Diving deep into the journeys of trailblazing South Asians. To date, Host Simi Shah has interviewed Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Zarna Garg, Raj Shamani, Ananya Birla, Vas Narasimhan -- from founders to Fortune 300 CEOs, comedians to congressmen. Learn more at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com.
Karan Bhagat: How India Creates & Passes On Wealth | CEO of 360 ONE, India's Leading Wealth Manager
Simi speaks with Karan Bhagat , Founder and CEO of 360 ONE — one of India's largest wealth and asset management firms, advising nearly 9,000 of the country's top families with almost $80 billion in assets under management, including industrialists, tech founders, Bollywood stars, cricketers, and some of India's most prominent public figures. Recorded at the India Conference at Harvard , this conversation traces Karan Bhagat 's extraordinary journey from cold-calling Delhi's wealthiest families at age 25 to building a firm that just partnered with UBS . Karan Bhagat shares how he built 360 ONE with $3 million in seed capital during the 2008 financial crisis, why adversity became his greatest advantage, and his conviction that true wealth is created only by building your own business. He explains why global banks like Goldman Sachs and UBS have struggled to crack India's wealth management market, opens up about generational wealth in India, and walks through the P-multiple formula that reframed his understanding of success in entrepreneurship. KEY TOPICS: How 360 ONE came to advise 9,000 of India's top families — including industrialists, Bollywood stars, and cricketers — with trust at scale Building India's largest wealth management firm from $3M in seed capital to $80B in assets The real difference between wealth creation and wealth optimization Why global banks like UBS and Goldman Sachs have struggled in India Generational wealth transfer and the "third generation" myth in Indian families Hard work, hustle, and the "special sauce" that separates the top 50 from 2,000 What does Karan Bhagat believe about wealth creation — and why does he say you can only build wealth through your own business? What the P-multiple is and how it impacts Karan Bhagat's view on entrepreneurship ABOUT KARAN BHAGAT: Karan Bhagat is the Founder, Managing Director, and CEO of 360 ONE WAM, one of India's largest wealth and asset management firms. Under his leadership, 360 ONE has grown to manage approximately $80 billion in assets across nearly 9,000 families. Karan Bhagat began his career at Kotak Securities in 2001 and co-founded IIFL Wealth Management in 2008, which rebranded to 360 ONE in 2023. He forged a strategic collaboration with UBS in 2025. A Fortune India 40 Under 40 honoree and EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Services, 2025), Karan Bhagat holds an MBA from IIM Bangalore. FOLLOW: KARAN BHAGAT Instagram | X | LinkedIn 360 ONE Website | Instagram | X | YouTube | LinkedIn South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Sakshi Sindwani: The Curve Model & Creator Redefining Beauty Standards in Indian Couture
Sakshi Sindwani is one of India's most prominent curve models, content creators, and body-positivity advocates who has built a community of 700,000 women. In 2021, she became the first curve model to appear in a Manish Malhotra bridal couture campaign, and in 2026, the first Indian creator to walk the Grammys red carpet. Recorded at the India Conference at Harvard , Simi's conversation traces Sakshi's path from growing up hearing " You're fat, you're never going to be worthy of love " to embodying self-love and normalizing representation among India's biggest fashion houses. Sakshi shares the behind-the-scenes hustle most people never see: cold-calling designers to put herself on the runway at Dubai Fashion Week and why she believes inclusivity still needs to transcend surface-level representation. She opens up about the mother-daughter encounter that changed how she measures success, why she dropped her famous handle to reclaim her real name in 2026, and the message she has for every young woman: the quirks people criticize will become the strengths that carry you far and forward. KEY TOPICS: Making history as the first Indian creator at the Grammys in custom Manish Malhotra couture Fighting tokenism and normalizing inclusivity in Indian and global fashion Building a 700K female community through authenticity vs. virality The hustle behind Dubai Fashion Week, Forbes, and global platforms Self-love, identity, and the message young South Asian women need to hear ABOUT SAKSHI SINDWANI: Sakshi is a curve model & creator redefining beauty standards in Indian couture. She has walked for fashion houses including Manish Malhotra, Gaurav Gupta, and Papa Don't Preach, and partnered with brands like L'Oréal, Johnnie Walker, H&M, and Swarovski. She has walked red carpets at the Grammys, the Cannes Film Festival, and Paris Fashion Week. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, has walked Lakme Fashion Week and three shows at Dubai Fashion Week, and commands a powerful community of women as a creator. Originally from Delhi, Sakshi launched her channel in 2015 and broke out during COVID under the handle @StyleMeUpWithSakshi before rebranding to her given name in 2026. Follow Sakshi: Instagram | YouTube South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Sid Sriram: A.R. Rahman's Protégé & Coachella's 1st South Indian Artist on How We Get Our "Bad Bunny" Moment
