Abhay is joined by filmmaker Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, whose debut feature  Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.  Sabar Bonda is the first ever Marathi feature film to be presented at the festival.

(0:00 - 2:38 ) Introduction
(2:38) Part 1 - Sundance, patience as a filmmaker, mourning and grieving as a backdrop
(15:02) Part 2 - making films with important themes, one-word descriptors, lessons
(26:32) Conclusion

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.

Abhay is joined by Kinsu Kumar and Varsha, two leaders from the Satyarthi Global Movement for Compassion, which is dedicated to globalise compassion to restore justice, peace, equity and sustainability in the world.   Kinsu and Varsha are part of the movement’s Bal Ashram and Bal Mitra initiatives, which exemplify these efforts at the grass roots level in India, addressing child labor, sex trafficking, and child marriage through rehabilitation efforts in urban and rural areas.
(0:00 - 3:40) Introduction
(3:40) Part 1 - stories of entry, stories of trust, helping to manage trauma
(21:32) Part 2 - using compasion as a vehicle, maintaining and sustaining gains, how to promote needed change

Please visit Satyarthimovement.org and satyarthi.org to learn more about their global work.  If you are listening in the US and may be aware of someone who is a victim of humantrafficking, please call 888-373-7888.

Abhay catches up with actor, Adi Roy, lead actor for the Broadway hit musical Aladdin.
They chatted about actor life, Alanis Morissette songs, South Asians in theater, and much more...
(0:00 - 2:20) Introduction
(2:20) Part 1 - pre-show routines, transition from touring to Broadway
(13:47) Part 2 - Jagged Little Pill experiences, auditions and feeling content, resilience as an actor
(24:53) Part 3 - South Asians on Broadway
(34:57) Conclusion

Integrative nutrition expert and Harvard trained molecular biologist Kanchan Koya joins Abhay to chat about the intersection of food, cooking, and health science.  They chatted about how gaining expertise evolved for her, about helping harness and coach instinct, and building trust and credibility through learned lessons. 
(0:00 - 2:39) Introduction
(2:39 - 13:18) Part 1: developing expertise and integrating the culture
(13:18 - 30:41) Part 2: using instinct, eating with your hands, living traditions
(30:41 - 40:40) Part 3: lessons learned, parenting, and building trust
(40:40) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by mountain climber Lhakpa Sherpa, who has climbed Sagarmatha (also known as Mt. Everest) more than any woman in the world. They chatted about her upbringing in Nepal, climbing and facing danger through trust, climbing for women, and climbing with her family!  Learn more about Lhakpa at cloudscapeclimbing.com
(0:00 - 3:20) Introduction
(3:20 - 13:22) Part 1: growing up in Nepal, the gamble of the mountain, solving a puzzle
(13:22 - 25:07) Part 2: summitting and descending Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), the death zone, missing the mountain
(25:07 - 33:59) Part 3: Trust as a climber, climbing as a family, ongoing lessons from the mountain
(33:59) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by Priya Arora, a queer non-binary South Asian American journalist writing and telling stories related to pop culture, entertainment, California, and everything in between!  They chatted about LA, about South Asian American entertainment, about Bollywood, about the variety of journeys they've taken, and about evoking activism through their presentations.  
(0:00 - 2:38) Introduction
(2:38 - 13:15) Part 1: returning to and rediscovering LA, entertainment culture
(13:15 - 25:06) Part 2: Madhuri Dixit, Bollywood, blending themes
(25:06 - 39:40) Part 3: being a lighthouse, Queering Desi, using their writing voice
(39:40) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by Ryan Agarwal, college basketball athlete at Stanford University.  The 6'6" freshman guard chats about the tournament, being a great teammate with empathy, his identity as an Indian American, and improving his game in making the transition to college as a student and an athlete.  Thankfully for everyone involved, there was minimal Cal-Stanford trash-talking...

