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“There's nothing dead about the Indian classics. It's not a revival of anything. It's not a museum piece. I think our classical tradition is alive through the stories our parents and grandparents told us…[and through popular culture]…..but with few exceptions, we don't know about the classics from our neighboring state, right? I always hope that the girl in Chandigarh can read a Mangal Kavya from Bengal, a boy in Patna can read a Telugu classic. Someone sitting in your old hometown, Pune can read Bulleh Shah.” 🎙️ In this episode (100!) of The Indian Edit, join me with writer, scholar, and Editorial Director of Harvard University Press, Sharmila Sen. We explore Sharmila’s personal journey from growing up in Bengal to immigrating to the United States as a child, her reflections on race, belonging, and visibility, and her work stewarding the linguistically ambitious literary project: The Murty Classical Library of India. Shownotes for Episide 100: Growing Up Between Worlds Sharmila’s childhood in Calcutta (Kolkata) and her move to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1982 Assimilation, accent, and the desire to “disappear” as a young immigrant Learning Americanness through television, language, and cultural mimicry Race, Privilege, and Visibility Coming to understand race in the U.S. as an immigrant from India The contrast between being part of a dominant group in India and a racial minority in America The persistent “foreignness” assigned to Asian Americans Passing, names, and the refusal to erase one’s identity Language as Identity Bengali as a lived, literary, and emotional language Experiences living and working in Pakistan and Bangladesh Learning Urdu (including Nastaliq script) and Punjabi The cultural and political significance of language in South Asia The Murty Classical Library of India Founded in 2010 with support from Rohan Murty Inspired by Harvard’s Loeb Classical Library (Greek & Latin classics) Publishes bilingual editions (original text + English translation) Covers 2,500 years of writing across 19 South Asian languages Aims to make Indian classics accessible to scholars, general readers, and future generations Ten Indian Classics (10th Anniversary Anthology) Curated selections from the Murty Classical Library Spans 2,500 years and 9 languages Includes: Poems of the early Buddhist nuns (Therīgāthā) Tulsidas’s Ramayana Sufi poetry by Bulleh Shah Guru Nanak’s hymns Persian chronicles of Emperor Akbar Urdu, Tamil, Sanskrit, Punjabi, and more Explores the idea of classics as living traditions, not museum artifacts Why Indian Classics Still Matter Classics as “background noise” that continues to shape culture Stories and verses that live on through oral tradition, popular culture, and daily life Reading across regions and languages as an act of cultural connection and nation-building 📚 Books & Resources Mentioned Not Quite Not White – Sharmila Sen (memoir) The Murty Classical Library of India (Harvard University Press) Ten Indian Classics – Edited by Sharmila Sen Amar Chitra Katha The Ramayana and Mahabharata (regional retellings) 🔗 Find all books and resources at theindianedit.com 📢 Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode: Share it with a friend Follow the podcast on Instagram @theindianeditpodcast Visit theindianedit.com for full show notes and links

🎙️ The Indian Edit: Mini Edit with Sonali Dev – “There’s Something About Mira” Welcome back to The Indian Edit! In this special mini edit, award-winning romance author Sonali Dev returns to the podcast to discuss her newest novel, There's Something About Mira (Feb 2025). We dive into the inspirations behind the book, themes of identity, love, and community, and the layered characters that travel from Naperville to New York to Darjeeling and beyond. 📚 In This Episode: The origin of There's Something About Mira and how a New York Times article inspired the plot Exploring “Brown Town,” community expectations, and finding emotional safety The story within the story: a powerful queer love story in 1980s India What draws readers to wealthy romantic leads and how Sonali rethinks that trope Creative energy management and the joys and pitfalls of newsletters & social media Travel tips and favorite cities: Mumbai, Darjeeling, Chicago Sonali’s recent reads and book recommendations 📘 Books & Media Mentioned: There's Something About Meera by Sonali Dev → Buy on Bookshop / Amazon The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev → Read more Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen homage in Sonali’s series) All We Imagine As Light (film about Mumbai life) → IMDb The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese → Amazon People of Means by Nancy Johnson 🎧 More with Sonali: Visit: https://sonalidev.com Instagram: @sonali.dev Newsletter: Sign up on her website for The Three R’s: a recipe, a recommendation, and a really bad joke! YouTube archive of Lit with Love: Lit with Love on YouTube 📍 Cities We Discussed: Mumbai – a city of grit, warmth, and humor Darjeeling – majestic Himalayas and spiritual beauty Chicago – architecture, lakefront, theater, and cozy big-city charm ✨ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and share! Catch Sonali’s previous appearance on The Indian Edit in Episode 57. Hear our latest chat now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

