Brown History Podcast

We sit with Indian-American musician, music producer, and songwriter Sid Sriram, who is currently one of the most popular playback singers in India and has recently released his English-language studio album, 'Sidharth'. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

In India, Christians account for about 2% to 3% of the population. However, in the state of Kerala, Christians make up a remarkable 18% to 19% of the total population. And among them, Syrian Christians play a significant role, representing almost half of Kerala's Christian population. Although the Syrian Christians of Kerala are a minority, they are also a caste-, race-, and class-privileged minority that have historically benefited from their privileged position within society. And if the Syrian Christians are the dominant community, then it is also necessary to look at the subordinated communities, as they represent the minority within the minority. Our guest today is Sonja Thomas, author of, 'Privileged Minorities: Syrian Christianity, Gender, and Minority Rights in Postcolonial India' and together we will discuss the Christians of Kerala, specifically the Syrian Christians, and navigate the intricacies of caste, gender, class, race, religion, and language. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3OD8MUF Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

The Rohingya are widely recognized as one of the most persecuted and vulnerable communities in the world. They are a people that much of the world keeps forgetting. For centuries, they called Burma/Myanmar their home, but being victims of persecution as a result of ethnic cleansing and genocide, they were forced to flee to neighbouring countries. and now, over a million Rohingyas endure life in cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh. Excluded as illegal migrants by both Myanmar and Bangladesh, they face unimaginable hardships, including unemployment, mental and sexual abuse, and the denial of basic human necessities. We sit with journalist Kaamil Ahmed, author of ‘I Feel No Peace: Rohingya Fleeing Over Seas and Rivers,' and explore the haunting question: has the world failed the Rohingya? Get the book: https://amzn.to/42M2KFo Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768 Photo by Kevin Frayer

Asha Puthli is a living legend. A musical pioneer, fashion icon, Studio 54 star, feminist, actor, environmentalist, and friends with everyone from Andy Warhol to Mikhail Gorbachev. She is cited by the New York Times as having been an inspiration to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder. As an actor she's worked with greats that include Merchant Ivory, Louise Malle, and the Italian Director Bruno Corbucci. And she continues to stay as relevant as ever. A remix of her immensely influential 1975 track Space Talk was recently released on the music label @naya.beat and she is about to record her 11th studio album this summer. A Hollywood documentary about her life is also in the works. On today's episode, writer-director-producer @deeptidatt who has been documenting @ashaputhli in her expansive, multimedia, installation project #interstellarIconoclasts, sits down with the legendary artist to conduct a rare and incredibly far-ranging interview exploring Asha's music, life, career and inspirations.   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768        

When we think of Goa, we usually think of beach parties, vacation, or that movie Dil Chahta Hai, but Goa was once the headquarters of the Portuguese empire in the East for 450 years. They were the first colonial powers in the subcontinent and the last ones to leave. The Portuguese brought a different face of Christianity and they used it to impose their rule over Goa. They planned for Goa to be the "Rome" of the East, and that involved violence, torture, and erasure. We sit with Ângela Barreto Xavier, author of 'Religion and Empire in Portuguese India' and discuss the transformation of Goa during the first couple of centuries of Portuguese colonial rule. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter  

In 2006, just after Hurrincan Katrina, hundreds of Indian workers were lured to the United States with false promises of a green card and forced to work under grueling working conditions at a shipyard in Mississippi. It would become one of the largest human trafficking schemes in U.S. history. When one of those workers called labor organizer Saket Soni for help, it set off an epic chain of events that led him to engineering their escape from the work camp and set them off on a path to citizenship. We sit with Saket Soni, author of 'The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America' as he recounts their heroic journey for justice.  Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee, known for his roles in films like Satya, Gangs of Wasseypur, Aligarh, and the most recent, Gulmohar, as well as leading the running hit series, The Family Man. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter  

We sit with Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra, creator of the hit Netflix series 'Indian Matchmaking' and the four part docu-series 'The Romantics.' Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with 6 time Emmy-nominated film and television composer, Siddhartha Khosla, lead singer of critically acclaimed band, Goldspot, and the man behind musical scores of hit shows like This Is Us and Only Murders in the Building, and his most recent film, Gulmohar.  Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