Simi Shah sits down with Sid Sriram — one of the most distinct voices in global music — for a live-recorded conversation at Harvard. Born in Chennai, raised in Fremont, trained at Berklee, mentored by A.R. Rahman , Sid Sriram has spent 15+ years alchemizing Carnatic and R&B music and putting Eastern and Western music " in conversation with each other ." He was the first South Indian artist to perform at Coachella and took NPR's Tiny Desk by storm. With over 3.8 billion+ Spotify streams alone , Sid Sriram opens up about his journey through three worlds of music — C arnatic, playback singing, and original — as well as the highs and profound lows that shaped his trajectory: from his first collaboration with the legendary A.R. Rahman to the profound ego death he faced in Covid. Inside Sid reveals speaks to AI in music; the levitating sensation he first felt singing for the first time; how he's surmounted the classic traps around celebrity; and the path for South Asian artists to break through globally. He also teases a very special, unreleased song. KEY TOPICS: How cold emailing A.R. Rahman from his college dorm set him on a journey to 3.8 billion streams His career across three worlds of music: Carnatic, playback singing, and his original sound Why AI is the first thing that's made Sid Sriram feel like an "old head" The buzzing, levitating sensation that's been Sid Sriram's north star since age six The Bad Bunny Super Bowl moment — and what it's actually going to take for South Asian artists to get there ABOUT SID SRIRAM: Sid Sriram is a singer, songwriter, and producer whose work bridges Carnatic music, R&B, and soul. Born in Chennai and raised in Fremont, California, he trained at Berklee College of Music and got his start as a playback singer in 2012 when A.R. Rahman called him to record "Adiye" for the Tamil film Kadal. He has since become one of India's most-streamed artists with 3.8 billion+ Spotify plays. Sid Sriram's original work — including the recent single "Soul" and a forthcoming album — represents what he calls the "kaleidoscope" of all his influences finally existing within each other. He is widely credited with helping shape the modern wave of Indian creators putting their roots in conversation with global sound. Follow: @sidsriram Recorded live at the India Conference at Harvard. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Masoom Minawala: India's Original Influencer on Authenticity in the Age of AI, Motherhood & Why India Is Undervalued | South Asian Trailblazers
Simi speaks with Masoom Minawala — one of India's pioneering influencers. Masoom bet her career on the internet at 17, starting her fashion blog Miss Style Fiesta in 2010, a decade before the world knew what an influencer was. She became the first Indian content creator to walk at Milan Fashion Week, a fixture on the Cannes red carpet, and has collaborated with over 500 brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Hermès. She also launched the #SupportIndianDesigners movement that generated 300,000+ posts during COVID-19. But 16 years in, Masoom Minawala isn't resting on her highlight reel. In this episode, she reveals the identity crisis that hit after becoming a mother — "I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize myself" — and how it forced her to tear down her personal brand and rebuild as the founder of MSF Media, one of India's fastest-growing media platforms dedicated to the global woman. Masoom Minawala also shares her bold thesis that India is being dangerously undervalued as the "next superpower," why AI will make authenticity the only strategy left for creators, and the two words her husband said that changed everything. KEY TOPICS: How motherhood rewired Masoom Minawala 's brain and forced her to reinvent her career Why Masoom Minawala says India is not the "next superpower" — it's already here Surviving 16 years in the creator economy — from blogger era to AI age Indian fashion on the global stage: Milan, Cannes, and why IP still isn't protected The $770 billion GDP gap and why women's economics matter ABOUT MASOOM MINAWALA : Masoom Minawala is one of India's most influential digital creators and the founder of MSF Media. She launched Miss Style Fiesta in 2010, has collaborated with over 500 brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Hermès, and Samsung, and became the first Indian content creator to walk the runway at Milan Fashion Week. She hosts The Masoom Minawala Show , the most-watched podcast by women in India. She is the author of "She'll Never Make It" and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia. Masoom Minawala splits her time between Dubai and Mumbai and is a mom of two. Follow: Masoom Minawala | The Masoom Minawala Show South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
