or what a bindi looks like. I chose the dancers, because casting is very important to me. How did you go from being a choreographer for the show to actually being in front of the camera doing a dance number that became popular? So I was busy with the choreography, costumes and the production work. At the last minute I got a call saying that Mindy [Kaling] had seen head shots of mine and had decided to cast me as the sister, who is the main dancer.

I was doing all these other things for the show in the background and I thought that the universe will not give you an opportunity unless it feels you are ready for it. I just pulled up my boot straps and made it happen. Are you content with providing Bollywood to Hollywood or are you looking to make a mark in Bollywood as well? So far all of my focus had been into developing my dance career but there have been so many times that the universe pushes me to be on screen. I now realize that this is something I don’t want to ignore any more. So it is definitely on the horizon. I have my fingers crossed as everything opens up post-Covid. Other than Jacqueline, are other superstars students of yours? Other than her, there is Avantika Vandanapu, an upcoming actress in Hollywood who will soon be premiering in a huge Disney movie. She has been my student for 12 years. Other than Bollywood, I have been able to work with The Strokes, DJ Snake, and been choreographing for the NBA dance teams. But my specialty is Indian classical and Bollywood dance. You specialize in Indian and Bollywood choreography. Who are your favorite Bollywood choreographers of all time? I would say Farah Khan, Saroj Khan and Shiamak Davar would be my absolute favorites. They all have different styles and flavors. I like the original choreography that Farah ma’am did for Hrithik Roshan in “Kaho Na Pyar Hai.” Of course, every piece that Saroj Khan ma’am touched became magical. They are such a great showcase [for talent] in Bollywood. You are a professional dancer and choreographer. You can emote well. You are attractive. All these are qualities essential to be a Bollywood actress. So is acting on the cards? I have done theater and some acting projects when I was younger. At some point, I just put all my focus in developing a dance career. I have just started realizing that it is time for me to not ignore this any more. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 29

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT: DR. SEEMA RAO

Dr. Seema Rao with a rifle 30 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

PIONEER | SEEMA

Iron Fist

IN A VELVET GLOVE Quiet and unassuming, commando trainer Seema Rao is truly a force to reckon with SWARNENDU BISWAS

r. Seema Rao’s unassuming demeanor gives no indication that she is India’s only woman commando trainer. However, her 5-feet-7-inch taut frame, rock-solid physique, lightning fast kicks and stone-like muscles certainly do. The holder of a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo, Rao is a boxing and Krav Maga instructor, and wellknown as one of the world’s highestranking woman instructors in Jeet Kune Do – an extremely flexible discipline of martial arts founded by Bruce Lee. Besides, Seema holds an

eighth-degree black belt in military martial arts. While otherwise soft-spoken, she is a globally renowned expert in close quarter battle. Seema and her husband, Hon. Major Deepak Rao, have been training Indian commandos in various wings of the military for more than 20 years – without charging them a penny. Her hobbies are as fascinating, including scuba diving, sky diving, rock climbing, sailing, yachtmanship, even winning beauty contest. Seema earned her Para Wings, a symbol of having done a parachuting course, by qualifying in the para

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Dr. Seema Rao training commandos

Dr. Seema Rao teaches commandos to shoot

Dr. Seema Rao during a commando training session

“I COULD SHOOT AN APPLE ON A PERSON’S HEAD FROM 50 YARDS WITHOUT GIVING HIM A SCRATCH, AND ALSO EVADE A SPEEDING BULLET WITH EASE”

jumping course of the Indian Air Force Adventure Cell, which sets very high standards. She has won a silver medal in rock climbing from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, done courses in sailing and yatchmanship, and is a Mrs. India World beauty pageant finalist. Do not forget her title. She is also a doctor – an MD – and has an MBA in crisis management to boot. Her accomplishments give little inkling of Seema’s early years as a timid child at school, often being bullied by her classmates. “But within my submissiveness was lurking a deep desire to be in control, to dominate my fears,” Seema said with a gentle laugh. “I just needed an inspiration; who would open the doors for me to a brave new world,” she added. Fortunately, her father Ramakant Sinari recounted to her thrilling tales of valor and patriotism. Sinari was a professor at the famed Indian Institute of Technology, but in his younger days he used to be a freedom fighter who worked to liberate Goa from the Portuguese. “I used to hear his accounts of bravery and used to think that I, too, needed to do something significant for my country, though I did not what or how,” Seema said. “His account of escaping from the Portuguese prison with his fellow freedom fighter, and their crossing the Mandovi river with Portuguese police on their tail used to fill my mind with excitement, and the fervor of patriotism,” the commando trainer recounted. She met Hon. Major Deepak Rao (then just Deepak Rao) who had been into martial arts

since the age of 12. Seema, then just 16, was drawn by his charm and positivity, and was absolutely fascinated by his martial arts skills. He initiated her into the empowering world of martial arts. Seema developed an instant love for it. Under Deepak Rao’s tutelage, she began to shed her fears. As she gained confidence, their shared interest in martial arts also witnessed a romance blossom between them. Rao went on to get formal training in Taekwondo, Krav Maga, Jeet Kune Do and earn her global reputation in military martial arts and close combat. The Raos also honed their skills in sports shooting and weapon use. “I could shoot an apple on a person’s head from 50 yards without giving him a scratch, and also evade a speeding bullet with ease,” Seema said with no trace of pride. TRAINING THE FORCES During the mid 90s, the Raos were deluged with invitations to demonstrate their skills to various military bodies. In 1996, the then chiefs of the Indian army, navy, the Border Security Force, and National Security Guard, all decided to try their innovative training program. Over the last two decades, they have been guest trainers for more than 20,000 personnel from India’s armed forces, paramilitary, and the police services. The Raos realized early on that their all-consuming passion could compromise their careers as medical personnel, and impact their financial viability. They also had to prepare for a lot of hardship, since training commandos and other armed AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 33