In 1948, when Israel declared itself as an independent state, it quickly sought for international recognition from other countries, including from a newly independent India. Nehru, who was Prime Minister then, was hesitant. Even Albert Einstein personally wrote to Nehru, requesting India's support but Nehru declined. Instead, India allied itself with the Palestinians, and when 33 nations at the United Nation voted in favour of an Israel, India was one of the 13 countries that voted against. However, today, India has become Israel's biggest and most dependable purchaser of weapons. What happened? We sit with Azad Essa, author of 'Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel,' and discuss the history of the relationship between India and Israel. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

Did you know that a survey done in 2016 on caste in America revealed that one in three Dalits in the United States reported being discriminated against during their education? Did you know that same survey revealed that one out of four Dalits in America said they had faced verbal or physical assault based on their caste? Did you know that it also revealed that that two out of three Dalits in America reported being treated unfairly at their workplace because of their caste? We sit with Dalit American rights activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan, author of 'The Trauma of Caste,' and discuss caste in America.   Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia, who works across both film and television, and has firmly established himself as one of the world's most popular and celebrated documentarians. His documentaries include Senna, Diego Maradona, and Amy which won Best Music Film at the Grammy Awards and Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter  

Take the average child born in South India and the average child born in North India; one will live a healthier, wealthier, more secure life than the other, all because of which side of the country they happened to be born and raised in. We sit with data scientist Nilakantan RS, author of 'SOUTH vs NORTH : India's Great Divide' and discuss why there is such a large imbalance between the South of India and the North of India. By using hard data, we examine how and why states on one side of India are outperforming the rest of the country and what the consequences of that could mean for everyone in an increasingly centralized India.    Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with Jessica Hinchy, author of 'Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India', and discuss the Hijra community during colonial rule. When the British ruled the subcontinent, one of their preferred methods of control was classification; they grouped and categorized people, reducing them inside their boxes. However, the British were not able to define the Hijra community into a category and that caused the British see them as threat. So what solution did the British come up with? They decided to exterminate the Hijra community through laws and policing. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter    

We sit with British vocalist Sheila Chandra who first created waves in 1982 when she and her band, 'Monsoon,' reached number 12 in the UK charts with their single "Ever So Lonely." She was only around 16 years old at the time. The band split up and Chandra embarked on a solo career and released several albums. In 2002, she was featured in the movie soundtrack for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,' in the song, 'Breath of Life,' where she sings completely in Elvish. Sadly in 2010, she developed a rare chronic condition called Burning Mouth Syndrome which made it extremely difficult for her to even speak.  Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter    

We sit with Thomas Manuel, author of ‘Opium Inc.: How a Global Drug Trade Funded the British Empire,' and discuss the historic opium trade which unleased two wars, and ultimately shaped human history.  Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter  

We sit with award-winning Canadian documentary filmmaker Nisha Pahuja whose works include Diamond Road, The World Before Her, and her latest, To Kill A Tiger. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with filmmaker Vinay Shukla, director of the award-winning documentary 'An Insignificant Man', and his latest, 'While We Watched.'  Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

We sit with filmmaker, actor, and social advocate Nandita Das and discuss her life, works, and her latest directorial film, 'Zwigato'. Support, shop and subscribe to our newsletter

In today's episode, we sit with Adeel Hussain, author of ‘Revenge, Politics and Blasphemy in Pakistan', and take a deep dive into the history of Blasphemy in South Asia, specifically Pakistan. We trace the history of blasphemy from colonial India to present times and look at how big of a role blasphemy has played, and still plays, in politics, society, and within the legal frameworks. Support, shop and subscibe to our newsletter  

We sit with Aanchal Malhotra, author of 'In the Language of Remembering: The Inheritance of Partition,' and discuss how Partition is preserved and passed down through generations, and how the ramifications of Partition still spread and manifest within families, communities, and nations. Support, shop and subscibe to our newsletter

We sit with award-winning film critic Meenakshi Sheedi and discuss the life and works of legendary film director Satyajit Ray. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with writer Dur E Aziz Amna, author of her debut novel, 'American Fever,' and discuss her writing, her cross-cultural experiences and much more. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with Aisha Khan, author of 'The Deepest Dye: Obeah, Hosay, and Race in the Atlantic World,' and discuss the religious practises of Obeah and Hosay in the Caribbean and dive into the concepts of identity and race. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with world-renowned filmmaker Mira Nair. Her films include Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Mississippi Masala, and Salaam Bombay for which she was nominated for an Oscar. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with 'The Big Bang Theory' star Kunal Nayyar. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter    

