Ethnolinguistic composition of the population of South Asia
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Bigotry and open hatred against South Asians and Muslims has become a common, foundational viewpoint among Texas Republican officeholders and candidates - Bo French's ridiculous and widely-condemned comments about Texas Longhorns fans being the most egregious recent example. We invited Chanda Parbhoo of the SAAVE Texas Education Fund, one of Texas's largest AAPI organizations focused specifically on South Asian civic engagement and outreach, to give us the view from within her community and to explore with us that community's strength, resiliency and contributions to our state.Learn more about the SAAVE Texas Education Fund at https://saavetxeducationfund.org/.Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.
Reinventing Caste: Islam and Hierarchy in Late Colonial India (Stanford UP, 2026) reveals that caste, usually assumed to be a feature of Hindu society, was in fact a trans-religious phenomenon in colonial India, as it is today. Even in an Islamic religious milieu that was supposedly more egalitarian than hierarchical Hinduism, colonial Indian subjects thought and acted in terms of caste. Through a focus on one agrarian Muslim caste known as Arains, Ashish Koul shows how some Indian Muslims transmuted caste and emplaced it within their understanding of Islam. During this time, Arain Muslims were derogatively called mali— gardener—instead of what they wished to be seen as—respectable landholders. Seeking to refute such negative portrayals, a group of elite Arains came together to develop a new Islamic vocabulary for caste. Using primary sources in English and Urdu, Koul analyzes the intricacies of caste, religion, and politics among Muslims in colonial India. By asserting that being Arain was a way of being a true Muslim, elite Arains were able to intervene in significant debates about Muslim identity, colonial law, and political representation. Reinventing Caste shows that in order to understand why caste persists among South Asians, we must examine how caste consciousness has been entrenched within multiple religious traditions.Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Reinventing Caste: Islam and Hierarchy in Late Colonial India (Stanford UP, 2026) reveals that caste, usually assumed to be a feature of Hindu society, was in fact a trans-religious phenomenon in colonial India, as it is today. Even in an Islamic religious milieu that was supposedly more egalitarian than hierarchical Hinduism, colonial Indian subjects thought and acted in terms of caste. Through a focus on one agrarian Muslim caste known as Arains, Ashish Koul shows how some Indian Muslims transmuted caste and emplaced it within their understanding of Islam. During this time, Arain Muslims were derogatively called mali— gardener—instead of what they wished to be seen as—respectable landholders. Seeking to refute such negative portrayals, a group of elite Arains came together to develop a new Islamic vocabulary for caste. Using primary sources in English and Urdu, Koul analyzes the intricacies of caste, religion, and politics among Muslims in colonial India. By asserting that being Arain was a way of being a true Muslim, elite Arains were able to intervene in significant debates about Muslim identity, colonial law, and political representation. Reinventing Caste shows that in order to understand why caste persists among South Asians, we must examine how caste consciousness has been entrenched within multiple religious traditions.Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
How do you go from anchoring primetime news on NDTV to leaving mainstream television, co-founding India's first short-form digital news platform, and bringing old-school editorial rigor to Gen Z — all while fighting algorithms and online polarization?In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with award-winning independent journalist, former NDTV primetime anchor, and PEEK TV Co-Founder Priyanshi Sharma. Priyanshi shares her journey from mainstream television newsrooms to corporate business school at ISB, and her decision to build a new media model focused on unbiased, unsensational, fact-based reporting for global digital audiences.Priyanshi also breaks down her philosophy on why "every generation deserves old-school journalism," how the definition of the "informed Indian youth" shifted from apolitical to deeply engaged, why the boundaries between journalism, activism, and social media influencers must remain distinct, and how PEEK TV is detoxing online discourse to keep the global Indian diaspora connected to true ground realities.If you enjoy deep conversations on journalism, digital media, Indian democracy, technology, and identity across the global South Asian community, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE!--------------------------CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introductions and welcoming Priyanshi03:43 - The Journalist's Detox & Managing 24/7 News FOMO09:54 - The Informed Indian Youth: From Apolitical to Deeply Engaged15:15 - Delusion vs. Hope: How Youth Protests Re-Energized Indian Citizenship18:28 - Sponsor Break: TRAVELOPOD20:28 - Journalism vs. Activism & Influencers: Why Credibility Matters24:31 - Building PEEK TV: Short-Form Digital News Beyond Mainstream TV28:13 - Sponsor Break: Lotus Lane Coffee & Timberdog Ruffrest29:28 - Storytelling, Misinformation & "Detoxing the Discourse"37:52 - Algorithmic Polarization & Unlearning the "TV Anchor Tone"45:03 - Connecting the Global Indian Diaspora to Ground Realities48:01 - Hope, Dissent, and the Future of Independent Indian Media52:29 - Outro & Diaspora Community Shoutouts--------------------------EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:• Old-School Journalism in Short-Form: How PEEK TV brings rigorous editorial standards and fact-based reporting to short-form digital video platforms.• Journalism vs. Activism: Why maintaining strict independence and objectivity is vital for stories to retain public credibility.• Detoxing the Discourse: Overcoming algorithmic polarization, echo chambers, and sensationalism to deliver balanced perspectives.• The Diaspora Connection: How independent digital media bridges the gap for global Indians seeking reliable, unvarnished news from the ground.GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
How do you go from seeing the Google website load for the first time on a campus computer screen in Mumbai to building and exiting three tech ventures, writing The Golden Tap, and buying back your company from VCs — all while navigating the rapid rise of AI?In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with serial entrepreneur, investor, author, and HyperTrack Founder & CEO Kashyap Deorah. Kashyap shares his journey across changing tech cycles, from falling in love with the internet at IIT Bombay to building and exiting three tech ventures, capturing the Indian tech ecosystem in his bestselling book The Golden Tap, and making the bold decision to buy back HyperTrack from venture capital investors to become a management-owned company. Kashyap also breaks down his philosophy on why "technology accelerates human behavior rather than equalizing opportunity," how startup scaling accelerated from 0-to-1M in 18 months to 0-to-100M in 18 months, why high school dropouts building AI-native tools are outperforming legacy pivots, and why deep emotional connection and empathy remain the core operating system for tech leaders. If you enjoy deep conversations on entrepreneurship, venture capital, technology, and identity across the global South Asian community, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE! --------------------------⏱️ CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Teaser: Why Technology Accelerates Human Behavior01:46 - IIT Bombay, Google & Falling in Love with Entrepreneurship06:32 - The Accelerated Startup Pace: AI-Native Founders vs. Legacy Pivots09:53 - Building HyperTrack: Gig Workforce Logistics & Field Automation15:54 - Sponsor Break: TRAVELOPOD and Lotus Lane Coffee16:52 - Capital Concentration & Shifting Venture Capital Dynamics19:53 - Why We Bought Back Our Startup From VCs24:35 - Hard Truths for Founders: M&A Realities, Valuations & Misalignment28:58 - Sponsor Break: Timberdog Ruffrest29:25 - Tech Polarization, Vipassana Meditation & Consciousness36:00 - Reconnecting Feeling with Thinking in Tech Leadership43:32 - Outro & Diaspora Community Shoutouts --------------------------EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:• The Core Operating System: Why human relationship building, empathy, and active listening remain constant anchors despite hyper-accelerating tech cycles.• Buying Back Your Startup: How HyperTrack realigned with investors to buy back VCs/PEs and transition to a profitable, management-owned business.• Tech Accelerates Human Behavior: Why technology doesn't automatically equalize opportunity, but rather accelerates existing human tendencies and polarization.• Leading with Feeling: How Vipassana meditation and connecting at an emotional level help founders make better decisions in an AI-driven world.GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
South Asians represent about a quarter of the world's population but account for over 60 percent of the world's heart disease. The highest rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. And yet most women in the community have no idea this could be coming for them.This week I spoke with Dr. Ambreen Mohamed, a cardiologist with a passion for improving cardiovascular health, particularly in South Asian communities. This is a conversation I have wanted to have for a long time, and it is personal. I lost my mother to a massive heart attack over a year ago, and like so many women in our community, her symptoms did not look like what we are taught to recognize.We talk about why women's heart attack symptoms are so often dismissed, why the research was built on men for decades, and why what we call atypical is actually just different. We get into the genetics that make South Asians uniquely vulnerable, including lipoprotein A, APOB, insulin resistance, visceral fat distribution, and why someone can look healthy on the outside and have significant cardiovascular risk on the inside. We talk about the cultural pressures that make South Asian women put everyone else first, and how chronic stress compounds an already elevated risk.We also cover what good prevention actually looks like. What to ask your doctor. What markers to check beyond a standard cholesterol panel. How pregnancy history, PMOS, preeclampsia, and early menopause all factor into cardiovascular risk assessment. And what is coming down the pipeline in cardiology that gives Dr. Mohamed genuine excitement.This is not a doom and gloom conversation. It is an empowering one. Because knowing your risk is the first step to doing something about it.South Asians make up about 25 percent of the world's population but account for over 60 percent of global heart disease, with the highest rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome of any ethnicity.What you'll learn:Women's heart attack symptoms are often dismissed because they can present differently from the classic Hollywood version, including fatigue, jaw pain, back pain, nausea, and indigestion rather than crushing chest pain.Microvascular disease, disease of the smaller coronary arteries, is more common in women and diabetics and can be missed entirely on standard imaging.The skinny fat phenomenon is real: visceral fat, the fat that wraps around organs deep in the body, increases cardiovascular risk even in people who appear slim.Early menopause is an independent risk factor for high blood pressure, and the estrogen drop during perimenopause and menopause accelerates cardiovascular risk.Sleep apnea is one of the most underdiagnosed contributors to high blood pressure and should be screened for before jumping to medication.The foundation of prevention is not supplements or peptides: it is sleep, movement, diet, stress management, and knowing your numbers.Connect with Dr. Mohamed:WebsiteInstagramTikTok
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Listen to our radio program first aired on SBS South Asian on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, at 2 pm, focusing on major news from across Australia over the past seven days, concerns over NDIS reforms, safety concerns among Melbourne's Nepali community, the success of Seto Dharti as a play, and the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne (IFFM). SBS Nepali is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia. To hear more audio content from SBS Nepali, subscribe to our podcast on any platform, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and Spotify. SBS Nepali broadcasts a radio program every Tuesday and Thursday at 2 PM on SBS South Asian digital radio and channel 305 on your TV, live from our studios in Sydney and Melbourne. Repeats of these shows are aired every Thursday and Sunday at 4 PM on SBS Radio 2. Every Monday, listen to one full hour of contemporary Nepali songs on SBS South Asian at 2 PM. - मङ्गलवार, १८ अगस्ट सन् २०२६ दिउँसो २ बजे एसबीएस साउथ एसियनमा प्रत्यक्ष प्रसारण भएको एसबीएस नेपालीको कार्यक्रममा हामीले अस्ट्रेलियाका पछिल्ला सात दिनका प्रमुख समाचार, एनडीआईएस सुधारलाई लिएर चिन्ता, मेलबर्नका नेपालीको सुरक्षा चिन्ता, सेतो धर्ती नाटकको सफलता र मेलबर्नमा जारी इन्डियन फिल्म फेस्टिभलबारे चर्चा गरेका छौँ। हाम्रो रेडियो कार्यक्रम हरेक मङ्गलवार र बिहीवार दिउँसो दुई बजे SBS South Asian मा प्रत्यक्ष प्रसारण हुन्छ। यी रेडियो कार्यक्रम बिहीवार र आइतवार SBS Radio 2 मा अपराह्न ४ देखि ५ बजेसम्म पुन प्रसारण हुन्छन्।Subscribe to the SBS Nepali podcast here.Disclaimer: We would like to inform you that the opinions expressed in the segment are those of the talents themselves.Click here to listen to the SBS Nepali radio program.You can listen to SBS Nepali's live broadcast every Tuesday and Thursday at 2 pm via SBS South Asian on digital radio, on television channel 305, through the SBS Audio app, on SBS On Demand, or via our website.You can also follow SBS Nepali on social media: Facebook, Instagram and X (@SBS Nepali) - हाम्रा थप अडियो प्रस्तुतिहरू पोडकास्टका रूपमा उपलब्ध छन्। यो नि:शुल्क सेवा प्रयोग गर्न तपाईंले आफ्नो नाम दर्ता गर्नु पर्दैन। पोडकास्टमा सामाग्री उपलब्ध हुनासाथ सुन्न यहाँ थिच्नुहोस्।एसबीएस नेपाली रेडियो कार्यक्रम यहाँ सुन्नुहोस्।एसबीएस नेपालीको प्रत्यक्ष प्रसारण हरेक मङ्गलवार र बिहीवार दिउँसो २ बजे SBS South Asian मा डिजिटल रेडियोमार्फत, आफ्नो टेलिभिजनको च्यानल ३०५ मा, SBS Audio एपमार्फत, SBS On Demand मा वा हाम्रो वेबसाइट sbs.com.au/nepali मार्फत सुन्न सक्नुहुन्छ।साथै हामी सोसल मिडिया प्लेटफर्महरू फेसबुक, इन्स्टाग्राम र एक्स मा पनि रहेका छौं SBS Nepali का नाममा।
How do you go from an introverted engineering student in Goa to winning two back-to-back National Film Awards and directing hit films like Article 370 and Baramulla — all without ever working as an assistant director?In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with acclaimed writer and director Aditya Suhas Jambhale. Aditya shares his incredible journey of disruptive self-belief, turning down an associate director offer on a 400-crore film (Ashwathama) to bet on his own voice, overcoming the "blame game" in engineering school, and entering the directing space from Marathi theater to short films to feature films.Aditya also breaks down his philosophy on why "doing a project in the industry is easy, but doing cinema is tough," how he crafted high-stakes emotional storytelling in Article 370 and Baramulla, and why artists have a responsibility to make art valuable.If you enjoy deep conversations on cinema, storytelling, resilience, and identity across the global South Asian community, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE!--------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Teaser: "To do a project is easy, to do cinema is tough"01:16 - Welcome to Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing01:35 - Introducing Director Aditya Suhas Jambhale03:02 - Falling in Love with Cinema: Watching Titanic in Goa05:13 - The Cricket & Engineering Detour07:44 - The Mentorship Mirror: Stopping the Blame Game10:04 - An Introvert's Journey: Becoming an Accidental Director12:13 - Self-Taught Vision: The large Audience Spectacle of 'Vande Mataram'14:45 - Back-to-Back National Awards & Meeting Aditya Dhar15:42 - Turning Down Ashwathama: The Audacity to Bet on Himself21:30 - Sponsor Break: Travelopod, Lotus Lane Coffee22:15 - Crafting High-Stakes Storytelling in 'Article 370' & 'Baramulla'30:11 - Sponsor Break: Timberdog Ruffrest35:40 - Cinema vs. Industry: Why Emotional Connection is Everything42:15 — Navigating Scale & Budget48:10 — The Artist's Responsibility56:20 — Uncompromising Self-Belief: Maintaining creative independence 1:05:10 — Building Evolving Narratives: How theater roots in Goa shaped Aditya's visual and audio storytelling style. 1:12:21 — Closing Reflections --------------------------EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:• The Mentorship Mirror: How stopping the "blame game" in engineering school transformed Aditya's career.• Betting on Yourself: Why Aditya turned down an associate director position on a 400-crore film to direct his own vision.• The Disruptor's Responsibility: How independent theater and short films built a bold, uncompromising directorial voice.• Cinema vs. Industry: Why true filmmaking relies on audience empathy and emotional value over massive production budgets.GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. -
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos.You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
How do you carry the monumental weight of one of Indian classical music's most revered lineages while fearlessly forging your own contemporary artistic voice? In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with Grammy-nominated Sarod master, composer, and performer Alam Khan. As the son of legendary maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Alam inherited the keys to the iconic Maihar Gharana tradition. In this deep and intimate conversation, Alam reflects on performance rituals and perfectionism, taking the Sarod into modern landscapes, navigating the "Jedi-like" responsibility of preserving legacy, and why true music must always serve as the "sound of unconditional love."If you enjoy deep dives into culture, identity, and artistic excellence within the South Asian diaspora, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to join our growing community!--------------------------CHAPTERS:00:00 - Introduction03:02 - Overcoming Stage Fright & Performance Anxiety05:44 - Breaking Free from Perfectionism: "Perfectly Imperfect"08:48 - Maintaining a Growth Mindset in High-Stakes Artistry11:22 - Evolving Relationship with the Sarod: Classical vs. Contemporary15:01 - Meaningful Collaboration vs. "Confusion" Music16:07 - Classical Music as a Spiritual "Lighthouse"18:28 - Sponsor Break: Travelopod and Lotus Lane Coffee19:28 - Preserving Ali Akbar Khan's Legacy & Finding Space22:55 - The Anatomy of Musical Storytelling & Emotion25:15 - Listening to Ali Akbar Khan's Music Over Time28:44 - Teaching at the Ali Akbar College of Music32:17 - The "Jedi Order" Responsibility & Personal Legacy35:27 - Creating from a "World Between Worlds"38:35 - Connecting Audiences to Peace, Power, and Solace40:33 - Episode Outro & Community Shoutouts--------------------------EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:• Embracing the "Perfectly Imperfect": How to quiet physiological anxiety on stage and get out of your own way.• The Classical Lighthouse: Why classical foundation provides the creative anchor when exploring contemporary genres.• True Collaboration: Avoiding superficial fusion by ensuring projects resonate deeply and create timeless art.• Spreading the Sonic Gospel: Interpreting teachings for new generations at the Ali Akbar College of Music.--------------------------GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
