South Asian Trailblazers

All the way from Mumbai 🇮🇳✈️ our latest LIVE ✨podcast features Karishma Mehta: Founder & CEO of Humans of Bombay, India’s largest storytelling platform. This memorable live conversation from June 2024 is finally here.  WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE [https://youtu.be/NmPPEJTeGBc?si=xCZUsklG8nQp-n_V]. Born and raised in Mumbai, Karishma launched Humans of Bombay at just 21. Over the past decade, she has grown it into India’s largest storytelling platform — spanning a photo blog, YouTube series, podcasts, books, and an agency — sharing thousands of stories that have inspired, mobilized, and connected millions. We talk about: 💬 The origin story of #HumansofBombay and its 10-year journey 💬 Navigating the highs and lows of building a media company in India 💬 Lessons on #manifestation, balance, and detachment as a founder 💬 The challenges of living and creating in public 💬 How storytelling — from Marine Drive to global boardrooms — is evolving 🎧 Tune in for a candid conversation with one of India’s leading storytellers. Thanks to our partners in this event: DesiGalli, Rupee Beer, The Third Place Co, and Photographer Dhaval Shah. South Asian Trailblazers [https://southasiantrailblazers.com/] is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/]. Subscribe to our newsletter [https://trailblazers.substack.com/] to get new episodes and updates on our latest events [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/events] in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/southasiantrailblazers/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/trailblazers-media/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/southasiantrailblazers], Youtube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtT6iIAH44mObaQFxdjmTjImH4tvNQRz], and all major podcast platforms, including Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailblazers-stories-of-the-south-asian-diaspora/id1526058609?ign-mpt=uo%3D4] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0iE60IOf14h5nhIABlfZQh].

Globally-acclaimed Singer, Songwriter, and Author ‪Ali Sethi [https://www.youtube.com/@AliSethiOfficial] sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a deeply personal podcast conversation on the heels of his debut solo album #LoveLanguage [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lovelanguage]. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woo6WenZeNc&t=1429s]. Born in Lahore, educated at Harvard University and currently based in New York, he studied under acclaimed mentors across musical genres before rising to international acclaim with his viral hit “Pasoori,” which has surpassed a billion streams. From ghazals to reggaeton, Carnegie Hall to Coachella, he blends the classical with the contemporary in ways that transcend borders. A vocalist, composer, and published author, Ali is a TIME100 Next honoree whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Pitchfork. His debut novel The Wish Maker received international acclaim, and with Love Language, he offers his most personal work yet. In this deeply personal conversation, we unpack:  💬 Growing up in a household of dissenters in Pakistan  💬 The story behind Pasoori — and how the most hummed song of 2022 became a cultural flashpoint 💬 The symbolism of the color red in his new album 💬 How a Harvard class on Sufi poetry and a collaboration with Mira Nair transformed his creative path 💬 What it means to be a queer South Asian artist making art in a climate of fear Tune in for a rare and resonant conversation with one of the most compelling artists of our time. South Asian Trailblazers [https://southasiantrailblazers.com/] is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/]. Subscribe to our newsletter [https://trailblazers.substack.com/] to get new episodes and updates on our latest events [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/events] in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/southasiantrailblazers/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/trailblazers-media/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/southasiantrailblazers], Youtube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtT6iIAH44mObaQFxdjmTjImH4tvNQRz], and all major podcast platforms, including Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailblazers-stories-of-the-south-asian-diaspora/id1526058609?ign-mpt=uo%3D4] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0iE60IOf14h5nhIABlfZQh].