South Asians in Sephora — Diipa Büller-Khosla, Lisa Mattam, Nisha Phatak, Rooshy Roy (Live Panel)
In a first-ever live multi-founder panel from South Asian Trailblazers , Simi Shah sits with 4 South Asian beauty founders at the vanguard of South Asian-inspired beauty: Diipa Büller Khosla ( indē wild ), Rooshy Roy ( Aavrani ), Nisha Phatak ( Lion Pose ), and Lisa Mattam ( Sahajan ). The conversation was born from a single line. When Rooshy returned to Trailblazers to announce Aavrani's acquisition, Simi asked about whether the dynamics with other founders were collaborative or competitive. Her response?That there's actually a "Desis at Sephora WhatsApp group." Simi made it her mission to bring that group chat to life — every South Asian beauty founder in Sephora who could be in the room. Inside: how Diipa built indē wild's hair oil from her mother's recipe into Sephora's #1 seller; why Rooshy says she launched Aavrani at Sephora "too early" — and that it'll take 100 brands for South Asian beauty to become a true category; how Nisha cold-emailed Mindy Kaling and took a Zoom 48 hours after giving birth; how Lisa pioneered clean + clinical Ayurveda before Sephora had a "Clean" shelf. KEY TOPICS: Why South Asian beauty isn't yet mainstream — and what makes a true category Sephora's road map: when to launch, when to wait The influencer-to-founder pivot, fundraising, and being underestimated Building for the US, UK, and India consumer at the same time Founder life and motherhood: the "balance is a lie" doctrine Follow: Diipa Büller Khosla: @diipakhosla · @indewild Rooshy Roy: @rooshyroy · @aavrani Nisha Phatak: @nishaphatak · @lionpose Lisa Mattam: @lisamattam · @sahajan South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Raj Shamani: On Building the #1 Podcast in India and Soon, the World
Simi speaks with Raj Shamani — India's #1 podcaster, ranked #25 in the world — in a special live-recorded episode in New York City. Across 540+ episodes, 15 million subscribers, 400 million annual views, the Host of Figuring Out , Raj Shamani, has interviewed Bill Gates, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Aamir Khan, MS Dhoni, MrBeast, Vijay Mallya, and several other notable figures. Raj speaks primarily in English with moments of Hindi throughout — subtitles on YouTube . But here's what makes today different — Raj Shamani rarely gets on this side of the mic. So when India's #1 podcaster sits down with the leading South Asian diaspora podcast, in front of a live audience in New York, you get the crossover episode of the year. In a rare conversation, Raj Shamani resets the myth of his own origin story, walks Simi through how he turned 15,000 rupees into a global media platform, what the Indian Diaspora gets wrong, and his path to becoming the #1 podcast in the world. KEY TOPICS: Resetting the origin myth — what really happened when Raj's father got sick Why "values over views" makes Raj turn down guests offering insane money The hidden habits of the world's top 1% — billionaires, presidents, world champions What the South Asian diaspora gets wrong (and right) about India today Why building trust beats going viral as the modern creator strategy The 10-Year Framework Raj uses to know whether to enter any new field ABOUT RAJ SHAMANI Raj Shamani is an Indian entrepreneur, author, and host of Figuring Out with Raj Shamani — India's #1 podcast, ranked #25 globally. Born in 1997 in Indore, he stepped into his family's soap manufacturing business at 16 after a family health scare. He represented India at the United Nations Youth Assembly, built a global personal brand on Instagram, and launched Figuring Out in 2021. In 2023, he co-founded House of X, raising seed funding from Lightspeed, Razorpay, and Mamaearth's founders. He is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and an angel investor in Classplus, GrowthSchool, Wint Wealth, and Neko Health. Follow Raj: Instagram | LinkedIn | X Follow Figuring Out: YouTube | Instagram South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Revathi Advaithi: From the Factory Floor to Fortune 500 CEO of Flex