(0:00 - 2:12) Introduction
(2:12 - 14:17) Part 1: parity in the tournament, empathy, being a great teammate, role models
(14:17 - 30:50) Part 2: being an Indian-American athlete, labels and unidimensionality
(30:50 - 42:32) Part 3: empowerment in the NIL era, transitioning to college, being a better player and learning
(42:32) Conclusion

Abhay welcomes back Snigdha Sur, founder and CEO of the Juggernaut to the podcast.
They chatted about the surprises learned and the growth of the Juggernaut this year, about Bollywood (of course), and about thinking ahead.
(0:00 - 2:20) Introduction
(2:20 - 22:18) Part 1: surprises in storytelling and diverse angles, advancing the Juggernaut
(22:18 - 35:18) Part 2: labeling ourselves, Bollywood
(35:18 - 49:53) Part 3: the brown-gaze, outlook for the future, and being "good" at something
(49:53) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by growth investment venture capitalist and partner at IVP, Somesh Dash.  They talked about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, the value of identity, relationship development, empathy, and garnering trust.  There was even a mention of some calculus...

(0:00 - 2:27) Introduction
(2:27 - 16:13) Part 1: Silicon Valley Bank - the story and the outlook
(16:13 - 33:25) Part 2: identity and growth investing in Silicon Valley
(33:25 - 46:50) Part 3: surprises, trust, relationship development
(46:50 - 1:01:27) Part 4: home runs vs singles, empathy, instinct
(1:01:27) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by comedian and writer, Abby Govindan.  They talked about being back home, her comedy heroes, sharing her personal challenges on stage, and her Indian/South Asian American identity.  The conversation organically wandered into discussing AI...or did it?
(0:00 - 2:41) - Introduction
(2:41 - 15:05) - Part 1: being at home, Abby's comedy influences
(15:05 - 30:39) - Part 2: how she's evolved, sharing her struggles on stage
(30:39 - 42:27) - Part 3 : identity and AI, what she leaves for her audiences

Abhay is joined by Padmaja Kumari Parmar, princess and daughter of the House of Mewar, the former royal house of Udaipur in Rajasthan, and the founder of Friends of Mewar.  They chatted about being part of the longest unbroken serving dynasty of over 1400 years, about her journey and philanthropic priorities, and about legacy.
(0:00 - 3:18) Introduction
(3:18 - 12:32) Part 1: understanding the living heritage 
(12:32 - 31:32) Part 2: Friends of Mewar, philanthropic priorities
(31:32 - 40:42) Part 3: Balancing contrasts as a leader, evolution of a legacy
(40:42) Conclusion

Filmmaker Smriti Mundhra joins Abhay for a conversation about her latest work, 'The Romantics' which is available on NETFLIX.  They chatted about making the series, about Hindi films, about her past work, and about channeling lessons learned from her movie-making father.
(0:00 - 2:46) - Introduction
(2:46 - 14:01) - Part 1: Hindi movies and making documentaries
(14:01 - 29:16) - Part 2: "unlearning" and the surprises in making 'The Romantics'
(29:16 - 41:25) - Part 3: using her diasporic voice and connecting with audiences
(41:25) - Conclusion

British actor, spoken word artist, writer, and broadcaster Mim Shaikh joins Abhay to talk about his latest work in the multicultural film "What's Love Got To Do With It".  They shared a conversation about lessons learned, about mirrors for audiences and windows into his acting world and his identity, and about how he cultivates trust.
(0:00 - 3:08) Introduction
(3:08 - 12:35) Part 1: misconceptions, motivations, and processing through catharsis
(12:35 - 29:11) Part 2: making a British South Asian Muslim rom-com, mirrors and windows, cultivating trust
(29:11 - 35:43) Part 3: the next steps of his journey, and some heartfelt reflections 

Abhay chats with Israa Nasir, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of the book "Toxic Productivity",.
They chatted about everything from habits and rituals to her South Asian background to steering toward healthy productivity.