PIONEER | SEEMA forces personnel called for them to visit inhospitable terrain. Despite this, the duo refused to be paid for their work. CQB, REFLEX SHOOTING AND ACCS The Raos achieved national fame for their work in the realm of close-quarter battle (CQB), fighting that happens within 30 yards. Their techniques include aspects of unarmed combat, shooting at close range, team-on-team tactics, and close-quarter battle simulation exercises – tactics effective in counterterrorism operations, where enemies have to be tackled at close range, often in enclosed places. Based on their experience in training Indian forces, they developed an indigenous method of reflex shooting: The Rao System of Reflex Fire. “The conventional methods of shooting generally use many seconds before taking aim and shoot,” Seema explained. “It is most efficient only in long range combat, say, when the enemy is 30-500 yards away, which is the range of most assault rifles. But when the [enemy] is only 25 yards away ..., you need to aim and shoot much more quickly,” she elaborated further. The couple has also come up with Advanced Commando Combat System. Besides being a unique shooting system, it relies on quickly handicapping the enemy with minimum effort, and using each member of the team for a different task instead of using them all for the same one, as done in conventional western CQBs. Of course, the Raos teach their innovative methods only to Indian military forces. A PRICE TO PAY For all the fame she has received, Seema not only had to train forces in hostile terrain and harsh weather conditions, but also to endure male chauvinism. “Many a time I meet trainees who are reluctant to learn from an outside resource, especially if the outside resource happens to be a woman. Eventually I earn their respect through my determination and warfare skills,” Seema said. She has also suffered multiple injuries during her training sessions. “Once while in a hand-to-hand fight training session with one of my trainees, I fell on my back and had a concussion,” Seema recalled. She lost her memory for months, during which time she could not recognize anyone else other than her husband. On another occasion she suffered a vertebral fracture, which kept her bedridden for months. She was also shot at by insurgents during travel to a training assignment for Indian forces.

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Because of her rigorous training schedule, she could not even address personal tragedies properly. “I was training the forces, when I got the news of my father’s death. Despite the tremendous mental turmoil that the news brought me, I completed the training session,” Seema affirmed. “I knew the demands of my passion would not give much space to me as a mother, so I chose to opt out of motherhood,” Seema said. Instead, the Raos adopted a child from an underprivileged family. Like her parents, Komal Rao is a certified instructor of the little-known martial art form, Jeet Kune Do. The three of them are among the handful of authorized Jeet Kune Do instructors in the world. The three were trained by Richard Bustillo, a disciple of Bruce Lee and an authority on Jeet Kune Do. UCCA MAKING A DIFFERENCE The Rao couple also set up a non-profit organization - the Unconventional Commando Combat Academy which helps train Indian forces and publishes books on martial arts for them. “Our book Encyclopedia of Close Combat Ops is the world’s first encyclopedia on CQB training, and it found a place in the FBI library and the Interpol library,” Seema informed. UCCA also has a civil chapter, which offers training in Jeet Kune Do. “Under this civil chapter we also teach a variety of martial arts to civilians for a fee,” she disclosed. The civil chapter promotes holistic human development, and addresses issues such as physical fitness, nutrition and weight management, life management and self improvement skills, and health management. The UCCA teaching faculty is made up of ex-military instructors, dieticians, physiotherapists, martial arts experts and doctors. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION Seema has won several awards, including the Nari Shakti Puraskar from the Indian President in 2019, the World Peace Award at the World Peace Congress in Malaysia, the US President’s Volunteer Service Award, and three army citations. According to Wikipedia, Seema was ranked sixth on the 2019 Forbes India W-Power Trailblazer list. The superwoman is happy that she was picked for those awards and recognitions, but said that her greatest reward still lay in training India’s armed forces.

“I KNEW THE DEMANDS OF MY PASSION WOULD NOT GIVE MUCH SPACE TO ME AS A MOTHER, SO I CHOSE TO OPT OUT OF MOTHERHOOD”

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COVER STORY | SEEMA

Anjali Sud and the Vimeo team at Nasdaq 36 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

WINNER Anjali Sud blew away the glass ceiling when she rocketed up to the top post at the groundbreaking video company ABHIJIT MASIH

PHOTO CREDIT : ANJALI SUD/ VIMEO

AT VIMEO

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COVER STORY | SEEMA

t is not often that an executive can make her mark by watching and evaluating videos. Anjali Sud, the CEO of Vimeo, is one of the lucky few. Vimeo is the world’s leading all-in-one video software solution, helping users create, collaborate with and communicate visual content. A 5-billion dollar company, it now boasts a community of 200 million users, including influencers, entrepreneurs and some of the world’s largest companies. Sud, who graduated from Wharton School in 2005, received her MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011. Five years later, just 33, she took over at Vimeo, which is now valued at $5 billion. In call with SEEMA from her home in Flint, Michigan, the young Indian American business leader described her formula for success. “The only reason I became the CEO of Vimeo, was ’cause I was pushing to … take the company in a different direction,” Sud said. “I have always been proactive in saying ‘Hey, here’s my idea about something else that we could do,’ or ‘There is something else that is happening in the company that I am really interested in, that could add value to the business.’” Sud had originally intended to make her career in investment banking. Her first job was as a buyer in a toy store. She eventually did become an investment banker, but not in the biggest investment firms. Though the start was bumpy – and not quite what she had anticipated – she used the experience to hone her skills. Once Sud got to Vimeo, though, all that preparation came to her aid. As the young CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, her first order of business was to transform the company from a content creator like Netflix to a video software company. “The biggest challenge was to shift the company’s strategy, culture and focus pretty dramatically,” Sud said. “That’s when I got to rip off the band-aid – and

