Navtej Kohli

All a person has to do to know that the world’s having problems with energy prices is look at their home heating bill or read the signs at gas stations. Prices are going haywire and Middle East tensions are only making things worse.

Many people might consider that situation and feel it’s hopeless. But Mr. Kohli is not one of those people. That’s because throughout his entire life, he’s been a man who finds solutions where others see problems. And these days, he’s diving in to help find new sources of oil for everyone’s benefit.

A native of New Delhi, India, Nav tej Kohli has a proven track record of success on two continents. He has invested not only in businesses that could turn him a profit, but donated hundreds of thousands of dollars through his foundation to help improve the lives of neighbourhood communities.

But it’s his newest venture – an oil exploration firm called Granox, Ltd. – that has provided him with his greatest excitement. Drawing on the help of experts in the oil industry, he is actively seeking to develop oil fields throughout Eastern Europe and Russia that can provide plenty of fuel for the future.

“Life is all about figuring out which choices can produce the best results not only for yourself, but for the world around you,” says the philosophical Kohli. “It’s great to make profits in the present, but helping kids is an investment in the future. And keeping the planet up and running is the most important thing of all.”

When Navtej Kohli heard about the plight of poor farm children in Costa Rica, he felt compelled to do something about it. After all, as a boy growing up in New Delhi, India, he’d seen plenty of hardship himself. And as an adult, Costa Rica had become a splendid new place for him to live.

Kohli had learned that with perseverance and opportunity, any rough circumstance in life could be overcome. And he has spent his adult life spreading that example to others.

As the founder of the Navtej Kohli Foundation, he has spent the past four years providing educational and other aid to needy children. In fact, he has watched the foundation’s outreach programs grow from helping a dozen Costa Rican youth at first, to 72 and now more than 125 students. With well over $150,000 of his own funds already invested in providing everything from school supplies to soccer fields, he is reaching back to help those less fortunate than himself.

“Having come from India to create my own life across the planet, I know that there’s a world of opportunity out there for children, if people will only take the time to help them,” says Kohli. “When a child’s life is made better, their whole life will go better, and they will pay it forward someday as well.”

The Nav tej Kohli Foundation is just getting started as well, as its founder vows to spread goodwill to kids around the planet. With more people like him, the planet will be an ever greater place to be.

Navtej Kohli is driven by a passion to do more and positively impact an ever-growing number of youths. Expanding into the oil industry is just one entrepreneurial way to make a tremendous leap forward, even as he is trying to spread the word of his endeavors to attract outside donors as well..

Sanjay Reddy and Konstantin Menshov’s have always loved working with maps. Lately he’s been using them for an entirely new and exciting purpose: to help a new oil-drilling venture called Granox, Ltd. figure out the best places to find rich fields to explore.

As a cartographer in the Ukraine, both of them are long been familiar with the rich culture of the people and terrain around him. But now that Granox founder Navtej Kohli found out about his skills and asked him to pinpoint the most valuable lands in the region, he has a newfound sense of purpose and enjoys the respect that his family and neighbors are giving him. For once Kohli uses his information and teams up with his engineers, many jobs and plenty of revenue for Konstantin’s village will follow.

“It’s exciting to know that my abilities could result in helping hundreds of people here,” says Sanjay and Konstantin’s, whose big smile is a reflection of his deep pride and satisfaction. “I want to make the world a better place, and I can both do it on a small scale in my village and then on a bigger scale when that oil can be used to help people the world over.”

Creating those kinds of opportunities is what Granox Ltd. and its founder Navtej Kohli are all about. Whether helping people in Kohli’s homeland of India, his adoptive home in UK or halfway across the planet in Siberia, he knows that laying the groundwork today will pay big dividends tomorrow.

Most people spend their entire lives living inside a box created by societal conventions. Navtej Kohli is not one of those people.

Growing up in New Delhi, India, amid the sweeping cultural changes of the 1960s and 70s, he always envisioned a better life for himself and those around him. He knew that with hard work and a firm belief in himself, he could rise above the poverty that much of his nation experiences and make a true success story that could inspire others.

Now he’s achieved that dream, as the founder of the Grafix Softech interactive software firm, the oil exploration corporation Granox, Ltd., and the charitable Navtej Kohli Foundation. Living amid the lush surroundings of Costa Rica, Kohli might have broken out of the poverty of his past, but he’s never forgotten his humble beginnings and always looks to give a hand up to those who are willing to improve themselves as well.

“I think it’s important to show people that there is a better way to live their lives, and that giving them economic opportunities through jobs and better schooling is key to achieving solid goals,” says Kohli. “If each person who has the opportunity to help others would care enough to do so, the world would be a lot better place to live in.”

Blazing a path for others to follow to success, Navtej Kohli is truly one of a kind. Explore his endeavors and you’ll find inspiration to do the same.