Ghost stories can reveal the fringes of our resentments and anxieties, the essence of our collective fears and hopes, and the things societies keeps repressed. On this episode, we sit with Azania Imtiaz Khatri-Patel and analzye the ghost stories from South Asia.  To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Check out the Brown History Newsletter  

We sit with WWE former champion Jinder Mahal and discuss his wrestling journey as well as his recent acting debut on the TV series Big Sky. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Sign up to the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with Aanchal Malhotra, author of 'Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided,' and discuss the Partition of 1947. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Sign up to the Brown History Newsletter

We sit with Bangladeshi-American music producer Sajeeb Saha, known by his stage name, Jai Wolf. To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Sign up: Brown History Newsletter

We sit with Pasha M. Khan, author of "The Broken Spell: Indian Storytelling and the Romance Genre in Persian and Urdu," and discuss traditional storytelling in South Asia. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3pdS7ti To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Sign up: Brown History Newsletter  

We sit with Anupama Rao, editor of "Memoirs of a Dalit Communist: The Many Worlds of R.B. More" and discuss the life and struggles of R.B. More, who was a leader in the Dalit movement, a trade unionist and a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Get the book: https://amzn.to/3LC8qtx To support or to shop, visit: www.brownhistorypodcast.com Sign up: Brown History Newsletter

We sit with Stuart Schaar, author of "Eqbal Ahmad: Critical Outsider in a Turbulent Age," and discuss the life and works of Eqbal Ahmad.  To support or to shop, visit www.brownhistorypodcast.com  

We sit with Zirrar, author of "Ghazi and the Garden" and discuss the life and works of poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal.  

We sit with actor Kal Penn, known for his roles in the 'Harold and Kumar' movies and 'The Namesake' and for his work as a White House staff member during the Barack Obama administration.     

We sit with award-winning Sri Lankan Tamil novelist Anuk Arudpragasam, who was shortlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize for his second novel, A Passage North.

We sit with British science journalist Angela Saini, author of 'Superior: The Return of Race Science' and discuss the disturbing past and present of racism in science.  

We sit with Peter Manuel, author of 'East Indian Music in the West Indies,' and discuss the history and evolution of Indo-Caribbean music.

We sit with Tjinder Singh, frontman of the British rock band Cornershop, and discuss the band's history, music and politics.

We sit with Jessica Namakkal, author of 'Unsettling Utopia,' and discuss the rise and fall of French India, as well as the colonial history of Auroville which continues to thrive postcolonialism.

We sit with Inderjeet Singh, author of 'Afghan Hindus and Sikhs,' and discuss the history of the Hindu and Sikh communities of Afghanistan.

We sit with Mircea Raianu, author of 'Tata: The Global Corporation That Built Indian Capitalism,' and discuss the history of the Tata corporation. 

We sit with Dr. Janam Mukherjee, author of 'Hungry Bengal' and discuss the Bengal Famine of 1943

We sit with Manan Kapoor, author of 'A Map of Longings' and discuss the life and works of the late Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali.  

We sit with Dr. Ian Sanjay Patel, author of 'We're Here Because You Were There' and discuss how Britain coped with the ending of her empire and who ultimately suffered the consequences.  

We sit with Sathnam Sanghera, author of 'Empireland' and discuss modern Britain and its imperial past. 

We sit with Gaiutra Bahadur, author of 'Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture' and discuss the lost history of indentured women.

We sit with Niamatullah Ibrahimi‬, author of 'The Hazaras and the Afghan State: Rebellion, Exclusion and the Struggle for Recognition' and discuss the history as well as the persecution of the Hazaras. 

We sit with Nikesh Shukla, editor of 'The Good Immigrant' and author of 'Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home'

We sit with Dr. Audrey Truschke, author of 'Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King' and discuss the sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

We sit with stand-up comic Hari Kondabolu, creator of the acclaimed documentary ‘The Problem with Apu’