Women sharing the UW “W” at Pidilite CSR-sponsored Women’s Day Event in Kalsar, Gujarat on March 18, 2025 (photo by Katie Newcomb)
By The Global Health Institute Team
March 14-23, 2025, the Global Health Institute (GHI) traveled across India to advance global partnerships and expand the Wisconsin Idea worldwide. GHI’s visit concluded by participating in the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association’s (WFAA) second Badger Utsav event in Mumbai on March 22nd that brought together UW–Madison’s delegation from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Wisconsin School of Business (WSB), Center for South Asia (CSA), Division of Enrollment Management, Visiting International Student Program, and the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID). Prior to joining the full delegation at the Utsav, GHI traveled with campus partners from WFAA and WARF to Gujarat and Hyderabad to further additional connections in India that benefit researchers, students, and public health initiatives in Wisconsin and India.
After the success of the first Badger Utsav in 2023, and agreement with the Ella Foundation, GHI has been committed to unearthing symbiotic global health connections in India. GHI’s relationship with the Ella Foundation has been guided by Dr. & Mrs. Ella, co-founders of Bharat Biotech and the Ella Foundation, and recipients of the 2022 Padma Bhusan, India’s third highest civilian award for the development of Covaxin – India’s first Covid 19 vaccine. Both Dr. & Mrs. Ella also serve on GHI’s Board of Visitors, and Dr. Ella is a Badger alumnus (CALS) and received an honorary degree from UW–Madison in 2022.
During GHI’s 2022-2023 visits to Bharat Biotech, the need to strengthen India’s cell and gene therapy manufacturing capabilities was identified. Leveraging its multi-disciplinary connections across UW–Madison, GHI’s director, Jorge Osorio, introduced Bharat to renowned expert Dr. Kris Saha. On March 20, 2025, GHI witnessed the growing collaboration between Dr. Kris Saha’s work on gene and cell therapy and Bharat Biotech’s technology goals. GHI’s connection facilitated information exchanges with Saha’s Lab at WID, discussions with WARF, and culminated in Bharat’s Gene & Cell Therapy Ribbon Cutting event during the recent UW–Madison India delegation visit.
Continuing momentum from the Badger Utsav in 2023, Bharat Biotech has created numerous opportunities for UW. Through their introductions, UW–Madison received, Dr. Saminathan Mani, a fully-funded fellow from the Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research (ICMR-DHR) Fellowship program, to work on a rabies vaccine in conjunction with UW–Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine. UW–Madison will receive another ICMR-DHR Fellow during the next academic school year.
Knowing collaboration feeds innovation, GHI continues to serve as a catalyst and convener of global health projects and sheds light on opportunities across campus for further partnerships. Thanks to the Center for South Asia, GHI was first introduced to the Sehgal Foundation in 2023. Since then, GHI has twice visited the Sehgal Foundation in India, and hosted the Foundation’s Executive Director, Jay Sehgal, at GHI’s Advisory Retreat last summer.
In 2024, GHI and the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences signed an agreement with the Sehgal Foundation to establish an Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Rural Development that will facilitate knowledge exchanges and joint research proposals to address pressing development issues. At the March 2025 Utsav, GHI announced the collaborative launch of a new pilot program with the Sehgal Foundation titled, “Nutrition Awareness for Healthy Vision in Rural India,” focusing on Vitamin A and childhood eye diseases.
The Sehgal Foundation also supports a summer internship program for UW Business School undergraduates and is expanding this summer to include a global health internship, offering UW students a hands-on experience in the field. Another UW–Madison and India connection is with Pidilite Industries. Through the leadership of Lora Klenke, managing director of international alumni relations at WFAA , GHI’s associate director of strategic partnerships and development, Calyn Ostrowski, traveled with WFAA in November 2022 to visit Pidilite’s founders. During the visit, they learned about the Parekh family ties to UW–Madison and their corporate social responsibility programs in health, agriculture and women’s empowerment. In March 2025, GHI returned to India with Lora Klenke and Jennifer Gottwald, director of licensing at WARF, to visit Pidilite’s corporate social responsibility programs and identify opportunities to put the Wisconsin Idea into global action.
