Hindu American Foundation

That's So Hindu

Religion EN ↓ 168 episodes

The podcast that interviews entrepreneurs and activists, politicians and professors, journalists, entertainers, spiritual teachers, and more on how Hinduism shapes their work and lives. All American. So Hindu. Brought to you by the Hindu American Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

Hindu American Foundation

Category

Religion

Podcast website

www.hinduamerican.org

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

How do Hindu Americans celebrate Navaratri? 19.10.2023

For this episode we have something a bit different for you. It’s a special episode for Navaratri. We've interviewed several members of our extended HAF team as well as members of the Hindu American community about how they celebrate Navaratri today, what they remember about the holiday growing up, and how their understanding of it has changed over the years. What you’ll hear are excepts from longe...

What is Critical Caste Theory and why it's a "dubious discourse" | Akshar from The Emissary 28.09.2023

In this episode we speak with Akshar from The Emissary about an article he published earlier this year about Critical Caste Theory, as well as the activists who view Hinduism, Hindu culture, and India’s history and contemporary society through this very narrow lens. Read the article that we're talking about here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Hindus the natural world is more than sacred, its embodied Divinity itself | Prof. David Haberman 07.09.2023

In this episode we speak with Prof. David Haberman from Indiana University about his extensive work documenting how Hindus bring trees, stones, and mountains into their religious worship. Buy the books we discuss: People Trees , Loving Stones Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are definite parallels between growing antisemitism and rising Hinduphobia | Sarah Stern 17.08.2023

In this episode Samir Kalra speaks with Sarah Stern, the founder and president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth, a think tank and policy institute based in Washington DC. They speak about the parallels between growing antisemitism and rising Hinduphobia, the US-Israel relationship, and efforts to strengthen the Israel-India relationship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

On bringing the life and legacy of Swami Vivekananda to the cinema | Nico Oscoff 10.08.2023

In this episode we're speaking with film director Nico Oscoff on his latest project 1893: Year of the Yogi , a documentary currently planned to be released in 2024. Learn more: https://www.instagram.com/1893yoty/ Donate to the film here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's why it's adharmic to lose money | Easan Katir 27.07.2023

In this episode we're again speaking with HAF's own Easan Katir on the topic of dharmic investing, with a focus this time on why it's adharmic to lose money. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How everything isn't as it seemed in the BAPS and Cisco caste discrimination allegations | Suhag Shukla & Samir Kalra 26.07.2023

In this special episode Mat McDermott moderates a discussion between HAF Co-Founder Suhag Shukla and Managing Director Samir Kalra about the latest revelations in the case of alleged caste discrimination at the BAPS temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, and how the connect to the similar allegations as Cisco Systems in California. Please note: The audio quality on this one isn't quite up to our usua...

The US-India relationship has been a success in so many ways | David Santoro, The Pacific Forum 13.07.2023

In this episode Samir Kalra speaks with David Santoro, President and CEO of the Pacific Forum, a non-profit foreign policy research institute based in Hawaii. They discuss the state of the India-US relationship, the positive changes he's seen in India in recent years, and much more. Learn more at: https://pacforum.org and follow David Santoro on Twitter here: @DavidSantoro1. Hosted on Acast. See a...

Preserving dharma by restoring one ancient temple at a time | Behind Every Temple 25.05.2023

In this episode we speak with Ananda and Suguna Prathik, the husband and wife team behind the non-profit Behind Every Temple, who are are doing some really interesting work restoring ancient temples in Tamil Nadu. Learn more: www.behindeverytemple.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We should be very wary of people who tell us there is only one way to be Hindu | Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan 04.05.2023

In this episode we speak with Georgetown University's Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan about the tension between the internal diversity and pluralistic outlook of Hinduism and both the trend and sometimes need to present Hinduism as one thing to the non-Hindu world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Hinduphobia has been constructed and unleashed from the West | Prof Lavanya Vemsani 13.04.2023

In this episode we're speaking with Lavanya Vemsani, professor of history at Shawnee State University in Ohio, specializing in Indian history and religion. Her latest paper in the International Review of Modern Sociology is titled “Global Hinduphobia: Construed, Constructed, and Unleashed from the West” and that’s what we’re going to talk: Hinduphobia, the fallacy of Aryan Invasion Theory, and how...

The connections between advaita vedanta and ecology are, well, deep | Prof. Jeffery D Long 23.03.2023

In this episode we're speaking with Professor Jeffery D Long, who teaches religion and Asian studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. This his second time on the show. And today we’re discussing a recent paper he’s written on the connections between deep ecology and advaita vedanta.  Read more: Advaita Vedanta and Its Implications for Deep Ecology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

TEASER: All about All About Hinduism 02.02.2023

Do you want to know more about Hinduism? Like actually understand what karma is? Or what dharma means? Do you want to know what the sacred texts of Hinduism are? Or, maybe, you just want to know why Hindu women wear a dot on their forehead? Or, perhaps, if all Hindus vegetarian?  If so, then All About Hinduism is just what you’ve been waiting for. We’ll give you an overview of Hindu...

