Sneha Talika-A Multi-faceted Dynamic Trailblazer with a Compassionate Heart

By Mahadev Desai

Sneha Talika

Sneha Talika is graced with beauty and verve. Modest, articulate and genial Mahbubnagar, India, born Sneha, who now resides in Atlanta, with her husband Anand and son Ram, is a multi-faceted lady with a trailblazing academic and professional career in IT field, gifted with an inquisitive mind combined with compassionate humanitarian services.

Sneha and her extended family.

Sneha’s dad and mom were science and mathematics teachers respectively. Sneha graduated in 1995, with a Bachelor’s degree in Science and got married the same year. Her parents wanted her to be a doctor but fate had other plans for her. Soon after marriage, her husband Anand, also in IT field, got transferred to Bangalore, so Sneha could not do her Masters in Andhra Pradesh in spite of getting a very good rank. She earned her post-graduate Diploma in computers in 1994, and later achieved Honors Diploma in software engineering in 1997. Anand and Sneha moved back to Andhra Pradesh and started a Computer Education Center, called Institute of Computer Software Sciences, in 1997. Anand and Sneha trained hundreds of students at the Institute. They also started a computer division in Maha Laxmi Adi Devamma College, Gadwal and supported MCA center as visiting faculty.
With her mom and mother-in-law’s support, 21 year old Sneha remained positive and resilient despite her life taking a downturn. Both her dad and father-in-law passed away in 1997. Furthermore, she lost her just six –weeks-old, and first baby-daughter, in January 1998. But Sneha rebounded with greater resolve. Anand and Sneha proudly welcomed their first son Ram in November 1999.

Anand and Sneha Talika

Sneha left the Institute and moved back to Hyderabad, with Ram, where she worked while raising Ram. She completed DoE ACC B Level and then MBA, M.Phil. Women Entrepreneurship. She was instrumental in starting first student chapter by PMI in the world in association with PMIPCC in Hyderabad. The project guided by her won first prize in Asia Pacific conference by PMI.

Sneha moved to the U.S. in 2006 following her childhood dreams. She never stopped upgrading her skillset. She earned project management certification, ITIL, Big Data, Advanced Data architecture, Master Data management, Scrum certification CBIP (Certified Professional in Business Intelligence), and was also Block Chain Certified from prestigious MIT. She is currently pursuing AI (Artificial Intelligence) and plans to attend London Business School in 2020. She is working towards her Ph.D. from Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and working on her final dissertation. She will be graduating with Ph.D. in January 2020 and will continue her post Ph.D. studies.

Sneha receiving the Award at the AIT in Thailand

There was one commendable feather in the cap for Sneha this year. An elated Sneha gushes, “Under guidance of Prof. Siva, I presented a paper on AI at AIT, Thailand and won the best paper award”. Professors in AIT (Asian institute of technology) are working on a unique project: “Implementing Internet of things in agriculture”. She was hand-picked for this initiative based on her prior experience. At present she is working on next research paper for Malaysia, on how Block chain helps in detecting fraud. She will continue to work on green field airport designs comparing USA and Asia. This study requires building models using data science and block chain.

When the reporter asked Sneha about the current use of Facial recognition, she replied,” A facial recognition system is a technology capable of identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source. While initially a form of computer application, it has seen wider uses in recent times on mobile platforms and biometrics are more and more adopted in all kinds of applications. The product has seen light in banking, telecom, retail, security and law enforcement. She played a key role in establishing the relationship between USA and Indian clients. The team won the top ten innovations of India award by NASSCOM for the product in 2013. She has continued product development and done some initial works in very sensitive areas where facial recognition is the most important thing to find out the criminals or identify duplicate records, video processing etc. She was working full time with USA clients as part of her normal day. And after her working hours, she used to work extra hours with offshore team, to drive the product forward. The more she worked the more she learned!

The Hamsa Team of Sneha Talika, Anand and Hanu.

Sneha has many interesting hobbies. The hobbies are not merely for fun and relaxation but also to help the less fortunate and downtrodden in society. She is a talented photographer. With Hanu Krothapalli, she started Hamsa Productions, and Hamsa4U YouTube Channel. The team has produced more than 80 short and independent movies in Telugu and bagged close to 25 Best Film Awards, and ‘Best Story’ Awards. They are now working on two new projects “Telugu Toranam” and “B +” promoting Telugu language and positivity. Over all the Hamsa team has provided employment to more than 150 artists and technicians in Vijayawada. For many of the artists, Hamsa4u is a launching platform. Few of them later made it on big screen and small screen.

After her mother’s demise in 2015, she channelized her energies into creative fields and she became a writer, lyricist and blogger. Under Hamsa Writings, she has published three poetry books. Being in love (proceedings were donated to blind children to buy musical instruments), Being a mom (proceedings went to support hospice), and Be mine (proceeds went to orphans and children born with AIDS). She is currently working on her 4th book” Heart for Rent” due to be released in last quarter of this year. They have adopted 3 Anganvadi schools, helping with electricity, water, books, fans and many other basic needs. These outreach activities are driven by Hamsa Charities run by Anand and Hanu and Sneha.

Sneha also volunteers in the Hindu Temple of Atlanta and does all their promo videos, including of celebrations like Ganesh Utsav. She is a travel blogger, loves traveling. She has tried snow-mobiling, snow-tubing, jet skiing, zip lining, horse-riding, helicopter, and hot-air balloon riding, rafting, hiking and trekking etc. She has shared her travel blog for the readers. https://mytravelhamsa.blogspot.com/?m=1

In 2018 she saw a video on contaminated food. It disturbed her a lot. Anand, Sneha and Hanu Kothapalli started Hamsa organics to provide healthy processed organic foods. Hanu has many farms with organic cultivation in India. The team of three started a small scale industry of organic food production. Hamsa organics, under the brand name of AHA (Anand and Hanu) are the first ones in Andhra Pradesh to get USDA certification for pickles, powders and snacks. They also did seed marketing in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and Fiji, and got good response. Currently Hamsa team is reviewing their products, researching on market trends for 2020 launch. They have about 50 products already approved by USDA. Unlike other store- bought products, AHA products would be made and shipped to customers within 10 days from the day of manufacturing. Hamsa organics will use air shipment, to preserve the freshness of the products as best as it can. No preservatives will be used in any of the food products.

Sneha,Anand,Mother-in-law Smt. Vinutha ji,Son Ram, brother-in-law and sister Srujuna

Her humanitarian services and social activism has not gone unrecognized. She has won Most Inspiring Women Award from GATES (Greater Atlanta Telangana Society). ATA (The American Telugu Association under women recognition in April 2019. TANA (Telugu Association of North America recognized her services in Media and Arts category. She is currently acting President for a local organization called Telugu Samskriti. 
When asked who inspired and motivated her, she instantly replied “Parents who constantly inspire me and motivate me. Also my husband who is my strong pillar of support and I am truly thankful to him. I have been fortunate to work with many learned people and to learn a lot by observation. I thank all my seniors and co-workers and most importantly the challenging times in my past, that made me strong.”
No doubt, Sneha has a bright future awaiting her. There are many new chapters in her life, yet to unfold. She has lot of untapped potential to mine. She believes in positivity and upbeat attitude and power of love and hope to overcome all the odds in life. Her inspiring journey continues.