The delegation visit is chronicled in the photo journal below, including delegation members’ quotes highlighting their goals and how their work with GHI helps to advance the Wisconsin Idea. We look forward to sharing more stories here and with partners, showcasing how science transcends borders and creates public health solutions for Wisconsin and the world.
March 14-15: Madison to Mumbai
GHI members Calyn Ostrowski, Luxme Hariharan, and Katie Newcomb are geared up and ready for the sixteen hour-plus journey to Mumbai.
March 16: Mumbai to Gujarat; Welcome to Pidilite CSR Campus and Farm Guest House
GHI members met with Lora Klenke from WFAA, Jennifer Gottwald from WARF, and Pidilite CSR team members Dr. Shukla, Jinal Shal, and Vijay Sangale in Mumbai to travel to Gujarat. The UW Delegation members were welcomed with flowers, traditional songs, bindis, and a traditional Indian feast prepared by Pidilite Corporate Chef Santosh Singh. The five UW Delegation members were the first foreign visitors to stay in the Farm Guest House.
March 16: School Presentation on Pidilite CSR Campus
UW–Madison Delegation members were warmly welcomed by students, faculty, and school leadership to hear about Pidilite’s efforts to fund all students’ educations. All students come from low economic households and live on campus. Part of the evening included an enthusiastic and interactive dance session with Delegation members and students.
March 17: On the road to Pidilite CSR projects #1: Center for Agriculture & Horticulture, Trivenikalyan Foundation, Manar
The day began with some UW Delegation members being treated to an ox cart ride through parts of the CSR Campus to see preparations for the Women’s Day event to be held the next day. All Delegation members then traveled to the Trivenikalyan Foundation’s Center for Agriculture & Horticulture to see how their innovative water management techniques help farmers grow products for sale in the challenging high-salinity groundwater. The Center was established in 2017 to improve agricultural and horticultural practices in the Bhavnagar District. The Center routinely works with local farmers to identify and teach best farming practices to provide the best yields and monitors farmers’ adoption data on a digital portal for agricultural practices, including intercropping, high density planting, soil management, and management information systems.
March 17: #2: Hanumant Hospital & Nursing Institute, Mahuva
The Pidilite CSR Team traveled with members of the UW Delegation to visit and meet with doctors and administrators in their funded hospital, Hanumant Hospital & Nursing Institute. The 150-200 beed hospital serves roughly 60K patients in the rural area annually.
The Delegation had the opportunity to learn more about the hospital’s current healthcare offerings and goals, and then presented information on GHI’s mission and upcoming work with the Sehgal Foundation on nutrition, Vitamin A, and vision health to unearth synergies for future collaboration within the hospital’s current efforts. The Delegation also toured the facility to see newly installed equipment in the pathology laboratory, and orthopedic and urology departments.
March 17: #3: Shri Parekh College, Mahuva
The final stop on the day’s Pidilite CSR tours was at Shri Parekh College in Mahuva. The higher education institute serves roughly 3K students from rural areas annually and offers programs in management, commerce, engineering, computer science, and law. Their mission is to inspire, prepare, and empower students to succeed in a changing world. Delegation members were welcomed with a formal flower and bindi ceremony and saw presentations from current students showing their various studies, including computer science. The Delegation was humbled to be a part of a honoring ceremony for Shri Parekh College founder, Shri B.K. Parekh, who was also the founder of Pidilite.
