The Indian Edit

“There's nothing dead about the Indian classics. It's not a revival of anything. It's not a museum piece. I think our classical tradition is alive through the stories our parents and grandparents told us…[and through popular culture]…..but with few exceptions, we don't know about the classics from our neighboring state, right? I always hope that the girl in Chandigarh can read a Mangal Kavya from Bengal, a boy in Patna can read a Telugu classic. Someone sitting in your old hometown, Pune can read Bulleh Shah.”🎙️ In this episode (100!) of The Indian Edit, join me with writer, scholar, and Editorial Director of Harvard University Press, Sharmila Sen. We explore Sharmila’s personal journey from growing up in Bengal to immigrating to the United States as a child, her reflections on race, belonging, and visibility, and her work stewarding the linguistically ambitious literary project: The Murty Classical Library of India.Shownotes for Episide 100:Growing Up Between WorldsSharmila’s childhood in Calcutta (Kolkata) and her move to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1982Assimilation, accent, and the desire to “disappear” as a young immigrantLearning Americanness through television, language, and cultural mimicryRace, Privilege, and VisibilityComing to understand race in the U.S. as an immigrant from IndiaThe contrast between being part of a dominant group in India and a racial minority in AmericaThe persistent “foreignness” assigned to Asian AmericansPassing, names, and the refusal to erase one’s identityLanguage as IdentityBengali as a lived, literary, and emotional languageExperiences living and working in Pakistan and BangladeshLearning Urdu (including Nastaliq script) and PunjabiThe cultural and political significance of language in South AsiaThe Murty Classical Library of IndiaFounded in 2010 with support from Rohan MurtyInspired by Harvard’s Loeb Classical Library (Greek & Latin classics)Publishes bilingual editions (original text + English translation)Covers 2,500 years of writing across 19 South Asian languagesAims to make Indian classics accessible to scholars, general readers, and future generationsTen Indian Classics (10th Anniversary Anthology)Curated selections from the Murty Classical LibrarySpans 2,500 years and 9 languagesIncludes:Poems of the early Buddhist nuns (Therīgāthā)Tulsidas’s RamayanaSufi poetry by Bulleh ShahGuru Nanak’s hymnsPersian chronicles of Emperor AkbarUrdu, Tamil, Sanskrit, Punjabi, and moreExplores the idea of classics as living traditions, not museum artifactsWhy Indian Classics Still MatterClassics as “background noise” that continues to shape cultureStories and verses that live on through oral tradition, popular culture, and daily lifeReading across regions and languages as an act of cultural connection and nation-building📚 Books & Resources MentionedNot Quite Not White – Sharmila Sen (memoir)The Murty Classical Library of India (Harvard University Press)Ten Indian Classics – Edited by Sharmila SenAmar Chitra KathaThe Ramayana and Mahabharata (regional retellings)🔗 Find all books and resources at theindianedit.com📢 Stay ConnectedIf you enjoyed this episode:Share it with a friendFollow the podcast on Instagram @theindianeditpodcastVisit theindianedit.com for full show notes and links

🎙️ The Indian Edit: Mini Edit with Sonali Dev – “There’s Something About Mira”Welcome back to The Indian Edit! In this special mini edit, award-winning romance author Sonali Dev returns to the podcast to discuss her newest novel, There's Something About Mira (Feb 2025). We dive into the inspirations behind the book, themes of identity, love, and community, and the layered characters that travel from Naperville to New York to Darjeeling and beyond.📚 In This Episode:The origin of There's Something About Mira and how a New York Times article inspired the plotExploring “Brown Town,” community expectations, and finding emotional safetyThe story within the story: a powerful queer love story in 1980s IndiaWhat draws readers to wealthy romantic leads and how Sonali rethinks that tropeCreative energy management and the joys and pitfalls of newsletters & social mediaTravel tips and favorite cities: Mumbai, Darjeeling, ChicagoSonali’s recent reads and book recommendations📘 Books & Media Mentioned:There's Something About Meera by Sonali Dev → Buy on Bookshop / AmazonThe Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev → Read moreSense and Sensibility (Jane Austen homage in Sonali’s series)All We Imagine As Light (film about Mumbai life) → IMDbThe Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese → AmazonPeople of Means by Nancy Johnson 🎧 More with Sonali:Visit: https://sonalidev.comInstagram: @sonali.devNewsletter: Sign up on her website for The Three R’s: a recipe, a recommendation, and a really bad joke!YouTube archive of Lit with Love: Lit with Love on YouTube📍 Cities We Discussed:Mumbai – a city of grit, warmth, and humorDarjeeling – majestic Himalayas and spiritual beautyChicago – architecture, lakefront, theater, and cozy big-city charm✨ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and share! Catch Sonali’s previous appearance on The Indian Edit in Episode 57.Hear our latest chat now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