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do it quickly.” One example of the speed at which she moved was that within 90 days of her taking over, Vimeo bought over Livestream. Sud is a mentor to thousands of job aspirants, managing multiple teams in multiple locations. She said she looks for two qualities in a potential colleague. “You can have a lot of different styles and skill sets, but you have to be curious,” Sud said. “You have to be comfortable asking questions, and you have to want to seek the truth. Another quality that I look for is empathy – for both the customer and your colleagues. I have never seen anyone become wildly successful in business on their own.” As someone who has broken through the glass ceiling, her mantra to young women is to take control of their future. Sud tells her mentees, “It’s your career. Own it and take control of it and look to create opportunities. Earlier, I thought that I would never have a career path to leadership. But along the way I was learning and developing diverse skill sets and gaining experience. All of them contributed to me getting here.” Sud was born in Flint, Michigan, to Punjabi-Indian immigrant parents, the eldest of three children. Unlike many Indian parents who encourage their kids to learn everything possible, Sud’s parents had too hectic a work schedule to be able to curtail her freedom and independence, even when she was very young. That independence transformed into confidence when she was enrolled into the Phillips Andover Academy. “I actually left home when I was 14 to go to one of the best schools in the country,” she says. “I wanted the best education, and since I was raised so independently, I felt comfortable putting myself out there.” The school changed her, infusing her with attributes that have made a difference. “What I got out of that experience – which did certainly help me and still helps me today – is that I failed early, which built resilience,” Sud said. “Because of that I got confident. When everything seemed really

Anjali Sud at the Vimeo town hall AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 39

“I ACTUALLY LEFT HOME WHEN I WAS 14 TO GO TO ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY, I WANTED THE BEST EDUCATION, AND SINCE I WAS RAISED SO INDEPENDENTLY, I FELT COMFORTABLE PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE”

Anjali Sud as a child with her father and siblings

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Anjali and her son at the Vimeo office

hard and everyone seemed really smarter than me, that confidence really helped me.” The weight of her job and position does not really come in the way of her being content being a mom, a wife, a daughter and, most importantly, getting her required rest. “I need to get a good night’s sleep even if it means less social time or have to put my laptop down”, she confessed with a smile, describing how she maintains her work-life balance. Sud is fiercely proud of her heritage. She loves Indian music and samosas in equal measure. And her personal objective is for her views and values to flow to her son – Saavan. A true Punjabi, Sud spends her weekends dancing to Bollywood dance numbers with Saavan, holding Bollywood-themed dance parties every weekend with him. The mother-son duo can burn the floor to music videos of Katrina Kaif – her son’s current favorite. “That’s definitely one of the things that I love doing with him. I love doing it because dance music was such a big part of my upbringing. I have a strong affinity for that part of my culture and I want to pass that on to him,” she said. “Those are all the things that I want to do as I raise my son,” Sud added. “I wouldn’t really change much in my parenting. I only hope that I can be as good a parent to Saavan as my parents were to me.” That she adores Saavan is clear in the way she insistently posts about him on Instagram, with picture after picture of them together. Still, Sud rejects the ‘Bollywood Mama’ label. “I have a lot of bands that I like,” she said. “I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and I am also trying

COVER STORY | SEEMA to get up to speed with the latest stuff. I am very behind. As I am getting older I am not keeping up with what is happening right now. But I have been trying to keep up.” As the head of a company that mainly deals in video production, Sud spends a great deal of her time consuming video content at work. That does not stop her from still watching movies, both Bollywood and Hollywood, in her spare time. She has subscriptions to most available streaming services, she confesses. Things can get hectic. As the head of a company in a fast-paced, competitive industry, her calendar is full through the work hours. However, Sud finds refuge at times in what would be her perfect night – “being in my sweatpants with a bowl of popcorn and watching some beautiful story.”

ANJALI SUD – LIFE AND TIMES 1. Born in Detroit (1983) and raised in Flint, Michigan. 2. At the age of 14, enrolls in the Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, Massachusetts (1997). 3. Graduates with a B.Sc. in finance and management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (2005). 4. Receives an MBA from Harvard Business School (2011). 5. Becomes an analyst (merger and acquisitions) at Sagent Advisors (2005-2007). 6. Becomes an associate (mergers and acquisitions) at Time Warner (2007-2009). 7. Goes on to become senior manager, then marketing director at Amazon (2011 and 2014) 8. Joins Vimeo as director of marketing (2014), then appointed CEO (2017) after the company searched for over a year for someone to fill that position. 9. Becomes one of Hollywood Reporter’s Next Gen : 35 under 35 Honorees (2017). 10. Named 14th on Fortune’s “2018 40 Under 40” list.

Anjali Sud and the Vimeo team at Nasdaq AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 41

PHOTO CREDIT : : DISNEY / K H A R E N H I L L

TEEN | SEEMA

Avantika Vandanapu in a still from Spin 42 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

“I Have to Pinch Myself to Check if it is True” Avantika Vandanapu, the teen star of “Spin,” describes the heady experience of acting in a Disney film and more ABHIJIT MASIH

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PHOTO CREDIT : : DISNEY / JOHN MEDLAND

here is a new South Asian star in Hollywood – the 16-year-old Avantika Vandanapu, who plays the protagonist in the upcoming Disney film, “Spin.” The film follows an Indian American teen, who discovers her artistic side through DJ culture and learns she has a passion for creating mixes that blend her Indian heritage with her other influences – all this while living with her multi-generational family. Vandanapu spoke to SEEMA about the film as well as her body of work in India, which spans the Telugu and Tamil film industries. Vandanapu’s journey thus far has been marked by milestones that would be the envy of any teenager. However, the first step in her career came through dance. For, much before her acting career kicked off, Vandanapu was learning Indian classical dance. “I started dancing when I was very little, and it helped me a lot in terms of acting, because it is a form of expression,” she says “I used that to perform in front of people and gained confidence and became comfortable.” “Since classical dance and the Indian film industry are so entwined that learning these forms definitely helped me to get opportunities in India,” Vandanapu says. It continues to be a part of her life today. “I learned Kuchipudi and Kathak, and still train to this day,” she says. “Dancing somewhat grounds me and adds consistency in my life. Since acting can be so hectic, it is good to have this one routine that remains the same,” she says.

