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Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor.
So ok, a while back , I had to think about making a will and living trust, and not to be morose or sad, but it was a good exercise that forced me to think about things that are family heirlooms, or even the more basic question of what we find precious or beautiful and even enduring? For a lot of people, tangible things like jewelry come to mind, and it's likely no newsflash that India has a fairly strong heritage and history with jewels and diamonds. Now, in the 2025 that we live in, technology is bending the curve and offering alternatives for everyone to be conscious of sustainable affordability, ethical choices, time, and rapidly evolving definitions of elegance and fashionable beauty in almost every corner of every consumer market. So, I was actually really curious to learn more about lab grown jewelry, and it was really great to share a Spotlight conversation with Ricky Vasandani. Ricky grew up all over the world in a family that successfully scaled a legacy diamond jewellery business over decades. With a background in marketing and entrepreneurship, and success in both the sports and Food and Beverage domains, he turned his attention to co-found Solitario as an emerging Indian lab grown diamond producer with an expanding domestic and international retail footprint. In fact, just recently, Solitario finished a round of pre-ipo funding - a solid positioning in a market that’s expected to skyrocket in the next few years. We caught up to talk about his global journey and experiences, about lab-grown jewelry and the storytelling that it deserves when making choices, but I first asked him to share the obvious, which was to tell me more about the jewelry he was currently wearing…
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Abhay is joined by Sree Sreenivasan journalist and CEO/Co-Founder of Digimentors, for a broad conversation from August of 2024 about his experiences in journalism and media. He is also the co-founder and current president of the South Asian Journalists Association. Sree is a passionate, talented, and humble soul and tells some amazing stories - apologies in advance to any avid fans of Leonid Brezhnev.
(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction
(2:45) Part 1 - global citizenship, first feeling like a journalist
(17:58) Part 2 - journalistic objectivity, cultivating relationships
(38:20) Part 3 - media and institutions, unlearning
(49:53) ConclusionsSree Sreenivasan shares his journey as a journalist and digital consultant, reflecting on his diverse background and the importance of storytelling in media. He discusses the challenges facing journalism today, particularly in representing the rich diversity of society, and the need for media to adapt in a rapidly changing digital landscape. Sree emphasizes the significance of community, the role of digital immigrants, and the necessity of unlearning to stay relevant in the field. The discussion also touches on the impact of social media and the evolving nature of communication in our lives.
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Fehlende Folgen?
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Abhay is joined by Major League Baseball executive Farhan Zaidi to chat about everything from the culture of being a front-facing leader in sports, to his journey in baseball, to his insights on starting pitching, to who he thinks is the smartest player he's ever been around. After spending time with the A's and Giants, Farhan is back again with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers as a special advisor.
(0:00 - 3:01) Introduction
(3:01) Part 1 - being a "free agent", learned lessons from previous roles, what it's like to be an executive
(13:13) Part 2 - baseball culture, his own multicultural background
(26:03) Part 3 - unlearning, pitching in 2025, cultivating teams, legacy
(38:04) ConclusionA big shout out to Nick and Brad and all the humans and canines over at Al’s Barbershop in Alameda - where everyone leaves a little smarter, a little happier, and with a little less hair.
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Abhay is joined by peace activist Nitin Sonawane as he embarks on a cross-country Gandhian walking journey for peace across America, from San Francisco to Washington DC.
(0:00 - 2:56) Introduction
(2:56) Part 1 - starting out and mapping, typical walk day, growing up
(15:11) Part 2 - peace and conflict, getting to actuation, surprises
(29:00) Part 3 - grassroots peace activism, combating fatigue, walking shoes, why his walking matters
(39:51) ConclusionAs begrudgingly as I can say it, congrats to any Eagles fans out there - there… I said it, OK?
I’m a fan of feedback, so if you have thoughts or suggestions, send em over to [email protected]
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Abhay is joined by filmmaker Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, whose debut feature Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic competition. Sabar Bonda is the first ever Marathi feature film to be presented at the festival.
(0:00 - 2:38 ) Introduction
(2:38) Part 1 - Sundance, patience as a filmmaker, mourning and grieving as a backdrop
(15:02) Part 2 - making films with important themes, one-word descriptors, lessons
(26:32) ConclusionLike many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone. -
Abhay is joined by Kinsu Kumar and Varsha, two leaders from the Satyarthi Global Movement for Compassion, which is dedicated to globalise compassion to restore justice, peace, equity and sustainability in the world. Kinsu and Varsha are part of the movement’s Bal Ashram and Bal Mitra initiatives, which exemplify these efforts at the grass roots level in India, addressing child labor, sex trafficking, and child marriage through rehabilitation efforts in urban and rural areas.