🎙️ New Episode Out Now! In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Manisha Bharti, CEO of Pratham USA, to explore what it takes to lead one of India’s largest education nonprofits. From her journey through Harvard to her work in HIV response and international development, Manisha shares powerful insights on: ✨ Nonprofit leadership & global impact 🌍 Philanthropy in the Indian diaspora 📚 How Pratham empowers youth through education & skilling 🤝 The importance of partnerships and scaling what works 🔍 Her favorite tool for self-awareness: the Enneagram 🎧 Plus: Breaking into public health & international development Using private sector strategy to drive nonprofit success Advice for young professionals seeking purpose-driven careers Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

Rivers have been on my mind recently with some recent buzzy arrivals on their power (from Elif Shafak to non-fiction Robert Macfarlane). Join me with author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Tara Anand to discuss their beautiful picture book My Name Is Long As a River. Inspired by Suma’s own heritage, the story celebrates the deep connections between names, family history, and cultural identity. Together, Suma and Tara share how rivers, poetry, and personal memory shaped this tribute to the power of knowing where we come from. Listen now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! Rivers have been on my mind recently with some recent buzzy arrivals on their power (from Elif Shafak to non-fiction Robert Macfarlane). Join me with author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Tara Anand to discuss their beautiful picture book My Name Is Long As a River. Inspired by Suma’s own heritage, the story celebrates the deep connections between names, family history, and cultural identity. Together, Suma and Tara share how rivers, poetry, and personal memory shaped this tribute to the power of knowing where we come from. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! Suma Subramaniam Tara Anand, photographed by Brittany Oxley SHOWNOTES for Ep. 98: Connect with Suma through her website And with Tara Anand here Books and other stuff we discussed on the show: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books Tishani Doshi’s poetry collection A God at the Door The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Amar Chitra Katha comics Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayan Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Soumya Saksham, Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Another long overdue episode with a FANTASTIC guest! Philly-based lawyer-turned-writer Farah Naz Rishi has written YA, sci-fi, romance, and a heartbreaking memoir ‘Sorry for the Inconvenience’. Pop in your airpods, grab a hot drink, go for a walk, listen how you please, but don’t miss how this Pakistani-American Muslim writer became a TikTok sensation, how she wrote the book that ‘broke Mindy Kaling’s heart’, and of course her favorite books and hometown Philadephia hang outs! Listen now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 97: Connect with Farah through her website and Instagram Buy Sorry for the Inconvenience and Farah’s other books here Books and other stuff we discussed on the show: Robin Hobb’s books R.F. Kuang’s books Ursula LeGuin’s writing schedule Philly’s fab restaurant Mawn (I tried it based on Farah’s tip and it is AMAZING, but now apparently hard to get a table!) Free Library of Philadelphia Harriet’s Bookshop in Fishtown Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Soumya Saksham, Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

And we are back! After a very long delay (you can read why here on the newsletter), I’m delighted to bring you this overdue episode with Dr. Seema Yasmin. Ignore my most awkward intro ever to hear how this brilliant Emmy-award winning journalist, author, medical doctor and professor managed to overcome a challenging childhood and Islamophobia in a small town in England to publishing multiple books and teaching at Stanford by following her passions and pivoting when it felt right! The conversation feels very timely given Seema’s efforts to battle Scientific misinformation, promote reproductive rights and queer and Muslim representation in children’s books. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 96: Connect with Seema through her website and Instagram Buy Unbecoming and The ABCs of Queer History and all of Seema’s books here Other books and other tips we discussed on the show: The Who and the What: A Play (I love Seema’s reading challenge ‘A play a day’) Disgraced and other Ayad Akhtar plays Shefali Luthra’s Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