🎙️ New Episode Out Now!In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Manisha Bharti, CEO of Pratham USA, to explore what it takes to lead one of India’s largest education nonprofits.From her journey through Harvard to her work in HIV response and international development, Manisha shares powerful insights on:✨ Nonprofit leadership & global impact 🌍 Philanthropy in the Indian diaspora 📚 How Pratham empowers youth through education & skilling 🤝 The importance of partnerships and scaling what works 🔍 Her favorite tool for self-awareness: the Enneagram🎧 Plus:Breaking into public health & international developmentUsing private sector strategy to drive nonprofit successAdvice for young professionals seeking purpose-driven careersListen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

Rivers have been on my mind recently with some recent buzzy arrivals on their power (from Elif Shafak to non-fiction Robert Macfarlane). Join me with author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Tara Anand to discuss their beautiful picture book My Name Is Long As a River. Inspired by Suma’s own heritage, the story celebrates the deep connections between names, family history, and cultural identity. Together, Suma and Tara share how rivers, poetry, and personal memory shaped this tribute to the power of knowing where we come from.Listen now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!Rivers have been on my mind recently with some recent buzzy arrivals on their power (from Elif Shafak to non-fiction Robert Macfarlane). Join me with author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Tara Anand to discuss their beautiful picture book My Name Is Long As a River. Inspired by Suma’s own heritage, the story celebrates the deep connections between names, family history, and cultural identity. Together, Suma and Tara share how rivers, poetry, and personal memory shaped this tribute to the power of knowing where we come from.Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! Suma SubramaniamTara Anand, photographed by Brittany OxleySHOWNOTES for Ep. 98:Connect with Suma through her website And with Tara Anand hereBooks and other stuff we discussed on the show:Martyr! by Kaveh AkbarTerry Pratchett’s Discworld booksTishani Doshi’s poetry collection A God at the DoorThe Covenant of Water by Abraham VergheseAmar Chitra Katha comicsMalgudi Days by R.K. NarayanSupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Soumya Saksham, Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Another long overdue episode with a FANTASTIC guest! Philly-based lawyer-turned-writer Farah Naz Rishi has written YA, sci-fi, romance, and a heartbreaking memoir ‘Sorry for the Inconvenience’. Pop in your airpods, grab a hot drink, go for a walk, listen how you please, but don’t miss how this Pakistani-American Muslim writer became a TikTok sensation, how she wrote the book that ‘broke Mindy Kaling’s heart’, and of course her favorite books and hometown Philadephia hang outs!Listen now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!SHOWNOTES for Ep. 97:Connect with Farah through her website and InstagramBuy Sorry for the Inconvenience and Farah’s other books hereBooks and other stuff we discussed on the show:Robin Hobb’s booksR.F. Kuang’s booksUrsula LeGuin’s writing schedulePhilly’s fab restaurant Mawn (I tried it based on Farah’s tip and it is AMAZING, but now apparently hard to get a table!)Free Library of Philadelphia Harriet’s Bookshop in FishtownSupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Soumya Saksham, Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

And we are back! After a very long delay (you can read why here on the newsletter), I’m delighted to bring you this overdue episode with Dr. Seema Yasmin. Ignore my most awkward intro ever to hear how this brilliant Emmy-award winning journalist, author, medical doctor and professor managed to overcome a challenging childhood and Islamophobia in a small town in England to publishing multiple books and teaching at Stanford by following her passions and pivoting when it felt right! The conversation feels very timely given Seema’s efforts to battle Scientific misinformation, promote reproductive rights and queer and Muslim representation in children’s books.Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 96:Connect with Seema through her website and InstagramBuy Unbecoming and The ABCs of Queer History and all of Seema’s books hereOther books and other tips we discussed on the show:The Who and the What: A Play (I love Seema’s reading challenge ‘A play a day’)Disgraced and other Ayad Akhtar playsShefali Luthra’s Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe AmericaSupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