Simi speaks with Revathi Advaithi , CEO of Flex — a $24 billion global manufacturing company that builds the critical infrastructure behind AI, cloud, healthcare, and automotive. Flex operates in 30 countries with over 140,000 employees, and under Revathi's leadership, the stock has soared from ~$7 to over $60. Revathi started her career on a factory floor in small town Shawnee, Oklahoma. She is the youngest of five sisters and lost her father at the tender age of 15 in India. After nearly failing out of engineering school, she built her career in the industrials sector in small-town America at companies like Honeywell and Eaton . She ascended to the C-suite at Eaton and was eventually tapped to lead Flex. In 2024, she was diagnosed with breast cancer while traveling — and chose to stay on as CEO, working through treatment without missing a single day. Today, she is one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women in the World, Fast Company's Modern CEO of the Year, and serves on the board of Uber and MIT . Recorded live in San Francisco in partnership with Pratham USA , this unfiltered conversation covers breaking into the boardroom, immigrant grit, a battle with breast cancer, and what it actually takes to lead at the highest level. KEY TOPICS: Breaking into the boardroom as an immigrant woman in industrial America Leading through a cancer diagnosis without stepping down Transforming a legacy manufacturer into an AI infrastructure powerhouse On work, family, and navigating motherhood across continents The moments that nearly broke her — and the ones that made her Revathi's TIME Op-Ed on her Cancer Battle ABOUT REVATHI ADVAITHI: Revathi Advaithi is CEO of Flex , the global manufacturing partner helping a diverse customer base design and build products improving the world. Since 2019, she has led Flex's transformation across 30 countries, driving technology innovation and supply chain resilience. Previously, she served as President and COO of Eaton 's electrical sector with corporate responsibility for EMEA, and spent six years at Honeywell in manufacturing and supply chain leadership. She has been appointed by the U.S. President to advisory committees on trade policy and supply chain competitiveness, and serves as co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Advanced Manufacturing CEO Community. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from BITS Pilani and an MBA from Thunderbird . REVATHI ADVAITHI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revathiadvaithi/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/revathiadvaithi/ South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Ananya Birla: Carving Her Own Path inside the Multi-Billion Dollar Birla Dynasty
Simi sits down with Ananya Birla , business leader, artist, mental health advocate, and 7th-generation scion of one of India's oldest and most storied family businesses — the Aditya Birla Group . Ananya is building across more industries than most people will touch in a lifetime. At 17, she founded what is now India's second-largest microfinance institution. After dropping out of Oxford to pursue music, she became the first Indian artist to go platinum with an English single. A consummate multi-hyphenate, she joined the family business — the first woman in her lineage — now leading subsidiaries across film, real estate, cosmetics, and AI. Today, Ananya is recognized as one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women in the world, shaping India's relationship with the world. Recorded live at the India Conference at Harvard , this unfiltered conversation covers leadership principles and privilege, music and mental health, and what it means to craft your own legacy when you were born into one. KEY TOPICS: Dropping out of Oxford to pursue music Launching her own ventures and earning credibility in the family business Being the only woman in the boardroom On leadership, privilege, and her vision for the Birla Family legacy Leading Birla Studios, Birla Cosmetics, Birla AI Labs, Birla Real Estates Self-worth, mental health advocacy, and leadership principles ABOUT ANANYA BIRLA: Ananya Birla is the Founder and Chairperson of Svatantra Microfin — India's second-largest and best-performing microfinance institution with a $7 billion portfolio, over 4 million customers, and 24,000 employees across 19 states. The company is heading toward IPO in 2026 — the fastest any Birla has taken a company public in seven generations. The international PE firm Advent invested $400 million alone. In music, Ananya has multiple English-language multi-platinum singles in India, was the first Indian artist featured on an American national Top 40 chart, and has collaborated with AR Rahman and Sean Kingston . She also leads Birla Cosmetics (LOVETC and Contraband), Birla Studios , and Birla AI Labs . Ananya serves on the Aditya Birla Group 's apex strategic body ABMCPL and on the boards of Hindalco, Grasim, and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. The Birla conglomerate is one of the largest industrial dynasties in India and the largest Indian greenfield investor in the U.S. ($15 billion). South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Priyanka Chopra and Anjula Acharia: The Partnership Powering Priyanka's Global Stardom from Bollywood to Hollywood
