South Asian Stories

Aftab Pureval is the 70th Mayor of Cincinnati. He was raised in Southwest, Ohio and is making history as Cincinnati's first Asian American Mayor.  As Mayor, he is committed to serving Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods. He has made equitable economic growth a top priority of his administration, as well as a comprehensive reform and improvement of... The post Aftab Pureval –  Mayor of Cincinnati appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Michael Maliakel is a multi-talented singer, dancer, actor, and Broadway star. Maliakel currently plays the lead role of Aladdin in the Broadway (New York City) musical Aladdin. His credits are numerous:  The Phantom of the Opera (Raoul u/s). NYC: Anything Can Happen: The Songs of Maury Yeston. Regional: Other World – Bucks County Playhouse; Mira... The post Michael Maliakel – Broadway Star of Disney's Aladdin appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Dr. Siva Sivaram serves as the Chairman of the board of trustees for Akshaya Patra USA, the world's largest NGO dedicated to feeding school children. Established in 2000, Akshaya Patra serves 1.8 million children daily in close to 20,000 schools through 55 kitchens across India.  It costs only $20 to feed a child for an... The post Dr. Siva Sivaram – Chairman of Akshaya Patra USA – The world's largest NGO dedicated to feeding school children appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Sarika Jain is a Love Advisor and Dating Coach to successful, go-getter South Asian millennials. Her unique approach encompasses everything from uncovering relationship patterns and closing one's ‘Ex Files' to practicing self-love and mindfulness in relationships, all with the goal of inspiring people to live the lives they've dreamed about – experiencing profound love, success... The post Sarika Jain – South Asian Love Advisor and Dating Coach appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Hi everyone! I'm Sameer – the founder and host of the podcast South Asian Stories. Thank you for visiting our page. In this podcast, I profile South Asians who have taken unconventional career paths and elevate their identities, successes, failures, and most important stories. I've been fortunate to talk individuals like Surgeon General Dr. Vivek... The post South Asian Stories Podcast Intro appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Dr. Ranjan Ravaliya is a Hindu priest and wedding officiant in the New England area. However, she didn't start this until she was 62 after a long career as Environmental Scientist and a consultant in Sustainable Development for over thirty years! Ranjan's desire to learn about the Hindu Vedic philosophy was reignited once more by... The post Dr. Ranjan Ravaliya – Hindu Priest and Wedding Officiant and her amazing story changing her career at 62! appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Dr. Raj Iyer is first Chief Information Officer of the United States Army after the Pentagon created the position in July 2020. One of the highest-ranking Indian-American civilians in the US Department of Defense, Raj Iyer, who holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army. He... The post Dr. Raj Iyer – Chief Information Officer of the United States Army appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Hi everyone! Today we have an episode from my good friend Suraj from Brown People We Know podcast.  Similar to South Asian Stories Podcast, Brown People we Know  iis interview podcast about the non-traditional paths and shared experiences of the South Asian American diaspora. In this episode, Suraj chats with Vikas Arun. Vikas is a... The post Vikas Arun – Professional Tap Dancer – Brown People We Know Episode Swap appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Sunnie Delilah is a British fashion designer and founder of Delilah's Dressing Room.  She focuses on creating functional designs and bespoke accessories for Men, Women, and Children.  Last year, Sunnie invented a long beard mask to protect men with long beards and those who wore religious headwear such as turbans during the COVID 19 pandemic..... The post Sunnie Delilah – British Fashion Designer & Entrepreneur and her story creating hugely popular Delilah's Dressing Room appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Azeem Azhar is an award-winning technology author, entrepreneur, and investor. He produces Exponential View the leading newsletter and podcast on the impact of technology on our future economy and society with close to 50,000 subscribers including investors, academics, and journalists around the world.  Azeem brings a unique background to explain the intersection of breakthrough technologies and... The post Azeem Azhar – Technology Author and his stories predicting the future through his award-winning newsletter Exponential View appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Romen Borsellino is a staff writer on NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh and was executive producer, and co-creator of Freeform’s 2020 election series Kal Penn Approves This Message.   He has also written for Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy on Amazon Prime and worked on Michael... The post Romen Borsellino – TV Staff Writer & Producer and his incredible stories about working with Lilly Singh, Kal Penn, and President Obama! appeared first on South Asian Stories.

