Roundglass India Center Launches New Podcast

A new podcast, from the Roundglass India Center at Seattle University, aims to transport the listener inside the world of trailblazing Indian Americans while exploring their roots in India and the paths they traveled to become the inspiring leaders they are today. The “trip” begins in Seattle and, as the podcast evolves, will fan out to explore a new city—and its Indian Americans leaders—each season.

The “Desi Roots & Routes” podcast, hosted by Law Professor Sital Kalantry, who is also executive director of the Roundglass India Center, officially launches on September 20, and available to download wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes will drop every few weeks, with guests who are innovators and leaders in technology, business, the arts and government and politics.

“There are almost 5 million people of Indian descent in the United States, making them the second largest Asian group,” says Kalantry. “So many of them have made significant contributions to positive growth and change in the United States.”  

The six-episode season one focuses on the Emerald City and will kick off with Sunny Singh, entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Edifecs & the Roundglass Foundation. Rounding out the season—with each episode consisting of a long form interview and discussion—will be conversations with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Rita Meher, Krishna Thiagarajan, Ankur Vora and Pallavi Mehta Wahi.

As host, Kalantry will dive into the personal and professional journeys of the guests, who will discuss how they navigated intersectional identities and overcame cultural barriers, contributing to cultural preservation and community building. Here’s more on the slate of guests along with the date when their episode drops:

• Sunny Singh: Singh was born in India and is the founder of global healthcare technology company Edifecs and the Roundglass Foundation. (September 20)
• Rita Meher: Meher is the executive director of Tasveer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sparking change through the power of films and storytelling, lifting up underrepresented South Asian voices in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (October 4)
• Pallavi Mehta Wahi: Wahi is the managing partner of K&L Gates’ Seattle office and previously served as the co-U.S. managing partner of K&L Gates’ 25 offices in the U.S. (October 18)
• Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal: Jayapal has served the 7th Congressional District of Washington state (most of Seattle, Shoreline, Vashon Island, Lake Forest Park, and parts of Burien and Normandy Park) since 2017. Now in her fourth term, Rep. Jayapal was born and raised in India and came to the United States by herself at 16. (November 1) 
• Ankur Vora: Vora is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Gates Foundation. (November 15)
• Krishna Thiagarajan: Thiagarajan is the president and CEO of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall. He was previously the CEO of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. (November 29) 

Professor Nalini Iyer, a professor of English at SU and a faculty affiliate to the Roundglass India Center, is looking forward to Desi Roots & Routes providing more context for those interested in South Asian communities.

“Indian Americans are the second largest Asian American community in King County,” says Iyer. “The Pacific Northwest has seen continuous migration of South Asians from the early 1900s but their history has been largely invisible even as they are hyper visible in some fields like tech and education. This podcast series’ significance is that it offers deeper insights and stories from leaders in the community.”

About the Roundglass India Center

The Roundglass India Center at Seattle University focuses on the study of contemporary India as well as the Indian American community. Its mission is to educate our communities on current issues impacting them and conduct cutting edge research on India and Indian Americans with the goal of advancing positive social, economic and policy change in the United States and India.

Listen to the trailer and learn more about the host, upcoming guests and where to download the first episode when it drops on September 20.