The dynamic author Sujata Massey joined me in conversation earlier this summer and shared her resolution to make it her best summer by “only reading pleasurable and escapist books”! Why not take this idea into the hectic ‘Back to School’ season too? Join us as Sujata shares more about her latest Perveen Mistry historical mystery set in 1920s India and don’t miss her fun suggestions for light reading and how to make some free fun for yourself WITHOUT getting on a plane! Sujata was first on the podcast on Ep. 60 which you can catch right here! Hear our latest chat now on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Mini-Edit 5: Connect with Sujata through her website and Instagram Buy the Perveen Mistry Book 4 here (The Mistress of Bhatia House) Other books and other tips we discussed on the show: Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour The Hachette Book of Indian Detective Fiction Volumes I and II Wives like Us by Plum Sykes The Lost boy of Santa Chiomia The Franchise Affair and Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

“Why do people migrate?” was the question Ritu Hemnani’s daughter posed to her one day. A deeper look at her own family’s story of migration from Sindh to Hong Kong led this educator to explore the history of the Partition and to share this story with her family and beyond. Author of ‘Lion of the Sky’ a beautiful, middle grade novel in verse, Ritu joins me on this episode to discuss her family’s story of resilience. We chat about the Sindhi language, life in Hong Kong, her experience teaching in an urban British school, and so much more. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 95: Connect with Ritu through her website and Instagram Buy Lion of the Sky Veera Hiranandani’s books on the Partition The Night Diary and Amil & the After Other books and other tips we discussed on the show: Restart by Gordon Korman Charlotte’s Web by E.B. WHite Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds The Crossover by Kwame Alexander Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai The Forgettery by Rachel Ip Arirang Korean restaurant Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Another one for you book lovers out there! Many of us were introduced to the wonder of picture books only once we began reading them to our kids. My latest guest Srividhya Venkat fell in love with children’s books and never looked back (at her former career in accounting)! Srividhya began a second act in early childhood education, and then a third in children’s literature. Her beautiful books ‘Girls on Wheels’ and ‘Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps’ are a wonder, and she has a brand new one out next week celebrating Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi! Join us in this conversation celebrating the joy of kidlit! Listen and rate us on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 94: Connect with Srividhya through her website and Instagram Buy Girls on Wheels, Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps and Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi's Fight to End Child Labor Other books we discussed on the show: Where Three Oceans Meet by Rajani LaRocca May Your Life Be Deliciosa: A Picture Book by Michael Genhart Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Looking for a new picture book to read with kids in your life? This brand new one really made me think about all the tiny and large ways children develop their sense of belonging in a family and their sense of self in the world at large. The rich detail of what family members pass down to new arrivals is beautifully captured in this lovely book written by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Meenal Patel. I get to chat with TWO previous guests on this Mini-Edit (hear Shelly’s story on Ep. 55 and Meenal’s on Ep. 23)! Join me as we dive into the story behind this new book, and please take a second to rate us on iTunes,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! SHOWNOTES FOR Mini-Edit 4: Connect with Shelly through her website and Instagram Find Meenal through her website and instagram Buy “In This Family” Other books we discussed on the show: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo Buy me a coffee via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Why does American history still exclude so many? My latest guest Mae Ngai is Lung Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University and has written award-winning books on immigration and the Chinese diaspora sharing stories of immigrants during the Gold Rush and other pivotal historical events. Before becoming a historian, Mae was a labor union organizer and educator in New York City where she met another influential documenter of Asian America: photographer Corky Lee who sadly passed away from Covid-19 in early 2021. Mae has edited a brand new book “Corky Lee’s Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice” which collects the activist photographer’s iconic images into a beautiful and moving book. Join me as Professor Ngai gives us a glimpse into Asian American history and Corky’s important contribution, and please share the episode with a friend who might enjoy this chat! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 93: Buy the new book: “Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice” Professor Ngai’s other books: The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes, Chinese Migration, and Global Politics, The Lucky Ones: One Family and the Extraordinary Invention of Chinese America The NYT on Corky Lee Other books we discussed on the show: Orphan Bachelors: A Memoir by Fae Myenne Ng Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Wondering where to start with learning more about black and brown solidarity? Or how to write about a difficult experience? Reading author and educator Nina Sharma’s wonderful debut “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown” is a great first step. So grateful to Nina for her honest and elegant writing and for this amazing chat! Nina shares her sometimes rocky road to owning her writer identity, her struggle to write about her mental health challenges, and the profound connection she felt when she met her husband who is African-American and a fellow writer. BONUS: So much great advice on writing for everyone out there! Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! SHOWNOTES for Ep. 92: Connect with Nina through her websiteand Twitter/X Buy her book “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown” Books and other stuff we discussed on the show: Margo Jefferson’s Negroland and Constructing a Nervous System Big Blue Marble Bookshop in Philadelphia Asian American Writer’s Workshop The Question of Palestine by Edward Said Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives by Amelia Possanza Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

