May It Be So

This week, we chat with Shivani Sahu '27 about her experiences with Indian-American identity, her acting career (including as a real Disney princess!), and her journey with Hinduism and spirituality at Princeton during a time of deep grief.

For National Podcast Day, here's an episode recorded last semester with Princeton's very own yoga instructor Angela Quinn! We talk names, lifelong religious journeys, and what yoga is all about when we look beyond aesthetics.

Welcome to Season 2 of May It Be So ! In our first episode back on campus for the 2025-2026 school year, we chat with Sanjana Venkatesh '26 about choosing Princeton, her journey with Hindu ritual and embracing faith on her own terms, and (bonus) the funny story behind how she came to join Vineet's Gita study group at Princeton.

This week, we chat with Vasant Patel '26 about his BAPS faith, proudly wearing tilak-chandlo at Princeton, and his incredible gap year volunteering to build the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Jersey.

This week, we chat with Duke University's Hindu chaplain Priya Amaresh about her journey to chaplaincy, from growing up in Michigan to her spiritual and personal discoveries while exploring everything from childcare to yoga to Hindu pilgrimage. 

This week, we chat with Anuj Krishnan '27 about Hindu pilgrimage, his life between Canada, India, Italy, Princeton, and beyond, and what it was like being one of the youngest elected officials in Canada.

This week, we chat again with Kajal Schiller on her life in America post-adoption. We cover everything from navigating life around many religions to her mom's Hollywood glamor phase to standing up for herself in the face of discrimination. 

This week, we hear one of the most remarkable stories around. Kajal's journey from being a street kid in India to Princeton will keep you on the edge of your seat. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week, where we dive into everything from Kajal's mom's star-studded dating life to Kajal's spiritual journey and life in America.

Meet Avani Modi Sarkar, co-founder and genius behind Modi Toys, a company creating timeless toys that celebrate and teach kids about Hinduism. We chat about social media, spirituality, dharma in business, and what it's like to be BFFs... with the richest woman in Asia. You can check out Modi Toys on social media @moditoys  You can also find their website at moditoys.com

In this episode, Vineet chats with Princeton senior Isha Patel about digital detoxing, deep diving into solitude, and we ask: is vipassana meditation a cult?

In this episode, Dr. Chander chats with Sastha Tripathi, a first-year student at Princeton, about intentionality, self-care as a first-generation low-income student, and finding peace and meaning in the midst of grief.

In this episode, Dr. Chander chats with Justin Shields, Princeton '25, about Justin's lived experience as an Indo-Caribbean Hindu, inter-generational trauma and the power of names,  and how he found and was found by Hanuman.

In this special episode, we give you a glimpse into the story behind "May It Be So." I take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought us here and the intention behind this project. It's all about taking the leap, making ourselves vulnerable, and not letting perfectionism paralyze us. Maybe you can relate?

Everything you need to know about your new favorite Hindu Life Podcast (including a peek behind the name "May It Be So").  

Get ready for your new favorite podcast. It's gonna be fun, thoughtful, captivating, and you'll always leave with something new to think on or laugh about to tide you over until the next episode.