The Carolina Desi
Carolina Desis Gurtej Singh and Rashmili Vemula explore life as the children of Desi immigrants in today’s America. Constantly immersed in and inspired by two contrasting cultures, these South Asians raised in the American South discuss their experiences with “living a double life” and the challenges in reconciling the cultural and societal differences surrounding them daily. Thought-provoking, sharp, and occasionally silly, Gurtej and Rashmili question and flesh out the South Asian experience in the Western world for Desis and non-Desis alike. Join our hosts as they find common threads, not just among Carolina Desis, but also across the human experience as a whole.
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CD49 Definition Please, a Conversation with Sujata Day
05/18/2022
CD49 Definition Please, a Conversation with Sujata Day
Sujata Day is a performer, creator, writer, and director known for her work on HBO's Insecure as well as her film directorial debut Definition Please (now streaming on Netflix), among others. Join us as Sujata discusses her background, her work, how she turned her creative ideas into reality, the specific challenges her team overcame in film production and distribution, and so much more!
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CD48 Sufi Scholarship with Arpan Bhandari
04/29/2022
CD48 Sufi Scholarship with Arpan Bhandari
Today we are joined by Arpan Bhandari, PhD candidate of Islamic Studies at UNC Chapel Hill, for a fantastic conversation around Sufism and scholarship. We discuss Arpan's background, surviving in academia, the value of the humanities, the basics of Sufism, its influence on Bollywood and modern pop culture, and some of the most prominent Sufis in history (Rumi, Al-Hallaj, Hafiz, etc). It's sure to be an exciting conversation you won't want to miss! IG / FB / Twitter: @arpandholi
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PODSWAP: Brown People We Know (Ranjan Ravaliya)
10/05/2021
PODSWAP: Brown People We Know (Ranjan Ravaliya)
Brown People We Know, hosted by Suraj Kandukuri, is an interview podcast with South Asian Americans taking non-traditional career and lifestyle paths. By sharing these stories, the podcast aims to break down stereotypes about South Asians and to reduce social pressures from within the diaspora community to take a certain path. In this episode, Suraj interviews Ranjan Ravaliya who is a retired engineer who earned her PhD in Chemistry in India during the 1980’s. At 62, she decided to come out of retirement by visiting Haridwar in India and training to become a priestess. Today, at 67, she goes by the moniker The New England Priest as she officiates weddings. In this episode, Ranjan shared the story of her family leaving Tanzania during Idi Amin’s time and about earning the nickname “Rapid Ranjan” as she hiked Kilimanjaro years later. They talk about her decision to pursue higher education despite her father’s wishes, and the funny way that she convinced him to pay for it. And she reflected on parenting as a single mother of two and what she sees her role as a grandparent today.
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CD46 Southern Fried Asians with Keith Chow
07/20/2021
CD46 Southern Fried Asians with Keith Chow
The Carolina Desis teamed up with Keith Chow (@the_real_chow) of the Southern Fried Asians (@southernfriedasians) podcast and the Nerds of Color (@thenerdsofcolor) to put out a special episode discussing this year’s rise in awareness towards AAPI issues as well as the general complexity involved in being labelled as “Asian-American”, especially for those of us living in the American South. What are the similarities in our stories? Who gets to be counted in the coalitions being built? And what does solidarity look like between all of us? Join us as we discuss all these questions and more! IG & Twitter: @the_real_chow IG: @southernfriedasians Twitter: @southernasians All channels: @thenerdsofcolor
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CD45 International Choreographer and Filmmaker Tricha Kumar
06/29/2021
CD45 International Choreographer and Filmmaker Tricha Kumar
Tricha Kumar is a professional dancer and filmmaker who also happens to be the Bollywood film industry's #1 dance choreographer of Bhangra. Join the Carolina Desis this week as Tricha sits down with us to discuss current projects, her philosophy on dance as a career and an artform, the state of Bhangra in Bollywood, the value of labor as a backup dancer, adjusting to Covid, and so much more! IG: @tricha.k Twitter: @trichakumar Website: MOON: MOON: Witness to a Devouring Monster: WTADM Fundraising:
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CD44 Invisible India with Jessica Kumar
04/06/2021
CD44 Invisible India with Jessica Kumar
