April 18 :
For the benefit of South Asian mathematicians from the sixth and seventh centuries, an Indian American watchmaker has introduced a timepiece with numerals in Hindi. This is a tribute to the oldest remaining numerical system.
Former North Carolina State University biochemistry and genetics major Sunny Bhathela founded VIANI Watch Co. to sell timepieces engraved with the ancient Hindi numerical system, which originated on the Indian subcontinent five thousand years ago.
He informed the university newsletter that this design decision was made on purpose to draw attention to the enormous historical effect of the numeral system, which is credited with establishing decimal-based numerals and greatly impacting the worldwide landscapes of mathematics and science.
"If you had this watch, really all it represented was that you made a little bit of money," the 31-year-old Raleigh native says, referring to other timepieces he saw. “Where are the watches owned by South Asians?” I thought to myself. Tell me where the watches made in the United States are. Which is why I conducted the study.
The population of South Asians is on the rise in the Triangle region, particularly in Wake County's westernmost regions. Morrisville has become a centre for cricket, a very popular sport in India, and around one third of the population speaks Hindi as their primary language.
Friends and family took notice when Bhathela wore a prototype of his watch, and he was encouraged to keep working on it. Even though his timepieces include Hindi digits, Bhathela assured us that knowing the language is not necessary to wear one. Fewer than 30% of his clientele are South Asian.
If you want to wear a watch with Roman numerals, you don't need to be a Roman citizen, he remarked. So, it's not dissimilar to the numerals used in Hindi. Its numerical system remains significant in history.
Bhathela began her pursuit of a PhD in optometry in 2014, after graduating from North Carolina State University. She plans to use her newfound knowledge to help residents in the South Bronx.
He had high hopes, nonetheless, of one day owning his own business in India. He decided to change directions in his professional life after being encouraged to do so by NC State's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, which promotes interests outside of STEM fields. Still kept at his parents' house is the Photoshop calendar that Bhathela created in second grade.
Until now, he hadn't considered it as a potential profession. A hobby, I suppose you could say. And I suppose the most important thing is that as I've grown older and wiser, I've come to realise, "Hey, you can construct a profession out of the things you've discovered fascinating since you were a kid and put all your knowledge to use."
A paint store owner in South Raleigh, Bhathela's father is an immigrant from India, and his mother, who hails from a long line of tailors, is creative and entrepreneurial. For him, "those two things came together to create and pursue what was kind of written for me," he explained.
Launched on Black Friday in 2023, VIANI is now available exclusively online and direct to consumer.
While Rolex and other luxury brands can start at $7,000 for their timepieces, this eight-watch collection from Switzerland ranges from $300 to $340. Style, colour, dial, strap, and material (steel, leather, or buckle) can vary greatly. The price isn't cheap, but Bhathela assured her customers that they would be proud to wear the watch.
A complete day's worth of power can be extracted from just two minutes of exposure to sunshine or indoor fluorescent light, depending on the watch. When left in darkness, a single battery charge may power the watch for six months.
Sunny Bhathela got her creative juices flowing at NC State through initiatives like Entrepalooza and the Art2Wear event put on by the College of Design.
"Throughout my tenure at NC State, I had ample opportunities to explore various paths of independent thought and imaginative design," Bhathela stated in an interview with the school's website. In the years after his graduation, Sunny was able to launch his own business, thanks to the foundation he had laid with these experiences.
"One essential first step was going to Entrepalooza as a freshman at NC State, where I met a lot of energetic, intelligent, and entrepreneurial people," he stated.
"I can be an entrepreneur myself," he declared, adding that this experience was crucial. "To a young student like me, who was schooled in the ins and outs of the system, it was crucial to understand that my business dreams can become reality if I take calculated risks and stay focused." According to Bhathela, "have never been done before in the world of watches," and VIANI is currently working on developing new products, selling them internationally, and researching IP-sensitive features.