  Karan Soni is an Indian-born American actor who is best known for playing Dopinder in the Deadpool films. He was born and raised in New Delhi, India and he grew up studying theater and continued his education at the University of Southern California.  While in school Karan began auditioning for film and TV roles,... The post Karan Soni – Award-winning Actor & his amazing stories breaking into Hollywood, overcoming shyness, and starring in Deadpool, Ghostbusters, and more! appeared first on South Asian Stories.

  Dr. Sana Shaikh is currently the Director of School Operations for Springfield Public Schools. She is also the founder of her diversity, equity, and inclusion company called TimeED (Taking Initiative, Making Equity in Education). She holds two Bachelors from the University of California, Berkeley in Political Science and Near Eastern Studies – Islamic Civilizations... The post Dr. Sana Shaikh – Educator & Teach for America Alumna and her story fighting for educational equity appeared first on South Asian Stories.

  Rizwan Jagani is an  accomplished American violist of Indian/Pakistani heritage and is an accomplished solo performer, orchestral and chamber musician, arranger, and producer.  Coined The “New-fit” musician, Rizwan reimagines the idea of what the viola can do by combining his Western Classical training with other musical genres such as Bollywood, Musical Theatre, Pop, Rock,... The post Rizwan Jagani – Classically-Trained Violist and his incredible story becoming a “new-fit” musician appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Marianna Kuttothara is the Cash and Relief Lead for the American Red Cross’s International Service Department. In this role Marianna is responsible for providing technical and operational assistance to American Red Cross funded projects supporting disaster preparedness and response across the globe.   Marianna has deployed to disaster response operations around the world – including the... The post Marianna Kuttothara – American Red Cross Humanitarian & her amazing deployment stories in the Bahamas, Dominica, Ecuador, Nepal, and the Philippines appeared first on South Asian Stories.