Blast from the past! In this episode we manifest tickets to the World Cup from FIFA (spoiler, didn't work out), dive deep into lack of South Asian representation in even the boring sports, and then somehow also get into the Devil Wears Prada 2, viral hit Off Campus, the new James Bond, misleading New York Times headlines, and something about how lack of sunlight is proportional to gore in media. Something for everyone in this one!! As always, email us at thebrownburndown@gmail.com. Go sports!!!!
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos.You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. For this episode of “Obbligato,” a show dedicated to AAPI classical musicians, composers, and scholars, host Isabel Li interviews Indian American composer Reena Esmail, who blends Hindustani musical themes with western classical compositional styles. Music in this episode: – This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. [Sikhism] – Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water) – Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest Transcript Isabel Li: I'm Isabel Li, here for a new edition of “Obbligato,” which explores the AAPI community in the classical music world. Today, we're featuring the Indian American composer Reena Esmail and her unique compositions that blend Hindustani music with Western classical styles and how she writes music about religion, spirituality, and even environmentalism. Welcome, Reena, to Apex Express. Reena Esmail: Hey! It's so great to be here. IL: My first question for you is one that's probably a little bit loaded, but how do you identify and what's your story? RE: I don't know, it's interesting because I work in many different situations, and I think I always identify as the thing that isn't whatever the dominant situation is that I work in. Right? So it's like when I'm in America, I identify as an Indian American. When I'm in India, I identify as an American. When I'm working in Western classical music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Hindustani music. When I'm working in Hindustani music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Western music. So really. Actually, I think of identity not as a fixed thing, but as how you, um, delineate yourself, how you're unique in the situation you're in. You know, it's interesting because especially in the case of Asian Americans, Asia is such a broad thing, right? There are so many more East Asians in Western classical music than there are South Asians. Certainly in my generation. You know, I was surrounded by Chinese, Korean, some Japanese people who were always, you know, playing the piano when I was playing the piano. And, um, there really was not many other Indian people. And, you know, I'll, I'll actually say that even within India, um, you know, if you look at me in America, I'm just Indian. If you look at me in India, I have a very unusual lineage, which is that my dad is from the region of Gujarat and his family is Muslim. My mom is from the region of Goa and her family is Catholic. And so because of that, when I was expressing interest in music, My mom was the one who had more of kind of a musical knowledge in her family, even though there's no professional musicians in her family. So because Goa was colonized by Portugal, there is this element of Western classical music in Goan culture. And so because of that, my mom was like, oh, let's give her guitar lessons, let's give her piano lessons. And so that's how I landed up in Western classical music as opposed to doing Indian classical music. Um, so yeah, I kind of went through the Western classical scene. I was very interested in being a pianist. And, you know, I'm glad that I'm glad I'm a failed pianist in all honesty, because I see what my colleagues who are real, you know, professional pianists have to go through. And I just don't think I have what it takes to do that. It's really an intense job. Um, but when I was in high school, um, one of my theory teachers kind of said, hey, you know, you might be a composer. It seems like you think like a composer thinks, why don't you try composing and why don't you try writing things down? and one thing led to another. And basically a year and a half to two years after studying, I got one of a very few spots in the undergrad program in composition at Juilliard. And that was a point where my parents kind of said, okay, you know, we don't know a lot about the music world, but it seems like if she got into Juilliard, she's probably like somewhat good at this. Maybe we should kind of see how this goes. And, you know, from there on, I pursued composition. IL: And when and why did you start to study Indian classical music, which is a big element in your compositions now? RE: Yeah, absolutely. So I think it's interesting because in every generation, I've seen so much change in how the diaspora views itself. And certainly when I was growing up, you know, I know this is hard to believe, but there were not if you were an Indian going to school, you were kind of the only one. If you were an Indian music, you were kind of the only one. So there was this element where when I went to Juilliard, um, there were I to my knowledge, two Indians in the entire school, me and an actress who had actually come from Calcutta. And so people were trying to, you know, make conversation with me and they'd be like, well, you know, do you do stuff with Indian classical music? And I would just be like, no, I'm trying so hard to even write music for orchestra and, you know, string quartet and all the things that my peers are trying to do. Like, is that not enough? Because I'm Indian, I also have to be doing all this other stuff. And so I resisted it for a long time because I was just trying so hard to do one thing well. But then, you know, I think what, what made me kind of unique is that, you know, I stood out, I was Indian and then, you know, when I was young, that felt really cool. The older I got, the more I thought, well, you know, I know I'm from this culture that has incredible music and I know it when I hear it, I know nothing about it, and maybe I should actually pursue it. And so I really separately kind of started meeting Indian musicians who lived in New York, and I would just ask them questions, and I got to know them. And I realized that while we didn't share a type of music, we did share a culture and we did share a love of music because it is interesting that the culture of Indian classical music is actually quite similar to the culture of Western classical music. You know, you study with a teacher over a really long period of time. You're practicing for hours a day. The kind of personality that would love Western classical music would also love Indian classical music. And so I just made friends with some of these Indian classical musicians. And of course, being a composer, I thought, why don't I put them in my music? You know, how do I do that? And so it was really just curiosity that led me down that path. And for many years, that path was very separate. Because again, I know it's very hard to believe now, but there was a time where people really did not want these cultures to be combined, and people just really looked down on cultures that were not, you know, the dominant Western European classical culture. And so I kept them really separate. And even when I started combining them, people were like, oh, that's sweet. She does stuff with Indian music, you know? And it was really not taken seriously. It's only really in the last decade that people have been embracing other musical cultures. And I mean, how glad I am that that's happening. But it was very, very hard fought and very separate at first. IL: And on that note, how do you navigate the unique challenges of composing with both these cultures in mind, but also being situated in the United States, where people come from all different backgrounds? And how do you as a composer approach that in this context? RE: I mean, I think it's interesting because first of all, I am musically bilingual now, so I can. I went to India, I studied Indian classical music. Seriously. I still work with Indian classical musicians very closely. And so, you know, I can be working on a piece that has Indian classical musicians in it, and I can turn to them and immediately speak in their language and their musical language. And then I can turn to the Western musicians and speak in their musical language. So every single piece I write, especially the ones that involve Indian classical musicians. There is a way through those pieces, both through the Western lens and through the Indian lens. And so I think I'm working in a position where I actually do know how to speak both those languages. And when you do speak both those languages, you know, just the way that if you speak any two, you know, verbal languages, you would know that there are sounds that are cognates. And so you're like, oh, I say the sound. So maybe and it means one thing in one culture and one thing in another culture. But you know that that sound is the same. And so with musical language, you can actually use those musical cognates to connect across cultures by saying, just listen for this thing. And when you listen for this thing, interpret it through the lens of your own culture. So that's certainly how I work. But, you know, I mean, again, I want to say that's not the only way to work. I don't think that you have to be, you know, I mean, again, there's probably most people who are listening to this probably have one musical culture and then maybe they know much less about the other musical culture. That is also fine. You know, you don't need to be an expert in order to want to explore and, and love a thing that's just, you know, where I am because it's the, the center of my musical practice. IL: Well, let's hear a selection from Reena Esmail's oratorio, “This Love Between Us.” This is the second movement titled Sikhism. David Hill conducts Juilliard415 with the Yale Schola Cantorum. [MUSIC: This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. Sikhism] IL: That was Sikhism, the second movement from the oratorio This Love Between Us by Reena Esmail, who is here in conversation with me today on KPFA for APEX Express. Something that I really found interesting in especially your work — and I'm sure this has been asked many times, but This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity. This oratorio that you wrote, beautiful work where you use words from the seven major religions of India. And each movement of the choral work is also named after a different religion. In what ways did you adhere to or challenge norms of spiritual music? Because religion is so religion and music are so deeply tied together. How did you challenge those norms or how did you express those norms when you wrote this work? RE: You know, I think it's interesting because my own spiritual background is very kind of multi spiritual multi-faith. But like I said, my, my father is, is my father's side of the family is Muslim. My mom's side of the family is Catholic. My husband is Hindu. All of them grew up in a very singular practice in each of their religions. But for me, I grew up, you know, around my mom and my dad and then, you know, my husband later. And just there's a part of me that takes in the essence of each of these spiritual traditions. And, you know, I'm trying to kind of find what feels true to me in each of those places. And so to me, you know, this love between us is, is a place where I'm trying to essentially say, yes, we express things differently through whatever cultural, uh, history, that language or that that religion emerged through. And yet we're all trying to get at that same numinous thing. And, you know, I mean, I'm not saying, oh, all religions are the same. Definitely not. You know, there's, there's many different ways to practice things. And, you know, your unique way into your spirituality is your own. And that's, that's amazing. But also, we all kind of our cultures form religions for a certain reason, and it's because we want to try to understand things that are beyond ourselves. And so that's essentially what the piece is saying. So I know I'm sure there are purists who are like, you shouldn't be combining these things, but, you know, there's always going to be purists who do that and there's a role for that. But that's not really my role. So, I mean, I picked the pieces and I picked the religion specifically because of the numbers of people who practice that religion currently within India. And so it is like the largest, um, populations, you know, like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, all, all of those things. And then there's one little tiny religion, Zoroastrianism. And while they are not, there's not many of them within India. They are the ones who are practicing Western classical music in India. So people like Zubin Mehta and all, they are Parsis that are Zoroastrians. So I thought, you know, it's important to include them too, because it's a piece that involves a lot of Western classical musicians. IL: I'm wondering now, as a composer who's working with music of different languages and religions and origins and also evoking a lot of these spiritual truths that are pretty universal in nature. What is your view on the function of music? There's the platitude that music is a universal language. Do you how to what extent do you agree with that? RE: You know, yeah, it's hard to, to, um, to think of music as a universal language. But I think sometimes we, how can I say this? It's such a broad question. When we are working in a form that isn't completely narrative, it gives us a little more chance to get at things that don't have to follow logically after one another. They're just feelings that we're able to feel. And I like working even when there are words, you know, there are certainly words in all of these, these, uh, pieces in this love between us. But I feel like sometimes we just feel something within us. And, you know, I experience this a lot when I have a piece performed, people will come up to me and say like, oh, this made me feel like this. And then the next person will come up to me and say, oh, this made me feel exactly the opposite thing. And I, I really love that we can have those experiences. And, you know, recently it's been really interesting because people have been asking these questions like interviewers, you know, before performances will be like, well, what do you want the audience to feel? And I'm like, oh, I don't want to answer that question. I want you to feel whatever you feel. There's nothing right to feel. And often, I mean, I'm not the one to ask. I'm so close to the music because when I'm listening, I'm thinking like, okay, was that C sharp in tune? Okay, you know, that's what I'm feeling. And I certainly don't want them to feel that. So I don't know. I think it's, it's just exciting to see how when we get out of these, what we should do this and this is the right thing to do. And this is the only way to do it. Um, how do we behave? And there are so few spaces left where if we don't say exactly the right words at the right time to the right people, you know, if we don't have exactly the right opinions that everyone around us has, We are so condemned and music might be one of the last places that we're allowed to feel whatever's inside of us. IL: Mhm. That's really interesting to think about. I think art in general is very beautiful because it allows people to interpret it in many different ways. I think for your music, you really draw on cultural specificity in terms of Hindustani music. What advice would you give to other young composers or also maybe artists of different mediums in creating that balance between specificity and universality? RE: Yeah, I think the thing is that the way into a deep practice is specificity. You know, I know people have asked me like, oh, you've done stuff with Indian music. Are you going to do stuff with other music? And I'm like, gosh, there's still so much to explore. I could have like three lifetimes and still not explore everything I want to explore just in the relationship between Indian and Western classical music. I mean, goodness knows I have four degrees in Western classical music, and I still am barely scratching the surface of it. Right. So I kind of feel like specificity is important because it allows you to access depth. And yet, you know, when you are specific about a certain thing, um, like for instance, like a scholar who only speaks Italian, I mean, they're going to know more than someone who maybe speaks five words of each language, right? So they can transfer over at a higher level and make more sophisticated points and understand the world with a more universal lens if they've gone really deep on one thing. So I would say, you know, to young composers, to young musicians, pick one practice and know it really, really well and deeply become go as far as you possibly can and then, you know, try to see if you can find relations between your primary practice and a different practice. Um, and I mean, some people, you know, I know in this generation that's coming up, that's like in their teens and twenties, there are South Asian, uh, kids who are here whose parents have come from India that are learning Indian and Western classical music side by side. And I think that's great. I mean, that's awesome. But I would also say make sure you don't just learn halfway. Both of those things, you know, if you're going to learn them, if at least with one thing, try to go as absolutely far as you can. IL: Let's hear another example of Reena Esmail's bilingual musicality with her work, Malhaar: A Requiem for Water, which was recorded fairly recently. The vocalist is Graycen Gardner with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. [MUSIC: Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water)] IL: Composer Reena Esmail used Indian classical instruments