March 18: School Presentation and Tour on the Pidilite CSR Campus
The day began with UW Delegation members being personally fitted with traditional saris. The team was genuinely humbled to be invited into this cultural experience. The Delegation was then welcomed by the school band when visiting the Pidilite CSR Campus School. Talented students then performed dance presentations while adorning beautifully colorful traditional garb. Delegation members were then asked to share their thoughts and backgrounds with the students to motivate their studies and dreams. All Delegation members were in awe of the students’ welcoming hospitality and smiles, and thanked all for sharing their beautify dances and encouraged them to keep working towards their goals and dreams.
March 18: Women’s Day Event on Pidilite CSR Campus
The Women’s Day event drew more than 2,300 local women to celebrate learning and earning achievements through Pidilite’s CSR training programs. Several local dignitaries were invited to attend and speak. UW Delegation members each had an opportunity to address the enthusiastic crowd and their presentations were captured on Pidilite’s YouTube Channel. The presentations included a request by GHI’s Communication Director Katie Newcomb to take the crowd’s photo with the infamous UW “W.” The result was inspiring, and photos were captured by both Newcomb, and Lora Klenke of WFAA.
After the presentation, Delegation members were highly sought after for photos and were invited to dance with the women to celebrate their successes. Delegation members agreed this was a rare, once-in-a-lifetime shared experience and humbled by the women’s welcoming spirit and enthusiasm for growth, learned skills, and celebration of shared accomplishments.
One of Pidilite’s core CSR programs focuses on women’s initiatives to promote financial freedom to help women run their households. Pidilite helped form, develop, and nurture 110 new Self Help Groups (SHGs) called Mahila Mandals in 2022-23, in the Bhavnagar, Talaja, and Amreli districts of Gujarat. According to Pidilite, the total number of SHGs has reached 748, with 7853 members.
March 18: Tours of Pidilite CSR Manufacturing Facilities
UW–Madison delegation members (l to r) Jennifer Gottwald, Lora Klenke, Luxme Hariharan, Calyn Ostrowski, and Katie Newcomb pose with women working within Pidilite CSR Women Initiative programs. According to Pidilite, 60 self-help women’s groups in collaboration with Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) exist and organize training and awareness sessions to encourage effective financial management and invest in appropriate income-generating initiatives. Delegation members toured the manufacturing facilities, which included the Pidilite founder’s former home.
March 19: Gujarat to Hyderabad
After an eventful few days at the Pidilite Farm Guest House, the five members of the UW–Madison Delegation traveled to the airport and thanked Dr. Shukla, Jinal Shal, Vijay Sangale, Santosh Singh, and the entire Pidilite team for a memorable stay and look forward to continuing conversations for potential health and technology collaborations. The Delegation now made their way to Hyderabad to join additional UW colleagues to attend the Gene & Cell Therapy Ribbon Cutting Event at Bharat Biotech.
March 20: Gene & Cell Therapy Ribbon Cutting Event & Facility Tour at Bharat Biotech
Additional UW Delegation members arrived at Bharat Biotech to celebrate the company’s Gene & Cell Therapy Ribbon Cutting event. Additional UW members included Erik Iverson, WARF CEO; Sarah Schutt, WFAA Chief Alumni Officer & Executive Director; Jorge Osorio, GHI Director; Mike Knetter, WFAA Senior Advisor; Michele Bernius, WFAA Director of Investments, Margot Downey, WFAA Program Coordinator, and Kris Saha, Professor and Saha Lab Director at Wisconsin Institute for Discovery.
The event included welcomes from Bharat’s Dr. Krishna Ella, Mrs. Suchitra Ella, and Raches Ella, as well as various research and innovation presentations, including Kris Saha sharing, “Novel biomanufacturing platforms for CRISPR cell & gene therapies” (which is partially supported by both GHI & WARF).
Tours of the new facility followed the ribbon cutting. Coverage of the event in India may be found here from The Hindu Businessline.
