'Main Bhi Muslim' the podcast is a conversational space for individuality and diversity within the context of being an Indian, a Muslim and everything in between.
www.mainbhimuslim.com (https://www.mainbhimuslim.com?utm_medium=podcast)
EP42 - Redefining the education system & its role in expanding a child’s world
This MBM conversation is with Sabina Fathima, founder of Sunnyside (https://www.sunnysidelearning.org/), a K-12 Experiential Learning School in Chennai. Sabina and I talk about her years of growing up within the Indian educational system, where engineering or medical were considered the only two paths to career and professional success, and the absence of an environment where a young mind could stay confused or reject the existing options. It was only when she began raising her first child, that Sabina realised how unhappy her kid was in mainstream educational set-up, which eventually led her to shift him to a Montessori schooling system and in the later years, establish her own school.
As a visible Muslim woman leading an institution, Sabina gives a glimpse of some of her experiences interacting with different stakeholders and how she has learnt to adapt over the years. We also discuss the many ways that the Indian educational system needs to evolve in order to truly prepare a child for the world they are part of, the role of educators and parents in expanding a child’s belonging outside a classroom and a home, and how young kids can become active agents in addressing the real world challenges of today.
Episode notes:
* Eco India: How Chennai's children are redesigning their sweltering city (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBn2q83ATmE) (Scroll x Eco India, July 2026)
* Meet an Educator: Sabina Fathima (https://www.early-bird.in/meet-an-educator-sabina-fathima/) (early bird, April 2024)
* Wild Learning: Yuvan Aves on nature as a classroom (https://youtu.be/vvVxUCdyWdo?si=FDGqfMcTy0ISOVvA) (Dark 'n' Light Zine, September 2024)
* A Long Struggle For Indigeneity: The Story Of Van Gujjars And Their Search For A Tribal Identity (https://www.adivasilivesmatter.com/post/a-long-struggle-for-indigeneity-the-story-of-van-gujjars-and-their-search-for-a-tribal-identity) (Pranav Menon, Adivasi Lives Matter, June 2021)
* Van Gujjars Help Conserve Forests, but Are Deprived of Rights (https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/van-gujjars-help-conserve-forests-are-deprived-rights) (Sushmita and Ajit Mahale, The Third Pole, February 2024)
MBM visual identity design by Shazia Salam (https://www.instagram.com/shaziasalam/) || Music by Jupneet Singh (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MHQWrbAtbM)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mainbhimuslim.com (https://www.mainbhimuslim.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
9 Aug 2026
Challenging society's fears & doubts, one hike at a time
This MBM conversation is with 20-year old Zahra Batool Sayeba, a resident of Minjee village near Kargil. Sayeba is an avid hiker but despite growing up in and around Ladakh, hiking or camping in the mountains was not a pursuit that she or her friends undertook, until an off chance with an older friend helped her discover this life.
In this conversation, Sayeba shares the wonders and joys that she finds through hiking, and despite community expectations, she continues to hike regularly offering a chance to many girls and young women like her to explore their home in more ways than one.
We also discuss the role of families and institutions in supporting girls’ outdoor pursuits, the changes she has witnessed around her owing to climate crisis, and imagine the possibilities where women of all ages can explore hiking and wandering in the mountains just for themselves.
Episode notes:
* Some question why young women should climb mountains but hiking gives me freedom (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jul/01/young-women-kashmir-mountains-hiking-hijab-girls-kargil) (Mohsina Gufran, The Guardian, July 2026)
* Mountain Girls of Kargil | New Generation of Women Adventurers | Ladakh, India (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4lbv2vy44Y) (Eleanor Moseman, YouTube, February 2026)
MBM visual identity design by Shazia Salam (https://www.instagram.com/shaziasalam/) || Music by Jupneet Singh (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MHQWrbAtbM)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mainbhimuslim.com (https://www.mainbhimuslim.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
5 Apr 2026
EP40 - Paving her own road towards selfhood
This MBM conversation is with Safiya Bano, a resident of Golconda Hyderabad, who is a businesswoman and beneficiary of the non-profit, SAFA’s training and micro-finance initiative. Before being supported by SAFA, Safiya worked relentlessly for 20 years, starting from stitching shirt buttons to learning to make and sell washing powder. She has single-handedly supported the education and well-being of her five children, refusing to budge to a bad marriage and taking steps to look after herself and her children despite societal constraints and economic hardships.
This conversation is a window to her life and story that showcases how sheer determination and grit to survive helped Safiya navigate life, but also in her own words, having faith in Allah and not dwelling on the past, has helped her take one step after another. Through SAFA, Safiya was able to get a small loan to start her own clothing business, which she hopes to scale with a bigger loan and better investment strategies over the coming years.
About SAFA:
* Website: https://www.safaindia.org/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safaindia
* Linktree: https://linktr.ee/safango
Related MBM episode:
MBM visual identity design by Shazia Salam (https://www.instagram.com/shaziasalam/) || Music by Jupneet Singh (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MHQWrbAtbM)
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mainbhimuslim.com (https://www.mainbhimuslim.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
12 ratings
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