in that work, titled Malhaar: A Requiem for water. The vocalist was Graycen Gardner, with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. Percussionist was Rohit Panchakshari. I'm Isabel Li in conversation with composer Reena Esmail on this edition of Apex Express here on KPFA 94.1 FM. So when you integrate Hindustani classical Hindustani music, Indian classical music and those instruments into your scores, did you happen to did you have to develop a way to translate the notation of those notes in Western classical music notation, or vice versa? RE: Yeah, it it begs the greater question of what is notation for? Right? Because notation is essentially a way for Western musicians who read notation to look at a thing and be able to associate sounds with that thing. And so when I'm notating for Western classical musicians, I'm saying, okay, what is a cellist typically seeing and what are they doing based on what they're seeing? And then how can I take that language that they know really well that they play in Bach suites, that they play in Elgar, Cello Concerto, whatever it is, how can I take that language and just move it, you know, a couple degrees outward so that they're able to express different things, right? And so it's very much a psychological thing. You know, it's not a science the way that we think of it as and we learn it as this, oh, you know, eighths and sixteenths, and they divide this way. There's a lot you can do just to make someone feel a certain way with notation. On the other hand, if I'm writing for a sitar or tabla, the question is what? What is the role of the notation? Because the role of the notation for tabla player who has only Hindustani training and doesn't read music. It's certainly not for the tabla player that I'm doing the notation. Usually what I'll do is sit down with the tabla player in a, you know, more Hindustani style and say, hey, this is what I want. I want you to have like six overtones of teental. It should be at this tempo, blah, blah, blah. And they're like, oh, got it. I see what you want me to do. Right? And so all you need to figure out is the alignment points with the Western classical musicians. And so then the notation I put in the score is not really for them. It's for a conductor, for the Western musicians to be able to understand what they are doing and to be able to cue them in and help them kind of be in dialogue to one another. So it's interesting because, I mean, these days now I'm finding that there are tabla players who are both Indian and Western classical trained, and they want a part, but parts are not a thing. When I first wrote This Love Between Us, there were no parts for the tabla and sitar player. I actually had a cue sheet that I would actually point to as they were going, so that they knew, you know, what the different cues were because a part, you know, counting rests and stuff is not going to help them at all. So I think it's mostly trying to understand how is someone perceiving something and how can you give them the information they need in the most seamless way possible so that you can express what you want to express? IL: I love how technical that entire rundown was. I also wanted to talk a bit about your work, Terra Infirma, which is pretty recent. I had the honor of attending the premiere of Terra Infirma, a harp concerto that you composed based on your experiences with the Los Angeles fires in January of 2025. Um, it was such a wonderful work. I personally really loved hearing how you musically depicted the progression of a wildfire from despair to hope. It's also not the first environment based piece that you've written. YYou've written, for example, Earth Speaks in 2015. How do you approach composing works that are so rooted in environmentalism? And of course, have, have the undertones of speaking to the larger climate crisis at hand? RE: The thing that is interesting is, you know, someone was asking me about that piece, you know, you, you're, they're asking like, how do you kind of deal with activism in your work? And I was saying like, you know, I don't really think of myself as an activist because I think these issues are so fundamental to all of us, right? It's like you turn on your tap and you're just afraid that there's only going to be so long before water stops coming up. That's not, um, it doesn't feel like activism. It just feels like, you know, fear and it feels like we're tapping into these human emotions where people are so worried about what's going to happen. We don't really know what to do. And I think, you know, with anything, most people who have fear about things, you're going to just clam up if you feel that it's too, um, too much to deal with. And it is I mean, the environmental crisis is so huge that I think most people are just clamming up. And I guess, you know, what is our role as musicians? I think it's maybe to have some moments where we're not just like on our phones, seeing pictures of things burn down and freaking out where we can actually take some time to just reflect and be with one another. Because if we're going to solve this, it's going to be together and we need to come to some kind of like calm understanding of what is happening. And so a lot of my pieces are not accusatory. They're not, you know, pointing a finger. They're not supposed to rile people up. They're supposed to actually depict that experience of what it feels like to really sit with a hard thing for a long time and come to terms with it and then figure out how to move forward. And that's certainly the case with Terra Infirma and certainly the case with my Requiem. Certainly the case with curiosity, like you were saying, it's from Earth Speaks, which is many years ago. And that piece actually talks about the, the Pasadena institution's. It was actually for an organization called Pasadena Master Chorale. They commissioned the work many years ago. And what's so funny is I now live in Pasadena. I live in Altadena, up in the hills. So it's I wasn't living here at the time, but it is, you know, a place where many scientific institutions like the U.S. Geological Survey, you know, JPL, Caltech, all these places that are really exploring the environment in important ways are based. And so the piece kind of honors that and honors how we can interact positively with our environment. We can get data, we can find ways to do things that are, I mean, beyond my understanding, you'd have to ask a scientist, but but I just love that that we're in this place that sees the environment as something to understand more deeply instead of something that's just going to turn on us at a certain point. IL: Certainly. And I'm really curious, because Terra Infirma is also a work that was paired with multimedia animation and performance. Was there anything in your compositional process that differed when you're collaborating across these different mediums? RE: Yeah. So it's interesting because so the, there was, there were projections that were happening. And also in addition to that, it was a harp concerto, but a harp concerto where the harpist was also playing percussion. And so there were some elements that were so different than what would be typically like if harpist was like, I want a concerto. You would just be like, okay, you know, she sits there, she plays these notes. They're in that one position. That's all fine. Um, there was so much more, you're right with this piece than with, um, with my normal pieces. Um, and to me it's both, how can I say this? There's, there's such a different way I have to think about it, but I think that way starts with collaboration. So Yolanda Kondonassis, the incredible harp player, and Camilla Tassi, who was the production designer. These are people I know well and I've had multiyear relationships with. And so when you're thinking about how to build something, you're totally aware of what their work is like. I knew kind of the not even what Camilla's projections were going to look like, but the way that they interact with things. We've done projects together before. And so I pretty much had the sense of how she was going to respond. And I knew what she needed to know in order for her to do her work and make things kind of match up with one another. And then also with Yolanda, a lot of the stuff I put in that was like harp and percussion together. It wasn't something that I was making her do, right? It were things that we came up with together. We've spent so long workshopping things in percussion studios in, um, you know, we've met in all these different cities and we're basically like banging things against a harp and doing, you know, just so much experimentation. So for every technique you see in the concerto, you, um, you basically there's like ten things that we didn't do that didn't put in. So you're really only seeing the best of all the kind of crazy stuff that we tried. So I do think the thing is that when you're trying to invent something new and you're trying to invent new styles and new techniques, I mean, you can think of anything, but you're trying to find the things that A practically work and B allow the performers and the artists to really express themselves. So I found that I was actually choreographing the piece before I was composing it, um, that I had to figure out, okay, where are these percussion setups going to be? What are the instruments that I want? Okay. Are these chimes going to be like over her head? Or is she going to have to reach really far to get them? Are they going to be near the low end of the harp? Things like that that seem so practical. But the difference between having to reach out far and slowly versus having to like, quickly swat something near your ear, right? It makes a different choreography. And so I thought that way first. And then I kind of put the notes and rhythms and melodies and stuff in. IL: Let's now hear a selection from Reena Esmail's Terra Infirma. This is the fourth movement titled “Roaming the Ghost Forest.” Yolanda Kondonassis is the harpist with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra. [MUSIC: Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest] IL: The harpist was Yolanda Kondonassis with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra, playing the fourth movement of Terra Infirma by composer Reena Esmail. I'm Isabel Leigh, and in this episode of Apex Express, I'm joined by Reena Esmail, the composer, in conversation about her music and her approach to making art. Something else that I really was fascinated with on your on your Instagram account. You actually made a post a while back that I found to be very powerful. It's pinned as the letter to the young artists' immigrant parents. It's such an empathetic message that I also really relate to as a daughter of immigrants in the arts. And you kind of argue that these children's pursuit of the arts is a tribute to their parents immigrant struggles. Um, what motivated you to write this letter? RE: You know, I'm so glad you asked about that because so much has changed since I wrote that letter in a really good way. You know, first of all, I will say that when I wrote that letter, if you weren't a child of, you know, like Asian immigrant parents, you. And actually, I think this is true for most immigrant parents who, you know, have kind of given up everything to move to America so that their kids can explore all these opportunities they wouldn't get in their country of origin. When I first wrote this letter, it was really just, I felt like I was saying something really new. And now I think what's really interesting is that we have both parents who understand this and, um, kind of almost this parody way of seeing what Asian parents are like. Right. For me, one thing that I, that just makes my heart sing is the comedy of Zarna Garg. I don't know if you know who she is, but she is like an Indian American comic and she plays this role of being like this very typical Indian parent. And I will say, my parents weren't really like this because again, they were two different religions and married one another. So they were already quite open minded. But like 99% of Indian parents and even my parents, sometimes they have this thing of like, well, ‘why are you going into this?' Like you should make money, you should do this stuff. And I feel like, um, since Zarna's comedy came into the world, it's such an easy way to just point a finger at that and say, hey, this is what we're really dealing with as Indian immigrants. And, you know, we all just laugh at it. And I find that, you know, sometimes my friends who are just, you know, white Americans who have been in this family has been in this country for many generations. They don't get it. But like anyone who's a child of immigrant is like, oh yes, I completely understand what she's saying. So we have that. And I think that's really healthy and awesome. And she's very talented. Um, and on the other hand, I found that when I was first going into music and I mean, I, you know, when I was 18 and I was going to go to Juilliard, my parents were certainly supportive and curious and wanted me to do whatever they thought I might be good at enough to make a living and didn't want to optimize for, oh, you need to earn the most money or you need to, etc. but most other Indians around us were like, oh my God, she's so smart. Why is she like wasting her life doing music? You know, that was kind of the dominant narrative. And so I had to become very good at explaining why. And imagine my complete disbelief when I would go to conservatory and meet people whose parents had encouraged them to do music. I was like, what is happening? Like, we're like, there'd be four siblings and all of them would be in the arts. And I was like, oh wait, you're not the black sheep of your family. Like, I mean, half of my family, I don't think really knows what I do still even. Right? And so to me, it was so important to provide some kind of context. And like you said, it's like to, to come to this country and be an immigrant and to come with a lot of skills, but to have to just work in silence for so many years with no congratulation, with no one just constantly propping you up. That is what being an artist is. And you know, it's only maybe the past 10 years of my career that I've even been visible to people. Before that, it was just me doing my thing and like, no one cared about it. It was not not glamorous at all. And for me, that's what built the kind of strength in me to be able to sustain the career that I have now. And so I think if it had been a little too easy, I don't know that I would be able to handle, um, the, what I have now. So I think what's great though is that the Indian parents of kids who are teenagers and in their twenties nowadays are not coming to me being like, oh my God, what do I do with this kid who wants to be a musician? I've failed as a parent. Which again, for those of you who are not Asian, this is totally a true thing out there. They will come to me and say, hey, look, my, my child doesn't wants to be a musician. I want to help them. I can't tell like, are they good at this? Where should they be? Can you help me understand things? And that is really what my parents did. And I will, you know, kind of go further to say — PBS did a special on me a number of years ago, and I insisted on putting my parents in this special because I wanted people to see what it looked like to have really encouraging Indian parents who, again, they weren't going in blind. They were. They would go to my teachers and be like, well, I mean, is she good? Can she do this? We don't know what these answers are. Can you help us understand? And they really relied on the right people to be able to help me get to places that they couldn't get, but they also weren't just immediately dismissive of it. And that's what allowed me to kind of have a massive advantage, because I didn't have to also go back to school and do a medical degree. Or like most of my my peers of my age actually did. So I wanted to put them on that special to actually show that that is possible. And I'm seeing more and more that it is. There are many more parents like that now. And oh my goodness, I love every one of them. IL: That's wonderful. When you look back at your compositional career and how everything has changed since then, how do you think your work has evolved? RE: Oh, so you mean like since I began being a composer? IL: Yeah. Or maybe in the past ten years, even. RE: Yeah. It's interesting because I think one of the big inflection points in my work was when I did my Fulbright in India. So before that, I really didn't know very much about Indian classical music. And then the year before that, I really started to get deeper and started to integrate my Indian and Western classical world with one another. And then, you know, I from 2011 to 2012, I went to India and what was so different was actually seeing the music in its culture and actually getting to participate as an Indian in India, studying Indian classical music. Right. Because there's no filter. You're not going through a Western filter. You're just there in this culture. And I know that many of my Indian teachers, they kind of had this attitude of like, look, we don't know what kind of music you were doing before, but we're so glad you're here and studying your own music. And this is great. And so there wasn't this sense of having to go through another culture to get to their, their music. And to me, that really changed things because I don't see myself as writing music. That's one through the conduit of the other. I just see it as two streams that are equally incredible and equally independent, and they just meet each other in these interesting places. IL: And looking ahead into the future, is there an ensemble or an artist who you haven't worked with before that you'd love to work with? Ooh. It's interesting because, like, almost everyone who comes to mind is not a musician. Um, I've worked with so many. I mean, truly, I've been so lucky to work with musicians like Gil and Orli Shaham. Yolanda Kondonassis. I'm writing a piece for Hilary Hahn and Matthias Goerne right now. It's I mean, just like literally anyone who I could ever ask to work with, I have. I don't know. I mean, to me, it's like, gosh, someone like Misty Copeland would be amazing. Like, you know, there are so many actors like the world of Indian/South Asians in comedy and in drama and stuff like that is just incredible. People like Mindy Kaling who have done incredible things to me, people like that are just going outside of just music would be fascinating to me. IL: Absolutely. And I will put a link to your website, as well as the links to the music that will also be aired on this in this episode on KPFA.org, so our listeners can learn more about you and your wonderful work. Well, Reena, thank you so much for your time and thank you for talking to me today. RE: Absolutely. The post APEX Express – 8.06.26 – Obbligato – In Conversation with Composer Reena Esmail appeared first on KPFA.
