I am an Indian American entrepreneur, author & executive at a Fortune 100 company who was inspired to launch this series to showcase inspiring, real life stories & narratives from the South Asian Diaspora & provide much needed hope & encouragement to a global audience. I genuinely believe in the concept that life is a classroom and planet earth is a school whereby we are all students. As students of life each of us are given a variety of opportunities to learn key lessons every single day. It my experience that the same lessons are often repeated over and over until we master what we need to learn. As a young girl born in Columbus Ohio to parents who immigrated to the US from India in the early 1960’s, I never felt fully comfortable in my own skin. I didn’t feel at ease with who I was, who I wanted to be or what my unique gifts were to offer this great, big wide world. My childhood in the heart of America’s Midwest was a kaleidoscope of color, sound & culture as my parents tried to ensure that my siblings and I adhered to some of the cultural and religious traditions of India while encouraging us to fully immerse ourselves in all that was America. Growing up in an Indian American household steeped in the mores and traditions of South Asian culture while trying to be the personification of America’s melting pot was beautiful, painful, isolating and sometimes exhausting. I realize now that I am not alone in feeling this way. Launching A Desi Woman is a catalyst for me to find my own voice and feel comfortable enough to use it. I’ve come to the realization that I am still a work in progress and that is ok! I have also realized that we are in this classroom of life together and many of our lessons are universal. The voices I am seeking to join me on this series may be voices and names you have never heard before but their inspiring stories & narratives deserve to be told. Thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery and growth—you are always welcome here!
In this interview we catch up with Hollywood based filmmaker Mayank Deogaonkar who is an award winning South Asian American filmmaker with a diverse background. Originally born in India, he has been raised in the United Kingdom, and the United States. This upbringing has made him appreciate the multifaceted and diverse world we live in. As such, he strives to tell stories that discuss the struggles and obstacles faced by an immigrant abroad.
Mayank has worked as a writer, director, and video editor on multiple projects. In 2021, he has won Best Script for American’s at the New York Cinema Awards. Since, 2023 his debut short Butterscotch has had a successful festival run, garnering two awards along the way for Best Short Drama at the Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati and Best International Short Film at Yellowstone International Film Festival. Furthermore, it was just recently selected for the Oscar Qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival. Mayank recently began M.A.D. House Entertainment Limited with a goal of expanding the opportunities for South Asian filmmakers based in the US.
3 Jul 2024
Chhaya Nene
Chhaya has appeared on ABC's Big Sky, General Hospital, and Speechless and you can also catch her on Netflix's The OA, and BET's Sacrifice. Chhaya’s latest project and film ‘Kurta Pants’ is making waves at the Toronto International Film Festival. But Kurta Pants’ isn’t your typical film—it’s the latest installment in the television anthology series ‘Civil Disobedience’. Combining comedy with poignant social commentary, each episode tackles pressing issues of justice and prejudice. This particular episode explores the complexities of interracial dating within South Asian and Nigerian cultures, shining a humorous yet insightful light on inherent biases. Don’t miss this conversation with a rising star who is determined to continue bringing diverse stories and narratives to life in Hollywood and beyond!
26 Jun 2024
Mrinalini Garv
Mrinalini Garv the Career Coach for South Asian Professional Women. As a highly accomplished career coach exclusively for South Asian women Mrinalini uses a transformative approach to empower professionals so they can step into their full potential and command the recognition they deserve. In this episode Mrinalini shares her journey from feeling undervalued in her life and career to becoming a beacon of change. Discover how she helps women reclaim their voice, assert their leadership, and achieve unprecedented career milestones, all while maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life. If you're ready to stop working 80 hours a week without recognition, and instead fast-track your career with confidence and strategy, you're in the right place. Join us as we unlock the secrets to professional success and personal fulfillment, exclusively with Mrinalini Garv.