We've spoken before about the immigrant experience coming from South Asia to the US, but never the other way around! This time, we get to know Jessica Kumar, an American Midwesterner and Co-host of the Invisible India Podcast. Over time, Jessica found herself building a life with her husband and children halfway across the world in India. We sat down to ask Jessica about her work, her transition to life in India, raising bilingual children there, the misconceptions she had before arriving, and much more. Invisible India episode mentioned: @InvisibleIndia on IG @IndiaInvisible on Twitter @TheInvisibleIndia on FB
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CD43 The Farmers Protest with Sahej Preet Singh
02/17/2021
CD43 The Farmers Protest with Sahej Preet Singh
What do Rihanna, Greta Thunberg, and the farmers of India all have in common? They, along with a groundswell of supporters worldwide, are shedding light on the unjustness of three farm laws passed by India's Parliament. The passing of these laws, which has sparked the largest protest in world history, strip away previous protections for workers and open the doors for billionaire corporate interests to destroy an entire way of life for upwards of 60% of India's population still working in agriculture. We sit down with Sahej Preet Singh of the Sikh Coalition to discuss the rapidly developing situation, the plight of the farmers, the ongoing human rights' abuses committed by the government against peaceful protesters, and how it all ties back to us as Americans watching from afar. Please join us for this very special and important episode of the Carolina Desi! Resources discussed in the episode: @sikhcoalition on IG @khalsa_aid on IG
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CD42 An Actor's Journey with Sachit Grover
01/26/2021
CD42 An Actor's Journey with Sachit Grover
Sachit Grover is a young Desi-American Actor and Content Creator making his way in the rapidly evolving landscape of the entertainment industry. We sit down with Sachit to discuss his film projects, experiences, and lessons learned both at home and abroad. Tune in to hear more about Sachit's creative process, the challenges of acting in a second language, adapting to auditioning during Covid-19, learning from and working with experienced Bollywood actors such as Ranvir Shorey, and much more! YouTube: Instagram: Twitter: Facebook:
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CD41 Mamaji by Elisheba Haqq
10/28/2020
CD41 Mamaji by Elisheba Haqq
Elisheba Haqq is an author, educator, and nurse who has just released her debut memoir Mamaji, chronicling the adversity, challenges, and lessons learned through her own upbringing as a Desi-American in 1970s Minnesota. We sit down with Elisheba to discuss the social and cultural isolation felt in her life, the effects on her family and identity, as well as other core themes that have shaped her and her story. Find Mamaji on or .
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CD40 Ronnie Chatterji for NC State Treasurer
09/09/2020
CD40 Ronnie Chatterji for NC State Treasurer
On today's episode, we had the great pleasure of speaking with Duke professor, economist, author, and self-described nerd Ronnie Chatterji on his 2020 political campaign as the Democratic candidate for North Carolina State Treasurer. Join us as we learn more about his vision for North Carolina, his background working for the Obama administration, the significance of the office of NC State Treasurer, his own experiences as a Carolina Desi, and much more. Remember to VOTE on or before November 3rd. To learn more about Ronnie and his platform, visit www.ronniechatterji.com.
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CD39 COVID-19: A Physician’s POV
04/10/2020
CD39 COVID-19: A Physician’s POV
Everyone’s lives have been affected, but what does the rapid spread of COVID-19 look like from the eyes of a healthcare professional on the front lines of the fight? Kunal Joshi is a hospital based board certified physician from the Seattle, Washington area, one of the first places hit hard in the US by the current pandemic. Join us today as he sits down to share his first-hand experiences and insights on the stress COVID-19 puts on the US healthcare system - its workers, its patients, and the community a
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CD38 Letting In
03/27/2020
CD38 Letting In
Kripa Shah is authentically herself. She’s proud to be desi, and she’s proud to be queer. Understanding her origins within a socially conservative culture, she had to tactfully manage both finding her truth and then sharing that truth with her loved ones, knowing full well they may never truly understand her. Join us this week as we discuss her ongoing journey from vulnerability to confidence, and navigating the muddy waters in between.