(0:00 - 2:57) Introduction
(2:57) Part 1 - Slow mornings, rituals and reminders
(16:23) Part 2 - Quieting the critic, cultural background accelerating her work, managing emotions
(30:15) Part 3  - Epiphanies with productivity, writing the book, masks and parents
(48:23) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by the dean of Harvard Business School, Srikant Datar. They chatted about making making a difference in the world, transformative initiatives, lessons in leadership, problem solving in the 21st century, and finding joy!
(0:00 - 2:54) Introduction
(2:54 - 16:33) Part 1 - making a difference, priorities,  and trust in institutions
(16:33 - 28:31) Part 2 - career journeys, immigrant identity, talent and opportunity
(28:31 - 43:03) Part 3 - humility, community values, and what brings him joy
(43:03) Summary

Tony Khan, owner of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, and Fulham FC from the Premier League joins Abhay for a conversation reflecting on the Super Bowl, on his love of wrestling, and balancing data analytics and instinct.  
(0:00 - 2:41) Introduction
(2:41 - 13:29) Part 1 - the Jaguars season, growing up with sports as a Pakistani-American in Champaign, IL
(13:29 - 26:02) Part 2 - All Elite Wrestling (AEW), data analytics, and storytelling through endearment
(26:02) Summary

Abhay is joined by Smriti Bhadauria and Kartik Vasan from the Brown Van Life, via the road on the Pan American Highway.  They chatted about the lessons learned in travel, dealing with the highs and lows of life in the van, being an Indian couple on this adventure, and living in the moment while cultivating trust along the way.  Through a rainy spell, fixing their van and communicating with a mechanic, and dealing with Abhay and their dogs, they both survived!
(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction
(2:45) Part 1 - "rolling with it" on the Columbia/Ecuador border, how it started, the rewards and surprises 
(15:01) Part 2 - Developing relationships in travel, surviving as a couple, being an Indian Couple on the road
(33:07) Part 3 - representing Indians and people of color, taking risks and living in the moment, cultivating trust
(46:13) Summary

Abhay is joined by musician and rapper, Pallaví AKA Fijiana, as they chatted about making music, about empowerment, and her identity as an American Indo-Fijian artist from Richmond,CA.  
(0:00 - 3:22) Introduction
(3:22 - 11:26) Part 1: dissecting what it feels like to make music right now, finding her voice as an artist, and integrating feedback
(11:26 - 21:43) Part 2: reflecting on her identity through her music
(21:43 - 31:18) Part 3: empowerment, risk, and vulnerability on her artistic journey
(31:18) Summary

Content creator, actor, and freelancer Ahilya Bamroo joins Abhay to chat about her background, the observation and empathy involved in her work, and finding creativity from boredom! 
(0:00-2:25) - Introduction
(2:25-11:05) - Part 1: Growing up in a multilingual environment, empathy, and accents of the world
(11:05-25:08) - Part 2: Being a digital content creator and artist and finding relatable experiences
(25:08-35:23) - Part 3: surprises from Auroville, finding creativity from boredom, and cultivating trust

Abhay is joined by newly elected US Congressman Shri Thanedar to chat about his campaign, about his journey as an immigrant and finding the American dream, about his priorities, about how his story resonates with voters and communities, and about his optimism for the future.
(0:00 - 3:07) Introduction
(3:07 - 15:58) Part 1 - lessons from campaigning, priorities for his Detroit district
(15:59 - 28:52) Part 2 - delivering as a democrat in a divided Congress, his immigrant background and serving as an Indian American
(28:52 - 28:16) Part 3 - resonating with African American voters, cultivating trust, and his joy and optimism