Eight-year-old Svetlana Patakovich has a lot more spring in her step lately. That’s because her dad Viktor has a great new job, working as a wildcatter oilman in the newly mined Russian oil fields for Granox, Ltd. Thanks to Granox, Viktor is able to make the best paychecks of his entire life, and that translates to a nicer life for everyone in his family.

“Papa gives me nice dolls now,” says Svetlana, happily waving a doll in her hand. “It’s an American Girl doll.”

Truly a sign of the times, we think. Remember how, just 20 years ago, Russia was America’s enemy? But now, thanks to a bold new world of economic and political freedom, companies like Granox can seek new opportunities in Russia, and in turn create new opportunities for thousands of oil workers like Viktor. And that’s all because of the forward-thinking vision of Granox founder Navtej Kohli.

“All my life, I’ve sought opportunities for myself and my family, from the time I grew up in poverty in New Delhi, India, to today when I have homes in three different continents,” says Kohli. “There truly is no better way to improve the world and the lives of others than by giving them an opportunity to earn more money and lift their lives up.”

At Granox, Ltd., the company believes in a better future for all: whether it’s by treating its workers right, or finding new oil sources in an energy-hungry world. And as long as there are new opportunities to be found, Navtej Kohli will keep his eyes open for the Viktor Patakoviches of the world.

By Navtej Kohli

We often see advertisements on television and on billboards for associations and programs that receive donations for underprivileged children in foreign countries. We’re either moved to call a toll-free number and pledge money to such organizations, or we turn away from the images that make us uncomfortable. It is quite something else to be presented with these images in the flesh, meeting disabled and impoverished children and their families face to face. For me, meeting such people changed my outlook on philanthropy and helped me to understand that calling a toll-free phone line or pledging a couple of dollars to a trust fund isn’t the same as actually working to make a difference in people’s lives. More information is available on my two other blogs, Navtej Kohli at Wordpress, and Navtej Kohli at Livejournal.

On Christmas Day in 2001, my company, Grafix Softech treated our staff to a day out at a farm in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. During the outing, I was introduced to some of the region’s disabled children and their parents. It was a moving experience. Their experiences with both disabilities and a total lack of resources of coping mechanisms highlighted the disconnect between the act of donating some money and the real people who benefit from those funds. The only real way to help people like this is to work with them, and thus, I was inspired to create what is now the Tej Kohli Foundation.

The Gunacaste province of Costa Rica

Although poverty has been reduced over the past two decades, Costa Rica still suffers from reduced economic growth and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Our government’s efforts to provide universal health care and education are hampered by deficits. This fact - the sticky situation our government is in - is one of the main things that fuels the tragic way many Costa Rican children live. While Costa Rica is quite prosperous in comparison to some of our neighbours, these factors mean that certain sectors of our society need help from the private sector and from philanthropic organisations in order to maintain an acceptable quality of life.

Since its inception, I’ve received immeasurable help from my business partner, Grafix Softech co-founder Juan Bonilla and his wife Alicia. Maria Pais has helped us out as well, and as of right now, the Foundation has helped over two-hundred and fifty children in multiple Costa Rican provinces. My plan is now to extend the Foundation’s reach to children in my native India, and to Africa. They’re lofty goals, but before our company outing, I’d never have known that a small group of people were capable of anything near what we’ve already accomplished.

In order to extend aid to the Far East, I recently met with General AJ Singh (Ret.). Up until now, the efforts of the foundation have been funded exclusively by me, but in order to grow, we’ll need funding from other sources. General Singh and I are attempting to find other donors in order to further the scope of the operation and we’ve had some significant interest, but securing some definite sponsors is still a work in progress.

This said, the Tej Kohli Foundation is far from limited in its achievements. My favourite memory from my time working on this project is probably that of a disabled young woman who was confined to the care and shelter of her parents and completely unable to pay for any education. We are talking about someone whose lifestyle and future are predetermined by her physical and financial constraints; however, with the Foundation’s help, she recently gained a Bachelor’s degree in Organic Chemistry and has since found employment.

Other examples of children whose lives we’ve helped substantially improve include a twelve-year-old boy, afflicted with autism and, again, in a severe state of poverty. With the help of the Foundation, Jose is enrolled in a special education program and enjoys are far more comfortable life than he did previously. Helping children like these is fantastic.

The expansion of the Foundation means that its services can extend from being primarily focused on providing medical and therapeutic care, and continue to offer funds for education, food, clothing and other daily needs. As tough as it can be to see the disastrous situations that children in Costa Rica and abroad have to live in, I really do believe that we’ve made a positive difference and have the potential to make an even bigger dent in the problems poverty creates in our world.

~ Navtej Kohli

Navtej Kohli

If you’ve been online as long as I have, you’ll remember the days of Web 1.0. The days when the internet was as controlled and inaccessible to the public as television still is today. The days when getting your content published necessitated that you were a media mogul, a mainstream media employee or very good with HTML.

