Shows / South Asian Trailblazers
South Asian Trailblazers
Diving deep into the journeys of trailblazing South Asians. To date, Host Simi Shah has interviewed Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Zarna Garg, Raj Shamani, Ananya Birla, Vas Narasimhan -- from founders to Fortune 300 CEOs, comedians to congressmen. Learn more at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com.
Episodes
South Asian TrailblazersIntel's CLO Aparna Bawa & Author Kamini Ramani: A New Playbook for Powerful Women
How do the most powerful women in business actually rise? It's not by mimicking the men, nor by just following the advice to Lean In. In this episode, Simi…
South Asian TrailblazersNeerja Birla: The Matriarch Building India's Mental Health Movement
Simi Shah speaks with Neerja Birla, matriarch of the storied Birla family, about how she's taking on India's most taboo topic: mental health. Content Warning…
South Asian TrailblazersFounder Garima Shah: How She Scaled a $10M FinTech in 5 Years
Simi speaks with Garima Shah, Co-founder & President of Biller Genie, on scaling a fintech to $10M+ in revenue. Biller Genie tackles a simple key problem…
South Asian TrailblazersActor Ankur Rathee: From Princeton to Bollywood and Hollywood, the Road to Best of the Best
Growing up, Ankur Rathee only saw South Asians on screen playing age-old tropes. This week, he plays Ronak in Netflix's Best of the Best, a South Asian leading…
South Asian TrailblazersHasan Minhaj, Lena Khan & Prashanth Venkataramanujam: Inside the Making of Netflix’s Best of the Best — Bringing Bollywood to Hollywood
Six years ago, Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam asked a question: How has a movie about the South Asian college dance team experience not been made?…
South Asian TrailblazersKaran Bhagat: How India Creates & Passes On Wealth | CEO of 360 ONE, India's Leading Wealth Manager
Simi speaks with Karan Bhagat, Founder and CEO of 360 ONE — one of India's largest wealth and asset management firms, advising nearly 9,000 of the country's…
South Asian TrailblazersSakshi Sindwani: The Curve Model & Creator Redefining Beauty Standards in Indian Couture
Sakshi Sindwani is one of India's most prominent curve models, content creators, and body-positivity advocates who has built a community of 700,000 women. In…
South Asian TrailblazersSid Sriram: A.R. Rahman's Protégé & Coachella's 1st South Indian Artist on How We Get Our "Bad Bunny" Moment
Simi Shah sits down with Sid Sriram — one of the most distinct voices in global music — for a live-recorded conversation at Harvard. Born in Chennai, raised in…
South Asian TrailblazersMasoom Minawala: India's Original Influencer on Authenticity in the Age of AI, Motherhood & Why India Is Undervalued | South Asian Trailblazers
Simi speaks with Masoom Minawala — one of India's pioneering influencers. Masoom bet her career on the internet at 17, starting her fashion blog Miss Style…
South Asian TrailblazersSouth Asians in Sephora — Diipa Büller-Khosla, Lisa Mattam, Nisha Phatak, Rooshy Roy (Live Panel)
In a first-ever live multi-founder panel from South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah sits with 4 South Asian beauty founders at the vanguard of South…
South Asian TrailblazersRaj Shamani: On Building the #1 Podcast in India and Soon, the World
Simi speaks with Raj Shamani — India's #1 podcaster, ranked #25 in the world — in a special live-recorded episode in New York City. Across 540+ episodes, 15…
South Asian TrailblazersRevathi Advaithi: From the Factory Floor to Fortune 500 CEO of Flex
Simi speaks with Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex — a $24 billion global manufacturing company that builds the critical infrastructure behind AI, cloud…
South Asian TrailblazersAnanya Birla: Carving Her Own Path inside the Multi-Billion Dollar Birla Dynasty
Simi sits down with Ananya Birla, business leader, artist, mental health advocate, and 7th-generation scion of one of India's oldest and most storied family…
South Asian TrailblazersPriyanka Chopra and Anjula Acharia: The Partnership Powering Priyanka's Global Stardom from Bollywood to Hollywood
Simi sits down with power duo Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia — like you've NEVER seen them before. In this first-of-its-kind conversation, Priyanka…
South Asian TrailblazersAAVRANI has been Acquired: Founder Rooshy Roy on Exiting her Beauty Brand
AAVRANI has been acquired — and founder Rooshy Roy shares the full story for the first time on South Asian Trailblazers. Six years ago, in Season 1 (2020)…
South Asian TrailblazersU.S. Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar, & Suhas Subramanyam
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Representative Shri Thanedar (MI-13), and Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) join South Asian…
South Asian TrailblazersAni and Ayan Sanyal, Founders of Kolkata Chai Co.
Brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Co-founders of Kolkata Chai Co., join Host Simi Shah ahead of National Chai Day for a conversation around building one of the…
South Asian TrailblazersKarishma Mehta, Founder of Humans of Bombay
All the way from Mumbai 🇮🇳✈️ our latest LIVE ✨podcast features Karishma Mehta: Founder & CEO of Humans of Bombay, India’s largest storytelling platform. This…
South Asian TrailblazersAli Sethi, Musician
Globally-acclaimed Singer, Songwriter, and Author Ali Sethi sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a deeply personal podcast conversation…
South Asian TrailblazersVir Das, Comedian & Actor
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…
South Asian TrailblazersSandeep Acharya, Founder and CEO of Octave Health
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…
South Asian TrailblazersDilawar Syed, U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Deputy Administrator
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…
South Asian TrailblazersSouth Asian Trailblazers at The Oscars: Mindy Kaling, Charithra Chandran, Manish Dayal, Deli Boys
South Asian Trailblazers at the Oscars 🏆 WATCH this episode HERE. Founder & Host, Simi Shah, takes us inside a celebration of South Asian excellence at the…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL LIVE: Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah hosts a LIVE podcast with Gurbir S. Grewal — the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL LIVE: Jay Sean, Multi-platinum Artist, Entrepreneur, & Record Label Executive
In this special, LIVE-recorded edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Host Simi Shah kicks off Season 8 with Jay Sean — multi-platinum artist, entrepreneur, and…
- South Asian Trailblazers
Exciting Updates: Upcoming Events, Season 8, and our Agency
Happy AAPI Heritage Month from South Asian Trailblazers! 👋🏼 In this short soundbite, I’m sharing exciting updates about events we’re hosting around the…
South Asian TrailblazersAmol Shah, Go-To-Market at OpenAI
For our Season 7 Finale, we catch up with Amol Shah from OpenAI, one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies and the creator of ChatGPT…
South Asian TrailblazersNishant Roy, Chief Communications & Impact Officer at Chobani
In this episode, we meet Nishant Roy, Chief Communications and Impact Officer at Chobani. Chobani is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world and…
South Asian TrailblazersAkash Mehta & Niki Mehta, Founders of Fable & Mane
In this episode, Simi welcomes our first-ever sibling founder duo: Akash and Nikita Mehta, Co-Founders of Fable & Mane. Fable & Mane is an Ayurveda-inspired…
South Asian TrailblazersRaja Kumari, Rapper, Singer, Songwriter
Simi speaks with the revered RAJA KUMARI. Born Svetha Rao, Raja Kumari is a Grammy-nominated, international singer, songwriter, and rapper. With over 43…
South Asian TrailblazersNikhil Saboo, Broadway Star and Actor
Joining us on South Asian Trailblazers is Actor and Broadway Star, Nikhil Saboo. Most recently, Nikhil played the iconic Connor Murphy in the National Tour of…
South Asian TrailblazersPriya Singh, Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Associate Dean at Stanford Medicine
For our mid-season finale, Simi is joined by Priya Singh — Chief Strategy Officer, Senior Associate Dean, & Vice President of Stanford Medicine. Stanford…
South Asian TrailblazersNora Ali, CEO and Co-Founder of Mason Media
Simi is joined by Nora Ali, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mason Media, a full-service production company and brand studio, which she co-founded alongside MLB…
South Asian TrailblazersDiipa Büller-Khosla, Global Influencer, Founder of indē wild, Model
In a first for South Asian Trailblazers, we welcome Global Influencer and Entrepreneur Diipa Büller-Khosla. Diipa is not only one of the first Indian…
South Asian TrailblazersRuchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix
Simi sits down with Ruchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix. In this role, Ruchi strategizes around the streaming giant's relationships with…
South Asian TrailblazersLIVE: Vas Narasimhan (CEO of Novartis) & Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan (Physician Leader in Health and Education)
To kick off South Asian Trailblazers Season 7, power duo Dr. Vas Narasimhan (CEO of Novartis) and Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan (Physician Leader in Health &…
South Asian TrailblazersShruti Ganguly, Filmmaker, Director, and Producer
For our Season 6 Finale, Simi invites Shruti Rya Ganguly: award-winning Filmmaker, Producer, and Writer to the podcast. In 2017, Shruti started honto88, a…
South Asian TrailblazersGaurav Shah, CEO of Rocket Pharmaceuticals & Grammy Award Winner
The founding CEO of a breakout biotech company AND a Grammy Award winner? Gaurav Shah is no stranger to dualities. In this episode, Simi speaks with the…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal at Impact Summit 2023