The dynamic author Sujata Massey joined me in conversation earlier this summer and shared her resolution to make it her best summer by “only reading pleasurable and escapist books”! Why not take this idea into the hectic ‘Back to School’ season too? Join us as Sujata shares more about her latest Perveen Mistry historical mystery set in 1920s India and don’t miss her fun suggestions for light reading and how to make some free fun for yourself WITHOUT getting on a plane!Sujata was first on the podcast on Ep. 60 which you can catch right here! Hear our latest chat now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!SHOWNOTES for Mini-Edit 5:Connect with Sujata through her website and InstagramBuy the Perveen Mistry Book 4 here (The Mistress of Bhatia House)Other books and other tips we discussed on the show:Tehrangeles by Porochista KhakpourThe Hachette Book of Indian Detective Fiction Volumes I and IIWives like Us by Plum SykesThe Lost boy of Santa Chiomia The Franchise Affair and Brat Farrar by Josephine TeySupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

“Why do people migrate?” was the question Ritu Hemnani’s daughter posed to her one day. A deeper look at her own family’s story of migration from Sindh to Hong Kong led this educator to explore the history of the Partition and to share this story with her family and beyond. Author of ‘Lion of the Sky’ a beautiful, middle grade novel in verse, Ritu joins me on this episode to discuss her family’s story of resilience. We chat about the Sindhi language, life in Hong Kong, her experience teaching in an urban British school, and so much more.Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!SHOWNOTES for Ep. 95:Connect with Ritu through her website and InstagramBuy Lion of the SkyVeera Hiranandani’s books on the Partition The Night Diary and Amil & the AfterOther books and other tips we discussed on the show:Restart by Gordon KormanCharlotte’s Web by E.B. WHiteLong Way Down by Jason ReynoldsThe Crossover by Kwame AlexanderInside Out and Back Again by Thanhha LaiThe Forgettery by Rachel IpArirang Korean restaurantSupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Another one for you book lovers out there!Many of us were introduced to the wonder of picture books only once we began reading them to our kids. My latest guest Srividhya Venkat fell in love with children’s books and never looked back (at her former career in accounting)! Srividhya began a second act in early childhood education, and then a third in children’s literature. Her beautiful books ‘Girls on Wheels’ and ‘Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps’ are a wonder, and she has a brand new one out next week celebrating Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi!Join us in this conversation celebrating the joy of kidlit! Listen and rate us on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend!SHOWNOTES for Ep. 94:Connect with Srividhya through her website and InstagramBuy Girls on Wheels, Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps and Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi's Fight to End Child LaborOther books we discussed on the show:Where Three Oceans Meet by Rajani LaRoccaMay Your Life Be Deliciosa: A Picture Book by Michael GenhartSupport the show via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Looking for a new picture book to read with kids in your life? This brand new one really made me think about all the tiny and large ways children develop their sense of belonging in a family and their sense of self in the world at large. The rich detail of what family members pass down to new arrivals is beautifully captured in this lovely book written by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Meenal Patel.I get to chat with TWO previous guests on this Mini-Edit (hear Shelly’s story on Ep. 55 and Meenal’s on Ep. 23)! Join me as we dive into the story behind this new book, and please take a second to rate us on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!SHOWNOTES FOR Mini-Edit 4:Connect with Shelly through her website and InstagramFind Meenal through her website and instagramBuy “In This Family”Other books we discussed on the show:Parable of the Sower by Octavia ButlerLast Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda LoBuy me a coffee via Patreon!Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram !Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Why does American history still exclude so many? My latest guest Mae Ngai is Lung Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University and has written award-winning books on immigration and the Chinese diaspora sharing stories of immigrants during the Gold Rush and other pivotal historical events. Before becoming a historian, Mae was a labor union organizer and educator in New York City where she met another influential documenter of Asian America: photographer Corky Lee who sadly passed away from Covid-19 in early 2021. Mae has edited a brand new book “Corky Lee’s Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice” which collects the activist photographer’s iconic images into a beautiful and moving book. Join me as Professor Ngai gives us a glimpse into Asian American history and Corky’s important contribution, and please share the episode with a friend who might enjoy this chat! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 93:Buy the new book: “Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice”Professor Ngai’s other books: The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes, Chinese Migration, and Global Politics, The Lucky Ones: One Family and the Extraordinary Invention of Chinese AmericaThe NYT on Corky LeeOther books we discussed on the show:Orphan Bachelors: A Memoir by Fae Myenne NgQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram !Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Wondering where to start with learning more about black and brown solidarity? Or how to write about a difficult experience? Reading author and educator Nina Sharma’s wonderful debut “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown” is a great first step. So grateful to Nina for her honest and elegant writing and for this amazing chat! Nina shares her sometimes rocky road to owning her writer identity, her struggle to write about her mental health challenges, and the profound connection she felt when she met her husband who is African-American and a fellow writer. BONUS: So much great advice on writing for everyone out there! Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 92:Connect with Nina through her websiteand Twitter/XBuy her book “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown”Books and other stuff we discussed on the show:Margo Jefferson’s Negroland and Constructing a Nervous SystemBig Blue Marble Bookshop in PhiladelphiaAsian American Writer’s WorkshopThe Question of Palestine by Edward SaidGrief is for People by Sloane CrosleyThey Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi GuptaLesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives by Amelia PossanzaQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram !Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