Simi sits down with power duo Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia — like you've NEVER seen them before. In this first-of-its-kind conversation, Priyanka and Anjula — best friends and business partners of 15 years — sit down together to tell the full story of how they built one of the most extraordinary careers in global entertainment. 15 years ago, Priyanka was searching for her next chapter in Bollywood. Anjula, a VC investor with a knack for spotting unicorns, saw something the rest of the world hadn't realized yet: a star who could transcend both Bollywood and Hollywood and become truly global. After an awkward first phone call, a partnership was born — one that would transform the two LARGEST film industries in the world and build a global crossover career unlike anything that came before. Recorded live at the India Conference at Harvard, ahead of the premiere of her new film The Bluff, Priyanka keeps it cool and candid with her best friend and business partner, Anjula, the investor and entrepreneur who bet on her when no one else would. It's our most star-powered episode yet. Rich with insight, advice, and real talk, this is the origin story behind the icon — as told by the partnership that powered this global stardom. ABOUT PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS: Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a global icon — actress, producer, entrepreneur, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She won Miss World in 2000 and went on to become one of India's biggest film stars with iconic performances in Fashion (2008, National Film Award for Best Actress), Barfi! (2012), Mary Kom (2014), and Bajirao Mastani (2015, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress). With over 60 Bollywood films and five Filmfare Awards, she is one of the most decorated actresses in Indian cinema. ABOUT ANJULA ACHARIA: Born in England, Anjula Acharia is an entrepreneur, investor, and cultural strategist who built her career in venture capital before pivoting into entertainment. She backed Bumble and ClassPass, both became billion-dollar companies. She has managed Priyanka Chopra Jonas's career for 15 years, orchestrating her crossover from Bollywood to Hollywood. In 2025, she co-founded 5 Junction Records with Warner Music Group to develop South Asian artists globally, from Rhea Raj to Nora Fatehi. She has been recognized by Billboard, Forbes, Vanity Fair, and ELLE. PREVIOUS EPISODE: Anjula Acharia, Season 6 (2023) ANJULA ACHARIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anjula_acharia/ PRIYANKA CHOPRA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyankachopra/ South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
AAVRANI has been Acquired: Founder Rooshy Roy on Exiting her Beauty Brand
AAVRANI has been acquired — and founder Rooshy Roy shares the full story for the first time on South Asian Trailblazers. Six years ago, in Season 1 (2020), Rooshy first sat down with Simi as a freshly-funded, newly-married Forbes 30 Under 30 founder building one of the first beauty brands rooted in Indian heritage. Today, she becomes the first trailblazer to ever return to the podcast — here to share the end of her nine-year journey bringing Indian Ayurveda-inspired beauty to the world. In this raw, deeply personal conversation, Rooshy walks through the complete arc of building in beauty — from meeting her co-founder on the second day of Wharton, to raising $10M+ in venture funding, to pivoting from skincare to hair care with Sephora, to partnering with Lilly Singh, to the moment she realized she was playing a game she no longer wanted to win. She reveals why she decided to let go of the brand she spent nine years building and her process in finding an acquirer. This episode is essential listening for ambitious women, founders building in consumer brand, and anyone wrestling with when to hold on and when to let go . KEY TOPICS: AAVRANI's acquisition announcement and what's next The truth about launching in Sephora in 2024 How celebrity partnerships work (Lilly Singh) Fellow South Asian beauty founders in Sephora: competitive or collaborative? 3 things Rooshy would do differently Choosing family, chasing dreams, and knowing when to let go About Rooshy: Rooshy Roy is the founder and former CEO of AAVRANI, a premium beauty brand inspired by ancient Indian beauty traditions rituals. She co-founded at Wharton in 2017. A first-generation Indian American, Rooshy previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus before launching AAVRANI to bring Ayurvedic beauty rooted in Indian traditions to the global stage. She was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2020 in Retail & E-Commerce. AAVRANI expanded from skincare into hair care at Sephora in partnership with Lilly Singh, and was acquired at the end of 2025. PREVIOUS EPISODE: Rooshy Roy, Season 1 (2020) Follow Rooshy & AAVRANI: Rooshy on Instagram Rooshy on Substack AAVRANI Website AAVRANI on Instagram South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
U.S. Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar, & Suhas Subramanyam