Abhay is joined by the multi-talented Kal Penn, actor, producer, public servant, and author of the memoir "You Can't Be Serious".  They chatted about Kal's journey and writing, about his thoughts on being brown in Hollywood, and about his work in public service.  There may have been some Gujarati spoken and some talk of an emerald green Mercedes. 
(0:00-3:21) Introduction
(3:21-17:39) Part 1: A proper intro, Codeswitching, and writing his memoir
(17:39-33:12) Part 2: The "Brown Catch-22", current content and brown representation in Hollywood
(33:16-44:42) Part 3: Public service, identity and multiple passions, impressions on new audiences
(44:42) Summary

Abhay is joined by author, spoken-word artist, and creative HUMBLE the POET in a conversation about his new book "How To Be Love(d)" and his ongoing learning experiences.  Among other things, they chatted about love, his experiences as a teacher, ruminating thoughts, and salty potato chips.
(0:00-2:43) - Introduction
(2:43 - 19:00) - Part 1: How to be Love(d) and writing the book
(19:00- 38:00) - Part 2: Writing, Teaching, and the moment he became "Humble"
(38:01- 53:20) - Part 3: Practicing and Learning and Creating 
(53:20) - Summary

Abhay is joined by cardiologist Rishi Menon, who shares his intimate story of "how he recovered from the shipwreck that almost destroyed his life".  Rishi talks with Abhay about mental health, burnout, alcohol addiction, rehabilitation, and recovery - changing his relationships both personally and professionally.
Introduction (0:00-3:48)
Part 1 - (3:48) Noticing the "shipwreck" and facing addiction 
Part 2 - (17:47) Rehabilitation, his Indian American background, the challenge of burnout
Part 3 - (32:57) Trusting himself and his ongoing professional journey
Summary (45:24)

Mini Timmaraju, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, joins Abhay for a conversation about her advocacy work this past year and reflecting on elections, about her Indian American background, and about what makes her optimistic for the future.
Intro (0:00 - 3:02)
Part 1 - (3:02) Reflecting on the midterm elections and serving as a leader 
Part 2 - (14:10) Dinnertable conversations, Indian American background, challenging conversations
Part 3 - (31:27) Immigrant community discussions, parenting, optimism for the future
Summary (40:47)

It’s election week here in the US, so onTRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform us and get out that vote!  

A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  

Not just for our community, but for every community of voters of any age in the US, what it all comes down to is showing up and exercising the ultimate demonstration of trust and individual power in a democracy - which is casting your vote in a free and fair election. 

Indian Americans and South Asian Americans are the fastest growing voter bloc in the US, having the power to be the true margin of victory in many places, and as civic engagement continues to grow and foundationally expand, the work of organizing and mobilizing and activating at local and national levels become more complex and genuinely imperative.  With over 60 endorsed candidates across the country, Indian American IMPACT is doing just that - making a difference with a thoughtful and action oriented approach. And as the last push is upon all of us after such a long and incredibly grueling road, it was great to catch up with Executive Director Chintan Patel. And getting right to it after traveling to many battleground states recently,  as Chintan introduced himself and his work, I also asked him to describe the tone and temperature of what he’s seeing and feeling out there in the community…

Remember, conversation is truly the antidote to apathy… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about voting resources, to desipresident.com, iaimpact.org, southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to get engaged and learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get active, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot, and most importantly GO VOTE.  Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.

Abhay is joined by Shaun Jayachandran, the founder of CROSSOVER basketball and scholars academy.  They chatted about parenting and Shaun's own parents, using athletics as a vehicle of change, and the challenges and successes of building the program.  As expected, Shaun scored and Abhay got the assist.
Introduction (0:00-3:04)
Part 1 - parenting and starting Crossover (3:06)
Part 2 - athletics and Shaun's own experiences framing inclusion and coaching (19:25)
Part 3 - steering parents and teachers (35:25)
Part 4 - philanthropy and giving (47:39)
Summary (58:25)