What happens to families AFTER they’ve survived a traumatic historical event? Veera Hiranandani set out to explore this question in her sequel to the beloved Newbery-honor winning middle-grade novel ‘The Night Diary’. ‘Amil and the After’ now finds Nisha and Amil navigating a new life in Mumbai following their family’s migration from Sindh during the Partition of India in 1947. Join me as Veera chats about her new book, and listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen! And if you’d like to hear Veera’s whole journey leading up to ‘The Night Diary’, please check out Ep. 34!SHOWNOTES FOR Mini-Edit 3:Connect with Veera through her website and InstagramBuy her books here, including Amil and the AfterOther books we discussed on the show:The Partition Project by Saadia FaruqiLion of The Sky by Ritu HemnaniThe Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition by Shirin ShamsiQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Ever wondered whether you should take that step to turning your hobby into a business? New York based Simran Khiantani (also goes by Namrata) shares her journey from Bombay to New York via the Canary Islands! Inspired by her MIL’s amazing sauces and her friends’ insistence that she start selling them, Simran recently launched her condiment brand after years of research and development. Try them now from Amazon and join our chat as Simran takes us behind the scenes of launching her business and some ideas for dinner tonight!Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen!SHOWNOTES FOR Ep. 91:Try Simran’s AMAZING sauces through her website and AmazonWondering what to cook for dinner tonight? Follow her on Instagram for some lovely recipes!More recipes with SimranCooks sauces hereDominique Ansel’s lovely banana bread recipe that is my household staple now! Books we discussed on the show:Cooking Up a Business: Lessons from Food Lovers Who Turned Their Passion into a Career -- and How You Can, Too Zaytinya by Jose AndresFlavors of the Sun: The Sahadi's Guide to Understanding, Buying, and Using Middle Eastern IngredientsGrowing Up in a Nonya Kitchen: A Peranakan Family's Food Memories of Singapore by Sharon WeeQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Exploring her husband’s Goan and Portuguese heritage led writer Christine Chitnis to create a beautiful celebration of the visual culture of Portugal: “Patterns of Portugal”. Having successfully completed a similar project in 2020 with “Patterns of India”, Christine was inspired to share her view of the beauty of this small nation at the edge of Europe. Join me in this mini-Edit where Christine takes us behind the scenes of putting together this stunning lifestyle book, including some of her favorite moments and travel tips! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Christine’s first appearance where we chat about “Patterns of India” was on Ep. 31 and if you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend!SHOWNOTES FOR MINI-EDIT 2:Experience Christine’s work through her website and her beautiful instagram accountBuy Patterns of Portugal here or on AmazonPatterns of India book and our pandemic chat on episode 31!East CoastingChristine’s exclusive Patterns of Portugal box with Portugalia Market brings to life the pages of the book through carefully selected artisanal productsTake an IRL trip to Portugal with Christine - sign up hereBooks we discussed on the show:A History of Burning by Janika Oza Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Notes on an Execution: An Edgar Award Winner Danya Kukafka Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