How a former Pentecostal Christian preacher and missionary in India first lost his religion and then embraced Hinduism | Andrew Jasko 29.12.2022

In this episode Suhag Shukla speaks with Andrew Jasko. Andrew was born into a minister’s family and became a preacher and missionary to India, after studying theology at Wheaton College and Princeton Seminary. After an agonizing crisis of faith, he rejected religion and spirituality. Later, after finding healing through practices like meditation, psychedelics, and breathwork, that introduced him t...

If American diplomacy is to succeed, we need to rethink our posture towards India | Dr Michael Rubin 01.12.2022

In this episode, Samir Kalra speaks with Dr Michael Rubin, from the American Enterprise Institute, about his recent trip to Kashmir and what he learned from speaking with Kashmiris about life after Article 370, as well what is needed to improve US diplomacy in the region.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Unshackled' demystifies immigration & gives you more control over your future in the US | Soundarya Balasubramani & Sameer Khedakar 13.10.2022

In this episode Samir Kalra speaks with Soundarya Balasubramani and Sameer Khedakar, co-authors of “Unshackled”, a practical guide for immigrants in the US to become entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, or just have more creative autonomy over their careers.  https://curiousmaverick.com/unshackled/   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soundarya/unshackled-a-guide-for-highly-skilled-immigrants-in-america...

Most people in the West have no idea how dangerous the Khalistanis actually are | Puneet Sahani 22.09.2022

In this episode Samir Kalra speaks with Puneet Sahani, coordinator of Sikhs for Enlightenment Association, a volunteer effort of Sikh researchers across the world, who are pushing back against Khalistani propaganda.  @puneet_sahani @SikhsSeva   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From one hour a week to your entire week, there’s room for everyone to participate in politics | Sen. Niraj Antani (R-OH) 18.08.2022

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US-India relationship could take off like a rocket ship | Akhil Ramesh 11.08.2022

In this episode Samir Kalra speaks with Akhil Ramesh, research fellow at Pacific Forum International. They discuss the current state of the US-India relationship, where it could be headed, the challenges that relationship faces, as well as some of the challenges the Indian diaspora faces due to skewed perspectives on current Indian politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

How an immigrant student with $250 in her pocket & 2 suitcases went on to be the first Hindu woman in Michigan’s legislature | Rep. Padma Kuppa 14.07.2022

In this episode Mat McDermott speaks with Michigan State Representative Padma Kuppa, who serves the 41st House District. Padma is an engineer by training, who also served on HAF’s Board of Director for a number of years, before turning to politics.  We talk about how she decided to focus on elected office, the connections between her Hindu faith and public service,  the attacks she’s faced based o...

How herons can help us make better financial decisions | Easan Katir 30.06.2022

In this episode we’re bringing back HAF’s very own California Advocacy Director Easan Katir, who, doesn’t just do Hindu advocacy work, but rather since 1983 has provided wealth management for families, individuals, and retirement plans. Last time we spoke about Dharmic Investing in general. Today we’re talking about the current state of the financial markets, how to weather them, which sectors are...

There’s no such thing as Indian food. The cuisine is far more complex than that. | Chef Keith Sarasin 09.06.2022

In this episode Suhag Shukla speaks with Keith Sarasin. Keith is a chef, three-time author, restauranteur, and public speaker who grew up in a small city in New Hampshire. Keith learned to cook Indian cuisine studying with a home cook, and went onto study with archeologists and food historians from across India. Keith currently runs Aatma, a pop-up tasting experience showcasing food from the India...

Feeding 100,000 people on Thanksgiving, and helping people discover their personal story | Dr Varun Gandhi 05.05.2022

In this episode Mat McDermott speaks with Dr Varun Gandhi, who describes himself as a life orchestrator, soulpreneur, an angel investor, philanthropist, and last but not least a water doctor. They discuss his work creating a digital course called What’s Your Story that helps you focus your life better to create a better future for yourself, as well as his impressive service over the past couple of...

HAF Executive Director Suhag Shukla's full interview with NPR on caste discrimination in the US 02.05.2022

On Monday, May 2, 2022, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition ran a story titled, "Some South Asian Americans Believe Caste-based Prejudices exist in the US." HAF Executive Director Suhag Shukla was interviewed for the story and spoke to the reporter for over half an hour. The topic is extremely complex and the unintended consequences are serious for millions of Americans of South Asian origin....

After 30 years the Kashmiri Pandit story is finally been told on film | Rajiv Pandit and Sidhi Raina react to ‘The Kashmir Files’ 14.04.2022

In this episode, Deepali Kulkarni speaks to Dr Rajiv Pandit and Sidhi Raina about their reaction to seeing The Kashmir Files, the challenges in speaking up about the ethnic cleansing that the indigenous Hindus of Kashmir faced 30 years ago — including social media and real world professional harassment and doxing — and what they want the world to know about the Kashmiri Pandit Exodus. Follow them...

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