(0:00 - 3:40) Introduction
(3:40) Part 1 - stories of entry, stories of trust, helping to manage trauma
(21:32) Part 2 - using compasion as a vehicle, maintaining and sustaining gains, how to promote needed changePlease visit Satyarthimovement.org and satyarthi.org to learn more about their global work. If you are listening in the US and may be aware of someone who is a victim of humantrafficking, please call 888-373-7888.
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Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor.
In this spotlight episode, Aki Kumar shares his journey as a blues musician, discussing the universality of blues themes, the importance of being a lifelong student of the genre, and how his Desi identity influences his music. He reflects on the emotional outlet that blues provides and the lessons learned from performing. Aki also explores the relationship between art and identity, expressing optimism for the future of music and his upcoming album. Check out his website (akikumar.com) for news and details about upcoming shows!
Now there are lots of people who love Bollywood music, and there are certainly a lot of people who love American blues music. But what happens when those two worlds meet? And that’s what set the stage for a conversation I shared with Aki Kumar, a musician and singer who for over the past decade has been trying to ensure that the intersection of these two musical genres is a space that you need to pay attention to. Aki was born and raised in Mumbai and came to the US to study computer science - ok that part isn’t without a playbook or blueprint. But with a passion for Indian music and a deep new embrace for American blues history and local blues performances, Aki set about to express himself by blending melodies from Hindi films with blues music, garnering a buzz for his performances everywhere, many local awards along the way, and the title of “San Jose’s king of Bollywood Blues”. Now I have to tell you, that I caught one of his shows here in the Bay Area, and from experiencing Aki on stage, his singing, his killer harmonica style, and his superb band, I could not have asked for a more entertaining way to enjoy both true Americana mixed with some soulful imaginations of Indian music. Now for me this was all a pleasant surprise because I had made some natural assumptions about what Bollywood Blues might be, so as we began chatting, I asked him if he also made assumptions about persona or expectations when it came to his unique brand of making music?
Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone. -
Abhay is joined by Melissa Mahtani, journalist and the executive producer of CBS Confirmed. Over two decades, she’s been a reporter, a blogger, a moderator, and an anchor covering stories about human rights, gender equity, global affairs, and breaking news. They talked about verified journalism, empowering audiences, and more.
(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction
(2:45) Part 1 - Cultivating trust, democratization of information
(13:45) Part 2 - Anatomy of a news story, A.I.disruption, South Asian background
(29:28) Part 3 - Combating disinformation, unlearning, joy and optimism
(41:30) ConclusionLike many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone. -
Abhay is joined by singer Dhee, as they both shared a conversation about making music and loving the process.
Dhee is a Sri Lankan born, Australian raised, Tamil-rooted artist whose music is available everywhere.
(0:00 - 2:21) Introduction
(2:21) Part 1 - loving the process, completing a song
(11:05) Part 2 - singing in various languages, exploration vs. comfort, versatility in her music
(27:43) Part 3 - collaborations and learning, "connecting the dots", legacy on listeners
(38:00) ConclusionLike many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone. -
Abhay chats with nutritional psychiatrist, Dr. Uma Naidoo, author of the books "Calm Your Mind With Food" and "This Is Your Brain On Food".
They chatted about a range of things, reviewing the many connections between mood and food. Check out the 6 Pillars of Nutritional Psychiatry and more of her work at umanaidoomd.com.
(0:00 - 2:29) Introduction
(2:29) Part 1 - mythbusting, moments of celebration, how Uma found her way to nutritional psychiatry
(16:23) Part 2 - unlearnings, South Asian themes
(31:24) Part 3 - nutrition and anxiety in youth and teens, gut microbiome, rituals and routines to build upon
(44:39) ConclusionAlso please note that the content here should not be taken as medical advice, and is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your own healthcare professional team for any medical questions or concerns.
Lastly, Dr. Naidoo has many fans out there of her books ... even Tom Brady!