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi hosts a LIVE podcast with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — the first South Asian woman elected to the…
South Asian TrailblazersZarna Garg, Comedian
You’ve likely seen Zarna Garg — the Indian immigrant mom and comedy sensation cracking mom jokes on Instagram, opening for Tina Fey, or most recently, making…
South Asian TrailblazersPooja Goyal, Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Infrastructure
In this episode, we meet Pooja Goyal: Partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Infrastructure, Co-Head of the Carlyle Global Infrastructure…
South Asian TrailblazersMedha Gargeya, Associate Counsel to VP Kamala Harris, U.S. Air Force Reservist, Adjunct Professor
In this episode, Simi speaks with Medha Gargeya: Associate Counsel to Vice President Kamala Harris, reservist with the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Anjula Acharia, Manager to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Investor, and Entrepreneur
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi speaks with trailblazer Anjula Acharia in front of a LIVE audience in New York City. WATCH this…
South Asian TrailblazersPooja Bavishi, Founder & CEO of Malai Icecream
Meet Pooja Bavishi, Founder and CEO of Malai, a trailblazer who is sure to pique your interest and... your sweet tooth. Malai is an artisanal ice cream…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Akshay Kumar, Nora Fatehi, Mouni Roy, and The Entertainers
In this special episode, we mark our first-ever foray into Bollywood and the land of Indian cinema. Trailblazers Host, Simi Shah, joins some of Bollywood’s…
South Asian TrailblazersAnita Chatterjee, Founder & CEO of A-Game Public Relations
To kick of Season 6, Simi speaks with Anita Chatterjee, Founder and CEO of A-Game Public Relations. A-Game Public Relations is a bicoastal firm representing…
South Asian TrailblazersSPECIAL 50th EPISODE: Reflections on 50 Trailblazers
In this very special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, we celebrate our 50th episode. To mark this exciting milestone, we wanted to do something a little…
South Asian TrailblazersPrama Bhatt, Chief Digital Officer of ULTA Beauty
Joining us for this episode is Ulta Beauty's first-ever Chief Digital Officer, Prama Bhatt. Prama brings 20 years of digital expertise to this role, having…
South Asian TrailblazersZiad Ahmed, Co-Founder/CEO of JUV Consulting
At 23-years-old, Ziad Ahmed is our youngest trailblazer to date. In this episode, Simi catches up with the CEO/Co-Founder of JUV Consulting, a purpose-driven…
South Asian TrailblazersMegha Desai, President of The Desai Foundation
Simi speaks with Megha Desai, President of the Desai Foundation. The Desai Foundation empowers women and children through community programming that elevates…
South Asian TrailblazersRaju Narisetti, Global Publishing Leader @ McKinsey
In this episode, Simi is joined by a legend in the media business: Raju Narisetti, Global Publishing Leader at McKinsey. Raju grew up in India where he studied…
South Asian TrailblazersYamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot
We're mid-season and to celebrate, Simi welcomes Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot to Trailblazers. HubSpot is a leading customer relationship management (CRM)…
South Asian TrailblazersArjun Pulijal, President @ Capitol Music Group
Beck, Paul McCartney, Troye Sivan, Maggie Rogers, Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Halsey, Masego, Doechii, Norah Jones — just a few of the greats on Arjun Pulijal’s…
South Asian TrailblazersSean Desai, Associate Head Coach-Defense of Seattle Seahawks
In this episode, Simi catches up with a legend in the League, Sean Desai, Associate Head Coach-Defense for the Seattle Seahawks. Sean has over a decade of…
South Asian TrailblazersSeema Mody, CNBC Anchor and Reporter
In this episode, Simi sits down with a familiar face, Seema Mody, CNBC Global Markets Reporter. A leading business journalist, Seema is CNBC’s FIRST South…
South Asian TrailblazersKal Penn, Actor
To kick off Season 5, Simi sits down with Kal Penn, esteemed Actor, Author, and former White House Staffer. Kal jumpstarted his acting career in the early…
South Asian TrailblazersMegha Rao, Fashion Designer and Founder @ holiCHIC by Megha
For our Season 4 finale, Simi sits down with Megha Rao, Fashion Designer and Founder of holiCHIC. A renowned global fashion brand, holiChic offers South…
South Asian TrailblazersDr. Sree Chaguturu, Chief Medical Officer of CVS
Simi sits down with Dr. Sreekanth Chaguturu, Chief Medical Officer at CVS Health. Shortly after this episode was recorded, Sree ascended to this role, becoming…
South Asian TrailblazersAditi Shah, Peloton Instructor and PUMA Ambassador
Simi welcomes our first trailblazer in fitness, Aditi Shah, Instructor at Peloton and Global Ambassador for PUMA. Aditi joined Peloton in 2018, having been…
South Asian TrailblazersManeesh Goyal, Founder of SONA NYC and Entrepreneur
In our latest episode, Simi is joined by Maneesh Goyal, Founder & Partner of NY-based restaurant SONA. Maneesh is a serial entrepreneur. In 2003, he launched…