On the night his new Netflix special Full Volume hits screens, global comedy icon Vir Das sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for an unforgettable podcast live-recorded at the ‪ [https://www.youtube.com/@asiasociety]Asia Society of New York.  WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE [https://youtu.be/DPJxU0EjpjI?si=wBRR3fuK_IidiO-I]. 🎧 This is Vir Das off-script — raw, real, and as per always, hilarious. Born in Dehradun, raised in Lagos, and educated everywhere from Delhi to Knox College in Illinois, Vir Das is definitionally global. He has traversed Hindi cinema and inspired India’s comedy scene – from crowd favorites like Delhi Belly to performing stand-up at Carnegie Hall. In his career, he has worn the hats of actor, director, writer, comic, and soon-to-be author.  To date, he’s released five global specials – winning an Emmy for his special: Landing in 2023. In 2024, he hosted the International Emmy’s. Vir was the first Indian comedian from India to launch a special on Netflix. The night of this conversation, he launched his 5th special – VIR DAS: FOOL VOLUME with the streamer. This year, he’s back with his boldest work yet — not just this special – but a memoir entitled The Outsider: A Memoir for Misfits and a host of other inspired projects.  Hosted in partnership with Neerja PR and Asia Society. South Asian Trailblazers [https://southasiantrailblazers.com/] is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/]. Subscribe to our newsletter [https://trailblazers.substack.com/] to get new episodes and updates on our latest events [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/events] in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/southasiantrailblazers/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/trailblazers-media/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/southasiantrailblazers], Youtube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtT6iIAH44mObaQFxdjmTjImH4tvNQRz], and all major podcast platforms, including Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailblazers-stories-of-the-south-asian-diaspora/id1526058609?ign-mpt=uo%3D4] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0iE60IOf14h5nhIABlfZQh].

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Sandeep Acharya — Founder and CEO of Octave, a company that’s quietly but powerfully transforming how we experience mental health care in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE [https://youtu.be/a0nUOW7FDcQ]. Under his leadership, Octave has partnered with major insurers to make high-quality, affordable therapy accessible across 23 states. It’s been named a LinkedIn Top Startup and one of the best places to work in the country. Before founding Octave, Sandeep wore many hats: investor at Bain Capital and Insight, consultant at Bain & Company, and executive at One Medical, where he helped scale the company nationwide and saw firsthand how deeply unmet our mental health needs are. In this conversation, we go far beyond the bullet points — talking about his battle with cancer, the role of spirituality and music in his life, and what it really takes to build a company that’s both mission-driven and sustainable. He shares unfiltered insights on leadership and navigating uncertainty. This one’s for the builders, those fighting their own battles, and the believers. South Asian Trailblazers [https://southasiantrailblazers.com/] is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/]. Subscribe to our newsletter [https://trailblazers.substack.com/] to get new episodes and updates on our latest events [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/events] in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/southasiantrailblazers/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/trailblazers-media/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/southasiantrailblazers], Youtube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtT6iIAH44mObaQFxdjmTjImH4tvNQRz], and all major podcast platforms, including Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailblazers-stories-of-the-south-asian-diaspora/id1526058609?ign-mpt=uo%3D4] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0iE60IOf14h5nhIABlfZQh].

On the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE [https://youtu.be/ZmXm6UCMN7c]. Syed came to the SBA from the State Department where he served as Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs. As the State Department’s top commercial diplomat, Deputy Administrator Syed advocated for U.S. companies to compete and win abroad and helped ensure U.S. competitiveness in markets across the globe.  Before joining the Biden Administration, Syed held the roles of CEO at Lumiata, an AI healthcare company, and President at software company, Freshworks.  Earlier in his career, Syed oversaw business operations for Yahoo!'s platforms and infrastructure and was a product manager at Siebel Systems and SAP.  His transition to public service is marked by civic efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. He was the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor's Office, served on President Obama's White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), and chaired the White House Initiative on AAPIs’ Economic Growth Committee. In that role, Syed led the administration’s engagement with small businesses across the U.S. after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2020, Syed was tapped by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help lead Silicon Valley’s pandemic recovery as a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. Syed holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin. South Asian Trailblazers [https://southasiantrailblazers.com/] is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/]. Subscribe to our newsletter [https://trailblazers.substack.com/] to get new episodes and updates on our latest events [https://www.southasiantrailblazers.com/events] in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/southasiantrailblazers/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/trailblazers-media/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/southasiantrailblazers], Youtube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKtT6iIAH44mObaQFxdjmTjImH4tvNQRz], and all major podcast platforms, including Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailblazers-stories-of-the-south-asian-diaspora/id1526058609?ign-mpt=uo%3D4] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0iE60IOf14h5nhIABlfZQh].