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Abhay chats with performance psychologist and sports scientist, Shayamal Vallabhjee to chat about everything from setting goals and empowering individuals to sustaining performance and cultivating trust in your achievements. Shayamal’s expertise is sought after by everyone from elite sports teams, global leaders and executives, and Indian cricket athletes like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.
(0:00 - 3:00) Introduction
(3:00) Part 1 - competitiveness, performance mindset, defining goals and excellence
(17:23) Part 2 - surprises in working with athletes, Indian heritage, lessons learned, unhealthy wins and healthy losses
(43:03) Part 3 - the aging athlete, finding peace and cultivating trust
(57:15) Conclusion -
Abhay is joined by the founders of the Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee, to talk about activism, unearthing local South Asian American history, and suprises from their experiences.
(0:00 - 3:23) Introduction
(3:23) Part 1 - reflecting on the first tour, South Asian American history as a "secret"
(14:57) Part 2 - identity as historians and activists, amplifying stories, temperament of an activist, racial intersections and interrogations
(36:48) Part 3 - unlearnings as activists, "3D activism", lasting impressions
(47:40) ConclusionContact [email protected] to get updates
Local Bay Area photography shout out to George Nixon - the ultimate pro!
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Abhay is joined by gender fluid singer, actor, model, performer and activist, Sushant Divigikar AKA Rani KoHEnur.
They chatted about everything from art and comfort on stage to parenting and gratitude.
Listen to and watch BAWLA , Sushant's latest work (collaborating with Mikey McCleary and others)
(0:00 - 2:44) Introduction
(2:44) Part 1 - feeling most comfortable with singing, gratitude from parents, the stage as a safe place
(19:01) Part 2 - introversion/extroversion, feeling humble, feeling empowered
(39:41) Part 3 - the basics of "unlearning", dreams, lasting impressions on new audiences
(52:07) ConclusionSpecial shout out to KDC Performing Arts in Phoenix - if you somehow ever need dance in your life, please check them out!
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Abhay shares a conversation with United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy.
They chatted about some of the imperatives of doctoring, serving youth and parents, and promoting health through human connection. And of course, mangoes were definitely discussed!
(0:00 - 3:06) Introduction
(3:06) Part 1 - Prioritizing and keeping the population healthy, kindling connection, parenting
(17:59) Part 2 - Gun violence and safety, building community, Indian American background, gifts from his parents
(32:58) Part 3 - Combating disinformation, finding joy and optimism in each other
(42:31) ConclusionShout out to Alivia Irwin and please help her in her fight to honor her grandfather and end Alzheimer's disease
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Abhay catches up with actor, Adi Roy, lead actor for the Broadway hit musical Aladdin.
They chatted about actor life, Alanis Morissette songs, South Asians in theater, and much more...
(0:00 - 2:20) Introduction
(2:20) Part 1 - pre-show routines, transition from touring to Broadway
(13:47) Part 2 - Jagged Little Pill experiences, auditions and feeling content, resilience as an actor
(24:53) Part 3 - South Asians on Broadway
(34:57) Conclusion -
Abhay chats with Israa Nasir, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of the book "Toxic Productivity",.
They chatted about everything from habits and rituals to her South Asian background to steering toward healthy productivity.(0:00 - 2:57) Introduction
(2:57) Part 1 - Slow mornings, rituals and reminders
(16:23) Part 2 - Quieting the critic, cultural background accelerating her work, managing emotions
(30:15) Part 3 - Epiphanies with productivity, writing the book, masks and parents
(48:23) Conclusion -
It’s election week here in the US, so onTRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform us and get out that vote!
A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.
Not just for our community, but for every community of voters of any age in the US, what it all comes down to is showing up and exercising the ultimate demonstration of trust and individual power in a democracy - which is casting your vote in a free and fair election.
Indian Americans and South Asian Americans are the fastest growing voter bloc in the US, having the power to be the true margin of victory in many places, and as civic engagement continues to grow and foundationally expand, the work of organizing and mobilizing and activating at local and national levels become more complex and genuinely imperative. With over 60 endorsed candidates across the country, Indian American IMPACT is doing just that - making a difference with a thoughtful and action oriented approach. And as the last push is upon all of us after such a long and incredibly grueling road, it was great to catch up with Executive Director Chintan Patel. And getting right to it after traveling to many battleground states recently, as Chintan introduced himself and his work, I also asked him to describe the tone and temperature of what he’s seeing and feeling out there in the community…
Remember, conversation is truly the antidote to apathy… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about voting resources, to desipresident.com, iaimpact.org, southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to get engaged and learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get active, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot, and most importantly GO VOTE. Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.
