Brown History Podcast

During the 1970s and 80s in Britain, South Asians came together to protest against the violent racism and injustice they were facing from the government and from rising facist groups like the National Front. These South Asians, held rallies and marches, protested, and did whatever they had to do to defend and protect themselves. It is the story of how the British Asian community had reached their breaking point and decided to stand up and fight for their right to stay and live in Britain with dignity. In the latest Brown History Podcast episode, as Channel 4 releases their new documentary series – "Defiance: Fighting the Far Right" – a three-part series that examines how Britain’s Asian community was targeted with a campaign of violence and murder between 1976 and 1981, we sit with Suresh Grover, one of UK's leading activists against police brutality, and shed light on this dark chapter in British history.    Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

In October, the government of Pakistan announced that it would expel all undocumented foreigners, including 1.7 million Afghans—one of the country’s largest immigrant communities. This includes those who were born in, brought up, married, had children, and then they raised their families, all within in Pakistan. Many of them had fled from the Taliban and are terrified of heading back to the Taliban government. In the past month, we've seen heartbreaking scenes where Afghan students bid farewell to their Pakistani classmates with heartfelt hugs, and at the border, long lines of trucks were laden with the possessions of Afghan families. The United Nations agencies and human rights organizations have widely criticized Pakistan's practice of forcefully returning refugees. This is cruelty on a massive scale. In today's episode we sit with Sanaa Alimia, author of "Refugee Cities: How Afghans Changed Urban Pakistan," and delve into a thought-provoking discussion on the intricate dynamics surrounding Afghan refugees in Pakistan. We look at their history, their current situation, and most importantly, we shed light on their humanity. Get the book: https://amzn.to/46wuQWn Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

We sit with Indian-American musician, music producer, and songwriter Sid Sriram, who is currently one of the most popular playback singers in India and has recently released his English-language studio album, 'Sidharth'. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

In India, Christians account for about 2% to 3% of the population. However, in the state of Kerala, Christians make up a remarkable 18% to 19% of the total population. And among them, Syrian Christians play a significant role, representing almost half of Kerala's Christian population. Although the Syrian Christians of Kerala are a minority, they are also a caste-, race-, and class-privileged minority that have historically benefited from their privileged position within society. And if the Syrian Christians are the dominant community, then it is also necessary to look at the subordinated communities, as they represent the minority within the minority. Our guest today is Sonja Thomas, author of, 'Privileged Minorities: Syrian Christianity, Gender, and Minority Rights in Postcolonial India' and together we will discuss the Christians of Kerala, specifically the Syrian Christians, and navigate the intricacies of caste, gender, class, race, religion, and language. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3OD8MUF Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

The Rohingya are widely recognized as one of the most persecuted and vulnerable communities in the world. They are a people that much of the world keeps forgetting. For centuries, they called Burma/Myanmar their home, but being victims of persecution as a result of ethnic cleansing and genocide, they were forced to flee to neighbouring countries. and now, over a million Rohingyas endure life in cramped refugee camps in Bangladesh. Excluded as illegal migrants by both Myanmar and Bangladesh, they face unimaginable hardships, including unemployment, mental and sexual abuse, and the denial of basic human necessities. We sit with journalist Kaamil Ahmed, author of ‘I Feel No Peace: Rohingya Fleeing Over Seas and Rivers,’ and explore the haunting question: has the world failed the Rohingya? Get the book: https://amzn.to/42M2KFo Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768 Photo by Kevin Frayer

Asha Puthli is a living legend. A musical pioneer, fashion icon, Studio 54 star, feminist, actor, environmentalist, and friends with everyone from Andy Warhol to Mikhail Gorbachev. She is cited by the New York Times as having been an inspiration to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder. As an actor she's worked with greats that include Merchant Ivory, Louise Malle, and the Italian Director Bruno Corbucci. And she continues to stay as relevant as ever. A remix of her immensely influential 1975 track Space Talk was recently released on the music label @naya.beat and she is about to record her 11th studio album this summer. A Hollywood documentary about her life is also in the works. On today's episode, writer-director-producer @deeptidatt who has been documenting @ashaputhli in her expansive, multimedia, installation project #interstellarIconoclasts, sits down with the legendary artist to conduct a rare and incredibly far-ranging interview exploring Asha's music, life, career and inspirations. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768      

When we think of Goa, we usually think of beach parties, vacation, or that movie Dil Chahta Hai, but Goa was once the headquarters of the Portuguese empire in the East for 450 years. They were the first colonial powers in the subcontinent and the last ones to leave. The Portuguese brought a different face of Christianity and they used it to impose their rule over Goa. They planned for Goa to be the "Rome" of the East, and that involved violence, torture, and erasure. We sit with Ângela Barreto Xavier, author of 'Religion and Empire in Portuguese India' and discuss the transformation of Goa during the first couple of centuries of Portuguese colonial rule. Get the book: https://amzn.to/43fvGpf Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

