When I was in my 20s, I was working in Atlanta and had three best friends: vodka, tequila and margarita. About 50% of my money was spent on them. My typical Gujju father said: “This is not our culture.” So, I quit my job to come to Ahmedabad. On my flight, they were showing Swades...
What was your journey to NASSCOM? In 1975-’76, we decided to come back to India to be closer to family. This was during the Emergency. I tried to be with my father in his business as it wasn't in a good shape, and neither was my father-in-law's. My dreams of starting a business in those areas...
I am an architect by profession, at an intersection of science, technology and business. I graduated in 2011 with an interest in bio-mimicry that is bios and mimesis, life and imitation, taking inspiration from nature to design. I did my Masters in Emerging Technologies from London with a Tata scholarship. I thought India is not...
BOMBAY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A NEW BOMBAY. WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS? It is an intense question. It was to be a twin city but two decades ago a Rotarian suggested it should be 25 coastal cities. Bombay needs to decentralise. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE UNDERGROUND, THE SEALINK AND GOING UNDERNEATH WALKESHWAR TUNNEL? The Coastal...
A lot of us in the content business are looking for audiences to tell us what to do right now considering that theatres have been running empty for the last few months. My ‘disruption’ story – I came from a structured environment. I worked at Procter & Gamble, Star TV, I worked in Star Hong Kong...
I am a musician and an environmentalist – two pillars that have dictated all my life decisions. In the 12th grade, I decided that music would be my profession. I spoke to my father, a third-generation doctor; he was furious but after a lot of drama at home we came to a compromise: I would...
What was the genesis of the Helen Cooper School of Luxury? The opportunity that I could bring because of my knowledge and background. I have mentored many entrepreneurs and they were all missing skills in finance strategy, marketing, and product development, and I had those things in spades. The opportunities that India offers in luxury and...
Anahita Uberoi: Most people associate Nikkhil Advani with Kal Ho Naa Ho but there is a journey before and after that Nikkhil has taken which is extremely diverse and creative and it reflects his journey as a human being. What was your dream as a 20-year-old? I had no connection to Bollywood. When Kal Ho Naa...
How many of you know drones apart from what you see at the weddings and events? Those are just remote-control toys, according to me, NO DISRESPECT. BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT A DRONE IS? I am the founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace. We have about 400 drones spread over 26 cities in the country. WE ARE THE...
What emoji do you use most? The Smiley. Would you want to live forever? No. How many hours of sleep do you need? 7-8. What is success for you? Staying true to my purpose. If you could ask God one question, what would it be? Whether, in God’s view, I was staying true to...
What is the most rewarding advice you have ever got? Reinvent yourself. How often do you stay up past 2 am? 4 out of 7 days. When are you most productive? In the night, I am an owl. Last song you downloaded? I’ve been listening to this group Above and Beyond for the past few years. In Hindi, Naach Punjaban from Jug...
HOPE IS VITAL FOR EACH ONE OF US. Rotary is the hope for millions and it has been so for the last century and more. To lead Rotary Club of Bombay - an iconic institution engaged in community service for close to a century - is intimidating for me. However, it also instills in me...