PHOTO CREDIT : : DISNEY / JOHN MEDLAND

“DANCING SOMEWHAT GROUNDS ME AND ADDS CONSISTENCY IN MY LIFE. SINCE ACTING CAN BE SO HECTIC, IT IS GOOD TO HAVE THIS ONE ROUTINE THAT REMAINS THE SAME”

Avantika Vandanapu with Meera Syal in a still from Spin

PHOTO CREDIT : : DISNEY / JOHN MEDLAND

Avantika Vandanapu with Meera Syal and Abhay Deol in a still from Spin

“MY FAMILY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MY ACTING CAREER. I FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT I HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM AROUND ME THAT ALLOWS ME TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I WANT TO”

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Vandanapu admits that dance also directly helped her to transition to an acting career in southern India. After her talent was showcased on various TV dance shows, she got offers to act in Telugu films, getting roles in blockbuster films like “Brahmotsavam” and “Manamantha.” Vandanapu stayed in India for a few years to work in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. She recalls, “I sent my performance tapes, and also auditioned for roles in India. In India the process is a little different and a lot faster. Once you get one opportunity, it is easier for you to apply for other opportunities, unlike in Hollywood where you have to go through the standard audition process every single time.” Unlike many South Asians who place a premium on education and little else, Vandanapu’s parents not only allowed her to pursue her dream but also encouraged her. She says, “My family is very

supportive of my acting career. I feel very lucky that I have a support system around me that allows me to be able to do what I want to.” After working awhile in South Indian cinema, Vandanapu got herself an agent to get her into Hollywood. “I followed the standard Hollywood process,” she says. “My agent got me the audition and I went through that whole process and got the role. It was so great. It is every child’s dream to work in a Disney film. Being able to do that so early in my life ... I am so happy I have to pinch myself to check if it is true.” During the conversation, Vandanapu also gave said she had another Hollywood project in the works, “Senior Year,” with Rebel Wilson. “Spin,” which releases on August 13, 2021, is shot in Toronto and is directed by Manjari Makijany (daughter of acclaimed character artist Mac Mohan aka Samba from “Sholay”). Vandanapu talks about her experience working with an Indian crew, and with Abhay Deol (who plays her father in the film) “Well, working with everyone was so surreal,” she says. “It was so great. They truly are so nice to work with and I feel so blessed that I got to work with them. I feel very lucky.” To get into the role, Vandanapu had to focus on the similarities and differences between herself and Rhea, the character she plays. “The differences were in our interests and sense of humor,” she says. “The similarities are that we are very loyal, determined, and extremely passionate.”

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PHOTO CREDIT : : DISNEY / K H A R E N H I L L

BEAUTY | SEEMA

SOUTH ASIAN-OWNED MAKEUP BRANDS FOR SUMMER Hot brands you could support this summer and benefit with a perfect look

LAYA NEELAKANDAN

or South Asians, reliable makeup brands that understand our skin and our heritage are often hard to come by. With non-inclusive shades and formulas made for white skin, South Asians who wear makeup are often left trying to improvise or settle for a non-ideal product. This summer, as you look through your makeup bag and realize you need some replacements, add some brands created by and for our people to your go-to routine. Here are six of the best South Asian-owned makeup brands.

BEAUTY | SEEMA

C T Z N

PHOTOS CREDIT: CTZN COSMETICS

CTZN Cosmetics founders Aleena, Aleezeh and Naseeha Khan

C O S M E T I C S

Founded by Pakistani sisters Aleena, Aleezeh and Naseeha Khan, CTZN Cosmetics was born out of frustration with the dearth of inclusive shade ranges and brown makeup models. The brand is vegan/ vegetarian, cruelty-free and genderless, and it also guarantees a perfect match for every skin tone. They have also created a content segment on their website called CULTUTORIAL, where viewers can learn about new cultures while watching someone’s makeup routine. “All of our NUDIVERSAL shades are named after cities around the world that we have had the privilege to visit, and our LIPSTROKE shades are the numbers one to five in different languages,” co-founder Aleena Khan said. “We always try to find fun, approachable ways to integrate culture into the brand. Rather than canceling someone for not being culturally aware enough, let’s provide solutions for them to learn more!”

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S T E L L A R

B E A U T Y

Stellar Beauty was founded by Indian-Canadian Monika Deol, a well-known TV personality. The brand focuses on products for Indian skin tones, prioritizing inclusivity, natural ingredients and high pigmentation. It is 100% cruelty-free, fragrancefree and mineral oil-free.

J O U R N

V A S A N T I C O S M E T I C S

Founded by Pinki Gosal along with Monal, Priti and Gargi Patel, Canadabased Vasanti Cosmetics aims to validate and help with the dark under eye circles many South Asians experience. The South Asian-owned makeup brand offers both makeup and skin care products, and it focuses on creating clean and high-performance products specifically designed for people of color.

PHOTO CREDIT: BILI B E A U T Y

Frustrated with her struggles with acne scarring and the lack of beauty products available for South Asians with acne, founder Sara Shah created Journ, a brand creating products to both conceal flaws and help them improve over time. “Growing up, South Asian women were hardly represented in the media, especially beauty,” Shah said. “I decided to change that by being an active part of creating a world where women like me are represented. I want my daughter to grow up in a world where she sees herself, knows that she’s beautiful just the way she is and does not have to aspire to fit certain beauty standards.”

