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My Story as a Queer-Indian-Woman-Comedian in the Tech Industry
As I look back at my comedy calendar for June, it feels surreal and funny that I’m a stand up comedian. You don’t see a lot of people like me in comedy. An Indian immigrant woman, who is queer, and works in the tech industry, and has two cats.
Heroines of the Independence Movement
Mark Twain famously called India the mother of history and the grandmother of legend. Yet when we talk of the Indian independence movement, which spans hundreds of years, we think of Gandhi, Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, and the like. We think of men.
Abused and Abandoned – When will our community step up to help survivors?
When Anjali Kour’s husband abandoned her in India in 2017 after a 15-year abusive marriage, she lost everything – her home, her finances, and her child.
E-biking across America for 7000+ miles
Who would have thought that we would embark on such a journey! As we ventured the SunPedal Ride in the United States of America, Luis and I considered ourselves lucky to be a part of this unique solar and human powered journey covering a whopping 7000+ miles on electric bicycles.
Meherwan Irani Paves The Way For Indian Restaurateurs in the US
Meherwan Irani is a chef and restaurateur changing the perception of Indian food in America through his growing restaurant and spice empire – Chai Pani Restaurant Group (which owns 6 restaurants and Spicewalla brand). Irani was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing The South” in 2018, and his Asheville restaurant won “Outstanding Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation in June 2022.
This Summer, Asian Women Are Going To Be On Top Of The World—Literally
Asian Women Mean Business (AWMB) is planning on making history by climbing one of the world’s tallest mountains—Mount Kilimanjaro.
Rewriting History for our Times
The Indian diaspora is relearning—and retelling history in new ways
Deepa Mahanti Raises Awareness about Everyday Struggles of Real People
Deepa Mahanti (www.DeepaMahanti.Weebly.com) is a human resource professional by day and a social activist and writer-director of short films and documentaries by night. Based in Mississauga, Canada, she creates visually stimulating art that addresses real people and social issues in hopes of inspiring change.
Making Their Mark: Indian Diaspora Leaders Impacting the Non-Profit Industry
As we reflect on Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States, we highlight the contributions of Indian-origin leaders who uniquely contribute to and influence the non-profit industry within the country.
Getting Young People Around the World a Formal Seat at the Political Table
On May 11, The United Nations, in collaboration with The Body Shop, launched the Be Seen Be Heard Campaign — an initiative that strives to bring about radical change when it comes to integrating young people into public life.
Reflections on Racial Justice in the United States
I moved to the U.S. from India when I was ten years old — everything was new to me and for the first time, I was very aware of my skin color and my ethnicity. My family and I had moved to Vermont, one of the whitest states in the country, and for the first time, my race felt like a tangible characteristic. I’m sure this experience is relatively common for a lot of Indians who live in the U.S. or who have visited.
Educational Journeys in India Can No-longer Be Just Classes, Exams, and Certificates
For a society, education is still the best pathway to upward mobility. But, to deliver on its promise, educational journey must deliver a meaningful outcome…a productive, responsible citizen
An Intervention for Two Decades and More in Villages and Slums
I always go back by almost a quarter of a century to remember what prompted me to change my career from running a for profit business to something more responsible and gratifying to my inner self. Even today, I feel emotionally connected with the women and children of the urban slums and villages surrounding Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. They have added unique perspectives to my thought process regarding designing programs to address different social issues at the grassroots level.
“The Ramayana”: A Mount Madonna School Production
As a young girl growing up in India, I could recite the story of the Ramayana from memory. I came to the U.S. in 6th grade to attend Mount Madonna School (MMS). I left behind my country and culture uncertain of what life in the U.S. would entail.
Tuberculosis and India: Opportunities for Leadership
Indian Prime Minister Modi made bold commitments toward ending TB in India by 2025 and has sustained those commitments in the face of COVID-19. COVID has had devastating impacts on TB program efforts in India and across the world—due to initial lockdowns and to TB program capacity being shifted to fight COVID. But India is leading the way on pushing to scale up ambitious TB-COVID joint response/recovery efforts; this is critical both to regain ground against TB and because effective TB programs offer the best opportunity to develop a response platform for future respiratory pandemics.
Sustainable Livelihood as a Long-Term Solution to Unemployment
India has no dearth of talent. The country also has a large number of youth who are in the working age group. The areas in which we are primarily lacking are opportunity and education. While a small percentage of the younger population has access to good quality education at all levels, through which they acquire employability skills too, a significant number still remain at a disadvantage.
Navigating My Mixed-Race South Asian identity
As a multiracial individual, I have grown up feeling very unsure of my identity, as if I was always the odd one out and never white or Indian enough. When I was younger, I would mostly identify as only Indian because I felt closer to my Indian side as it seemed more tangible than my American side.
World Idli Day
Idlies and dosas are such a quintessential part of a South Indian breakfast that the first dish-related question that gets asked in any household is not “What is for breakfast?”, but, rather, “What is the side dish for breakfast?” One can compare idli versus dosa to that of a serial entrepreneur versus one-time entrepreneur! While one can continue to invent and re-invent unlimited avatars of idlies, the dosa avatar enjoys its glamourous outlook by priding itself to mimic the Western “crepe” clan!
Deveekaa Nijhawan Leads Tourism in a Nation Where All Eyes Are Watching This Year
Deveekaa Nijhawan is proud to call Qatar her new home. She loves the cultural authenticity and diversity that the country has to offer. In her role in public relations and communications for Qatar Tourism, Nijhawan promotes the unique destination in key markets, including India, the US, France, Germany, Turkey, Spain, and Italy, as part of the country’s strategy to become a world-leading tourism destination.
From despair to sustenance: How self-help women's groups gave a second life to Banarasi sari weavers
A Banarasi sari is a much sought-after acquisition for an Indian bride, wherever in the world she might be. Hundreds of women in Banaras, one of the world’s oldest living cities, have traditionally made a living of making these intricately woven and richly embroidered saris that are a global sartorial identity of Indian women.