What happens to families AFTER they’ve survived a traumatic historical event? Veera Hiranandani set out to explore this question in her sequel to the beloved Newbery-honor winning middle-grade novel ‘The Night Diary’. ‘Amil and the After’ now finds Nisha and Amil navigating a new life in Mumbai following their family’s migration from Sindh during the Partition of India in 1947. Join me as Veera chats about her new book, and listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen! And if you’d like to hear Veera’s whole journey leading up to ‘The Night Diary’, please check out Ep. 34! SHOWNOTES FOR Mini-Edit 3: Connect with Veera through her website and Instagram Buy her books here, including Amil and the After Other books we discussed on the show: The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi Lion of The Sky by Ritu Hemnani The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition by Shirin Shamsi Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Ever wondered whether you should take that step to turning your hobby into a business? New York based Simran Khiantani (also goes by Namrata) shares her journey from Bombay to New York via the Canary Islands! Inspired by her MIL’s amazing sauces and her friends’ insistence that she start selling them, Simran recently launched her condiment brand after years of research and development. Try them now from Amazon and join our chat as Simran takes us behind the scenes of launching her business and some ideas for dinner tonight! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen! SHOWNOTES FOR Ep. 91: Try Simran’s AMAZING sauces through her website and Amazon Wondering what to cook for dinner tonight? Follow her on Instagram for some lovely recipes! More recipes with SimranCooks sauces here Dominique Ansel’s lovely banana bread recipe that is my household staple now! Books we discussed on the show: Cooking Up a Business: Lessons from Food Lovers Who Turned Their Passion into a Career -- and How You Can, Too Zaytinya by Jose Andres Flavors of the Sun: The Sahadi's Guide to Understanding, Buying, and Using Middle Eastern Ingredients Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen: A Peranakan Family's Food Memories of Singapore by Sharon Wee Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Exploring her husband’s Goan and Portuguese heritage led writer Christine Chitnis to create a beautiful celebration of the visual culture of Portugal: “Patterns of Portugal”. Having successfully completed a similar project in 2020 with “Patterns of India”, Christine was inspired to share her view of the beauty of this small nation at the edge of Europe. Join me in this mini-Edit where Christine takes us behind the scenes of putting together this stunning lifestyle book, including some of her favorite moments and travel tips! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Christine’s first appearance where we chat about “Patterns of India” was on Ep. 31 and if you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend! SHOWNOTES FOR MINI-EDIT 2: Experience Christine’s work through her website and her beautiful instagram account Buy Patterns of Portugal here or on Amazon Patterns of India book and our pandemic chat on episode 31! East Coasting Christine’s exclusive Patterns of Portugal box with Portugalia Market brings to life the pages of the book through carefully selected artisanal products Take an IRL trip to Portugal with Christine - sign up here Books we discussed on the show: A History of Burning by Janika Oza Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Notes on an Execution: An Edgar Award Winner Danya Kukafka Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram ! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Sudipta Biswas, Aman Moroney and the team @ Boon Castle / Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!