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CD37 Bizarro World
12/31/2019
CD37 Bizarro World
Happy End-of-the-Decade, Carolina Desi listeners! This decade of our lives has been a whirlwind, to say the least. Reflecting on this decade gave us an insight to the evolution (or de-evolution?) of our optimism for the past as well as the upcoming decades of our lives and future generations in this new bizarro world. What do you hope is in store for you?
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CD36 The Cost Of Free Speech
09/12/2019
CD36 The Cost Of Free Speech
Sometimes, Free Speech requires a price to be paid. As a result, in today's polarizing world climate we see violence against political activists, government censorship, self-censorship, "Cancel Culture", etc. Join the Carolina Desis this week as they discuss their observations on these costs, their effects on social media, and why it can still be worth saying what's on your mind in the present day.
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CD35 The Dating Coach, Varsha Mathur
07/17/2019
CD35 The Dating Coach, Varsha Mathur
The Carolina Desis were joined this month by Transformational Coach, Varsha Mathur (@coachingbyvarsha). Varsha is a third generation Desi-American, accomplished master of many career industries so we wanted to get candid advice from someone who’s seen and coaches it all . From the stigma of dating to the taboos of divorce in the South Asian culture, Varsha drops some truth-bombs. We discuss why relationships are the way they are as well as how experiencing a “third culture” affects your understanding
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CD34 Brain Drain
03/05/2019
CD34 Brain Drain
By definition, Brain Drain is the emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a particular country. India and other surrounding countries experience the Brain Drain epidemic with their society’s top talent seeking prosperous opportunities abroad in countries such as USA or Canada. Why does this happen? What do countries “abroad” offer that makes the move across the globe worth it? What is the impact? Join the Carolina Desis as they pretend to be geo-politicians.
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CD33 (Live) Carolina Desis at Clemson
02/05/2019
CD33 (Live) Carolina Desis at Clemson
The Carolina Desis were invited back to their alma mater to speak to a class about the Religion & Politics in India from 1800s to the Present, taught by Dr. Mou Banerjee. Thank you to the students: Lucas, Amy, Ethan, Darian, Liam, and Aaron (special thanks to Aaron for bringing us this opportunity) for the fantastic conversation! This episode is a highlight reel of the various topics we discussed.
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CD32 Gulab Jamun Cupcake (Weddings with Kiran Mohan)
11/26/2018
CD32 Gulab Jamun Cupcake (Weddings with Kiran Mohan)
The episode you have all been waiting for (or at least one of them) is finally here: WEDDINGS! From the planning to the week-long wedding events, the Carolina Desis break it all down with guest Kiran Mohan of Sonaa Wedding & Events (@sonaaevents). Kiran, a Toronto native and recent Charlotte resident, shares her experiences as an accomplished planner and what she wants to bring to the Desi wedding industry in the Southeast US. We discuss the variety and significance of wedding events and traditions that dif
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CD31 Stay Green
10/09/2018
CD31 Stay Green
CD31 Stay Green by Gurtej Singh & Rashmili Vemula
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CD30 Fitness & Business with Dee Gautham
08/02/2018
CD30 Fitness & Business with Dee Gautham
The Carolina Desis have RETURNED. To top it off, they’ve returned with a GUEST. Please join the Carolina Desis this week in their conversation with self-made fitness and nutrition coach, Dee Gautham (@squats_and_samosas). Dee shares her career transition from medicine to tech to full-time fitness and nutrition coach. We discuss the stigmas revolving around fitness, particularly the effect that the South Asian community has on our body image.