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Representative Shri Thaneda r (MI-13), and Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) join South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a timely and wide-ranging conversation live from the Impact Summit 2025 in Washington, D.C. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . On this special panel concluding Season 8, we dive into: 💬 How increased political violence is shaping their leadership 💬 The urgent need for immigration reform and protections for our community 💬 Combating disinformation, hate, and cuts to healthcare 💬 U.S.–India relations, tariffs, and the $130B in trade at stake for small businesses 💬 The path ahead for South Asian representation in Congress — and beyond About the U.S. Congressmen : Raja Krishnamoorthi , who previously joined us on South Asian Trailblazers , is in his fifth term representing Illinois’ 8th District. He is the first South Asian American to lead a Congressional committee, serving as Ranking Member of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party. Shri Thanedar , representing Michigan’s 13th District since 2022, is a former chemist, entrepreneur, and immigrant from southern India who rose from poverty to public service. He is the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability. Suhas Subramanyam , elected in 2024 to represent Virginia’s 10th District, is the first Indian American elected to Congress from Virginia. A former Obama White House technology advisor and Virginia state legislator, he now serves on the Oversight and Science, Space, and Technology Committees. 🎧 This is South Asian leadership in action — inside the nation’s halls of power. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Founders of Kolkata Chai Co.
Brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal , Co-founders of Kolkata Chai Co. , join Host Simi Shah ahead of National Chai Day for a conversation around building one of the most iconic South Asian brands in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . What started as a side hustle in 2018 is now an 8-figure empire spanning viral NYC cafés, a booming e-commerce arm, and a cult following. The Bengali-American brothers have build a fast-growing food & beverage brand bringing authentic masala chai to the Western world, winning checks from investors like CPG Guru — and our previous guest — Nik Sharma and Celebrity Investor Hasan Minhaj, who went from loyal customer to the company’s second-largest stakeholder. Before Kolkata Chai, the brothers co-founded a creative agency called Green Room Creative, inspired by their roots in an immigrant household in Massachusetts. In this episode, we dive into: ☕How a trip to India sparked the idea for KCC ☕The realities of being co-founders and brothers (including therapy!) ☕Bootstrapping through COVID before raising a $1M pre-seed ☕How to sell without selling out (your culture) ☕Their organic partnership with celebrity investor Hasan Minhaj ☕Overcoming impostor syndrome From pushing chai to have its $15B global “matcha moment” to intersecting community and commerce, this is the story of two brothers redefining South Asian culture in America — one cup at a time. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Karishma Mehta, Founder of Humans of Bombay
All the way from Mumbai 🇮🇳✈️ our latest LIVE ✨podcast features Karishma Mehta: Founder & CEO of Humans of Bombay, India’s largest storytelling platform. This memorable live conversation from June 2024 is finally here. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . Born and raised in Mumbai, Karishma launched Humans of Bombay at just 21. Over the past decade, she has grown it into India’s largest storytelling platform — spanning a photo blog, YouTube series, podcasts, books, and an agency — sharing thousands of stories that have inspired, mobilized, and connected millions. We talk about: 💬 The origin story of #HumansofBombay and its 10-year journey 💬 Navigating the highs and lows of building a media company in India 💬 Lessons on #manifestation, balance, and detachment as a founder 💬 The challenges of living and creating in public 💬 How storytelling — from Marine Drive to global boardrooms — is evolving 🎧 Tune in for a candid conversation with one of India’s leading storytellers. Thanks to our partners in this event: DesiGalli, Rupee Beer, The Third Place Co, and Photographer Dhaval Shah. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Ali Sethi, Musician
