Despite increasing visibility, there remains a profound lack of understanding about the transgender experience in our society. Too often, trans individuals face discrimination, violence, and appalling prejudices rooted in ignorance about what it means to be transgender. In this episode, Celia Sandhya Daniels courageously takes us through her journey from struggling with gender dysphoria as a child without the language to understand it, to her evolution in embracing her authentic...

We're thrilled to host interculturalist Pratha Shetty, who guides us through the fascinating world of cross-cultural understanding. We learn about Pratha's early fascination with why people from diverse cultures think and act differently. This curiosity sparked a career unveiling complex cultural concepts through educational tools, speaking, and writing. A highlight is the colorful children's book Pratha created called "When I Grow Up," which teaches cultural empathy through...

In this episode, Shilpa offers wisdom on nurturing your passions with patience, making time for what inspires you, looking beyond labels to live authentically, and uplifting others along the way. With humor and compassion, Shilpa opens up about her multifaceted life, from balancing family and work to staying motivated through struggles. Learn Shilpa’s advice on personal growth, the insights she’s gained from mentors, and her thoughts on unlocking your potential through deep listening....

On our show today is the multi-talented Aarti! With degrees in two seemingly contrasting fields - psychology and computer engineering - Aarti has cultivated a distinctive perspective that fuses logic and artistic creativity. Aarti talks about her interests, from nurturing her flair for writing and painting, to channeling her energy into Bollywood dance, to succeeding in technical careers by blending left-brain analytics with insight into the human psyche. She shares how she manages to...

Anu Sehgal is a spirited cultural educator whose adventure spans over 25 years from India to the US. Hers is a heartwarming story of craving authentic Indian experiences and how that desire transformed her into an advocate for cultivating cultural awareness, heritage, and language in children. "The Culture Tree," Anu's brainchild initially focused on language education has now blossomed into a delightful mix of cultural events and community bonding. Anu's story isn't just hers; it's an...

Meet Anuradha Gupta, a passionate angel investor and the creative mind behind Vows for Eternity, a globally renowned matchmaking firm. Anuradha's journey is all about following her heart, understanding people, and taking a unique path in the business world. Growing up in India and later living most of her life abroad, Anuradha sensed a missing piece in the typical matchmaking process. The usual exchange of biodata felt shallow, pushing her to dream up a platform that goes beyond mere...

Meet Sharan, the creative soul with Becker Muscular Dystrophy, who, despite the challenges, remains a creator, an inspiration, and a unique voice in the big conversation about life. This conversation isn't about putting a spotlight on someone because they are differently-abled; it's an open invitation for all of us to think about how we see and connect with people whose experiences and circumstances might be different from our own. So, grab a seat as we dive into some deep questions...

Roshni isn't just making waves in the fast-paced world of PR marketing – she's leaving an unforgettable impression on high-profile South Asian celebrities, not just in North America but globally. Beyond being the co-founder of the wildly popular Urban Asian news platform, her story goes way beyond the usual tale of success, reaching past the shiny exterior of her career. Beyond her professional accolades, she unveils the layers of her journey, especially her experiences with mental...

In this episode, we explore the fascinating journey of manifestation through quantum jumping through Bianca's lens. Discover how she taps into intuition and spiritual insight to navigate the complexities of life, offering a refreshing perspective on creating your reality, even in the face of uncertainty. Bianca shares her personal stories and insights, offering practical wisdom on manifesting your desires, overcoming obstacles, and embracing the unknown with confidence. Join us as we...

Sanya Sharma is a 19 year old law student based in the UK and the founder of the global organization Scarlet Udaan. The aim of the organization is to raise awareness on Female Genital Mutilation. The team has members from different parts of the world including India, UK, Indonesia, US, Canada and many more.The World Health Organization estimates that 200 million females around the world have undergone FGM/C. The name Scarlet Udaan, comes from the word 'Scarlet'- a brilliant red color which...

Pooja Tripathi is a first-generation Indian American actor, filmmaker and violinist based in New York City. She grew up in Pittsburgh & NYC, and studied at Carnegie Mellon University.  Pooja is the co-creator of new Dutch American dramedy series Amsterdam Ave. which was created by a 90% female crew and takes place in The Netherlands and NYC. Having a predominantly female crew was an intentional choice as she believes, the industry does not provide enough opportunities for women in...

Yashi, as she's popularly known, is a Connecticut based homeopath with nearly three decades of experience in the medical field. Yashi's way of practising homeopathy is a bit different from the traditional way. She strives to empower and educate families that are looking for a safer, alternative way to good health. She does this by teaching them the basics of homeopathy so that they can manage everyday ailments themselves. Over the years, Yashi has helped hundreds of families and...