PHOTO CREDIT: JOURN

C O S M E T I C S R A N I

Rani Cosmetics is a makeup brand founded by Indian-American Eshani Patel, also known on YouTube as TotalMakeupJunkie101. The brand, whose name derives from the word for “queen,” focuses on vegan and cruelty-free lip products specially formulated to complement Indian skin tones. Patel writes that Rani Cosmetics is “a line to make every person, no matter what age, gender, or skin tone, feel like royalty.”

4 B I L I

B E A U T Y

Bili Beauty was founded by Sarah Sophy Thomas with the mission of empowering and celebrating the beauty of South Asians. After rarely seeing people like her represented in the beauty industry, Thomas created Bili Beauty, which has products with clean ingredients and high pigmentation for all skin tones and types. “Growing up in America, I saw very little Indian representation in the beauty industry, and when I started Bili Beauty, I knew how important it was for me to be as inclusive as possible so that the South Asian community can

finally see themselves properly represented in a beauty brand,” Thomas said. “In addition to creating products that suit all skin tones, it makes me so happy to hear from our Bili Beauty community that using our products everyday helps them feel a bit more connected to their culture, and proud of where they came from.” So as you experiment with new makeup looks this summer, try out a product from a South Asianowned makeup brand. You might just find your new go-to product while also supporting people from our own community. AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 51

TRAVEL | SEEMA

View of Uluwatu cliff with pavilion and blue sea in Bali, Indonesia 52 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

THE

VACCINE TOURISM OPTION

Countries that rely on tourism offer coronavirus shots to travelers as an incentive to visit them SUGATO MUKHERJEE

holiday is not usually associated with getting a jab on your arm. But in a topsy-turvy world defined by a virus, needledriven getaways seem to be the “new normal.” In a bid to bolster the tourism sector, which has been worst affected by the pandemic, many countries, from the European microstate San Marino to the tropical island of Bali, have jumped to offer coronavirus vaccines to the inbound travelers. Often, the

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scheme is clubbed with a leisurefilled, luxurious holiday package.

VACCINES, TRAVELS AND YOU

The latest CDC guidelines recommend delaying international travel for US residents, if not fully vaxed. It also mentions that though fully vaccinated people have a lower risk of getting and spreading the COVID-19 virus, international travel involves additional risks. • For international travel, CDC strongly recommends a check of the pandemic situation of the destination country and adherence to COVID protocols at all times during travel. • Domestic travel for US residents is also recommended only for fully vaccinated people (which is 2 weeks after the second shot of the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; or two weeks after the single-dose Janssen vaccine from Johnson & Johnson) • Several US states, including California, Nevada and New York, have dropped their residency requirements, and non-residents can get vaccine appointments.

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A GLOBAL TREND As vaccine rollouts have been heavily imbalanced in different parts of the world, with some countries managing the outbreak of the pandemic better than others, vaccine tourism has found its niche. Russia is a case in point. It was the first country in the world to approve a COVID vaccine (Sputnik V). But the domestic response has been lukewarm, with only 17 million of the 144 million Russians getting the first dose till early June. The Putin administration plans to counter this demand-supply in equilibrium by designing a holiday package for foreign tourists to tour Russia between the two jabs of vaccine in three weeks. In early May, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his plans to inoculate the visitors to the city with the single-shot J&J vaccine at popular places like Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Central Park. As he put it on May 6, “This summer, you’re going to see tourism come alive again in New York City. You’re going to see a lot of jobs come back because of it. We want to go the extra mile, make it easy for tourists.” Within the next few weeks, 25 U.S. states offered visitors the dose, and many have become vaccine hotspots for foreign tourists, most of them from Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia. The tiny island nation of Maldives has drawn up the 3V Program (Visit, Vaccinate, Vacation) for travelers seeking a sun-soaked holiday on the pristine beaches of this tropical archipelago. The project will start only after the residents and nationals of Maldives have themselves been

fully vaccinated. With around 1.7 million annual visitors accounting for nearly 70% of the country’s GDP, Maldives aims to get the 3V Program going as early as possible to re-boot its economy. Even San Marino, the European microstate, is hoping to revitalize its fledgling tourism industry by selling two microstays of three days each to international visitors for each dose of the vaccine. The response from European countries like the Czech Republic, Germany and Latvia has also been promising. THE MORAL CONUNDRUM With a number of constraints to address, vaccine tourism is interesting but still a work in progress, and with a few ethical issues to address. Vaxcation (a nickname the trend has earned) is largely reliant on a heavily skewed distribution of vaccines and often involves issues of prioritization. For example, the island of Bali in the Indonesian archipelago is witnessing a fresh surge of cases. At the end of June, only 6% of the population has been fully vaccinated. But the government is determined to use vaccine tourism to revive a tourism sector decimated by the pandemic. Two doses of Sinovac will be administered free of charge to Indonesians taking a vaxcation in Bali, a tropical isle famed for its lush green valleys and beautiful beaches. Foreign nationals will be charged a fee for the jabs they will receive at the beginning and the end of their two-week stay. The island plans to open its international borders at the end of July end, but the number of coronavirus cases have shown no signs of abating – yet. The situation has also created opportunities for travel operators to rake in some fast cash. As early as December 2020,

tour operators in India (where vaccination had not begun at that time) were putting together luxury packages for Indians to visit the U.K., U.S., and Russia to get the shots. Another trend began in March, when Indians with resident visas for Dubai were allowed to fly there to get the Pfizer vaccine. In April, Sputnik V announced on Twitter that their social media followers would be the first to be invited to get the vaccine in Russia when the program commences. Many vaccine tourists registered with a Norwaybased tour operator for the option. Between the two shots, their options include luxurious stays in a Russian wellness resort or a trip to a spa hotel in Turkey. According to a report in April by USA Today, wealthy people from Latin America have booked flights, rented cars and even chartered airplanes to get the jab in the United States due to a slow rollout of vaccines at home. Because the vaccination drive in South Africa has been surprisingly sluggish, neighboring Zimbabwe

has given private hospitals the green signal to inoculate vaccine tourists from South Africa. There are concerns that this can lead to a situation where affluent foreigners are prioritized over native Zimbabweans. RISK FACTORS AND LEGAL ISSUES Apart from ethical concerns, there is the risk that vaccine tourists may be infected before they are fully immunized and can become asymptomatic superspreaders during their travels. There are critical legal aspects to consider, too. In the absence of clear healthcare laws and official arrangements in place, there is no guarantee that vaccine tourists will receive the doses as promised. More importantly, the legal implications are unclear if there is a medical emergency after a tourist gets the vaccine shot. Perhaps a more practical solution could sending the vaccines from places with a surplus to locations with slower rollouts instead of encouraging people to travel internationally and thus increase the risk.