Indian-origin Australian cricketer Neel Patel has achieved a major milestone after being selected in Australia's Under-19 squad for the upcoming tour of India. Speaking to SBS Gujarati, Neel and his father Puneet Patel discuss his cricket journey, the hard work behind his selection, and what representing Australia in India means for their family. - ઓડિયો સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. -
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
India-born cricketer Jerrssis Wadia speaks to SBS Gujarati about his remarkable journey from balancing studies and cricket to earning selection in the Cricket Australia XI squad. In this interview, he shares the sacrifices, challenges and defining moments that turned his Australian dream into reality. - ઓડિયો સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
India-born cricketer Jerrssis Wadia speaks to SBS Gujarati about his remarkable journey from balancing studies and cricket to earning selection in the Cricket Australia XI squad. In this interview, he shares the sacrifices, challenges and defining moments that turned his Australian dream into reality. - ઓડિયો સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Indian news from SBS Gujarati. - ભારતના સમાચાર સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Listen to the latest Australian news from SBS Gujarati. - SBS Gujarati પર ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાના તાજા અને મહત્વના સમાચાર મેળવવા ઉપર ઓડિયો પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરોSBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear more podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 pm
Australians will receive a test alert at 2pm local time on Monday as authorities trial the new location-based emergency warning system. AusAlert uses cell broadcast technology to deliver warnings more reliably than the current SMS-based system, authorities say. - ઓડિયો સાંભળવા ઉપર આપવામાં આવેલા પ્લે બટન પર ક્લિક કરો.SBS Gujarati is a part of SBS South Asian, the destination channel for all South Asians living in Australia.To hear ore podcasts from SBS Gujarati, subscribe to our podcast collection.Tune in to SBS Gujarati live on Wednesdays and Fridays at 2pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.On SBS South Asian YouTube channel, follow SBS Gujarati podcasts and videos. You can also enjoy programs in 10 South Asian languages, plus SBS Spice content in English. It is also available on SBS On Demand. - SBS Gujarati ના વધુ પોડકાસ્ટ સાંભળવા માટે, અમારા Podcast પેજને સબસ્ક્રાઇબ કરો.SBS Gujarati નું જીવંત પ્રસારણ બુધવાર અને શુક્રવારે બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે SBS South Asian પર બપોરે 2 વાગ્યે ડિજિટલ રેડિયો પર, તમારા ટેલિવિઝન પર ચેનલ 305 પર, SBS Audio એપ્લિકેશન દ્વારા અથવા અમારી Website પરથી માણી શકો છો.SBS South Asian YouTube ચેનલ પર, SBS Gujarati podcasts ને ફોલો કરો.તમે SBS Spice પર અંગ્રેજી સહિત 10 ભાષાઓમાં કાર્યક્રમો માણી શકો છો.તે SBS On Demand પર પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે.Listen to SBS Gujarati every Wednesday and Friday at 2 PM
Fear of the False: Forensic Science and the Law of Crime in Colonial South Asia (Cornell University Press, 2026) uncovers colonial South Asia's critical role in the development of forensic science. Around 1900, the government of British India created a web of institutions for the scientific detection of crime. Driven by anxieties about "native mendacity," newly minted forensic analysts focused on uncovering faked evidence planted by South Asians. These experts, joining toxicologists known as "chemical examiners," were supposed to extract objective, scientific truth in the service of British justice. But in trying to counteract the presumed tendency of colonized peoples to lie, the system enabled widespread misconduct by state experts, increasing the risk of wrongful convictions of South Asian defendants. Through scrupulously documented legal cases, Mitra Sharafi reveals that colonial dynamics put special pressure on the relationship between truth and justice. Examining falsity on both sides of the law through the use of testing to (mis)identify poisons, blood, and spermatozoa, as well as debates over adversarialism and inquisitorialism in the colonial courtroom, Fear of the False explores advances in forensic science and shortcuts in criminal procedure against the backdrop of colonial mistrust. Thanks to generous funding from the University of Wisconsin Law School, the ebook editions of this book are available as open access volumes through the Cornell Open initiative. Mitra Sharafi is a legal historian whose research focuses on South Asia. She is the Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law at University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves as the president of the American Society for Legal History. She has been the host of the South Asian Legal History Resources website since 2010. Saumya Dadoo is a PhD candidate at Columbia University's Department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Fear of the False: Forensic Science and the Law of Crime in Colonial South Asia (Cornell University Press, 2026) uncovers colonial South Asia's critical role in the development of forensic science. Around 1900, the government of British India created a web of institutions for the scientific detection of crime. Driven by anxieties about "native mendacity," newly minted forensic analysts focused on uncovering faked evidence planted by South Asians. These experts, joining toxicologists known as "chemical examiners," were supposed to extract objective, scientific truth in the service of British justice. But in trying to counteract the presumed tendency of colonized peoples to lie, the system enabled widespread misconduct by state experts, increasing the risk of wrongful convictions of South Asian defendants. Through scrupulously documented legal cases, Mitra Sharafi reveals that colonial dynamics put special pressure on the relationship between truth and justice. Examining falsity on both sides of the law through the use of testing to (mis)identify poisons, blood, and spermatozoa, as well as debates over adversarialism and inquisitorialism in the colonial courtroom, Fear of the False explores advances in forensic science and shortcuts in criminal procedure against the backdrop of colonial mistrust. Thanks to generous funding from the University of Wisconsin Law School, the ebook editions of this book are available as open access volumes through the Cornell Open initiative. Mitra Sharafi is a legal historian whose research focuses on South Asia. She is the Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law at University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves as the president of the American Society for Legal History. She has been the host of the South Asian Legal History Resources website since 2010. Saumya Dadoo is a PhD candidate at Columbia University's Department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies
Fear of the False: Forensic Science and the Law of Crime in Colonial South Asia (Cornell University Press, 2026) uncovers colonial South Asia's critical role in the development of forensic science. Around 1900, the government of British India created a web of institutions for the scientific detection of crime. Driven by anxieties about "native mendacity," newly minted forensic analysts focused on uncovering faked evidence planted by South Asians. These experts, joining toxicologists known as "chemical examiners," were supposed to extract objective, scientific truth in the service of British justice. But in trying to counteract the presumed tendency of colonized peoples to lie, the system enabled widespread misconduct by state experts, increasing the risk of wrongful convictions of South Asian defendants. Through scrupulously documented legal cases, Mitra Sharafi reveals that colonial dynamics put special pressure on the relationship between truth and justice. Examining falsity on both sides of the law through the use of testing to (mis)identify poisons, blood, and spermatozoa, as well as debates over adversarialism and inquisitorialism in the colonial courtroom, Fear of the False explores advances in forensic science and shortcuts in criminal procedure against the backdrop of colonial mistrust. Thanks to generous funding from the University of Wisconsin Law School, the ebook editions of this book are available as open access volumes through the Cornell Open initiative. Mitra Sharafi is a legal historian whose research focuses on South Asia. She is the Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law at University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves as the president of the American Society for Legal History. She has been the host of the South Asian Legal History Resources website since 2010. Saumya Dadoo is a PhD candidate at Columbia University's Department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
Fear of the False: Forensic Science and the Law of Crime in Colonial South Asia (Cornell University Press, 2026) uncovers colonial South Asia's critical role in the development of forensic science. Around 1900, the government of British India created a web of institutions for the scientific detection of crime. Driven by anxieties about "native mendacity," newly minted forensic analysts focused on uncovering faked evidence planted by South Asians. These experts, joining toxicologists known as "chemical examiners," were supposed to extract objective, scientific truth in the service of British justice. But in trying to counteract the presumed tendency of colonized peoples to lie, the system enabled widespread misconduct by state experts, increasing the risk of wrongful convictions of South Asian defendants. Through scrupulously documented legal cases, Mitra Sharafi reveals that colonial dynamics put special pressure on the relationship between truth and justice. Examining falsity on both sides of the law through the use of testing to (mis)identify poisons, blood, and spermatozoa, as well as debates over adversarialism and inquisitorialism in the colonial courtroom, Fear of the False explores advances in forensic science and shortcuts in criminal procedure against the backdrop of colonial mistrust. Thanks to generous funding from the University of Wisconsin Law School, the ebook editions of this book are available as open access volumes through the Cornell Open initiative. Mitra Sharafi is a legal historian whose research focuses on South Asia. She is the Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law at University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently serves as the president of the American Society for Legal History. She has been the host of the South Asian Legal History Resources website since 2010. Saumya Dadoo is a PhD candidate at Columbia University's Department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law
How do we move beyond shallow representation to capture the deep, fluid, and beautifully complex realities of the global South Asian diaspora? Snigdha Sur, Founder & CEO of The Juggernaut, joins us again to share how her media tech company operates as a "smart best friend" providing essential context, investigative reporting, and nuanced storytelling for a dynamic global community.If you want to catch more deep dives into the global Indian and South Asian diaspora experience, hit the Subscribe button to join our community!In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with Snigdha to catch up on the cultural zeitgeist of 2026. From her personal obsession with the National Spelling Bee to her background and experiences as a founder , Snigdha challenges us to demand deeper specificity in journalism and the stories offered by The Juggernaut. She also opens up about the rigorous realities of investigative journalism and leading a media company, why she chose to learn video editing to out-innovate aggregators, navigating social media shadowbans, and her hard-earned Y Combinator lesson on filtering out internet noise to focus exclusively on serving paying subscribers.In this episode, we cover:• Nuanced Subcontinental Identity: Why geographical specificity matters over broad-brush labels.• Smart Context vs. Representation: Moving past surface-level media tropes to deliver real depth.• The Barbell Effect of AI in Media: Why deep-dive human creation will become increasingly priceless.• Founder Wisdom & Burnout: Learning whose feedback to value and when to mute the noise.Chapters:00:00 Introducing Snigdha Sur & The Fluidity of the Diaspora03:19 The National Spelling Bee: Passion, Tropes, and Community Anchors06:55 Identity, Borders, and Subcontinental History in 202610:47 The Juggernaut Strategy: Serving Smart Context Over Shallow Representation15:16 Sponsor Break - TRAVELOPOD and LOTUS LANE COFFEE16:16 Investigative Journalism: Pushing Boundaries, Data Truths, and Backlash23:37 The Barbell Effect of AI, Founder Burnout, and Protecting Your Creative Well33:04 Y Combinator Lessons: Filtering Negative Commentary to Focus on Subscribers35:28 Democratizing Media Spaces & Designing Radically Inclusive Communities36:56 Conclusions and Shout OutsConnect with Snigdha Sur & The Juggernaut:• Website: https://thejuggernaut.com/• Newsletter: https://thejuggernaut.com/newsletterShout outs this week:• Sheela Bhat, Preety Kalra, Aarti Kohli, Latika Malkani, and Dharini Rasiah (Editors of Our Feet Walk the Sky: Women of South Asian Diaspora )• World Cup ¡Shabbas! to España• Hydrogen Trains & the teams behind Vikram One• Astronaut Anil Menon • Desi Me Dating and the PopShift team#TheJuggernaut #SnigdhaSur #SouthAsianMedia #DiasporaStories #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing #StartupFounderTrust Me I Know What I'm Doing | Dr. Abhay DandekarA mirror and window for global Indians and South Asians through conversation.Every week, we share chats with artists, leaders, musicians, chefs, experts, change makers, and innovators from the home and diaspora — sharing their journeys and motivations.Support our sponsors: Personalized travel journey to destinations like Africa, India, Japan, Antarctica, or the Northern Lights regions with Travelopod at:https://vacation.travelopod.com/Lotus Lane Coffee — Rooted in India, Roasted in Columbus.https://lotuslanecoffee.com/For enquiries
APEX Express is a weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. This Thursday APEX Express proudly presents “South Asians and The Labor Justice Movement.” This episode highlights Sandhya Jha, a pastor, founder and former Executive Director of the Oakland Peace Center, and racial, housing, and labor justice activist. In the first half of the episode, we discuss Sandhya's life, their path into organizing, and what they're up to now. The second half is dedicated to their recent project with the South Asian American Digital Archive's Archival Creators Fellowship Program. This episode was interviewed, produced, and edited by Swati Rayasam Follow @Sandhya Jha on Facebook and check out Sandhya's website https://sandhyajha.com/ APEX Express is a weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Listen to the episode live on KPFA 94.1 in San Francisco, 89.3 in Berkeley, and online at KPFA.org. References throughout the Show and Links: Without Fear Consulting Interfaith Alliance Oakland Peace Center Book – Blueprint for a Revolution Book – The Selected Writings of Eqbal Ahmad Podcast – Bending Toward Justice: Avatar the Last Airbender for the Global Majority The Alliance of South Asians Taking Action – ASATA Bay Area Solidarity Summer South Asian American Digital Archive Archival Creators Fellowship Program Sandhya Jha's project, you can listen to all of the oral histories here. Solidarity Forever Online Exhibit Arab Resource and Organizing Center Block the Boat No Tech for Apartheid University of California Labor Center Equality Labs California Trade Justice Coalition NAFCON – National Alliance for Filipino Concerns Filipino Community Center Madhvi Trivedi Patak Transcript [00:00:00] Miata Tan: Hello and welcome! You are tuning in to APEX Express—a weekly radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I'm your host, Miata Tan. Tonight we're revisiting an episode from our archives, first aired January 5th, 2023. We're bringing it back this week in honor of South Asian American Heritage Month. This one centers Sandhya Jha — a pastor, organizer, and founder of the Oakland Peace Center — in conversation with APEX producer Swati Rayasam. The first half traces Sandhya's path into organizing, from a labor campaign at Johns Hopkins to two decades of interfaith and racial justice work. The second half digs into Sandhya's project with the South Asian American Digital Archive, where she spent a year interviewing South Asian workers inside the labor movement — collecting stories that don't usually make it into the archive. Here's Swati Rayasam in conversation with Sandhya Jha. [00:01:00] Swati Rayasam: I'm really excited actually today to talk to Sandhya Jha, who is a really close friend of mine. Hi Sandhya. Hi there. Sandhya is, a Pastor is a consultant and has been working on this really amazing project with the South Asian American Digital Archive that will get into later in the episode. But yeah, Sandhya I'm just really excited to learn more about you and to hear more of your story and, let's just dive in. [00:01:26] Swati Rayasam: Absolutely. [00:01:27] Swati Rayasam: We should first talk a little bit about how we know each other, you have this long organizing background. I've been in the Bay Area for the past seven years and I would be totally lying if I said I have not historically