Abhay is joined by actress, activist, and author, Sheetal Sheth, whose recent book "Making Happy" reflects her own experience in battling cancer as the parent of young children.  Sheetal is an acclaimed South Asian American actor and author of the popular award-winning "Anjali" series of children's books. 
Introduction (0:00-2:43)
Part 1 - authoring and "Making Happy" (2:44)
Part 2 - parenting, personal cancer journey, storytelling (13:55)
Part 3 - South Asian American experiences, roles that were ahead of their time, blazing trails (23:13)
Summary - (33:19)

This is a special edition of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING, sharing a series of brief conversations from INDIASPORA's 10th annniversary forum.  (A special recording shout out to Spencer Mead)
Segment outline:
Intro (0:00 - 2:49)
Shri Rajan (2:50)
Nalini Saligram (7:23)
Neera Tanden (14:17)
Mohanbir Sawhney (18:37)
Athreya Ramanan and Yuven Sundaramoorthy (25:35)
Anand Deshpande (28:58)
Anil Advani (33:18)
Rohini Chakravarty (38:14)
Suja Viswesan (43:44)
Raju Reddy (47:07)
Vasant Prabhu (51:07)
M.R. Rangaswamy (54:09)
Summary (56:11)

Anto Philip, the CEO and co-founder of the UNDER 25 Universe, shares an exuberant conversation about activating youth and changing paradigms of education, age, and self-discovery. Of note, Abhay instantly became an explorer and an enabler!

2022 US OPEN men's doubles tennis champion Rajeev Ram joins Abhay for a chat about his journey in professional tennis and about longevity and legacy. Dreams and tennis rackets in cars were also discussed.

Oral historian and writer Aanchal Malhotra joins Abhay to talk about her work chronicling stories related to the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. She shares her thoughts about sentimentality, memories, and what she has learned about herself. Aanchal's new fiction novel The Book of Everlasting Things is due in December 2022.

The talented and iconic Madhuri Dixit joins Abhay to chat about reflections on confidence and trust, about exploring all of her talents and diverse roles, and about advocating for women in central storytelling roles. Happy Diwali!

Odissi master artist, teacher, and scholar, Bijayini Satpathy, joins Abhay to chat about surprises learned from her recent experiences as an artist-in-residence at the Met, about dance and discovery, and about her journey as an individual artist.

Neil Makhija, the executive director of Indian American IMPACT, joins Abhay again to chat about prioritizing and building strategy for civic engagement, desisvote.org, fundraising, and political longevity for the Indian American community. Thankfully, Neil is helping to build a large table for all of us.

A part of an ongoing INDIASPORA series, Abhay is joined by the terrific Shalini Govil Pai, the VP of TV at Google to talk about her journey as an Indian American leader in Silicon Valley. They chatted about Bollywood, feeling "only and lonely" as a woman in tech, and the importance of short-lived and long lasting media content.

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor. 

And I guess there is no more celebrated or more special a topic than Diwali.  It's a centering feeling of home for so many, and as a growing global spotlight shines  brightly on this lit up tradition, there remain great opportunities to help support more excitement and meet an eager curiosity.  In a way, as equally fulfilling and festive as it is to recognize and celebrate Diwali just because you and your family and your neighbors and your community have always done so, there also needs to be great simplicity and understanding for those who are just getting to know Diwali and its significance or those who are refreshing or reaquainting themselves or even those who are hoping to to help create new Diwali traditions.  

Thankfully, entrepre neur and author Chhavi Bhargava has written a new book called “A Kids Book About Diwali” to help start and continue these conversations. Chhavi is an Indian American, and was an elementary school teacher in Canada for over a decade.  Her deep experiences in building curriculum, especially organizing learners around diversity and inclusion, informed her to write a book about Diwali, to showcase the timeless Hindu festival as an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming experience for everyone. As more and more school districts in the United States  are observing Diwali, A Kids Book About Diwali may serve as an entry point for more open discussions among neighbors, teachers, and administrators to not just learn more about Diwali, but about respectful curiosity and empathy for our differences. Chhavi and I caught up recently to chat about the book and I started by asking her particularly about that centering feeling of “home”

The book is available everywhere and please visit bookaboutdiwali.com for more.  Shubha Dipaavali and a peaceful, healthy, and Happy Diwali to everyone.  Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar

Actor, musician, and performer Sway Bhatia joins Abhay for a conversation that involved S'mores, accordions, playing Sofi on season 2 of Disney's Mighty Ducks:Game Changers, and the importance of South Asian superheroes!