23 Jun 2024
Rohini Jadhav
Rohini is a production designer and art director with a professional background in architecture currently working in art departments of film and television projects in Los Angeles.She has worked in multiple roles within the art department, as a production design assistant, researcher and digital asset manager, before taking on the challenge of production designing and art directing for multiple short films and music videos. She has worked on a couple of Netflix films, a HBO pilot, feature films with award winning directors both in India and the U.S. and even a design proposal for a $500 billion city proposed to be built in Saudi Arabia.In her short time in Los Angeles, USA, she has collaborated with notable production designers and art directors like Oscar-nominated Guy Hendrix Dyas, David Lazan, Inbal Weinberg and Lauren Fitzsimmons, to name a few. Post that, she completed a stint in Mumbai, India working in art departments of major feature films with renowned directors like Anubhav Sinha and Umang Vyas as well as experienced production designers Nikhil Kovale and Shruti Gupte. She completed her undergraduate studies in architecture and worked for over 2 years as an architect in a well-reputed design firm India before moving to complete her post-graduate degree in the Fiction and Entertainment program at SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture), Los Angeles.Rohini is a highly visual person with an instinctive understanding of spatial design. Coupled with her love for cinema (Indian and World), she was eventually drawn towards designing for films. A wanderer at heart, she is inspired by her collection of experiences and observations of people, flavors, art and architecture around the world. Rohini loves the fast-paced world of cinematic design and hope to bring a fresh perspective to her craft of film-making. In this episode we discuss Rohini’s new project entitled Anokhi. Anokhi sheds light on the silence and normalization of domestic abuse in patriarchal cultures and especially amidst the South Asian Diaspora.
16 Jun 2024
Megha Kadakia
With a background spanning the realms of business development, finance, and artistic vision, Megha Kadakia is a luminary in the world of independent filmmaking and media strategy. Her journey began with pivotal roles at Disney | ABC and Deloitte Consulting, honing her skills in business acumen and strategy. But it was in the realm of film production where Kadakia's star truly rose. From her tenure at Blue Velocity Pictures to co-founding the global media entertainment brand, SUPER AMAZING PRINCESS HEROES, she has been a driving force behind groundbreaking projects that captivate audiences worldwide. A recipient of prestigious fellowships and accolades, including Sundance's Momentum Fellowship and Film Independent's Producer's Lab, Kadakia's commitment to social impact media is unwavering. Her TEDx talk on Media and Diversity at UNC Chapel Hill stands as a testament to her dedication to driving meaningful change through storytelling. With an MBA from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Biochemistry and Business Specialization from UCLA, Kadakia brings a unique blend of expertise to every project she touches. Join us as we unravel the journey and insights of Megha Kadakia, a visionary at the intersection of business, media, and social impact.
5 Jun 2024
Divya Sethi & Shival Bajay
In this episode we catch up with Actor, Producer and Model Divya Sethi and her equally talented partner and co-collaborator Shival Bajay who is also the Chief Investment Officer at Atlas. Divya Sethi has an impressive bio and is known for Billions (2016) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4270492/?ref_=nmbio_mbio), Bull (2016) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5827228/?ref_=nmbio_mbio), Extrapolations (2023) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13821126/?ref_=nmbio_mbio) and most recently CSI.
Shiv is the chief Investment officer at Atlas and together they are co-creators of Shark Bait. Shark Bait (Shark Bait: https://www.sharkbaitseries.com/ (https://www.sharkbaitseries.com/)) is a 6 episode limited series and we dive into questions about the series, diversity in Hollywood (or lack thereof) and how media consumption and habits are changing based on technology and streaming.
Overall this is conversation that is sure to entertain and inspire listeners everywhere!
29 May 2024
Tansu Phillip
This week we are excited to welcome actor, writer and business owner Tansu Philip! Tansu Philip is a third culture kid from Redlands, CA. After graduating from film school at Chapman University with degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science, she opened Viva La Boba, a community coffee shop in San Bernardino, CA.
She has improv training from Upright Citizens Brigade and is impassioned about storytelling and increasing diversity across the entire landscape of media and entertainment. In this episode we discuss being ‘brown’ in Hollywood and the excitement and challenges associated with this career path.Thanks so much!