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Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor.
And I guess there is no more celebrated or more special a topic than Diwali. It's a centering feeling of home for so many, and as a growing global spotlight shines brightly on this lit up tradition, there remain great opportunities to help support more excitement and meet an eager curiosity. In a way, as equally fulfilling and festive as it is to recognize and celebrate Diwali just because you and your family and your neighbors and your community have always done so, there also needs to be great simplicity and understanding for those who are just getting to know Diwali and its significance or those who are refreshing or reaquainting themselves or even those who are hoping to to help create new Diwali traditions.
Thankfully, entrepre neur and author Chhavi Bhargava has written a new book called “A Kids Book About Diwali” to help start and continue these conversations. Chhavi is an Indian American, and was an elementary school teacher in Canada for over a decade. Her deep experiences in building curriculum, especially organizing learners around diversity and inclusion, informed her to write a book about Diwali, to showcase the timeless Hindu festival as an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming experience for everyone. As more and more school districts in the United States are observing Diwali, A Kids Book About Diwali may serve as an entry point for more open discussions among neighbors, teachers, and administrators to not just learn more about Diwali, but about respectful curiosity and empathy for our differences. Chhavi and I caught up recently to chat about the book and I started by asking her particularly about that centering feeling of “home”
The book is available everywhere and please visit bookaboutdiwali.com for more. Shubha Dipaavali and a peaceful, healthy, and Happy Diwali to everyone. Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar
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In partnership with DOCTORS for HARRIS, Abhay shares conversations with leading doctors from around the country on the imperative healthcare choices Americans are facing in the 2024 election and compelling reasons to vote for Kamala Harris
(0:00) Introduction
(1:15) Congressman Raul Ruiz (D) CA-25
(10:40) Alice Chen
(17:30) Anita Somani
(24:34) Annie Andrews
(31:55) Mark Lopatin
(39:09) Micah Ernst
(47:08) Lalita Abhyankar
(52:35) Owais Durrani
(59:20) Nina Agrawal
(1:04:30) Alicia Christy
(1:11:00) Suhas Gondi
(1:17:05) ConclusionPlease visit IWILLVOTE.COM , DOCTORSFORHARRIS.COM , and KAMALAHARRIS.COM
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In this episode, Neil Katyal discusses the current election cycle, focusing on Kamala Harris's centrist approach and her empathetic leadership style. He emphasizes the importance of voting rights and electoral integrity, while also addressing the challenges of misinformation and trust in institutions like the Supreme Court. Neal reflects on his identity as an Indian American and how Kamala Harris' candidacy resonates with that experience, urging listeners to recognize the constitutional implications of the upcoming election.
We’re almost at election day here in the US, so these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we’re sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote! A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we’re making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.
As the question of “what’s at stake” is such an important one to keep asking ourselves, we also know that from the beginning there’s been a swirl of tangled questions surrounding the “what ifs” in a very close race and also involving a convicted felon who has used the legal system as a vindictive bludgeoning tool against the free and safe election process. So particularly to help clarify some of these thoughts on the imperatives that we face, it was simply wonderful to chat with Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general of the United States. Neal is an attorney with expertise in constitutional, criminal, and intellectual property law, and along with his prior experiences in the Justice Department as a National Security Advisor, he has argued 51 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, more than any other minority lawyer in history. He’s had deep experiences in some of the most significant trials in our country’s history over the past 25 years, including the George Floyd murder trial, defending the voting rights act of 1965, the Trump travel ban, military trials at Guantanamo, and the election dispute in 2000, just to name a few. Neal is a law professor at Georgetown, and along with being a respected scholar and prolific author, he seems to have won nearly every major legal award out there and thankfully is a frequent news commentator. He also hosts a great podcast called Courtside, designed help inform the public and help explain a variety of court cases. So in that spirit, it was great to catch up with him and talk about the upcoming election from his unique and superb perspective on Kamala Harris, and since he has mentioned in the past how he is an ardent believer in “extreme centrism”, I first wanted to know with this in mind what was making him feel optimistic about the Harris-Walz campaign.
Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to desipresident.com and southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I’m Abhay Dandekar.
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