been, or I'm not even currently an active fangirl of yours. You are literally a pastor. You are a movement worker, how did you get involved in organizing? [00:01:53] Sandhya Jha: Yeah. So I am the product of my parents who were generous, compassionate [00:02:00] people who thought about the world beyond themselves, but were never involved in organizing or activism or anything like that. I think for anybody who comes from immigrant backgrounds, it's hard to tell our stories without naming who we come from. Right. And so my father was Sunil Kumar Jha from the village of Tildanga in West Bengal. My mother, who is still alive is Jeanette Campbell Jha. She is from Glasgow. So I come from a mixed religion and mixed race home. My parents chose not to name me Sandhya Campbell Jha not to give me that kind of grounding, but I was called Sandhya Rani Jha, which is a lot to live up to, well, yes, Rani does mean Queen. But it was actually handed down to me, part of the reason they wanted that middle name was it was my aunt's name, Durga Rani Upadhyay and she was the one who really [00:03:00] brokered my mother's acceptance into the Indian family and I think that there was something about being accepted on the Indian side of the family and not for many, many years on the Scottish side. That caused my parents and particularly my mother to double down on making sure I knew who I came from and who I came from was my people in the village of Tildanga. [00:03:23] Sandhya Jha: I grew up in Akron, Ohio, so we immigrated to this country when I was a toddler, in the late 1970s, which was a complicated time for Asian immigrants to be in the Midwest because it was a time that the rust belt was rusting and there was a growing sense that we were the reason. But also I grew up alongside folks who were trying to figure out how to put food on the table. So I think that landscape shaped me in a lot of ways. And I also come from people who grew up in poor working communities. And[00:04:00] when I went off to college, there was an organizing campaign. The board of directors of the university had created a for-profit corporation with the exact same board. [00:04:15] Swati Rayasam: Oh wow. [00:04:16] Sandhya Jha: So that the universities could subcontract all of their catering, all of their custodial work to this… basically Shell corporation. [00:04:28] Swati Rayasam: Are we telling on the university? [00:04:29] Sandhya Jha: Mm, Yeah. Why not? It was Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and I think that's relevant because the tension between Black communities next to Johns Hopkins Medical School and the school itself were very real because this was part of a very long history of exploiting community members. So the workers were organizing, and you know, I had read about activism, I cared about it. I paid as much attention as I could for a high school student. But when I got to college, this organizing [00:05:00] campaign was going, and the workers were really clear, Hey, college kids who are excited about this, we do have a role for you. It's to fill the crowd. It's to cheer us on. It's to when we ask you communicate to the university that our well-being matters to you because they will listen to you in different ways. But the campaign centered the workers and was really clear with us about what our role was because we were the folks with all the privilege by getting to be there, right? We had tons of privilege and it was a really good lesson for me. I am so grateful. The first organizing campaign I was a part of was a labor campaign that understood what it meant to center the people who were the most impacted by injustice and I think that shaped the rest of my career. [00:05:46] Swati Rayasam: And that's so special too because I think for many people who come into organizing, and I will definitely cop to this myself, like coming up and organizing through high school and college level organizing. When you are a student, nobody ever [00:06:00] tells you that actually you are the least useful kind of organizer that exists. Right. You are in this incredibly enclaved community. Your oppressor, the university, all they have to do is wait for you to graduate institutional memory will not keep you. Yeah. Right. And I think that it is, it's this perfect storm of, you have actually sometimes cool ideas, sometimes very rudimentary ideas, but you also have this turnover issue and you have this sense of self import, which often comes with your teens, early twenties. Yep. As you're just figuring all of that out. So Yeah, self differentiation, right? It's a narcissistic phase in our development. . [00:06:46] Swati Rayasam: It absolutely is and I think that's so important, and I can't imagine how my life would be shaped if I didn't have to spend a lot of time unlearning the self import and narcissism that I had gained through student [00:07:00] organizing. [00:07:00] Sandhya Jha: Yeah. No, I am really, really grateful for it. [00:07:02] Sandhya Jha: My first job outta college was working for a member of Congress, which sounds super fancy and pretentious, but, a member of congress from Akron, Ohio. So put that all in perspective. His name, believe it or not, was Tom Sawyer. Oh, wow. What I loved about Tom was back in those days, he believed very strongly that 80% of legislation was nonpartisan and that was the part that he spent most of his time on. He would weigh in with his party, when they were dealing with that 20% pretty consistently. But he was more interested in the stuff that everybody could agree on and I remember for about 15 years after I worked for him, I looked back and found myself thinking that was so naive. How did he not understand where we were about to head with the divisions between the political parties? But at this point in my life, I realize the people I respect most in organizing work keep pointing out that the binary of [00:08:00] left and right actually doesn't serve us very well. One of my biggest heroes in the movement right now is the Reverend Dr. William Barber, [00:08:07] Swati Rayasam: Hometown hero of mine. Yes. [00:08:09] Sandhya Jha: Poor People's campaign from North Carolina. And he always talks about how it's not about right and left. It's about right and wrong. And it turns out that when we engage in organizing with the awareness that there are huge swaths of things that most of us are well served by, we can do better organizing. And that was actually how Tom was legislating. And at a certain point I realized that my deep passion was around racial justice, but the distinct experience I had in a multi religious household was an awareness of how religion was being used as a weapon. I had an obsession. Every paper in college I wrote was about the Christian coalition, this right wing, organizing body in the nineties. So a friend of mine [00:09:00] said, You know, there's an interfaith organization working against the Christian Coalition. And it was called the Interfaith Alliance. Her mom had been a superintendent in Washington state in eastern Washington and was a pretty conservative person by my standards. [00:09:18] Sandhya Jha: But, Dr. Chow believed in multiculturalism and believed in teaching evolution. And the Christian coalition had organized to push her out of her position as superintendent and the Interfaith Alliance of Washington State had supported her in that time. [00:09:38] Sandhya Jha: And so Liz said, you know, they've got a national chapter, a national office. And that's where I ended up, cutting my adult organizing teeth which was great because talk about learning lessons for our current moment where religion is being weaponized in ways that are anti-trans, that are anti-queer, that are anti-women, that [00:10:00] are anti reproductive rights, that are anti-immigrant and refugee. I am really grateful to have experienced the power of multi-faith organizing, around a lot of those same issues. So that was what I did in the early two thousands and then I went to seminary and public policy school, and then I ended up out here pastoring a congregation of 10 people in a building of 40,000 square feet. [00:10:29] Sandhya Jha: And long story short, that's how the Oakland Peace Center was born, was out of this dream of cultivating deeper collaboration among nonprofits who were dedicated to a shared cause. The Oakland Peace Center, which is a collective of 40 different nonprofits committed to dismantling the root causes of violence in our community. I was the founder of that organization and it was when I was pastoring First Christian Church of Oakland that I asked the handful of folks who were members of that church, what they wanted to [00:11:00] contribute to the community, and they said they wanted to contribute peace in the midst of violence. And for a dozen folks to have given birth to a space that in non pandemic years, saw over a hundred thousand people do things like the Lawyers for Black Lives Conference and to do Kingian non-violence training and to be a part of food and clothing distribution, to participate in all the very diverse ways that we can create peace is pretty impressive. [00:11:30] Sandhya Jha: And a couple of years ago, I left the Oakland Peace Center because a colleague of mine said, Anybody can run a non-profit. We need you to do what you're actually good at, and what she meant by that was we need more people of color doing diversity, equity, and inclusion work that is actually grounded in power analysis. That isn't just how do we be nicer to each other in the workplace, but how do we recognize the ways that systems of white supremacy [00:12:00] unconsciously often shape the culture of our workplaces? And what do we do to dismantle that white supremacy culture so that we can be building nonprofits and institutions of higher education and faith organizations, and even corporations that are dedicated to our full liberation, our liberation, the lands liberation. [00:12:23] Swati Rayasam: I mean coming, especially from the place that you come in grassroots organizing and in faith based organizing, what is it actually to transition into this kind of consulting space around racial justice and really interface with a lot of people that I feel like as organizers, we don't really talk to? [00:12:42] Sandhya Jha: One of my favorite things about this shift in my work is I love getting to work with folks who don't think of themselves as organizers, who, it turns out are organizers, Right. I think we sometimes create a cult of here's what an organizer looks like, you [00:13:00] have to be a Martin Luther King or a Cesar Chavez and what I love is getting to work with moms and with teenagers and with folks who think of themselves as caring, compassionate, individuals, and when I go into an organization and work with their handful of folks who care about this issue, the DEI team, I get to teach them how to strategically organize. I get to teach them how do you create culture shift over time? I get to teach them how do you figure out who your allies are? How do you figure out how to move people who are neutral? It turns out that there are a lot more organizers out there than we realize if we don't create one definition of what an organizer needs to look like. [00:13:45] Swati Rayasam: I have been reading this political scholar Eqbal Ahmed, who really talks about the way the burden is on those of us who are deeply committed to movement work, narrow definition people, the burden is really on us to try and [00:14:00] create a liberatory future that feels both achievable. Mm-hmm. and safe for everybody. Because when people engage in mass struggle and in revolution, there are people who are a hundred percent willing to put their lives on the line. People who are willing to die for the cause. And we absolutely need those people. And there are many people along the spectrum who, if you can create a future that feels like it's within their grasp, they will come with you. [00:14:30] Sandhya Jha: Yep. I teach a lot of organizing classes and have gotten a chance to teach alongside my beloved colleague BK Woodson at Allen Temple Baptist Church, they have a leadership institute there. And one of the books we use is Blueprint for a Revolution by Srđa Popović. And I feel like I learned a lot as we read that book together and thought about how to apply it to the work we're doing in Oakland. They talked about how by engaging in nonviolent direct action, [00:15:00] they created space for elders to be a part of their work and youth to be a part of their work and families to be a part of their work. By making the movement playful. They gave people hope and gave people courage because dictators are terrified of being mocked. [00:15:17] Swati Rayasam: Yeah, exactly. And I think by being really restrictive or narrow about who we view as actually valuable organizers. And I think labor movements teach us this a lot, right? We really cut ourselves off at the knees on our ability to build a network or to be in touch with the general population, many of whom are more connected than we ever give them credit for. [00:15:41] Sandhya Jha: Yeah. Yep. it's part of why I love labor organizing. I talk with a lot of people who are disenchanted with organizing who ask me how I can have stayed involved for the past 25 years. And why I've been able to stay in it is cuz I'm organizing alongside workers and they have [00:16:00] full lives. And the work that they're doing in the movement is so that they can live their full lives. And there's something about having that perspective and recognizing the why all the time instead of getting lost in the weeds of the what. Is so important in this work. I think that has been a big theme of my organizing life is how do we build to the greatest common denominator? As my friend BK often says how do we build towards those shared values that often get erased when we are engaged in the right versus left debate. [00:16:39] Swati Rayasam: Yeah. I think that it is so important and I also think that it's really hard in this moment of what feels like constant trauma and re trauma. [00:16:51] Swati Rayasam: And to some extent especially when we're talking about the left right dichotomy there are real concerns [00:17:00] about safety. Yep. And there are real concerns about security and who you are in community with and who you can find even the smallest level of acceptance from to ensure that you won't have violence visited upon you. And I think that these conversations of united front organizing, Right. trying to bridge across difference mm-hmm. for a shared goal, for a shared liberatory future Yep. Are really important. And they feel kind of impossible to achieve right now. [00:17:31] Sandhya Jha: It's interesting cuz I think that in many ways that is true. There are a lot of conversations that I think people with privilege expect, people who are marginalized to engage in. And those expectations are unfair, what I found very frustrating was the number of people with a lot of privilege who would be like, Ugh, I just can't talk to those people. And I'm like, Then who's going to? Exactly. and so I do think that some of this is about being willing to have [00:18:00] hard conversations in the places where we have privilege and recognizing who's at actual risk and showing up in ways that are protective of who is at risk. But that doesn't mean walking away from people who aren't where we are. Right. Because the fact of the matter is everybody's on a journey. And I have watched at the same time some of the disposability culture in movements write off people without giving them any way to address harm, repair harm, and find a pathway back into community. [00:18:41] Swati Rayasam: Yeah. And I think that's why, at least I am feeling really hopeful about, what I've seen over the past couple of years, this really important track into transformative justice and restorative justice, to acknowledge that there is harm that has happened, there are harms that happen every day between people. [00:19:00] And also we are all on our own journey to unlearn the things that we have been taught either directly or indirectly by our upbringing, by our environment and that you cannot easily dispose of people and that people are able to come back into community. Now that comes with a very important caveat that like they recognize the harm. Mm-hmm. that. They have done or how they've been party to it, that they acknowledge that there is healing work that needs to be done both with the person that they harmed and also probably in internally. [00:19:35] Sandhya Jha: Well, and the community, folks who don't do RJ on a regular basis tend to skip the community aspect. Yeah. That there is actually repair that needs to be done with community and there's work community needs to do to figure out how to re-embrace reabsorb people who have done harm in ways that still protect the person who's been harmed. [00:19:55] Swati Rayasam: Exactly. In ways that do not erase the harm that has happened, but [00:20:00] acknowledge, contextualize it and say, Okay, we are patching this and we are working to move forward in step with each other. Absolutely. [00:20:09] Sandhya Jha: Can I just say that one of the other things that I think you and I have in common is a real passion for bringing joy back into the work of Justice I quote Fabiana Rodriguez a lot on this particular thing, because I was at an event she was doing eons ago, and she looked out at us and most of us were activists and she said, Listen, y ‘all you keep inviting people to a struggle. I'm on your side and I don't wanna join a struggle. I want to join a party. And that was like a call to arms