Globally-acclaimed Singer, Songwriter, and Author Ali Sethi sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a deeply personal podcast conversation on the heels of his debut solo album #LoveLanguage . WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . Born in Lahore, educated at Harvard University and currently based in New York, he studied under acclaimed mentors across musical genres before rising to international acclaim with his viral hit “Pasoori,” which has surpassed a billion streams. From ghazals to reggaeton, Carnegie Hall to Coachella, he blends the classical with the contemporary in ways that transcend borders. A vocalist, composer, and published author, Ali is a TIME100 Next honoree whose work has appeared in The New York Times , The New Yorker , and Pitchfork . His debut novel The Wish Maker received international acclaim, and with Love Language , he offers his most personal work yet. In this deeply personal conversation, we unpack: 💬 Growing up in a household of dissenters in Pakistan 💬 The story behind Pasoori — and how the most hummed song of 2022 became a cultural flashpoint 💬 The symbolism of the color red in his new album 💬 How a Harvard class on Sufi poetry and a collaboration with Mira Nair transformed his creative path 💬 What it means to be a queer South Asian artist making art in a climate of fear Tune in for a rare and resonant conversation with one of the most compelling artists of our time. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Vir Das, Comedian & Actor
On the night his new Netflix special Full Volume hits screens, global comedy icon Vir Das sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for an unforgettable podcast live-recorded at the Asia Society of New York. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . 🎧 This is Vir Das off-script — raw, real, and as per always, hilarious. Born in Dehradun, raised in Lagos, and educated everywhere from Delhi to Knox College in Illinois, Vir Das is definitionally global. He has traversed Hindi cinema and inspired India’s comedy scene – from crowd favorites like Delhi Belly to performing stand-up at Carnegie Hall. In his career, he has worn the hats of actor, director, writer, comic, and soon-to-be author. To date, he’s released five global specials – winning an Emmy for his special: Landing in 2023. In 2024, he hosted the International Emmy’s. Vir was the first Indian comedian from India to launch a special on Netflix. The night of this conversation, he launched his 5th special – VIR DAS: FOOL VOLUME with the streamer. This year, he’s back with his boldest work yet — not just this special – but a memoir entitled The Outsider : A Memoir for Misfits and a host of other inspired projects. Hosted in partnership with Neerja PR and Asia Society. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Sandeep Acharya, Founder and CEO of Octave Health
On today’s episode, I’m joined by Sandeep Acharya — Founder and CEO of Octave, a company that’s quietly but powerfully transforming how we experience mental health care in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . Under his leadership, Octave has partnered with major insurers to make high-quality, affordable therapy accessible across 23 states. It’s been named a LinkedIn Top Startup and one of the best places to work in the country. Before founding Octave, Sandeep wore many hats: investor at Bain Capital and Insight, consultant at Bain & Company, and executive at One Medical, where he helped scale the company nationwide and saw firsthand how deeply unmet our mental health needs are. In this conversation, we go far beyond the bullet points — talking about his battle with cancer, the role of spirituality and music in his life, and what it really takes to build a company that’s both mission-driven and sustainable. He shares unfiltered insights on leadership and navigating uncertainty. This one’s for the builders, those fighting their own battles, and the believers. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
Dilawar Syed, U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Deputy Administrator
On the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) . A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE . Syed came to the SBA from the State Department where he served as Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs. As the State Department’s top commercial diplomat, Deputy Administrator Syed advocated for U.S. companies to compete and win abroad and helped ensure U.S. competitiveness in markets across the globe. Before joining the Biden Administration, Syed held the roles of CEO at Lumiata, an AI healthcare company, and President at software company, Freshworks. Earlier in his career, Syed oversaw business operations for Yahoo!'s platforms and infrastructure and was a product manager at Siebel Systems and SAP. His transition to public service is marked by civic efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. He was the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor's Office, served on President Obama's White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), and chaired the White House Initiative on AAPIs’ Economic Growth Committee. In that role, Syed led the administration’s engagement with small businesses across the U.S. after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2020, Syed was tapped by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help lead Silicon Valley’s pandemic recovery as a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. Syed holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
South Asian Trailblazers at The Oscars: Mindy Kaling, Charithra Chandran, Manish Dayal, Deli Boys