This is a special one – our 25th episode! Thank you for listening and being part of the journey. I could not be more thrilled to bring one of my personal heroes Dr. Vivek Murthy.  Dr. Vivek Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States between 2014 and 2017. As the Vice... The post Dr. Vivek Murthy – Former US Surgeon General & his amazing advice on COVID-19, loneliness, and human connection appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Neeta Sreekanth is a Sports Media Maven and worked at some of the most iconic sports and media companies like the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN, IGN, and INFLCR. Neeta got her start in the digital and social media world at the Dallas Cowboys.  She then transitioned to ESPN working in their social media department as an... The post Neeta Sreekanth – Sports Media Maven and her incredible journey working at the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN, IGN, and INFLCR appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Rahul Rai is an award-winning actor currently living in Los Angeles who has built a massive following on TikTok (937k followers and over 34M likes as of July 2020). His videos are some of my favorite – some laugh out loud funny, some emotional, and some really informative (Like his other financial literacy TikTok account... The post Rahul Rai – Award-Winning Actor, Dancer, and TikTok Star and building his legacy one follower at a time! appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Dr. Arati Kreibich is a Democratic Council Member in Glen Rock, New Jersey who is running for election to the U.S. House to represent New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District! She is a trained neuroscientist who earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 with her research focused on opiate addiction.   In 2016, she... The post Dr. Arati Kreibich – Neuroscientist, council member, and politician and her story running for New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Wardah Khalid is a policy analyst, activist, and speaker on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, refugees/immigration, and Islam in America. She currently works on Capitol Hill as an APAICS Congressional Fellow and is the Founder and President of Poligon Education Fund, a national civic education and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening Muslim American... The post Wardah Khalid – Policy analyst, activist, and speaker on U.S. foreign policy and her role in strengthening Muslim-American engagement with Congress appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Brian Benni is one of the stars of the hit show Family Karma on Bravo and one of my favorites on the show. Family Karma (See Vogue review!) tracks the stories of seven first-generation Indian Americans and their parents in Miami. Growing up in traditional, multigenerational households, this group is bonded by their strong cultural... The post Brian Benni – Family Karma Bravo TV Star and his role in the 1st Indian-American Reality Television Show appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Vikram Vij is an Indian-born Celebrity Chef and Owner of three Indian restaurants Vij’s Restaurant, Rangoli Restaurant, and My Shanti. He has received numerous accolades and awards – including Vancouver Chef of the Year, Best Indian Award, and Best Restaurant.  Vikram has been a guest judge on Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada, as well as... The post Vikram Vij – Celebrity Chef and Owner of Three World-Famous Restaurants and his story to elevate Indian cuisine appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Pooja Tripathi is an Indian American filmmaker, actress, and musician. She grew up in Pittsburgh & New York City, and studied Business Administration and Violin Performance at Carnegie Mellon University. Pooja began her career in the fashion industry, working in buying and digital marketing at top brands including Fendi, Bloomingdale’s, and Dior. She entered the... The post Pooja Tripathi – Indian-American filmmaker, actress, and musician and founder of Dutch American Dramady web series Amsterdam Ave. appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Aman Advani is Co-founder and CEO of Ministry of Supply, a clothing brand inventing a new category: Performance Professional OR performance dress clothes. The company was founded in 2012 with the mission to make dress clothes feel like gym clothes by incorporating fundamental engineering and performance principles into dress clothing staples, ultimately building a wardrobe... The post Aman Advani – Co-founder and CEO of Ministry of Supply and his mission to Make Dress Clothes feel like Gym Clothes appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Continue to create stuff that’s valuable and that makes you happy.”  – Sandeep Gill Sandeep Kaur Gill, better known as TheSandyLion, is a stylist and image consultant with the simple goal of helping people look and feel the best about themselves. With over 102k followers on Instagram, 3.21k on YouTube, and 8k on Twitter, Sandeep uses... The post Sandeep Gill – Celebrity Stylist and Image Consultant and her mission to help people look and feel their best appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Always look for components of a good story – character, conflicts, intimacy, access.”  – Gotham Chopra Gotham Chopra is a Sports Emmy award-winning director of “Tom vs Time,” Kobe Bryant’s ”Muse,” and the Sports Emmy-nominated  documentary series “Shut Up & Dribble” in partnership with NBA All-Star LeBron James, Springhill Entertainment, and Showtime Networks. Currently, Chopra... The post Gotham Chopra – Sports Emmy Award-winning Filmmaker and Director and how he partnered with LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Steph Curry to tell their stories appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Look inward to serve your purpose outward.”  Kiran Gandhi Kiran Gandhi, who performs as her stage name Madame Gandhi,  is a Los Angeles-based musician, activist and music industry thinker who was recently listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2019. She has drummed for M.I.A, Thievery Corporation, TV on the Radio, Kehlani and Lizzo... The post Kiran Gandhi – Musician, Activist, and Music Industry Thinker and her Mission to Elevate and Celebrate the Female Voice as Madame Gandhi appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“The Tiger at Midnight did not shy away from cultural identity. Diverse storytellers sometimes feel the need to make their story more palatable for a general audience. ” – Swati Teerdhala.  Swati Teerdhala is the author of the brand new book The Tiger at Midnight published  by Harper Collins. This is the first book in... The post Swati Teerdhala – Author of “The Tiger at Midnight” and the amazing story behind publishing her first book! appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Within my first three months as SpaceX, I was in charge of rocket engine electrical cables. My heart was pounding and I wanted to run and come home – it was a huge responsibility. ” – Melony Mahaarachchi Melony Mahaarachchi is a prolific mechanical, robotics, and rocket engineer. She came to the United States with... The post Melony Mahaarachchi – SpaceX and NASA Mars 2020 Engineer and how she became a Real-life Rocket Scientist appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Cancer is an extremely smart disease. It’s one of the reasons we’ve battled it for so long.” – Dr. Hasini Jayatilaka. Dr. Hasini Jayatilaka (@hasinijt) is an acclaimed cancer researcher, scientist, and TED speaker.  She grew up in Colombo, Sri Lanka and pursued her BS and PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Johns Hopkins... The post Dr. Hasini Jayatilaka – Forbes 30 Under 30 Cancer Researcher and her amazing discovery on how to slow the spread of cancer cells appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Be grateful for what you have and ambitious for what you want.” – Raj Jana Raj Jana (@rajer_thatt) is an impact-driven entrepreneur, podcast host, & keynote speaker who’s passionate about using capitalism and business as a vehicle to make the world a brighter place. He has been featured in Inc, Entrepreneur, and Forbes Magazines while mentored... The post Episode 10: Raj Jana – Founder & CEO of JavaPresse Coffee Company and how to kick-start your journey to extraordinary living appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Believe what you want to achieve.” – Raj Bhavsar Raj Bhavsar (@Rajnastics) is Olympic Athlete, world-class gymnast, entrepreneur, and artist. His accolades are simply outstanding: Bronze medal in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, World championship silver medals, 3 world cup medals, 3 U.S. national titles, 3 NC Double  A national titles, 11 years on the senior national... The post Episode 9: Raj Bhavsar – Olympic Athlete and his groundbreaking journey to become a world-class gymnast appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“There are moments where you can’t hide from what you want to do.” – Arsalan Shirazi Arsalan Shirazi (@entitldartist) is the quintessential multi-hyphenate artist: he’s an actor, writer, rapper, and founder of ENTITLD ARTISTS. It’s a media and entertainment company that develops film, series, and music for millennials with a focus on first-generation stories.  Arsalan’s debut project... The post Episode 8: Arsalan Shirazi – Actor, Rapper, Writer and how he’s building a media empire from scratch appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“Writing completely soothes me and is form of healing.” – Shabnam Samuel Shabnam Samuel (@panchganiwrites) is a writer, coach, social media trainer, and the founder of the Panchgani Writers’ Retreat. Shabnam just released a memoir A Fractured Life this year in September 2018. The retreat incorporates mindful living along with creativity and wellness following Ayurveda principles, with yoga,... The post Episode 7: Shabnam Samuel – Powerful stories on marriage, hardship, and healing appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“You’re never too old to set another goal or a dream.” – Hema Kundargi Hema Kundargi is a registered dietitian, culinary artist, and TV host. Hema went from being an accountant to hosting and producing her own TV show called Indian Vegetarian Gourmet. She simplifies Indian cuisine and aims to remove the myths and mysteries associated... The post Episode 6: Hema Kundargi – The surprising science behind nutrition and the benefits of going back to school after 30 years appeared first on South Asian Stories.