Thank God those days are over. We all complain about how easy it is for the populous at large to get online: have you ever clicked through to someone’s MySpace or Bebo account and been assaulted by moving images, loud music and slow-loading videos? It’s terribly annoying. However, I’m of the opinion that, despite the annoyances of Web 2.0, the fact that the web is now largely controlled and influenced by the public is a great thing.

I’m not talking about awful networking sites here; I’m talking about sites like Associated Content, which bills itself as “The people’s media company.” There, users can create and publish content in a responsible, user-friendly, well designed context. This content isn’t produced and censored by CNN, Reuters or the like. It’s created by “real people.”

Now, you may say that everyone can now create a blog, which is essentially a website where you can post your thoughts and opinions. However, a small Blogspot or Wordpress blog is difficult to advertise and build a readership for. Publishing your content on a site like Associated Press, while it’s not on your own domain, exposes your writing to so many people without you having to market your own website or maintain it, fix its bugs, pay for it, etc.

When the net was dominated by those with money, power and knowledge, we were living in a far more closed climate than we are today. The example of the massive Digg revolt of a few weeks ago highlights the power that we users now have online. I’ll put up with dreadful MySpace atrocities in order to feel the sense of democracy and user-control that we now have on the internet. Contributing to sites like Associated Content only ensures that we maintain the control we now have.

Navtej kohli

Navtej Kohli

I’ve been reading a few more SEO blogs lately. I like to be part of the community on these sites, and I usually make a point to create a profile and become part of the discussion. Some subject matters can be found in abundance online, and one that gets more than its fair share of coverage is that of Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. For anyone who doesn’t know what SEO is, it’s basically the practice of “optimizing” websites so that they rank as well as possible in search engines like Yahoo!, Google and Microsoft’s Live Search.

SEO is usually broken down into three different types: white hat, grey had and black hat SEO. These terms refer to the tactics Search Engine Optimizers use in order to better their rankings. White hats engage in Google-approved, above-board tactics. Black hats aren’t concerned with abiding by the rules and often employ tactics that the search engines consider to be wrong. Grey hats play in both areas, using whatever tactics they feel are needed at any one time.

Internet marketing and SEO are different in that SEO focuses mainly on obtaining and building the number of links a website has. Internet marketing often focuses more on traditional advertising, yet the ads appear online. Many SEO firms do a bit of both, however, and the link-building side of the industry has been of particular interest to me lately.

I don’t suppose that a lot of web users know exactly how search engines rank the websites they see when they search for something. Before I had much experience online, I didn’t think about it too much either. I imagine that most people just assume that Google somehow knows which sites are the most relevant. On learning that rankings were largely based upon the number of inlinks to a site, I gained a new perspective on what I see when I search for a particular item.

I honestly think that it would be good for the general public to develop a better understanding of the way search works, especially given the fact that people look for some highly important information online, such as information about political figures and medical issues. Learning about search could help people make more informed decisions and help them interpret what they see on Google’s results page.

Navtej Kohli

Consumer advocacy has always been a part of our commercial landscape. Long before the internet and long before user-generated-content, there were outlets for people to review and discuss their experiences with businesses. Nowadays, however, committing commercial blunders is potentially more dangerous.

More and more often, people are visiting sites such as Yelp in order to make decisions about their lives. Which restaurants should they try, which gyms should they join, where should they live? People are reporting their experiences online and if you are a business-owner, you’d better hope that your web-savvy customers leave your premises with a good taste in their mouths.

Because if they don’t, there’s a good chance your name and reputation will be damaged in the online social landscape. Online, people seem to put a lot of trust in the reviews of others, and if someone has written that your restaurant is home to rude staff, bland food and overpriced drinks, a potential customer is likely to go elsewhere.

Of course, you should not just play nicely in the offline world in order to save your online reputation. Customer service should be on everyone’s mind at all times. However, you should now be wary that now, even one bad experience could negatively effect your business for a long time. So serve the correct food, give correct change and be polite to your clients and customers, because you never know which one of them is carrying his or her laptop and is about to write about you!

Navtej Kohli

More and more these days, I’m seeing philanthropic sites pop up. Whether they’re dedicated to the environment, poverty, education or a combination of all three, these sites are a great way of getting the philanthropic message into the public eye and yet another way.

Call it what you like, charity, philanthropy or donations-based causes often need all the publicity they can get. People are often skeptical of philanthropists, believing that most are “in it for the attention” or that they money raised is being spent on advertising, “expenses” or other things not directly helping people.

I am passionate about philanthropy: I believe that helping others is an important part of how we build and maintain a structured society. Thus, I was pleased to come across this list yesterday that features six prominent philanthropic sites.

My favourite in this list is probably “Donor Choose” because it focuses on education. Education is a large part of breaking the poverty cycle, and my (Navtej Kohli) foundation is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for impoverished children in South America.