for me when I heard her say that. I was like, Oh my gosh, you're right. We are so much more fun. Like, I've hung out with people who are anti-trans and anti queer and anti-immigrant and anti refugee. They are not fun people. No, no. We have all of the best parties. So I don't know why we don't [00:21:00] capitalize on that more. So I think the role of joy and justice is so important. And this is why I was so excited to have you on the podcast that I launched recently. [00:21:11] Sandhya Jha: Right. Bending Towards Justice Avatar the last Airbender for the Global Majority. [00:21:15] Swati Rayasam: So literally like bringing it together. Two of my favorite things right, is like TV shows, wholesome TV shows like Avatar, The Last Airbender that I deeply love and organizing. Yes. All the work that I love. And I think it's true You know, what is actually really the important work is to work to build toward a future that is desirable Yep. That people want to be a part of. Yeah. That people can see happen. Yeah. And I think that is a lot of the difficulty that I have seen in some organizing circles. We are so well versed in what we are against and all of the things that are bad that so many people have a really hard time seeing or visioning or communicating [00:22:00] what it is that we are fighting for. Yeah. Right. And it's not enough to say, I'm fighting for a world where we can all be safe. Right. Yeah. I'm not, I'm fighting for a world where we can all take long naps in the middle of the day if we'd like to do that. Right. Yeah. But like really building and visioning that future of like, in this world in which we are all safe, there will be harm that happens. How do we deal with that? Yeah. What do we do with that? How do we make sure that it is able to keep everybody safe and also able to account for the times in which it is not able to keep everybody safe. [00:22:38] Sandhya Jha: Visionary does not have to mean naive. And we need it to be visionary. And sometimes I forget to do the visionary stuff. I've got a colleague, Dave Bell, he's a farmer who is also an anti-racism trainer and we do a lot of work together. He's a white guy who lives in White Swan, Washington, on the reservation and I remember being at a training with him and I [00:23:00] was all fired up and I was so excited about the conversations we were having and the people were really ready to do the hard work and roll up their sleeves. And Dave says to them, I would like to not have to do this work. And I'm like, What is he talking about? This is amazing. We're doing such good work. And he says, I would like for us not to have to talk about racism all the time. I would rather be farming. I would rather be, taking care of the cows in my field. [00:23:26] Sandhya Jha: I would rather be talking about my pottery work that I'm doing badly but learning how to do, I would rather be doing anything than have this conversation. But I don't get to be on the farm with the wheat, with the cows, with my bad pottery until we figured out how to do this anti-racism work. And it was a really humbling moment for me because I also get into that like I'm an organizer, that's my identity space. And it was this reminder of Dave's doing this. So he gets to live in a world where he gets to hang out in the fields and he [00:24:00] gets to, love on the cows. There's something about being reminded that we're doing this so that eventually we don't have to do it. That I think is actually visionary in its own way and it's important. [00:24:12] Swati Rayasam: Moving into a little bit more of the grit of like why I asked you to be on the show today. I met you originally when I moved to the Bay Area when you were the executive director of the Oakland Peace Center because At that time I was doing organizing work with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, which is a 20 year old bay area based organization, that was really founded around the Laki Reddy Bali Reddy sex trafficking. Yep. Caste and labor exploitation case that happened in Berkeley in 1999. And I was just so thrilled to be around and have in community so many rad desis. And you also did work with ASATA, right. Historically and are actively doing work with us. [00:24:56] Sandhya Jha: Absolutely. One of the places I think I invested the most [00:25:00] energy in where we got to spend a lot of quality time in the kitchen was one of the projects, Bay Area Solidarity Summer, an organizing institute, camp, however you wanna refer to it. [00:25:10] Swati Rayasam: Political education, Summer camp. [00:25:12] Swati Rayasam: Yeah, exactly. For young South Asian Americans who are committed to activism. What I think was the most beautiful part of that program when I was involved in it, and it's still the case today, is for young South Asians who think that they're the only ones who care about justice issues, who haven't met other people, who are South Asian, and identify as justice seekers first to meet each other and realize that there are people just like them. Then to look around and realize that those of us who are usually 10, 15, 20 years older than them are also committed to the work and have been doing it for decades. And then for them to get exposed to the long history of radical visionary organizing and activism of South [00:26:00] Asians here in the US and also in the homelands of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and diasporic countries all over the world. [00:26:13] Sandhya Jha: There's something about realizing, Oh, you have contemporaries, oh, you have elders, oh, you have ancestors. Mm-hmm. Especially in the face of the model minority lie that so many of us have had imposed on us, this lie that all we are all we're supposed to be is cogs in this larger capitalist machine that are non disruptive, which is why we're allowed to survive. And if we are non disruptive enough, we might even be able to be comfortable. And to discover that there's more to our story than that is so exciting and I love, love, love being a part of that. [00:26:52] Swati Rayasam: Yeah. I think that is like fundamentally one of the most important kind of activities that [00:27:00] happens in the ASATA universe, I was a kid who also grew up thinking that there were no other South Asians like me, or there were no other folks who were interested in justice. I spent a lot of time doing, reproductive and queer justice in the south; I always think about what would it have meant if I came in, BASS for 18 to 24 year olds. Yep. what would it have meant if I had come in at a fresh 18 and been able to basically be apprised of the fact that I have this history Yeah. That it's not just me. And that actually, immigration and white supremacy and neo-colonial culture has created this project of assimilation that all of our parents have been in on, in a way to survive Yeah. And to be safe. And I tell my, I tell my mom that a lot because she's always a little surprised about the organizing work that I do. And I was just like, Your job was to survive. My job is to liberate. Yeah. [00:28:00] You know? Yeah. And I could not do that if you were not so focused on creating that environment for me. [00:28:07] Swati Rayasam: I love that. [00:28:07] Swati Rayasam: we'll drop in the show notes, but, BASS – Bay Area Solidarity Summer is solidaritysummer.org. So we'll put that in the show notes as well as ASATA, the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action is ASATA.org. And yeah, I think that is a really good segue into how we got involved in this amazing project. [00:28:31] Swati Rayasam: You're tuned in to APEX express at 94.1 KPFA and 89.3, KPFB in Berkeley. And online@kpfa.org. [00:28:43] Swati Rayasam: I think it was Fall 2021 that you and I were talking. Yep. And you were telling me that you were involved in this amazing archival fellowship project. Is run by the South Asian American Digital Archive and [00:29:00] that you were going to do your project about labor. Mm-hmm. and South Asians. Yep. And my immediate, incredibly naive response was, how many South Asians are there in labor? [00:29:12] Sandhya Jha: Exactly. And it's not naive. It's interesting cuz I think that this project actually emerged out of my favorite part of BASS, which was when the young adults would ask what their opportunities were in the world of justice. And I would say, you know, there's a place for us in labor justice. It had never crossed most of their minds. Right. We don't think of ourselves as having a role especially in formalized unions. And so SAADA, the South Asian American Digital Archives has an archival fellows project. And the whole purpose of it is to diversify their archives and collect the stories that are usually overlooked in the telling of South Asian American stories. [00:29:56] Sandhya Jha: And they have done a great job over the years of collecting the [00:30:00] stories of informal organizing, like the Punjabi Taxi Drivers campaign, the Bangladeshi Nail Workers Campaign. Those were informal labor organizing campaigns. That have been really well archived and they're amazing stories. I wanted to make sure that the next generation of South Asian activists knew about the South Asians who were actually part of the formal organized labor movement. [00:30:30] Sandhya Jha: And so I spent this past year interviewing, maybe a half a dozen or so South Asian American workers. Generally, not always, but mostly what would be classified as low wage workers who found a pathway into formal organizing bodies, unite here or the building trades or any number of the formal unions that keep [00:31:00] the labor movement alive across the country today. And I'm really proud of the fact that we do have South Asian workers who have moved up the ranks to be official organizers or to be at negotiating tables. And so that's part of the story I thought it was worth us telling. [00:31:19] Swati Rayasam: And I am, I'm so excited that we get to dive deeper into this project and I really love your framing too, around the three large bins that you have, solidarity, spirit and struggle. [00:31:34] Swati Rayasam: Right? Yeah. Yeah. [00:31:35] Sandhya Jha: I started out with certain assumptions about what I was going to learn, partly because I've been doing labor solidarity work for 25 years at this point. I really thought I knew what I was gonna hear. And what I discovered was there were these consistent themes across, the interviews. that there were these notions of, Oh, what's meaningful to me is [00:32:00] getting to organize across cultures, getting to organize with people who, on the surface and even deep down are very different than me, but we share this vision of what our lives can be. And so that solidarity message I found really powerful. Also, and admittedly because I come out of a spiritual background, was probably looking for it. I was really struck by how many of the interviews ended up talking about the role of spirituality and shaping people's values. And in a couple of instances, organizers said, what my religion taught me was that religion needs to be challenged. And building up that muscle was what helped me challenge systems of injustice in other places. But others said that their journey with their faith tradition was what guided them into the work of labor organizing. [00:32:52] Sandhya Jha: And then that third bucket of struggle, I think is the lived experience of how [00:33:00] hard it is to take on oppressive systems of capitalism, how hard it is to take on decks that are stacked against us and what it means to have somewhere to turn in the midst of those struggles. I will say there were also a couple of lessons I was surprised by because my South Asian identity is so central to my organizing work, I was expecting to collect stories of people who were proud South Asians, who were also proud to be involved in the labor movement. And I assumed that they would see connections between those things because I certainly do. But what I discovered is for the most part, they were like, Yeah, I'm South Asian. I'm not saying that doesn't matter, but it's not super relevant to my organizing work. My organizing work is about [00:34:00] our cross-cultural solidarity. And that was something I hadn't been expecting that emerged as I did those interviews. Interesting. And I'm really grateful that the South Asian American Digital Archives likes telling all of the stories because I think I promised them that what they were going to get was, we're proud to be South Asian organizers. And what I got was, yeah, we're South Asian, we're proud to be organizers. And the that SAADA is like, yeah, that's part of our story too. [00:34:28] Swati Rayasam: Yeah. And I think that's, that I think is incredibly important. We have this really, amazing series of audio clips from your SAADA interviews that really represent a lot of the themes that you were highlighting about solidarity, spirit, and struggle. And I'm just really excited to play them as we talk through these larger themes in your larger project and the experience of South Asian labor organizers. [00:34:55] Swati Rayasam: This clip is from somebody that you and I both know, which [00:35:00] is Prem Pariyar. I was so thrilled that Prem was a part of your project. I think Prem is an incredible organizer, so yeah tell our listeners a little bit about Prem. Prem [00:35:09] Sandhya Jha: It was pretty exciting to get to work with him you know, he moved here from Nepal and in Nepal he had been a Dalit activist and he came to the United States and had this notion that in the United States there is no caste and he was disabused of that notion very quickly as a restaurant worker dealing with anti Nepali bias in Indian restaurants, dealing with caste bias in Nepali restaurants, well dealing with Caste bias in all the restaurants. [00:35:35] Swati Rayasam: Hey, everyone, Narrator Swati here, I just wanted to put in an explanatory comma, a la W Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu to talk about some terms you just heard. Sandhya referenced that Prem was a Dalit activist and also talked about Caste bias. For those of you who don't know, Caste is a violent system of oppression and exclusion, which governs social status in many south Asian countries, although it is [00:36:00] most commonly associated with India. It works on an axis of purity and pollution, and it's hereditary. At the top of the caste system are Brahmins, by the way Sandhya and I are both Brahmin, and not even at the bottom, but completely outside of the system are Dalits who were previously referred to by the slur untouchable and Adivasis who are indigenous to South Asia. [00:36:25] Swati Rayasam: Despite being “illegal” Caste bias, Caste Oppression, Caste apartheid, are still prevalent, both in South Asia and as Sandhya references, in the United States. It manifests in many ways that people experience racial injustice, via socioeconomic inequality, systemic and interpersonal violence, occupation, and through the determination of marriage and other relationships. You can learn more at EqualityLabs.org and APEX currently has a show in the works that delves into this more deeply. Now. Back to Sandhya [00:36:58] Sandhya Jha: What is [00:37:00] delightful to me is Prem went on to get an MSW and is building out amazing mental health resources for Dalit communities for the Nepali community. Seeking to build out a program where there are more and more people in Nepal who are trained with MSW skills. [00:37:21] Sandhya Jha: I met with one of his professors from CSU East Bay where he got his degree and she said, You know, that the entire Cal State system is adding caste to its anti-discrimination policies thanks to the work he started at CSU East Bay. And it was really beautiful to hear that because the focus of my conversations with him were more around how his experiences in the restaurants led him into the solidarity work with nail salon workers. [00:37:53] Swati Rayasam: To just, kick back to the caste abolition work that Prem has been doing, that caste abolition work [00:38:00] at CSU East Bay has been such critical work in these ongoing conversations around caste that have been in the South Asian community primarily, but have been percolating elsewhere. [00:38:13] Swati Rayasam: You know, the state of California filed a lawsuit against Cisco systems Yep. For caste discrimination in their workplace and there have been all these conversations around caste and tech work and interplay that with the no tech for apartheid work. Right. That has been happening in Palestinian liberation circles. Yeah. And really building that solidarity movement. So I think that Prem is an absolute powerhouse Yeah. In that regard. But yeah, let's listen to this clip. [00:38:42] Prem: During that time, I got connected with other community organizer, like workers group. I got connected and so I was connected with nail salon workers, who were exploited at their workplace and with them, [00:39:00] I got to go to the capital in Sacramento. And so I thought I need to advocate for the restaurant workers. that was my first experience, like working with other workers and with the assembly members and like other other policy makers I shared what is happening what kinds of discrimination happening at the workplace. So I advocated for the restaurant workers at that time. I shared my stories and I supported the rights of nail salon workers. I was there to support them and they supported me as well, and it was wonderful. And finally that advocacy worked. And the bill was drafted and it was passed finally. And so it was huge achievement at that time. [00:39:49] Swati Rayasam: I love that. I