Subcontinuity: Voices from the South Asian Diaspora

DJ/activist Rekha Malhotra and author V.V. Ganeshananthan on finding fluidity in the challenges of representation, explaining an artist's work to audiences, and the measures of success  ABOUT THE GUESTS Rekha Malhotra (DJ Rekha) founded Basement Bhangra, one of NYC’s longest-running club nights (1997-2017) and has performed in festivals, clubs, and community spaces worldwide alongside artists such as M.I.A, Ali Sethi and AR Rahman. Their work has been featured on Broadway, NPR, Taste the Nation, Obama’s White House, Celebrate Brooklyn, Central Park SummerStage, South Asian Lodge at Sundance, DJ City and more. They live in Jackson Heights, New York. V. V. (Sugi) Ganeshananthan, author of NYT Editors' Choice Brotherless Night and Love Marriage, is a distinguished writer whose work has featured in Granta, The New York Times, and other notable publications. She has held leadership roles in South Asian and Asian American literary organizations and is a McKnight Presidential Fellow and associate professor at the University of Minnesota. As a recipient of numerous prestigious fellowships, she co-hosts the Fiction/Non/Fiction podcast on Literary Hub, exploring literature's connection to current events.

Author/Editor Rakesh Satyal and Theater Producer Vivek Tiwary on life and death, being children of immigrants, and the far-reaching consequences of both creating art and bringing others’ artistic voices into the world ABOUT THE GUESTS Rakesh Satyal is the author of the novels Blue Boy and No One Can Pronounce My Name. He is also an Executive Editor at HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Vivek J. Tiwary is an acclaimed producer of musical entertainment from Tony Award-winning Broadway shows to ground breaking immersive experiences, a Grammy Award-winning record producer, a#1 New York Times bestselling author and a media financier/investor.  He is the founder of Tiwary Entertainment Group.

Businesswoman and musician Chandrika Tandon and Academic Sri Zaheer on resilience, not being defined by gender, and letting go of the self ABOUT THE GUESTS Chandrika Tandon Grammy-nominated Chandrika Tandon is renowned for merging her music and business acumen to elevate human happiness. Known for her four albums and global peace concerts, she weaves ancient Indian wisdom into her work. As Chair of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, she is recognized for her significant contributions to science and engineering. She has earned numerous awards, including the Gallatin Medal and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Her journey has been featured in media outlets such as CNBC's The Brave Ones series. Sri Zaheer Sri Zaheer, stands as an eminent academic and business leader with rich experience across various geographies. She's currently the Dean of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, introducing innovative degrees and initiatives under her leadership. Her career, which commenced at multinationals such as Tata Consultancy Services and Sandoz, transitioned into academia in 1992. Sri's achievements include the PwC Strategy& Eminent Scholar Award and the Women in Business Career Achievement Award.

Violinist Vijay Gupta and cookbook author Priya Krishna on the myth of authenticity, owning your art, and creating/defining identity in the diaspora. ABOUT THE GUESTS Vijay Gupta is an esteemed violinist and communicator, creating spaces of belonging, listening and wholeness. Since 2011, Vijay has served as the founding Artistic Director of Street Symphony, and is the co-founder of the Skid Row Arts Alliance, a consortium of artists and arts organizations working and living in Skid Row. Hailed by The New Yorker as a “visionary violinist...one of the most radical thinkers in the unradical world of American classical music,” Vijay is the recipient of a 2018 Catherine D. and John T. MacArthur fellowship. Priya Krishna is an Indian-American cookbook author and food journalist for The New York Times. A recognizable presence in food media, she has appeared frequently on the NYT Cooking and Bon Appetit channels on YouTube, popular podcasts such as The Dave Chang Show and The Splendid Table, and on Food Network. In addition to The New York Times, her work is featured in Serious Eats, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, The Washington Post, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Taste, and The New Yorker, among others.