“You know, as Asian Americans, we often don't know our history. I myself have lived in the US more than 50 years, and yet a lot of people still think that you’ve recently come from India. This is not just about MIT, it's actually an important part of the history of South Asians in America.” - Ranu Boppana A physician and former President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology South Asian Alumni Association, Ranu Boppana began to learn about the history of South Asians at MIT (which began in 1880!) and the history of MIT’s role in developing technological education in the newly independent India and Pakistan. She teamed up with History Professor Sana Aiyar and, along with MIT-India Program Manager Nureen Das, they conceived of an exhibit showcasing this shared history. Driven by their own curiosity and their commitment to sharing their discoveries with current and former MIT students, the team has created a wonderful digital resource for us all. I learned so much about the history of South Asians in the US, including many surprising connections with the Indian Independence movement. Join me in this fascinating journey back in time with Ranu and Sana and please take a second to rate the podcast on iTunes so we can spread the word about their amazing work!SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 90:Experience the “South Asia and The Institute” digital exhibition via the website including some wonderful videos Follow Sana’s work here including her booksRead more about Ranu hereOther Books we discussed on the show:Ross Bassett’s The Technological IndianThe Other One Percent: Indians in America by Sanjoy Chakravorty, Devesh Kapur and Nirvikar SinghOur Stories: An Introduction to South Asian America by South Asian Digital ArchiveThe Caste of Merit: Engineering Education in India by Ajantha SubramanianThe Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science by Kate ZernikeBooker Shortlisted Western Lane by Chetna MarooJhumpa Lahiri’s Roman Stories Kamila Shamie’s Best of FriendsQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Ever wondered how an author takes a flash of inspiration and weaves a story from it? My guest Sheela Chari shares how she came to write her many wonderful children’s books, including the moment in college (as an economics major) that changed her life. Sheela now teaches writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts while creating new stories of her own, and she graciously breaks down the process behind writing and publishing each of her books.Hear Sheela now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening or share the podcast with a friend!SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 89:Read more about Sheela’s work at her website and connect with her on InstagramSheela’s books: VanishedFinding MightyKarthik DeliversThe Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars PatelSuper Puzzletastic Mysteries: Short Stories for Young Sleuths from Mystery Writers of AmericaOther books we discussed:Elizabeth Acevedo’s books including With the fire on high, Family Lore and The Poet XThe Summer Book by Tove JanssonQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Sumaira Ahmed is a force! Upon being diagnosed with a rare neuroimmune condition (Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder/ NMOSD, whose symptoms can include vision loss, paralysis, and weakness), Sumaira couldn’t find the community she needed, so she went right ahead and launched a foundation (two months later!) to create that support for herself and patients around the world. The Sumaira Foundation has since advocated for patients, funded disease research, increased NMO awareness globally and truly been a game changer in the field. Hear how this young dancer and Bollywood aspirant (who was crowned the first Miss Bangladesh-USA) turned into a fearless non-profit leader and champion for patients suffering from this rare disease.Join me with the wonderful Sumaira - now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 88:Read more about Sumaira’s work at The Sumaira Foundation and connect with her and The Sumaira Foundation on InstagramInfinite Vision: How Aravind Became the World's Greatest Business Case for CompassionQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

My guest Chandana Singh is a lawyer, founder of ‘Advocacy for Dyslexia’, and of The Office of Learning Support at India’s leading liberal arts university Ashoka University. Join me in this chat as Chandana dives into what makes life challenging as a neurodiovergent learner and what we can do as parents, friends, and community members to both support these children and adults and also learn from them! Listen in as Chandana shares what led her to doing this important work in Mumbai and all over India! Hear our chat now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 87:Read more about Chandana’s work featured in The Times of IndiaNeurodivergenceAamir Khan’s film Taare Zameen ParQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Ever wonder what makes people take that leap and pivot into a second or even a third act? My Boston-based guest moved from a successful career in consulting to non-profit leadership, and now to landscape design! So inspiring to hear how this dynamic and passionate Bangladeshi-American has jumped into new fields and established her own business. I’m particularly partial to this topic as a plant and garden design nerd myself, and I hope you’ll take away some inspiration to plan your own garden for next spring, or even your own career pivot!Listen in as Shoma shares tips on successfully switching into a new career, and also ideas for making your outdoor space more sustainable and wildlife-friendly! Hear our chat now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!SHOWNOTES FOR EPISODE 86:Read more about Shoma’s work on her website and follow her on instagram Doug Tallamy’s books and Homegrown National Park websiteBBC Gardener’s World (available via Britbox in the US)Books we discussed:Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of PlantsThe Garden Tourist: 120 Destination Gardens and Nurseries in the NortheastKitchen Garden Revival: A Modern Guide to Creating a Stylish, Small-Scale, Low-Maintenance, Edible GardenPlanting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient LandscapesQuestions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgardenSpecial thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!