think that is such a perfect story of when you win, we all win. [00:39:56] Sandhya Jha: And what I also love about it is he goes on [00:40:00] to talk about how he has remained in relationship with those nail salon workers. That they show up for each other, that they take each other food, that they show up to each other's baby showers and birthday parties, and there's this sense of community that emerges out of this shared struggle. And so that's a cross-cultural campaign. They were mostly Vietnamese. There were some Bangladeshi nail salon workers, but it was mostly people from a different culture than his. [00:40:27] Sandhya Jha: But somebody at the Asian Health Services program that he was at, saw his gifts, saw his passion, and he really responded to that in exactly, the most powerful way. I can imagine. [00:40:38] Swati Rayasam: And I think one of the nice things as well about that is that person at Asian Health Services connected Prem in and the Nail Salon Worker group, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Prem came from Nepal, I'm not sure, but the extent to which his organizing background and how comfortable he was in the US organizing space around labor [00:41:00] issues was probably significantly less that worker group took it upon themselves when they saw Prem come in to say, Oh, you are advocating on behalf of restaurant workers. Great. Why don't you join us? Let's help support and so the nail salon workers saw Prem, saw solidarity with Prem and said, It is our responsibility mm-hmm to bring you into this space to connect you in and to move in, struggle together. Yeah. Toward our shared goals of safety, of health, of rights. Yep. [00:41:35] Sandhya Jha: Exactly. [00:41:36] Swati Rayasam: So, we have this clip from Daljit, tell me a little bit about Daljit. Daljit [00:41:42] Sandhya Jha: Yeah. Daljit was an attorney who now reads tarot for people because she needed a break from the toxicity of that career and how it was taking her away from her family. Daljit is a deeply spiritual person and, [00:42:00] as I mentioned before, this theme of spirit showed up in some really beautiful ways in some of the interviews. I loved the way she understood her Sikh tradition as foundationally being connected with the land and foundationally connected with the people who work the land. [00:42:15] Daljit: Agriculture is our culture and the religion that I was born into, Siki, the founder of that faith was a farmer. And so a lot of the scripture, the analogies, the metaphors, the poetry, the music, the songs, the boon, the traditional folk songs, that can be taunting and teasing banter, all that stuff the land is the framework for that. And my most favorite line from the Guru Granth Sahib, our holy book, is, [speaks Punjabi] and that basically means that, the waters our guru, the airs our father, but our mother is Earth. And that's the greatest of all , and that's adherence to ecosystem. That's the [00:43:00] indigenous Cosmo vision that should be paramount. And that's what I try to teach my children. And so I think that's what I was taught as a kid without necessarily being able to pinpoint it, but it was just infused throughout our songs, our music, our food, the Harvest, there's two times a year that our celebrations, whether it Baisakhi or Lohri. It's so connected to the harvest and what is coming out of the soil or not. And you're connected to the cycles of nature. [00:43:28] Swati Rayasam: The connection between nature land, spirituality the way that it shows up in so many faith backgrounds and so many faith organizers, I think is really, really beautiful. [00:43:41] Sandhya Jha: And I love that Daljit Kaursoni who was raised in this tradition, has found her way to Buddhism and is raising her kids with those connections, but without ever losing this grounding in the liberation of the land, the liberation of the [00:44:00] people. [00:44:00] Sandhya Jha: And for that to be a key element of her spirituality, even as her spirituality evolves, I think it's pretty powerful. Tafadar [00:44:08] Sandhya Jha: One of the other people I got to interview ,Tafadar, he's a Bangladeshi American in the building trades and is a deeply committed Marxist. For me, this was a particularly exciting interview because I'm Bengali, so from West Bengal, before partition, Bangladesh and what's now West Bengal, were one state. And so it was fun to get to talk with him and to say, Hey, this is our legacy as Bengalis is radical worker organizing. [00:44:40] Sandhya Jha: And I remember saying to him, Some people in the building trades are not super excited to be working with brown people. And some people in the building trades are a little biased against women. And as a very, very progressive South Asian? How do you navigate that [00:45:00] space? [00:45:00] Sandhya Jha: And he said, Here's the thing is, yeah, I organize alongside some moderate to conservative white folks from New Jersey and he said, but in the building trades, if that moderate to conservative white guy from New Jersey decides he doesn't like my feminist politics, or he doesn't like my brown skin, if he decides that's a reason not to train me, he might die. And it was really interesting because even though I've been doing labor justice work for a long time, it was one of those moments I was like, Oh, right. Your work is very dangerous and you all have to rely on each other whether you like each other or not. That is the magic of organizing that no one ever talks about. This is why we can do cross class, cross-cultural work because literally you have to trust each other with your lives. Right. That was a really clarifying moment for me. And it was one of those interesting moments where I was like, [00:46:00] Solidarity is not a romantic thing. Uh, it is very much a matter of life and death. [00:46:05] Sandhya Jha: And I think that is really important and that exact thing that you brought up, you don't even have to necessarily trust somebody. Right. But you do need them. Yep. Right. And like that really clear understanding that like your fates are intertwined and it is truly in everybody's best interest. If you are trained well, irrespective of whether or not at lunch, I'm interested in sitting anywhere near you. I think that's really great. [00:46:32] Sandhya Jha: One of the things that was really exciting about talking with Tafadar was the reminder that labor organizing and formal union organizing at its best can be in solidarity with other movements really worker justice and housing justice and racial justice are inseparable, on some level. And so, one of the most inspiring stories I got to hear across all of these interviews [00:47:00] was a campaign that brought together folks across the anti- gentrification, the immigrant rights, and the labor justice movement. [00:47:14] Tafadar: It's ironic, building affordable housing with deadly exploitation. And, um, to do this, the de blassio administration, they embark on massive major rezonings of poor areas to relax the local zoning laws to be able to bring in these developments. And a couple of years ago, my, my union in local 79's. Took a very sharp turn towards a community organizing approach because labor can't win on our own, and that's the perspective that all of labor should adopt. In order to fight against the sweatshops in our industry. We united with a lot of community organizations in the South Bronx. [00:47:53] Tafadar: We formed the South Bronx, Safe Southern Boulevard Coalition. And along with these groups, we [00:48:00] protested and did a whole lot of activism, lobbying, community organizing to stop the rezoning of Southern Boulevard, which is a massive stretch in the South Bronx, while the De Blassio administration had succeeded in another part of the Bronx where there's like massive displacement still underway right now. And we were determined to stop it there. And it was a beautiful thing that we can unite because on our end as labor, we had to prevent all these trash companies from coming in and exploiting workers. And we were working with these tenants who are afraid of being displaced. And people generally, we do need revitalization of our neighborhoods. We do need investment. We do need things to be changed and made better. For us. If it's not for us, if it's done without us, then eventually we're not even gonna be here anymore. So we had that alliance going on and not only did we manage to stop that rezoning, we also educated the local city councilman on why his position was wrong and supporting the rezoning. And he eventually completely flipped this [00:49:00] position. And now chairs the land use committee of the city council from the perspective that we educated him on, which it's just been a very interesting dynamic. But, there's a lot of rezoning battles all over the city that's like the main front of anti gentrification struggles. And I've been watching those kinds of campaigns go on since I began organizing about 15, 16. I've seen very different approaches to them, but I've never seen any model really work until that one kicked in where Labor and the community came together. So that was one of my favorite campaigns because of that lesson that we were able to concretely put into practice and set as an example for not only for community movements all over New York City, but also for Labor. [00:49:43] Sandhya Jha: I think this hit me in particular because I've done so much work around antis displacement in Oakland, and my experience has been. [00:49:53] Sandhya Jha: That while for most of us on the ground, the connection between housing justice and labor justice is really clear. When you [00:50:00] start getting into the technical policy issues and the funding issues, the folks who are running labor and housing justice or affordable housing, struggle to find ways to collaborate. And it's been one of my consistent heartbreaks for at least a decade at this point because I work at the intersection of those things and sometimes I despair of us being able to find ways to move forward together. And so to hear a story like this one and to be reminded at core, those justice issues can and must be we already knew, must be, but actually can function together to build a better community. That was actually really life giving for me to hear. [00:50:45] Swati Rayasam: Yeah. I a hundred percent agree. And I think the point that Tafadar as well brings in the clip of just saying we knew that we could do this, but we knew we couldn't do this without community organizing. Right? Yeah. That labor couldn't do this alone. Yeah. [00:51:00] And I think that is a lot of what, when we talk about solidarity politics, it's not just a backdoor way of inclusion for inclusion's sake, we have to all do this. Actually, it is integral that all of us are involved in any of these campaigns because it impacts all of us. And because we are not going to win with only a single constituency and in the very same way that, Tafadar was identifying that labor couldn't do that alone. in community organizing spaces that you and I have been in mm-hmm. , like we are constantly talking about how we cannot do any of this without labor. Yep. And I think a beautiful example of that is the Block the Boat campaign yeah that the Arab Resource Organizing Center, started back in 2014 and then again during 2021 to block the Zim ship from the port of Oakland. And like this community organization [00:52:00] AROC could not do that without working with the longshoreman to collaborate with the port workers. And I think that when we see the marriage of community organizing and labor organizing, that is when we get the power of grassroots organizing. [00:52:16] Sandhya Jha: Something I wanna mention about the SAADA Fellowship that I was really grateful for: two things. First off, they did a really good job of making sure we got trained in grassroots oral history. So they took really seriously what it meant for this to be justice work. And they made sure we had exposure to methodology that was gonna lift up and honor and foster the voices of people whose stories don't get heard often enough. And that was a really big deal to me. The other thing is they made sure that we had an advisory board, people who are in this [00:53:00] work who could help us, figure out who to talk with, who could help us build out an event strategy. And you helped me build out my advisory committee. Anibel Ferris-Comelo who is with the University of California Labor Center, [00:53:14] Swati Rayasam: Prem Pariyar, a Nepali Dalit restaurant worker, organizer pushing for Caste as a protected category with Equality Labs, a Dalit feminist organization, and a social worker supporting the mental health needs of his and many other South Asian communities in Alameda county. [00:53:31] Swati Rayasam: Will Jamil Wiltchko with the California Trade Justice Coalition, Terry Valen who I did a lot of organizing with at the beginning of the pandemic, around the struggles that seafarers were facing with the onset of COVID-19. And he's the organizational director of the Filipino Community Center in San Francisco. The president of NAFCON which is the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns and just an all in all amazing organizer [00:53:57] Sandhya Jha: the last thing I wanna mention [00:54:00] is SAADA also helped me set up a digital exhibit with Art by Madhvi Trivedi Patak and I wanted to give them a shoutout because they're an incredible artist, but also they grew up in a working class family and didn't get exposed to what it looks like to do labor justice. And so as they developed the artwork to go with the digital exhibit, they got to experience the possibilities of labor solidarity that they hadn't gotten to experience as a child. And so I really loved that Madhvi was a part of this project as well [00:54:38] Swati Rayasam: All of the clips that you shared really identifying, again, these like huge fundamental pillars of solidarity and spirit and struggle. these clips were amazing. They are so rich and so layered with all of these people's varying and different experiences. Really showing in [00:55:00] all of these different walks of life at all of these ages with all of these experiences, that all of these people have this unified and shared identity in struggle, in spirit, and in solidarity for liberation. [00:55:14] Sandhya Jha: And one of the things that I think is worth celebrating is whether they see it as part of their South Asian identity or not. People who do identify as South Asian now have this resource that says there's a home for you in the labor movement. Yes, there are. There is a value to your voice. There is a value to your wisdom, there's a value to your experience in the labor movement. [00:55:36] Swati Rayasam: I think it's a beautiful project. Sandhya, I think it has been an amazing amount of work I've watched you do over the past year. These stories are so wonderful. I really encourage people to check it out. Where can they find your project? [00:55:49] Sandhya Jha: The website's www.saada.org/acfp [00:56:00] /exhibit/solidarity-forever. We'll put that in the notes. We'll definitely put that in the show notes. [00:56:05] Swati Rayasam: I just wanna make sure that we replug your podcast Bending Toward Justice Avatar, The Last Air Bender for the Global Majority and you can find that at tinyurl.com slash ATLA podcast, Capital P (tinyurl.com/ATLAPodcast). And then the last thing that I also wanna make sure that we plug is Without Fear Consulting. [00:56:27] Sandhya Jha: I love working with folks who know that their organization could be a little more liberative, and are, just not quite sure where to start. I love working with a team of folks who want to be about the work of incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into the DNA of their organization and I love setting them up so that they can keep doing that long after I'm working with them. So please do find me withoutfearconsulting.com. If you're interested in that. [00:56:58] Swati Rayasam: Amazing. Sandhya [00:57:00] Jha, Pastor, Racial Justice consultant, podcast host, archivist, singer songwriter, amazing cook. You can do it all. I think you deserve a nap. it has been amazing talking to you. I am so glad to be able to hear about your project and also to hear a lot more about your life. [00:57:23] Sandhya Jha: Yay. Thank you so much. [00:57:25] Miata Tan: That was Swati Rayasam in conversation with Sandhya Jha. As Swati mentioned, you can learn more about her work in the show notes at kpfa.org/program/apex-express. Speaking of Swati — she's currently working on an episode marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, out in early September. It'll cover the work of the South Asian Coalition, a national network of organizations working together on South Asian American movement building. Keep an eye out for that one. This episode originally aired January 5th, 2023 — we're re-airing it this week in honor of South Asian American Heritage Month. This is APEX Express on 94.1 KPFA, airing every Thursday evening at 7pm. Thank you for tuning in tonight. APEX Express is a proud member of Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality. A network focused on long-term movement building, capacity infrastructure, and leadership support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders committed to social justice. Learn more at AACRE.org This program produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Tonight's episode was produced by Swati Rayasam. Get some rest y'all. The post APEX Express – 7.16.26 – South Asians and The Labor Justice Movement appeared first on KPFA.