European microstate San Marino, Italy AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 55

FOOD | SEEMA

FOOD F

E S H O T U R O

Sarah Todd on a visit to India 56 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

Celebrity chef, restaurateur, TV host, speaker and author, Sarah Todd has more aces up her sleeve than many others

fter juggling five jobs after school, including modeling to studying makeup, Sarah Todd has found her calling as a chef. In a tête-à-tête with SEEMA, she describes her eventful journey.

The cover of Sarah Todd’s new book My Indian Kitchen

DOWN MEMORY LANE Growing up in the small town of Walkerston, west of Mackay in Queensland, Australia, Sarah was and her two brothers were raised by her mother who also worked full time. “There wasn’t a lot of money, but to be honest, I never felt for a second that I did without anything. All I remember are happy times,” she says. After leaving school at 17, she began – and left – studying for a business degree. In a month, she was working five jobs. “My mission was to save as much money as I could,” Todd says. “Within 12 months, I had enough to put a deposit on a block of land.” She won tickets to a fashion

show in Sydney through a magazine contest and got her first taste of fashion when a magazine editor in the audience offered her a gig. “In between modeling jobs, I completed a diploma in makeup artistry and beauty therapy,” Todd says. “I opened my /own salon at home, so I was kept very busy between modeling and my business. I needed a creative outlet, so I attended photography classes in the evening.” Even while pregnant she continued working, modeling maternity wear until she was in her 38th week. “When Phoenix was born, I immediately fell in love with this little boy,” Todd says. “Having children gives you a different perspective on life. For one, you become less selfish. When introducing solids, I decided to prepare his food myself. I always ate healthily but only really began cooking after he was born. I realized that if I was going to the trouble of cooking his food, it not only had to be nutritious, but it had to be tasty.”

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT : : SARAH TODD

BINDU GOPAL RAO

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to apply to Le Cordon Bleu and give myself a year to make a career from cooking. He told me I was going to be the next Nigella Lawson.” In 2013 Todd finished on top of her class at Le Cordon Bleu, London and was one of 24 contestants on MasterChef Australia (finishing in the top 10) in 2014. Incidentally, it was her aloo gobi that drew the attention of the Indian community, instantly gaining her around 50,000 followers on social media. In 2015 she opened her first restaurant in India, Antares. She coowns and operates it, even rebuilding it after a fire in 2019. Her journey of the trials and tribulations of setting up a business in India was part of a six-part series, “My Restaurant in India.” She wrote her first cookbook, “The Healthy Model Cookbook” in 2016, and published her second cookbook, “My Indian Kitchen,” this year.

Baked cauliflower with pineapple sansav

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FOOD FILE Her journey into the world of food was a Eureka moment. “It was during a particularly monotonous photoshoot in London and 60 outfit changes later,” Todd says. “I was sitting quietly having lunch when I thought if I was going to be away from my son, I wanted to do something I loved. I remember saying to the model sitting next to me, that I was going

INDIA CALLING Backed by her training in French cuisine and her six years traveling across India, she ensured the food at Antares focuses on local produce in a modern shared dining experience with a touch of spice. Likewise, in “My Indian Kitchen,” the recipes are inspired by everyday people. “I drew inspiration from street food vendors, families who shared their meals and homes with me and chefs who generously passed on recipes and tips,” Todd says. “I am fascinated by the incredible diversity in flavors, methods, and culture in the art of Indian cuisine. My goal is to introduce the novice to Indian cuisine by giving the techniques to create Indian inspired dishes. For the more experienced in Indian cooking, I hope the book inspires them to be creative and play around with the cuisine.” She believes that Australian cuisine is diverse, focusing on quality ingredients that lend themselves well to marrying with flavors across India. Her philosophy in the kitchen involves making quick, healthy, flavorsome dishes in 20 minutes for

“THIS IS A TRADITION I GREW UP WITH AND ONE I CONTINUE TO ENJOY WITH MY SON. SHARING A MEAL FUELS OUR BODY, MIND, AND SOUL”

Sarah Todd cooking with her son

weeknight meals. “A meal lovingly prepared in the home must be enjoyed with loved ones while sitting around the table,” Todd says. “This is especially important for young children to interact with other family members and discuss the day’s events. This is a tradition I grew up with and one I continue to enjoy with my son. Sharing a meal fuels our body, mind, and soul.” For someone who believes that food means togetherness and a way to celebrate and bring people together, she admits that digital media is a great way to inspire others and be inspired. FUTURE PERFECT She admits the period of the pandemic has been most challenging for her. “My businesses in India have been severely impacted

South Indian Madras curry with prawns and coconut rice

as I was unable to make my monthly trips back to India,” Todd says. “However, as the saying goes, ‘necessity is the mother of invention,’ so I have channeled my energy into creating food products. It is something I wanted to do for a long time but never had the time. I will be launching them in a few months.” When she is not cooking, Todd enjoys playing VR games and engaging in other fun activities with her 10-year-old son. “In fact, he even enjoys cooking with me, something we did a lot of during lockdown,” she says. Looking ahead she has a lot of things in the works. “The lockdown has certainly affected the timelines, but everything will fall in place soon enough,” Todd says. “I have been scouting the perfect location for my next restaurant in Delhi ... I’m also coming up with a range of food products very soon. Watch this space.” AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 59