Sweta Chakraborty, a risk and behavioral scientist whose focus is on climate, joins Abhay to chat about being tagged as an alarmist, about our primitive decision making roots, and how focusing on our humanity can help build climate action.

Abhay is joined by Puma athlete and Peloton yoga/meditation instructor Aditi Shah. They chatted about techniques to deal with frustrations, about understanding foundational philosophies, and feeling 5% more freedom.

Abhay is joined by the wonderful actor and activist, Richa Moorjani. They chatted about a lot: Never Have I Ever, activism and using her platform, and her ongoing explorations she's experienced as an actor. Thankfully, one introvert and one extrovert both survived the show!

Abhay is joined by award-winning journalist Shoma Chaudhury, the co-founder of Tehelka and the host of ENQUIRY, an online conversation show. They chatted about her experiences in meaningful storytelling, about practical listening tips in combating tribalism, about amplifying the role and voice of women in journalism, and about her latest endeavors.

Transportation economist and policy analyst, Pooja Phadke-Ghangurde joins Abhay to chat about building strategies toward decarbonization, about what should motivate us to tackle the climate crisis, and the surprises that she has learned along the way.

Abhay is joined by Prakash Janakiraman, the co-founder of NEXTDOOR, as they chat about his experience in his own neighborhood growing up in Hayward, about being attentive to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and about building social capital.

Self-taught, born in Odisha and based in Nagpur, visual artist Bijay Biswaal joins Abhay to chat about his journey, about the simplicity and contrasts of his subject material, and the concept of "home".

Abhay is joined by rapper and artist Raja Kumari and chat it up about a variety of things, mostly related to her wonderful new E.P - H.B.I.C. They chatted about being an American artist in India, filming a video with Madhuri Dixit, and pushing for South Asian American grammy awards!

Writer, professor, and religious scholar Simran Jeet Singh joins Abhay again to chat about his new book, and about some of the practical and timeless lessons of Sikh wisdom.

In partnership with DOCTORS for HARRIS, Abhay shares conversations with leading doctors from around the country on the imperative healthcare choices Americans are facing in the 2024 election and compelling reasons to vote for Kamala Harris
(0:00) Introduction
(1:15) Congressman Raul Ruiz (D) CA-25
(10:40) Alice Chen
(17:30) Anita Somani
(24:34) Annie Andrews
(31:55) Mark Lopatin
(39:09) Micah Ernst
(47:08) Lalita Abhyankar
(52:35) Owais Durrani
(59:20) Nina Agrawal
(1:04:30) Alicia Christy
(1:11:00) Suhas Gondi
(1:17:05) Conclusion

Please visit IWILLVOTE.COM , DOCTORSFORHARRIS.COM , and KAMALAHARRIS.COM 

Abhay is joined by Raja Krishnamoorthi, US Congressman from Illinois, as part of the ongoing INDIASPORA series. They chatted about what motivates him these days in politics, and about cultivating trust through problem solving. One day hopefully, they'll attend a Cubs-Dodgers game...

Abhay is joined by the Sarthak Saksena the musician and songwriter behind the indie song "Phase" as well as Aneri Vajani and Utkarsh Kohli, the actors appearing in the terrific video.

Abhay is joined by attorney, business ethics professor, and congressional candidate from NYC's 12th district Suraj Patel. They talked about his South Asian American journey, about garnering trust as a congressional candidate, and about building an "abundant society".