South Asian Trailblazers at the Oscars 🏆 WATCH this episode HERE . Founder & Host, Simi Shah, takes us inside a celebration of South Asian excellence at the 2025 Academy Awards. She speaks with trailblazers across generations and genres about their journeys to the hallowed halls of Hollywood. Join us for interviews with and speeches from this Oscars Pre-Party! Interviews Charithra Chandran , Actor | Bridgerton, One Piece Saagar Shaikh , Actor | Deli Boys, Ms. Marvel Manish Dayal , Actor | The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, The Resident, 90210 Swayam Bhatia , Actor | Succession, The Mighty Ducks Iqbal Theba , Actor | Deli Boys, Glee Sukki Menon , Writer, Director, Producer | I See Her, From Here Speeches Mindy Kaling , Actor, Writer, Producer | Running Point, The Office, Never Have I Ever, The Mindy Project Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai , Director, Writer, Producer | Oscar-nominated Anuja Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy , Journalist & Filmmaker | Star Wars: New Jedi Order Smriti Mundhra , Director & Producer | Oscar-nominated I Am Ready, Warden, Indian Matchmaking David Taghioff , Associate Producer | Oscar-nominated Emilia Pérez Pawo Choyning Dorji , Filmmaker & Photographer | Oscar-nominated Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
SPECIAL LIVE: Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers , Simi Shah hosts a LIVE podcast with Gurbir S. Grewal — the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement and former Attorney General of New Jersey — at the law offices of Morrison Foerster in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube. This event was proudly hosted in partnership with global law firm, Morrison Foerster and The South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY). SABANY is an organization devoted to the needs, concerns, and interests of lawyers of South Asian heritage in the New York Metropolitan Area. South Asian Trailblazers is a media company, community, and talent agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. To learn about future events and upcoming episodes, subscribe to our newsletter at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com and follow us on Instagram , LinkedIn , Facebook , and YouTube . Our episodes are available on Apple , Spotify , and all major podcast platforms. About Gurbir S. Grewal: Gurbir S. Grewal is the Director of the Division of Enforcement at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission – the SEC. Before joining the Commission in 2021, he served as the Attorney General for the State of New Jersey – becoming the first-ever Sikh and second-ever South Asian American to serve as state attorney general in American history. Prior to this role, Gurbir held the role of Bergen County Prosecutor, the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey’s most populous county. In this capacity, he concentrated on fighting the opioid epidemic and white-collar crime. Earlier in his career, Gurbir served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, where he was the Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit. He also spent time as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where he was assigned to the Business and Securities Fraud Unit. Gurbir began his career in law in private practice at Howrey LLP. He holds a J.D. from the College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Please join me in welcoming Director Gurbir S. Grewal. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
SPECIAL LIVE: Jay Sean, Multi-platinum Artist, Entrepreneur, & Record Label Executive
In this special, LIVE-recorded edition of South Asian Trailblazers , Host Simi Shah kicks off Season 8 with Jay Sean — multi-platinum artist, entrepreneur, and record label executive. WATCH this and EVERY FUTURE episode on YouTube . South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . This special live episode was proudly hosted in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG). A special thanks to Karma Wellness Kitchen , Kulture Khazana , Stitched Sweets , Aayka Fashion , Bollygood , Rupee Beer , Woops! , Malai , DesiGalli , Tinto Amorio , Banyan & Birch , Pics by Dhaval , MishMedia+ , Ravi Ray Audio . British-born international superstar and cultural icon Jay Sean took the US pop culture market by storm in the mid-2000s, launching a career that has spanned nearly 20 years. In addition to being the first Indian artist and the first South Asian artist in history to achieve a No. 1 on Billboard’s charts. In 2024, he founded 3AM Entertainment, a record label under Virgin Music Group, alongside Range Media Partners, to support artists from the South Asian diaspora on their journey to becoming global stars. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com . Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , Facebook , YouTube , and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify .
