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British Indians battling it out for Lord Sugar’s investment

Arundhati Mukherjee

BBC's ongoing reality-show, 'The Apprentice' season 17 started with 18 candidates from diverse backgrounds and origins, beginning in January. Of the 14 candidates remaining at the end of episode 3, who are vying for attention and Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment, our eyes are fixed on Avi Sharma and Denisha Kaur Bharj.

 Avi Sharma

 The youngest candidate of BBC’s The Apprentice 2023, Avi Sharma, believes Lord Sugar’s partnership will take him out of the rat race of his city banker’s job and allow him to fulfil his creative pursuits. And we believe in Avi Sharma.

 The London boy was born to British Indian parents and went to the Mill Hill County School, where he majored in Mathematics, Economics and Business Studies.

 In the last three episodes aired till now, Sharma came across as a ‘confident chap’ as he claimed before the competition began. The 24-year-old is not getting daunted by the more experienced rivals and is quite a team player.

 The University of Nottinghamshire economics graduate claims in his biography to be able to bring “a smile to the most miserable face!”

 “During school, I was the class clown, hurling stink bombs around and spending my days in the Internal Exclusion Room. Nobody expected this immature, attention-seeking boy to one day be working in the gleaming glass building overlooking the city.

 What a ride the last three years have been, maturing from Graduate to Assistant Vice President at @barclaysuk,” he writes on his Instagram account.

 After coming out safe from the 3rd episode’s elimination boardroom drama, Sharma can be found rapping hilariously on his Instagram account about the task, where he can be seen punning ‘PM’, as in Project Manager, that he was on that task with ‘PM’, the Prime Minister.

 However, he reportedly felt stuck in his job at Barclay’s UK.

 “Banking gave me access to marvellous people and opportunities. But in truth, I accepted the Barclays job offer for extrinsic reasons: to please my parents, improve my status, and, dare I say – earn money.

 Money is futile if you’re not learning the skills you need. At this stage in life, I believe that learning > earning,” he wrote.

 Before entering The Apprentice, Sharma gave up his safety net of a city banker’s job and embarked on fulfilling his dream of becoming a content creator.

 “I’d argue that the real risk takers are those who stay in jobs that don’t serve them. This compromises your long-term happiness. Here’s to everyone who dreams of breaking free from their 9-5, taking a gamble and doing what they love,” he mentioned.

 Quite a passionate host of ‘Avi TV’, Sharma perhaps aiming for Lord Sugar’s investment to take his content creation skill to a higher level.

 “As a content creator, I get to use my creative flair, meet cool people and be my own boss! You can find me on all platforms at ‘Avi TV’. Thanks to everyone for supporting my journey,” he added.

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Denisha Kaur Bharj

The 28-year-old British Punjabi girl Denisha Kaur Bharj described herself as “a strong, motivated, hard-working woman” who is “not scared of getting out of my comfort zone if it means being successful” in the introductory episode.

Indeed, in the last three episodes, she has come across as a brilliant, confident woman who stays away from drama and is not an attention seeker. Her strategy to win the competition seems to be keeping a level head and revealing herself only as necessary. Well, we’re on to you and rooting!

However, did you know the gorgeous fake eyelash brand ‘Empress of Lashes’ is owned by none other than Kaur Bharj.

Before opening her business line, the University of Northampton Accounting and Finance graduate has never settled for anything less than getting a ‘First’. Before opening her own business, she has worked with Mark J rees as their Payroll and Bookkeeping Manager.

“I wanted to use the platform of @apprenticeuk to help young adults because I always found there was never enough on social media about really developing and creating your career and business as a young adult. Things that really matter and can help shape your future,” she writes on her Instagram account.

Married to Punjabi Folk singer Mani Singh of South London, the ambitious girl maintains her family as her top priority.

“I always had really high standards of what I wanted and a plan of how I needed to get there. I was never interested in going out, just time with my family who I missed like crazy living away on the weekends or with @realmanisingh , who was my Fiancé at the time,” she writes in her Instagram, reminiscing about her university days.

This pragmatic wide-eyed girl is surely one to look out for in this year’s BBC Apprentice series.

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