In 2006, just after Hurrincan Katrina, hundreds of Indian workers were lured to the United States with false promises of a green card and forced to work under grueling working conditions at a shipyard in Mississippi. It would become one of the largest human trafficking schemes in U.S. history. When one of those workers called labor organizer Saket Soni for help, it set off an epic chain of events that led him to engineering their escape from the work camp and set them off on a path to citizenship. We sit with Saket Soni, author of 'The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America' as he recounts their heroic journey for justice.  Get the book: https://amzn.to/42Svz2B Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

We sit with award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee, known for his roles in films like Satya, Gangs of Wasseypur, Aligarh, and the most recent, Gulmohar, as well as leading the running hit series, The Family Man. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

We sit with Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra, creator of the hit Netflix series 'Indian Matchmaking' and the four part docu-series 'The Romantics.' Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

We sit with 6 time Emmy-nominated film and television composer, Siddhartha Khosla, lead singer of critically acclaimed band, Goldspot, and the man behind musical scores of hit shows like This Is Us and Only Murders in the Building, and his most recent film, Gulmohar.  Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

In 1948, when Israel declared itself as an independent state, it quickly sought for international recognition from other countries, including from a newly independent India. Nehru, who was Prime Minister then, was hesitant. Even Albert Einstein personally wrote to Nehru, requesting India’s support but Nehru declined. Instead, India allied itself with the Palestinians, and when 33 nations at the United Nation voted in favour of an Israel, India was one of the 13 countries that voted against. However, today, India has become Israel's biggest and most dependable purchaser of weapons. What happened? We sit with Azad Essa, author of 'Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel,' and discuss the history of the relationship between India and Israel. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3ByxIVs Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

Did you know that a survey done in 2016 on caste in America revealed that one in three Dalits in the United States reported being discriminated against during their education? Did you know that same survey revealed that one out of four Dalits in America said they had faced verbal or physical assault based on their caste? Did you know that it also revealed that that two out of three Dalits in America reported being treated unfairly at their workplace because of their caste? We sit with Dalit American rights activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan, author of 'The Trauma of Caste,' and discuss caste in America.   Get the book: https://amzn.to/3BY4Lm3 Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

We sit with award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia, who works across both film and television, and has firmly established himself as one of the world’s most popular and celebrated documentarians. His documentaries include Senna, Diego Maradona, and Amy which won Best Music Film at the Grammy Awards and Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768  

Take the average child born in South India and the average child born in North India; one will live a healthier, wealthier, more secure life than the other, all because of which side of the country they happened to be born and raised in. We sit with data scientist Nilakantan RS, author of 'SOUTH vs NORTH : India’s Great Divide' and discuss why there is such a large imbalance between the South of India and the North of India. By using hard data, we examine how and why states on one side of India are outperforming the rest of the country and what the consequences of that could mean for everyone in an increasingly centralized India.  Get the book: https://amzn.to/3MndFOX Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

We sit with Jessica Hinchy, author of 'Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India', and discuss the Hijra community during colonial rule. When the British ruled the subcontinent, one of their preferred methods of control was classification; they grouped and categorized people, reducing them inside their boxes. However, the British were not able to define the Hijra community into a category and that caused the British see them as threat. So what solution did the British come up with? They decided to exterminate the Hijra community through laws and policing.   Get the book: https://amzn.to/3WhMVDQ   Book mentioned on the episode: https://amzn.to/3ohbfJC Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768    

We sit with British vocalist Sheila Chandra who first created waves in 1982 when she and her band, 'Monsoon,' reached number 12 in the UK charts with their single "Ever So Lonely." She was only around 16 years old at the time. The band split up and Chandra embarked on a solo career and released several albums. In 2002, she was featured in the movie soundtrack for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,' in the song, 'Breath of Life,' where she sings completely in Elvish. Sadly in 2010, she developed a rare chronic condition called Burning Mouth Syndrome which made it extremely difficult for her to even speak.  Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768    

We sit with Thomas Manuel, author of ‘Opium Inc.: How a Global Drug Trade Funded the British Empire,’ and discuss the historic opium trade which unleased two wars, and ultimately shaped human history.  Get the book: https://amzn.to/45AKtfX Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

We sit with award-winning Canadian documentary filmmaker Nisha Pahuja whose works include Diamond Road, The World Before Her, and her latest, To Kill A Tiger. Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768

We sit with filmmaker Vinay Shukla, director of the award-winning documentary 'An Insignificant Man', and his latest, 'While We Watched.'  Visit our Shop: https://shopbrownhistory.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://brownhistory.substack.com/ Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/brownhistory Books covered on the podcast so far: https://amzn.to/42TH768