To celebrate 76 years of India's independence, Ahluwalia spotlights Indian talent paving their own paths in UK's and beyond.
Avinash Shashidhara, Head Chef at Pahli Hill
Born in Bangalore, chef and restaurateur Avinash Shashidhara is one of London’s rising culinary superstars. With experience leading several restaurants, including Hibiscus in Ludlow and the capital’s glamorous River Café, today he runs Pahli Hill in Fitzrovia.
Anita Chhiba, Founder and Director of Diet Paratha
Born and raised in New Zealand, Anita moved to the UK in 2018, in 2021 she founded Diet Paratha, a creative community platform championing the work and lives of South Asian people. Diet Paratha has featured in Vogue, Highsnobiety, Dazed, Popsugar, Refinery29, HYPEBAE, Teeth Magazine, and Wonderland. In conjunction, Anita is a host, curator and casting director.
Amar Singh, Director at Amar Gallery
Founded in January 2017 with the purpose of showing world-class post-war and contemporary art, championing historically overlooked female and LGBTQ+ artists. Amar is a patron of the Tate, Serpentine, Whitechapel Gallery and sits on LACMA's collectors' committee. Amar is also an activist who has focused his efforts on supporting LGBTQ+ rights and women's rights in India since 2008.
Keerthana Dinesh Kunnath, Photographer
Keerthana’s images are a medium that opens dialogue around self-expression and individuality. Her artistry consciously reclaims, unravels and reflects on ideas of gender and identity.
Sophia Bharmal, Painter
Sophia’s work is rooted in an exploration of her British Indian Muslim heritage. It draws strongly on the complexity of heritage and the exploration of space and identity. Playing with smaller traditions and symbols to create new dream worlds. Sophia’s work has been exhibited nationally in numerous group exhibitions. She has recently been featured in the Royal Academy of Arts, Summer Exhibition (2021), and Tate Britain’s digital installation ‘Finding Home’, (2021).
Vivek, Photographer and Director
Vivek Vadoliya is a British Indian Photographer, Director, and author of ‘Mallakhamb’ his first photobook. His work has been featured in The Financial Times, Elle India, The Face, British Vogue, British Journal of Photography, and Vogue India.
Kiran Gidda, Photographer and Founder of Killa Studios and Killa gems
Born and raised in West London, Kiran is a self-taught photographer, specialising in portraits, live events and fashion. She has shot artists such as Ella Mai and Yxng Bane, and her work has been featured in Dazed, Vogue India, Nylon Magazine, The Stack World and more
Amika Sara George MBE, Activist and Founder of Free Periods
Amika Sara George MBE, founded Free Periods at the age of 17, with a mission to eradicate period poverty. Today the not-for-profit organisations continue their mission to destigmatise menstruation and ensure that no young person has to miss out on their education because they menstruate.
Navi Ahluwalia, Editor at Hypebae and Co-Founder of Platform LDN
In 2021, Navi won the Culture, Entertainment & Lifestyle 30toWatch Young Journalist Award. Previously, she's written for gal-dem, PopSugar, Pause Magazine and Notion Magazine, focusing on topics such as brown beauty, luxury fashion, music, politics and mental health. As the co-founder of Platform LDN, she works with a diverse range of creatives from varying disciplines, to produce content for social media and events.