  “Bhangra is a dance that combines both energy and grace.” – Lavesh Pritmani Lavesh Pritmani (@LearnBhangraNow) is the founder and CEO of the Learn Bhangra. In less than three years, his app achieved over 70,000 downloads and 25,000 registered users. No small feat. Bhangra is an energetic, folk dance and music form that originated from Punjab,... The post Episode 5: Lavesh Pritmani – Founder and CEO of Learn Bhangra and his story on building a business from your passion appeared first on South Asian Stories.

“My advice would be to ignore your parents. At some point you have to decide what you want to do for yourself.” – Asha Rangappa Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) is a former FBI Special Agent in the New York Division specializing in counterintelligence investigations.  Her work at the FBI involved assessing threats to national security, conducting classified investigations on... The post Episode 4: Asha Rangappa – Former FBI Special Agent and her stories behind catching spies, overcoming barriers, and creating your own career path appeared first on South Asian Stories.

  Srihari Sritharan (@DrSrimix) aka Dr. Srimix is an extremely talented DJ and producer who blends South Asian music with Western influences. He is one of the most popular DJ’s in the Bollywood-Fusion Dance Circuit, and has produced thousands of tracks with millions of listeners with one of his most popular tracks being “Lean on Rangeela”. Sri... The post Episode 3: Srihari Sritharan (Dr. Srimix) – How to become a top DJ with millions of listeners appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Kovid Gupta (@kovidgupta) is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and social activist. At the age of 22, he moved from Texas to Mumbai to pursue his dream of breaking into Bollywood. Spoiler alert: He did it. He has worked on some of South Asia’s biggest TV brands as a content developer, creative consultant, and screenwriter.  ... The post Episode 2: Kovid Gupta – How to break into Bollywood with zero connections appeared first on South Asian Stories.

Priya Krishna (@pkgourmet) is an accomplished food writer and author – with publications in The New York Times, The New Yorker, GQ, Taste, Saveur, and Bon Appetite to name a few. She’s also written two books – Ultimate Dining Hall Hacks and Indianish coming out in Spring 2019. She has some truly great stories ranging from... The post Episode 1: Priya Krishna – How to become a world-class food writer appeared first on South Asian Stories.