The Indianness Podcast | Insights from Indian Business Leaders, Indian Founders & High-Performing Indian Americans

In today’s episode, I’m honored to chat with Shri Thanedar, Ph. D., Congressman . From a modest beginning in India to establishing himself in America, Shri displayed relentless ambition and resilience. Each step in his life, be it his role as a scientist, an entrepreneur or a congressman, demonstrated a version of the immigrant dream. Key Takeaways: (02:20) The power and potential that Shri’s humb...

Stepping outside our comfort zone, whether by choice or necessity, opens us up to new opportunities for both personal and professional development. On this episode, I’m joined by Sushma Bhatia , Global Head of Strategy and Operations and COO, Payments at Google , who shares her experience of diverse cultures around the world and how they shaped her into the successful leader she is today. Sushma a...

We only get out of our career what we put in, and if we don’t have a balanced, healthy lifestyle outside the office, we’ll have little to offer when we’re at work. On this episode, I’m joined by Vijay Sankaran , Chief Technology Officer at Johnson Controls , to hear his insights into creating a sustainable work-life balance that can propel future success. Vijay and I discuss: - Using adversity as...

When success finally shows itself to us, we often bear the responsibility for using that success to help others. On this episode, I welcome Nitin Sahney , Founder and CEO of PharmaCord , not only to hear about his professional journey but also to glean his unique insights on the pharma and healthcare industries in the US and the work he is doing to improve them. Nitin and I discuss: - Nitin’s expe...

Individual achievement is always worth celebrating, but an achievement that benefits an entire industry propels future accomplishments for whole communities. On this episode, I’m joined by Ashwin Bharath , CEO and Co-Founder of Revature , for an insightful perspective on how success ripples outward from leaders who work on behalf of their colleagues and team members. In our conversation, Ashwin an...

Community is the foundation on which success is built. A strong support network opens opportunities and helps us overcome even the most challenging adversity. On this episode, Chintu Patel , Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Amneal Pharmaceuticals , joins me to share details about his journey of founding an immensely successful pharmaceutical company. Amneal is now one of the top four l...

The pursuit of success is rarely a nine-to-five job. It requires a full commitment, both in and out of the office. On this episode, I’m joined by Ravi Puri , Chief Portfolio Officer at Capgemini . He shares his unique journey of achievement as the child of Indian and Scandinavian parents. In our conversation, Ravi discusses: - The unique experience of growing up in a multicultural family during th...

One of the strengths of coming from a multicultural background, as so many Indian Americans do, is the ability to bridge the cultural gaps that often divide global organizations. On this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Vivek Lall , Chief Executive at General Atomics Global Corporation , to explore the effect that a diverse background has on the ability to merge disparate cultures. Dr. Lall shares valua...

On the journey to success, good fortune is nothing unless it is paired with hard work, and hard work can often be enough to overcome bad fortune. On this episode, I’m joined by Dr. SP Kothari , Professor and Former Assistant Dean Dean at the MIT Sloan School of Management . Dr. Kothari shares insights from his professional and academic career: - Surrounding yourself with ambitious people creates a...

Success is a combination of determination, humility, curiosity and a few good mentors who can help you access future opportunities. On this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan , Chief Physician Executive at BayCare Health System , who offers her prescription for professional growth as an Indian American healthcare leader. Dr. Viswanathan’s journey taught her a few important lessons: - A...

If you approach each new opportunity with a willingness to learn something new, every life experience will have something valuable to teach you. On this episode, I’m joined by The Honorable Sunil Sabharwal , former US Board Member to IMF , who describes a diverse professional career in seemingly disparate fields, but which Sunil has used to pursue growth and development at every turn. In our conve...

Education is foundational to success, and while a formal education is valuable to a lucrative professional journey, sometimes life experience is the best teacher. On this episode, I’m joined by Shailja Dixit , CEO at Curio Digital Therapeutics Inc. , to hear about the lessons her life experiences taught her, and how those lessons cultivated passions that she has since pursued in her personal and p...

With a strong work ethic and a supportive community, Indian Americans can successfully achieve greatness in all industries.  On this inaugural episode, I’m joined by Swami Iyer , former President of Aerospace Systems at Virgin Galactic . He shares with me how his determination, cultivated through a childhood of scarcity, allowed him to pursue a career in which he is quite literally reaching fo...