Karthika Gupta's career has been a wonderful mix of corporate, technology and creativity. Currently based in Chicago, but having lived and worked in many parts of the world, she was always surrounded by so many amazing people who brought a rich cultural diversity into her life. And these interactions led her to want to know more about not just her culture but about other cultures too.After a successful 15 year career in banking, finance and management, she turned to photography 8 years ago as...

Anahata Meher is a Shamanic practitioner. Before finding Shamanism, she was a city brat living a comfortable life with no worries or ambition. Despite having all the comforts, Anahata found that she was angry all the time, to the extent that her husband suggested she seek help to manage the anger. She sought help from a hypnotherapist, but it was a trip to the mountains that truly changed her life. It was here that her journey of seeking began and led her to Shamanism which she believes...

Water is the most important natural resource in the world; without it, life cannot exist. 2.1 billion people across the world lack access to clean drinking water. Marita Peters, the Executive Director of Surge UAE chapter, is determined to change that. Marita's childhood friend, Shilpa Alva, is the founder of Surge. Growing up together, they had a shared dream to do something that makes a difference in the world. Both Shilpa and Marita shared similar lives growing up. They were NRI...

Dipti Mehta is a scientist, entrepreneur, writer and an award-winning artist based in New York. She grew up in a conservative, patriarchal family in India. But she was not one to keep quiet; she questioned everything, especially why she was treated differently from her brothers. At twelve, an All India Radio executive discovered Dipti at an elocution competition and offered her a ten-minute slot on the radio. She used this opportunity to share her budding feminist ideas.Since then,...

“Don’t you have long sleeves you can wear while you’re outside?”, “I brought a new brightening face scrub for you to try.”, “Try not to stay in the sun too long, you’ll get dark." South Asian kids listen to these kinds of comments all the time. And not from outsiders but people close to our hearts. This was also the case for Anu Kumar. Born in New York to Indian Immigrant parents, from Southern India, Anu moved and was raised in Knoxville, TN. Anu was confused when she realized that people,...

Avani Modi Sarkar is the co-founder of Modi Toys a family-owned small business, that honours her Indian roots. They're the first-ever makers of the original and mantra-singing Baby Ganesh, Baby Hanuman and Baby Krishna plush toys, which are both fun and cultural. Avani shares her story about building a generational brand that she hopes will help maintain and pass on the Indian culture. She, like so many others, wants children to be aware of their roots. Avani hopes to do this by...

Today, Vandana Shah is amongst the top divorce lawyers in India. The story of how she got there is unique. Vandana was in an abusive marriage and only got out of it because her in-laws pushed her out of the house one night. With only 10 dollars in her account, Vandana rebuilt her life taking every opportunity that came her way. When she found that she was running around in circles as a litigant, because of her limited understanding of the law, she decided to study law. She chose to...

Bhavna has a career in IT, but her passion lies in connecting people through food. She's the author of the blog, Just a Girl from Aamchi Mumbai which featured in the top twenty blogs in Perth. Her most recent venture, The Modern Desi, a culinary experience represents both, the girl holding on to her culture and roots in India and the newer her as she embraces and grows in a different culture in Australia. Bhavna's birth-home, India and home of choice, Australia are different at...

Suzanna grew up surrounded by nature and by all things natural in Munnar, India. When she moved to the city, she quickly adapted to the city life of access and "use and throw" mentality. All that changed when Suzanna's daughter was born. She wants her daughter to grow in a world that is not being crushed under the burden of consumption. And so, Suzanna became conscious of the everyday choices she made. She found this shift in her way of living was not easy, cheap or accessible. We...

Priti Raman Vishwakarma's love for travel began after her first solo trip to Himachal Pradesh in India. Despite her initial apprehensions, she found the courage to travel alone, and her life was forever changed. She hopes that by sharing her experience, others are encouraged to travel more. That's how Womaniya on road trips, a travel company for women, led by Priti began. Priti has Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy and was advised by the doctor to stop travelling after she had a seizure at an...

Reshma is an artist-activist advocating and supporting several issues from mental health and sexuality to human rights. Val Resh as she's popularly known was diagnosed with schizophrenia at twenty-two. Since then she's been diagnosed with many mental disorders. She does not let these labels define her and calls herself the schizophrenist, combining the words schizophrenia and artist-activist. She gives us an insight into what it is like to live in our society with a diagnosis...

Sonam Shekhawat is the first Indian to win an Emmy Award for writing. She shares her story of growing up in Jaipur, India, watching cartoons all day to becoming one of the most coveted animation series writers. Sonam had offers to pursue a degree in medicine or engineering from some of the most prestigious colleges in India, and she chose to pursue a degree in animation, a career choice her parents were not keen on. However, they supported her decision, and Sonam is grateful for their...