March 21: Travel to Mumbai & Pidilite Corporate Meeting
Five UW Delegation members made their way back to Mumbai to attend a meeting with Pidilite Industries leadership, including Chairman Madhukar Parekh (a UW–Madison alumnus – MA Chemical Engineering), at their corporate offices before attending a Badger Alumni Sailing Event. GHI’s Calyn Ostrowski, Luxme Hariharan, and Katie Newcomb joined WFAA’s Sarah Schutt and Lora Klenke to meet with the Badger alum to thank him for the opportunity to learn more about his family-based company and share the experiences had during the week’s previous CSR tours. Parekh shared fond memories of his time at UW, and conversations continued to inspire future collaboration opportunities.
The Delegation then had the opportunity to meet with Pidilite’s marketing team to learn more about their corporate branding and full line of Pidilite products, including Fevicole.
March 21: Badger Alumni Event: Sailing on the Arabian Sea with Badger Alumni Ravi Mariwala & Arvind Ro
As the afternoon turned to evening, UW Delegation members were invited to a Badger Alumni event to view the sunset on the Arabian Sea with alumni members Ravi Mariwala, Founder and CEO of Smaart Water, and Arvind Ro. Anjali Makhija and Niti Saxena from the Sehgal Foundation also attended. Both Ravi and Anjali were scheduled panelists for the next day’s Badger Utsav II event. All participants marveled at the beauty of India as they boarded the transportation ferry just footsteps away from the Gates of India and were graciously treated to another once-in-a-lifetime shared experience. On behalf of the entire UW Delegation, we thank Ravi and Arvind for their kindness, generosity, and the opportunity to be inspired and connect.
March 22: Badger Utsav II
After a week of collaborative discussions, all UW Delegation members were in attendance for the Badger Ustav II event in Mumbai. The WFAA-produced event showcased the inspirational work of Badger Alumni in India, as well as current and future UW programs both in India and on Madison’s campus from GHI and the Center for South Asia. GHI’s Calyn Ostrowski emphasized progress made since the agreement signed with the Ella Foundation at the 2023 Badger Utsav, shared updates on new projects with the Sehgal Foundation, provided a status report on ICMR-DHS Fellow Saminathan Mani, and announced the arrival of another Fellow in the next academic year.
The event provided two interesting panels and networking opportunities. Panel One focused on the UW-India Relationship Update, and was moderated by GHI Director Jorge Osorio (MS ’88, Ph.D. ’96). Panelists included: Erik Iverson, WARF CEO; Anjali Makhija, Sehgal Foundatio Trustee & CEO; Kris Saha, Professor and Saha Lab Director, WID.
Panel Two focused on Entrepreneurship and Investment in India, and was moderated by both Ravi Mariwala (’88), Founder & Vice Chairman, Smaart Water; and Dan Olszewski (’87), Goldberg Family Director, Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship. Panelists included: Neha Alluri (’15), Founder, The Maduva Project; and Archit Gupta (’08), Founder and CEO, CLEAR.
March 23: Mumbai to Madison; What’s Next?
Right: View of Mumbai from ITC Grand Hotel on Mar 22, 2025. (Photo by Katie Newcomb). Left: Bascom Hall is lit up at night during a cool fall evening at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on Oct. 13, 2024 (Photo by Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison).
The Badger Utsav II and additional meetings in India inspired the UW Delegation to continue moving forward with current projects and maintain active discussions for future collaborations. The benefits of collaborating on science and health research, no matter where the connection points of discovery are, truly extend the globe. Ideas, innovation, public health solutions are not made by limiting or restricting knowledge sharing; they are made through collaborative partnerships. And partnerships begin with being open to both extending and receiving information – the very notion at the heart of a UW–Wisconsin education.
The Wisconsin Idea isn’t just a slogan or a mantra. At its core, it is a trusted promise that what you learn and discover at Madison is meant to be shared with the world to benefit all. The Delegation experienced the power of this promise firsthand in India. It showed itself as hope of new found friendships with every woman lifting the “W” in Gujarat. It showed itself as confidence with every current and former Badger proudly lifting the “W” at the Ustav. And it showed itself as impact with every new connection lifting the “W” for potential new discoveries.