FOOD | SEEMA

How to Pair Wine With Veggie Dishes The connoisseur’s guide to getting the best of both worlds CAMILLE BERRY

egetables and vegetarian food have a rep for being tricky to pair with wine. This is true – to a certain extent. Some veggies are notoriously bitter while others possess a bold character that can clash with many wines. The good news? There are certain tips and tricks when it comes to matching wine with meatless fare that make pairing a breeze. Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re choosing a wine to sip on with your vegetarian meal. At the most basic, the wines that work best with vegetables are those with a pronounced herbal character. Think along the lines of Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, or certain Pinot Gris. These wines tend to play best with raw veg. Though mushrooms are technically not vegetables, they do go beautifully with Pinot Noir. For cooked vegetables, you’ll want to ask yourself two questions: how are the vegetables prepared, and are they being served with a sauce?

Sauces and condiments open up your options when it comes to even the most difficult to pair greens. Spice, like you might find in a hot mango chutney, means you can serve an off-dry Chenin Blanc or Riesling. Salty, savory dishes also love off-dry wines. A tofu stir-fry often boasts ingredients like ginger, soy sauce, perhaps a dash, or sesame oil. The hint of sweetness in these styles is the perfect palate refresher. And if white wines aren’t really your thing, a semi-sweet, fizzy Lambrusco is a stellar alternative. If your sauce is cream-based, you can try a richer Chardonnay or even a Viognier. A citrusy sauce demands a citrusy wine, so again a Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino would work best here. Adding cheese to your vegetarian dishes is another clever way to make them easier to pair with wine. High acid white wines love the cheese’s fattiness, so grating a little cheddar or adding a sprinkle of mozzarella or parmesan to broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and so on is a great way to make them more wine-

friendly. Pinot Gris or a crisp rosé are great matches. In terms of preparation, grilling or smoking your veg means you can pair them with bolder wines that share that smoky character. Grilled portobello burgers or eggplant. A red Rhone is good in these situations, as is a Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. Grilling some peppers? Try a cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon. This like-forlike pairing is always a winner. So what’s the takeaway? There are no such things as impossibleto-pair foods. Naturally, some present a challenge but there’s always a way to get around it. When in doubt, you’ll never go wrong with a vibrant, fresh rosé. Cheers! AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 61

BERRIES FOR

Health

FOOD | SEEMA

RASHMI GOPAL RAO

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food – Hippocrates

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Health is the greatest wealth – and too priceless a resource to squander

n investment in health, most often, translates into eating right. In fact, every time you eat, it is an opportunity to nourish your mind and body. Consuming fresh vegetables and fruits, wholesome nuts and minimally processed food is often the key to good health. And speaking of fresh foods and summer, few foods are healthier than those luscious berries. Delicious, juicy and loaded with nutrients, they make for a refreshing treat on hot summer days! Strawberries and raspberries are not true berries; from a botanical view point, they are aggregate fruits. They are packed with nutrients and can be enjoyed the same way as other berries.

H E A L T H B E N E F I T S G A L O R E High in fiber and with a low glycemic index, berries pack a punch in terms of nutrition. They are a very rich source of antioxidants and have a positive influence on blood sugar levels. Antioxidants keep free radicals under control and help fight many diseases. Additionally, berries are rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, potassium, copper, folate etc. They also have antiinflammatory properties and are know to positively impact heart health. The benefits and properties may vary from berry to berry, so let us look at the benefits of three popular and delectable ones. 64 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2021

S T R A W B E R R I E S Nothing screams summer like a bunch of juicy red strawberries with cream. Loaded with antioxidants and plant compounds, strawberries are excellent for heart health. “Strawberries are a rich source of phytochemicals (ellagic acid, anthocyanins, quercetin, and catechin) and vitamins (ascorbic acid and folic acid), that have been highly ranked among dietary sources of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity,” says Luke Coutinho, holistic lifestyle coach, integrative and lifestyle medicine. “Chiefly known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions, a few recent studies demonstrate that they help in cellular functions like cell metabolism, cell survival, etc,” he says. He further adds that two

widely known antioxidants in strawberries are anthocyanin and ellagic acid. The former is responsible for the strawberry’s bright red color, and increases once the berry ripens. These compounds are essential for heart health and also help in weight loss. Strawberries are also an exceptional source of vitamin C, which is good for immunity and skin health. Apart from being good for skin and hair health, strawberries work wonders for those with Type 2 diabetes. “Strawberries are also known to exhibit protective effects towards cancer, driven by ellagic acid and ellagitannins, which are known to stop the growth of cancer cells by inhibiting tumor growth and reducing inflammation in the body” adds Coutinho.

R A S P B E R R I E S

A flavorful berry with multiple benefits, raspberries are full of vitamins C and E, selenium, beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin, which are all powerful antioxidants. “Raspberries are known to slow down the aging process and also ease inflammation and relieves it. It is a good idea to freeze raspberry while storing them; it increases its shelf life,” says Rajat Jain, dietician, founder and director of Health Wealth Diet Clinic. A perfect fruit that can be had all year around, raspberries have a favorable effect on arthritis, diabetes and even obesity. “They also contain plant chemicals called flavonoids, which have antioxidant effects,” says Coutinho. “They are beneficial in cases of heart ailments, constipation (due to their high fiber content), eye health, inflammation, skin health, and cancer.”

V E R S A T I L E F R U I T S

B L U E B E R R I E S Often touted as a superfood, blueberries are packed with potassium and vitamin C and are known to be the king of antioxidant foods. “It is called the mind food because it makes your mind more alert and is known to be helpful in treating Parkinson’s disease,” says Jain. “It reduces inflammation in cardiovascular diseases.”