What happens to intimacy, nostalgia, and creative power when a world-class filmmaker decides to step away from the camera and help reimagine their masterpiece for the live stage? In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with award-winning filmmaker, writer, and director Ritesh Batra. Celebrated globally for his masterpiece debut feature film, The Lunchbox, Ritesh has spent the last decade crafting incredibly delicate, human-centered stories. Now, he has brought that same quiet magic to the theater stage, serving as the book writer and co-lyricist for the highly successful musical adaptation of The Lunchbox.Ritesh shares unique process of rewriting a beloved indie film for a live theatrical medium. He shares why he deliberately avoided rewatching his own movie to allow a fresh, organic confluence of creative energy to take over with his collaborators. He also shares his personal philosophy on "artistic fingerprints"—explaining why true success in any creative field requires leaving your own distinct, irreplaceable mark rather than chasing past commercial formulas or letting executive gatekeepers dictate the narrative. Ritesh shares insights on:• Nostalgia & Friction: Why he prefers focusing his storytelling on the compelling friction of characters "left behind" by rapid societal changes rather than those keeping up with them. • Stage vs. Screen Intimacy: How the live stage provides a unique canvas to showcase unspoken connection and stillness in ways the cinema camera cannot. • The Fingerprint Philosophy: Why elite artists must own their distinct perspective, and how to protect your creative power in a system obsessed with past commercial formulas. • Songs Hidden in the Seams: The organic process of discovering musical numbers hidden in the quiet, empty spaces between film scenes. • Overcoming the Fear of Collapse: Navigating the intense vulnerability of a production's first week and learning to trust your internal compass. Whether you're a filmmaker, a theater lover, a creative professional navigating a highly public career, or someone looking to practice deeper mindfulness and trust in your everyday life, Ritesh's thoughts on artistic conviction provides an invaluable blueprint. If you enjoyed this, please hit that subscribe button, leave a comment, and share this video with someone looking to realize and transform their own vision! --------------------------Chapters-00:00 Introductions02:40 Nostalgia, Change, and Telling Stories of Those Left Behind05:41 Translating the Intimacy of The Lunchbox to the Stage08:04 An Organic Transformation: Working with the Lazours10:09 Finding Songs in Between the Seams of the Story11:43 The Writer's Medium: Curating the Confluence of Creative Energy14:35 Discovering New Skills and Instincts in Musical Theater16:32 Sponsor Breaks - TRAVELOPOD and LOTUS LANE COFFEE17:31 Managing a Public Career: Owning Successes and Failures21:14 Leaving Your Fingerprints Over Everything You Create25:10 Wielding Artistic Power and Collaborating with Actors27:56 Thriving on the Unknown: Ritesh's Operating Mantra29:55 Lessons from Parenting and the Cost of Creative Focus31:42 Quick Hitters: Greatest Fears, Mingling, and Hamnet33:07 Cultivating Trust in Yourself and the Unseen End Goal35:18 Conclusions & Shoutouts#RiteshBatra #TheLunchbox #IndieFilmmaking #SouthAsianRepresentation #Storytelling #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoingShoutouts:✉️ Mitra Kalita for making this incredible connection happen!
What happens to elite sports analytics, player development, and leadership when the data-driven games of the NBA and NCAA are purposed for human relationship building? In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with Queens University of Charlotte Assistant Men's Basketball Coach and Game Plan Strategy Coordinator, Amit Tailor. As a prominent South Asian coach pioneering the integration of data analytics, video film, and AI workflows in hoops, Amit has spent years developing world-class talent at every level, including milestone coaching stints with the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, USA Basketball, and Clemson University. Amit opens up on high-stakes scouting, detailing how modern tools use AI to manage recruitment pipelines and why his guiding operational principle is "if everything is important, then nothing is important". Representing a new wave of Indian Americans in professional sports, Amit challenges traditional cultural archetypes within the South Asian diaspora and outlines a powerful blueprint for true resilience, sports leadership, and South Asian representation.Amit shares insights on:• The Schemes vs. People Paradigm: Why elite coaches compete with basketball schemes but ultimately win games with authentic human connections. • The Data & Video Marriage: How pairing performance metrics with positive visual reinforcement accelerates split-second adjustments behind the bench. • Overcoming 17 Rejections: Why long-term perseverance and optimism are vital• The South Asian Sports Box: Why families need to unlearn strict career boxes tied to traditional earning potential and empower their kids to dream bigger. • Be Seen, Not Heard: Crucial professional positioning advice received from Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault while working under legend Billy Donovan. Whether you're a coach seeking to optimize your team's tactical strategy, a professional navigating a highly competitive industry, or someone looking for the mental armor to overcome career rejections, Amit's sports career journey is key listening.If you enjoyed this deep dive, please hit that subscribe button, leave a comment, and share this video with someone looking to scale their own vision!--------------------------Chapters00:00 Introduction & The Data-Driven Game01:35 Welcoming Queens University Coach Amit Tailor02:57 Game Planning the Unexpected Blowouts of New Parenting04:04 The Culture Shift: Tech, Data, and AI in Relationship Building06:36 Translating Game Plans & Identifying Player Superpowers08:58 Real-Time Video Analysis & Giving Feedback Behind the Bench12:29 What Casual Basketball Fans Miss: Spacing & Floor Balance15:24 Sponsor Break - Travelopod, Lotus Lane Coffee, Timberdog16:54 Leading India Rising: Managing Egos, Drama, and Adversity19:03 Core Philosophy: If Everything Is Important, Nothing Is Important21:16 Modern Athlete Reinforcement: Positive Clips vs. 1988 Michael Jordan23:50 Overcoming Stereotypes & Navigating 17 Job Rejections25:28 Unboxing Diaspora Families: Earning Potential vs. Dreaming Bigger31:46 Quick Hitters: Chicago Bulls Heyday, MJ, and Coaching Idols34:12 Final Advice for Future Coaches: Opportunity Is Not a Lengthy Visitor-------------------------#AmitTailor #BasketballAnalytics #CoachingStrategy #BrownBallers #NCAABasketball #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoingShoutouts:
Growing up, we didn't see enough people who looked like us on screen and the representation we did get was often stereotypical and wasn't one we recognised ourselves in which is why this episode means a lot to me as I sit down with the cast and director of a new British South Asian film called Never Had a Chance. Never Had A Chance is an award-winning British Asian film set in the heart of the Punjabi community in Hounslow, West London. It is directed by Jazz Bhalla and stars Tina Sharma and Amar Chaggar. The film follows Ravi (Amar Chaggar), a young man navigating the weight of his past while trying to build a future. When a new connection offers a glimpse of something more stable and meaningful, he finds himself at a crossroads but those closest to him threaten to pull him back into the life he's trying to leave behind.In this episode we talk about:
What happens to tradition, personal identity, and creative freedom when an artist decides to completely rewrite the rules of the musical game in real time? In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with the phenomenal award-winning Indian singer and musician, Rashmeet Kaur. Known widely for her boundary-pushing fluid artistry, Rashmeet has carved out a completely unique sonic footprint by effortlessly bridging centuries-old traditional Punjabi root music with contemporary house, techno, hip-hop, and Afro beats. Rashmeet pulls back the curtain on her creative philosophy and what keeps her deeply in love with the limitless nature of music. She explains why she actively practices spiritual detachment from her studio work to protect her creative sanity, and why chasing safe commercial "hit records" is a dangerous trap that completely kills artistic experimentation. We also dive deep into what the modern music industry must urgently unlearn to create safe and empowering spaces for independent creators, the divine raga-driven origin story behind her debut hit "Kahaan," and how she is fiercely connecting with her live audiences to genuinely live in the moment. Rashmeet shares insights on:• The Power of Detachment: The harsh realities of Bollywood playback singing and why learning to let go of creative attachments anchors her independent career. • The "Hit Song" Trap: Why she refuses requests for sequels to hits like "Ishq Nachaawe" or "Bajre Da Sitta" in order to keep her artistic intimacy fresh. • The Divine Roots of "Kahaan": How she channelizes Sarang Raag to build an emotional environment that transforms a deeply personal journey into a live pop community. • Vocal Cord Preservation: Bouncing between high-energy stage extroversion and entering a strict, isolated "mute mode" to protect her instrument. • Unlearning the Hustle Trap: Why industry gatekeepers need to stop replicating past hardships and instead build safe, accessible community spaces for the next generation. Whether you're an aspiring artist trying to navigate the modern digital music landscape, a fan of cutting-edge global fusion, or someone looking to practice deep mindfulness in a hyper-connected world, Rashmeet's masterclass in creative conviction provides an invaluable blueprint. If you enjoyed this deep dive, please hit that subscribe button, leave a comment, and share this video with someone looking to scale their own vision! --------------------------Chapters00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:35 Backstage Rituals and Introversion/Extroversion05:29 The Early Training: Learning from the Gurus and Finding Endless Limits07:55 Unlearning Playback Attachments & Finding Independence in Songwriting10:17 What the Music Industry Must Unlearn to Provide Free, Safe Spaces12:11 Escaping the "Hit Song" Trap: Embracing Imperfection and Experimentation15:02 Sponsor Break: Lotus Lane Coffee and Travelopod16:01 Preserving Musical Intimacy 21:12 Storytelling, On-Stage Comedy, and the Heavy-Light Balance22:46 The "What's Next" Mindset & Reimagining the Kaura Live Sessions23:32 Singing for Her Pets: The Eager Listeners and Longest Companions24:52 Allowing Your Audience to Live in the Moment26:51 Conclusions and Shout Outs
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on December 12, 2022. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Lionel Messi - considered by many to be the greatest football player of all time - is two wins away from finally winning a World Cup. And though much of his native Argentina is behind him - they are not the only ones. Continents away, in parts of India and Bangladesh, Argentina and Messi superfans also hope to see him lift the cup. So what’s behind the Messi mania in South Asia, and what does it say about the soft power of ‘the beautiful game?’ In this episode: Somdutta Bhattacharyya, Argentina superfan in India Tamjidul Hoque (@TamjidulH24v2), Argentina superfan in Bangladesh Jasmine Garsd (@JasGarsd), Host, The Last Cup Episode credits: This episode was updated by Tamara Khandaker. The original production team was Ashish Malhotra, Chloe K. Li, Ruby Zaman, and Halla Mohieddeen. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
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