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CD29 Leading By Example with Udit Rathore
05/30/2018
CD29 Leading By Example with Udit Rathore
Meet Udit Rathore: Delhi born, Charlotte raised, and Boston dwelling. Udit and his family moved to North Carolina in the 90s and built a flourishing academy, Sangrock Blackbelt World. The Carolina Desis and Udit discussed everything from his experience in the US Armed Forces, his family’s Sangrock Blackbelt World journey, and the true meaning and impact of self-empowerment and leadership. Udit is soon launching the Sangrock Initiative, a service to underprivileged students to experience the empowerment th
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CD28 Hurry Up and Wait
04/30/2018
CD28 Hurry Up and Wait
Time. There’s never enough of it! At least, not for the Carolina Desis. Why is it so hard to come by? Is it a side effect of being an adult? Join them this week as they try to unravel the concept of punctuality and priorities in both the Desi and American cultures.
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CD27 Human Architecture, a Conversation with Manoj Kesavan
04/04/2018
CD27 Human Architecture, a Conversation with Manoj Kesavan
We had the pleasure of having a conversation with Manoj Kesavan. Manoj is an architect, urban designer, educator, creator, and everything else under the sun within the Charlotte Arts community. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Que-OS, a non-profit organization whose mission is to "transform the way art/culture is created and shared, and how people connect to causes and community." They create open and inclusive platforms for artists and other creative professionals to engage and create social imp
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CD26 On the American Dream
03/15/2018
CD26 On the American Dream
The American Dream: the epitome of what is possible, what you value, and what you want to be. The immigrant American Dream is exactly that but is strongly influenced by heritage, culture, and upbringing. Join the Carolina Desis this week as they reflect on what the American Dream is and what it means to them.
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CD25 Silver Minisode
03/02/2018
CD25 Silver Minisode
Episode 25 already?! Wow, the silver jubilee. Give us a moment to bask in this ~1 year of existence (thanks to you all!). This week, we spent some time reflecting on our progress, share the evolution of our message, and hint at future projects. There is a lot headed for you all and we are excited to share soon!
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CD24 Buyers vs Brands
02/15/2018
CD24 Buyers vs Brands
Have you considered or even noticed how brands permeate through your life? For example, using the brand name Band-Aid when referring to a bandage. The concept of brands and function are prevalent in any industry and any consumer market. The Carolina Desis explore brands from their childhood that are common in a typical Desi-American household. You may recognize them all! From food and beauty to technology and fashion, tune into this week’s episode about various brands, consumerism, the idea of shopping lo
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CD23 Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera
02/02/2018
CD23 Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera
We had the honor of speaking with Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera, for this week’s episode! Councilwoman Ajmera was elected in 2017 and is serving her first term on the Charlotte City Council At-Large and has the proud distinction of being the first Asian-American and the youngest woman to serve. She is passionate about creating a sustainable, equitable and safe Charlotte. Her accolades and accomplishments are endless and nothing short of inspiring, but you will find out just how impressive she is when you tun
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CD22 Distance
01/18/2018
CD22 Distance
The Carolina Desis are back from the holidays and ready to take on 2018! They’ve had time to reflect on their holidays, which was accompanied by the concept of distance. When is distance good, and when is distance bad? We divided the topic into physical distance and distance as intangible to aid the question. While it is not simple to pinpoint a single answer, we concluded that self-awareness is a key factor in accepting the effects of distance. Tune into this week’s episode to find out how and why.
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CD21 2017 WRAP-UP (Happy Holidays)
12/07/2017
CD21 2017 WRAP-UP (Happy Holidays)
It's December already?! We can't believe it's the last Carolina Desi episode of 2017! We wanted to spend some time reflecting on an incredible year, the rise and shift of holiday symbolism, and what the holidays mean to the Carolina Desis. We've come a long way this year and we truly couldn't have done it without YOU. So, thank you to each and every one of you! HAPPY HOLIDAYS and see you in 2018!
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CD20 Stepping UP
11/22/2017
CD20 Stepping UP
When time dictates, you will be required to step up into a role for the benefit of your family. The Carolina Desis constantly ask themselves, “What do I do when the time comes? What steps do I take to make sure my family is provided for at any capacity?”. We continuously try to regain diluted information from financials to traditions through conversations with our parents, but what else have we missed? Tune into this week’s episode to better understand the information gap between our parents’ upbrin
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