Blueberries also help fight several human cancers. “The anticancer potential of berries is due to the phytochemicals present in them,” says Coutinho. “Studies also show that the anticancer effects of these berries can counteract, reduce, and also repair damage resulting from oxidative stress and inflammation.”

You should always have berries fresh and whole rather than blended in a juice or a smoothie as it reduces the nutritional content and fiber. “Even dried or frozen berries can be consumed, either as is, or as a topping over oatmeal, porridges, granola, yogurt, dessert, etc. However, it is important to check labels of frozen and dried berries as most contain added sugars. While looking for jellies or jams, people can opt for all-fruit spreads without added sweeteners and fillers” quips Luke Coutinho. While berries are one of the most nutritious foods in the fruit family, it is also necessary to make sure that they are grown well, without using chemicals and pesticides. Since it is consumed whole, it is best to opt for organically grown ones and to wash them thoroughly before use.

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FOOD FOR DELICIOUS BOOKS | SEEMA

THOUGHT

A host of cooking books go beyond mere recipes to imbue the writing with new meaning SHARMISTHA CHAUDHURI

ugust is a month that celebrates food. Yes, one has to go back to school but there’s no harm dreaming about ice cream sandwiches while learning math, is there? Just a simple search will tell you that August seemingly makes it a point to dedicate almost each day to some sort of food or drink. Not to mention that the entire month also celebrates paninis, peaches, and sandwiches. Lovers of watermelon, eat the fruit to your heart’s content on the third day of the month; bakers, get out the chocolate chips to make cookies the day after. How about setting up a backyard camp fire to make s’mores on a day that celebrates the toasted marshmallow and cracker combination? For health buffs, rejoice with trail mix at the end of the month. Also, let’s not forget bratwursts or lemon meringue pies, filet mignons or banana splits, whiskey sours or beer — no matter your taste buds, there is a day to celebrate your favorites. In the spirit of things, let us celebrate food. Not just books with recipes, but ones that delve deeper into what we eat and why we eat, through the lens of history, sociology, and science. And, nostalgia.

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CURRY: A TALE OF COOKS AND CONQUERORS, BY LIZZIE COLLINGHAM

Collingham follows the journey of ‘curry’ as the title suggests. The book focuses on conquests, the impact of trade, and colonization on the subcontinent; how new ingredients that were introduced soon assimilated into the repertoire of Indian food along with techniques; the social fabric of the region; the very British interpretation and adaptation of curry; dispersion and immigration during British rule; and the existing aftermath around the world thereafter. This book is not just about curry, but rather a look at the multicultural changes that have taken place in India, and also provides some historical recipes. Reading each chapter is a delectable wellresearched discourse on history, culture and adaptation.

2 THE FLAVOR EQUATION: THE SCIENCE OF GREAT COOKING, BY NIK SHARMA

Sharma’s second book, published last year, has been making noise for all the right reasons—it intersects science and dissects the anatomy of flavor to create an atmosphere of appreciation as you leaf through each page, the spectacular visuals drawing you in. A molecular biologist, Sharma delves into components that create flavor—emotions when cooking and eating, the perception of sight and sound, how aromas work in the kitchen, the importance of textures, and the five basic tastes with the additions of richness and fieriness. Before trying recipes, mostly drawing from Sharma’s Indian heritage, you first need to understand what flavor is. As Christopher Kimball says in the foreword: “This is a book about how to turn out food that optimizes flavor.”

BENGALI COOKING: SEASONS AND FESTIVALS, BY CHITRITA BANERJI

If you have always been keen to learn about Bengali food, this book by historian Banerji showcases the region’s relationship with literature and culture, religious and foreign influences, seasonality and natural resources, and, of course, food. It is a recollection of a journey through the author’s memories going far beyond the description that Bengali food is all about rice and fish. Each chapter is an ode to the seasons, and it explains the dishes associated with periodic changes. The narrative draws upon the land’s folklore, bears interesting anecdotes from historical publications, talks of societal restrictions of the past, and provides a glimpse into the author’s life and family. There are some recipes to try like the chitol kopta and mochar ghonto — dishes you won’t usually find in a restaurant.

DESI DELICACIES: FOOD WRITING FROM MUSLIM SOUTH ASIA, BY CLAIRE CHAMBERS

Reading a food book on an empty stomach is never a good idea. Especially one that consists of an anthology of essays, short stories, and recipes from Muslim South Asian kitchens. The books stem from the purpose to record food heritage and culinary memories. As you read further, the more delectable the anthology gets. Why did a samosa come to be paired with chai? What are the origins of a qorma? What is jootha and its complexities? Each essay and story, varied from one another, come with a connected recipe.’

AUGUST 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 67

APRICOTS ON THE NILE: A MEMOIR WITH RECIPES, BY COLETTE ROSSANT

If you wondered what life in Egypt was in the 1940s, pick up this rather slim book to peek into a world that no longer exists. Rossant, a James Beard nominated food writer and columnist, takes the readers to a vintage Cairo having moved there to live with her father’s extended family from France at age five. Having found solace in the big, rustic kitchen in the house, Rossant recollects her childhood filled with spices, feasts, and aromas till she is whisked away to Paris at the age of 15, only to return after a gap of 30 years. This memoir is charming and laced with nostalgia, and invokes stomach rumbles with evocative descriptions of simple pleasures like baguettes dipped in garlic and oil.

SEEMA August Issue

Articles inside

Food for

Berries for Health

How to Pair Wine with

Food for the Soul

Nothing Is More Exciting Than Being in the Field

6 South Asian-Owned

South Asia’s Olympians

‘I Have to Pinch Myself to Check if It Is True’

Making All the Right Moves

BEYOND LIMITS

‘We Lift Each Other up and Lift Each Other’s