13 May 2024
Ashwini Prasad
Author & Screenwriter Ashwini Prasad MBA is impassioned about storytelling & more importantly, about elevating stories focused upon marginalized groups and ensuring that these rich perspectives continue to be shared with the world more broadly and be celebrated.As a screenwriter, Ashwini cultivates safe spaces for storytelling and is a firm believer in lifting others up to move from surviving to thriving. Ashwini has her own podcast about Inclusive Screenwriting and is a published author with two Master’s Degrees and an MBA.
5 May 2024
Dr. Gitika Talwar
Dr. Gitika Talwar is a Psychotherapist & Immigrant Advocate whose goal is to facilitate collaborative conversations that have a unique focus on mind, body & spiritual wellness. Gitika’s personal and professional experience working in the area of mental health in both India and the U.S. makes her uniquely equipped to understand the challenges facing our communities.
29 Apr 2024
Rashmi Rustagi
Rashmi Rustagi was Born and raised amidst the vibrant tapestry of Lucknow, India, and has brought stories to life since a young age, starting with radio plays and theater. Over the years, this passion led her to the silver screen, where she continues breathing life into film and television characters. You may have seen her in movies such as The Avengers, India Sweets and Spices, and TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Atypical, and Never Have I Ever, to name a few.
She has written and produced several short films on narratives advocating social change. She aspires to inspire and motivate audiences to shape a better world. Rashmi recently wrote, produced, and acted in the feature film Designed by Preeti, which is currently in post-production https://designedbypreetimovie.com (https://designedbypreetimovie.com/).
The film is a romantic drama about a woman’s journey from spouse abuse to personal and professional empowerment as she experiences real love for the first time with someone outside her rigid community. Inspired by true stories, Designed by Preeti addresses domestic abuse, mental health, and interracial romance. Outside of acting and writing, she is an avid gardener, loves to cook, and writes a popular Indian food blog.
21 Apr 2024
NY State Senatorial Candidate Minita Sanghvi
Episode 4 of "A Desi Woman" featuring NY State Senatorial Candidate Minita Sanghvi.
16 Apr 2024
A Conversation with the Life Coach for Indians, Dr. Maneesha Ahluwalia
Today we are so excited to be joined by Dr. Maneesha Ahluwalia. Maneesha is a board certified Infectious Disease doctor and a Certified Life Coach who is on a mission to help Indians create the connections they crave by first creating genuine, true, inconvenient, unabashed love for themselves. Maneesha helps Indian professionals all over the world feel less frustrated and stressed in their closest relationships and she is the Life Coach for Indians.
16 Apr 2024
A Conversation with Author & Life Coach Shanita Liu
Shanita Liu is a first-generation Indo-Guyanese American, who was born and raised in Queens, NY. As an encourager, transformational coach, reiki master, medium, mystic, and Chief Energy Officer at Coach Shanita, Inc., she leverages her top two superpowers—intuition and courage—to help people live victorious lives. Shanita is also the online course creator of Activate Your Courage to Increase Workplace Success and maker of Little Box of Courage®, a 44-card deck featuring interactive techniques to become your most courageous self. All of this is an extension of Shanita’s wildly popular 2021 TEDx talk, “How to Activate Courage,” which aims to help people access their courageous wisdom during scary moments. Shanita is a Fulbright Scholar, artist, veteran spouse, and mother of three warriors. She is an award-winning writer and has contributed to various platforms including ForbesWomen, Thrive Global, Medium, and Brown Girl Magazine to name a few!
21 Mar 2024
A Conversation with Former Obama Administration Official & Maryland Congressional Candidate Ashwani Jain
A Desi Woman is excited to catch up with current Congressional Candidate for Maryland’s 6th District and previous Obama Administration Official Ashwani Jain! Ashwani is a 34-year-old son of Indian immigrants and small business owners, a product of Maryland public schools, a published author and a cancer survivor. Ashwani is the only AAPI candidate running for Congress in his district and, if elected, would be Maryland’s first Millennial, first Asian-American and first Indian-American to be elected. Ashwani began volunteering for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign as a high school senior and worked his way from a volunteer to serving as a Presidential Appointee in the White House – diversifying the federal government in the Presidential Personnel Office, serving as White House Liaison at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, then as Associate Director of the Affordable Care Act at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and even as Director of Outreach for then-Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Contact A Desi Woman
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of A Desi Woman?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
