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Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™

Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™

Written by: Times of India
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What does it really mean to build a life between worlds? Diaspora Dialogues is a Times of India podcast hosted by Sujatha Padmanabhan. A conversation series for the millions of South Asians living between cultures and building new lives while carrying the old ones forward. We sit down with innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and changemakers from across the South Asian diaspora and ask the questions that don't usually make the headlines. What shaped them. What guides them. And what pulls them back. Honest conversations about identity, ambition, belonging, and the quiet responsibility so many of us feel to give back. New episodes every two weeks. Stream on your favorite podcast platform. Diaspora Dialogues by TOI ™ is sponsored by Laxmi Basmati, the most consistent Basmati - click here to know more and Sistar Mortgage, offering tailored mortgage solutions - click here to know more Social Sciences
Episodes
  • How Yusuf Bhai Turns Memories Into Fragrance | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™

    How Yusuf Bhai Turns Memories Into Fragrance | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™
    Oct 14 2026
    From Kerala to Dubai… meet the perfumer who turns memories into fragrance. Yusuf Bhai is a Dubai-based perfumer who can rebuild a person’s past in scent: a childhood home, Kerala after the rain, a favourite meal, someone you love. In this episode of Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™, he sits down with Sujatha Padmanabhan to talk about perfume, memory and identity, and why a great fragrance is about far more than smelling good. He shares his unlikely route into perfumery, from photography and visual art to the craft of making scent. He also explains how culture shapes the way we experience fragrance, and why certain smells can instantly transport you to another time and place. If you’ve ever wondered whether a perfume can hold a memory, this conversation is for you. #YusufBhai #Perfume #DiasporaDialogues TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction 03:25 Early Years and Life Before Perfumes 10:08 The Art of Creating Perfumes 16:54 Yusuf Bhai’s Process of Creating Perfumes 21:53 Connection Between Perfumes and Memories 30:54 The Correct Way of Wearing Perfume 35:41 Yusuf Bhai’s Fitness and Sporting Interests 40:28 Where Are Indian Perfume Brands? 48:47 Rapidfire with Yusuf Bhai Watch the full conversation - part of the Diaspora Dialogues series by TOI™ 📸 Follow us on: Instagram : ⁠https://www.instagram.com/diasporadialoguesbytoi/ Facebook : ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563158002784⁠ 🎧Listen to us on: Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/diaspora-dialogues Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/diasporadialogues-applepodcast 🔔Subscribe for more conversations with Indian - American artists, musicians, chefs, and achievers from all walks of life shaping the NRI experience. Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™ is sponsored by Laxmi Basmati, the most consistent Basmati https://tinyurl.com/LAXMIFOODSBRAND Sistar Mortgage, offering tailored mortgage solutions. ⁠⁠https://sistarmortgage.com/ and Remitly Trusted by millions to move money worldwide https://www.remitly.com/us/en
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    52 mins
  • From India U19 to Team USA: Saurabh Netravalkar’s Unlikely Cricket Journey | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™

    From India U19 to Team USA: Saurabh Netravalkar’s Unlikely Cricket Journey | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™
    Sep 30 2026
    Saurabh Netravalkar went from India's U19 setup to bowling the USA to a historic World Cup win over Pakistan while working full-time as an Oracle engineer. On this episode of Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™, Saurabh joins Sujatha Padmanabhan to unpack the journey that made him one of the faces of America's cricketing rise. He talks about growing up between Indian and American cultures, choosing engineering before finding his way back to cricket, and what it means to play for Team USA while helping build a cricketing identity in America. The conversation goes beyond the boundary too…touching on identity, ambition, the Indian-American experience, and what happens when you refuse to choose between the life your background expects and the one you want to build. They also look at the changing landscape of American cricket, the Indian diaspora's relationship with the sport, and what the future of cricket in the US could look like. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:54 2024 World Cup and Life After That 07:40 The Journey and Future of Cricket USA 15:24 Multicultural Teams and Fandom in the US 23:24 Balancing Cricket and Education 28:16 Master's at Cornell and Future in Cricket 34:10 Work-Life Balance and Support from Oracle 37:03 On AI Agents and Time Management 41:47 Thoughts on Veganism and Social Media 46:31 Cricketing Heroes Growing Up 49:15 What's Next for Saurabh Netravalkar 🔔 Subscribe to Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™ for more conversations with the people shaping the Indian diaspora - new episodes every week. 📸 Follow us on: Instagram : ⁠https://www.instagram.com/diasporadialoguesbytoi/ Facebook : ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563158002784⁠ 🎧Listen to us on: Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/diaspora-dialogues Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/diasporadialogues-applepodcast Subscribe for more conversations with Indian-American artists, musicians, chefs, and achievers from all walks of life shaping the NRI experience. Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™ is sponsored by Laxmi Basmati, the most consistent Basmati ⁠https://tinyurl.com/45vvtebh Sistar Mortgage, offering tailored mortgage solutions. ⁠⁠https://sistarmortgage.com/ and Remitly Trusted by millions to move money worldwide https://www.remitly.com/us/en
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    53 mins
  • Why Des Mattered: Anirudh Pisharody on Never Have I Ever | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™

    Why Des Mattered: Anirudh Pisharody on Never Have I Ever | Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™
    Sep 16 2026
    On this episode of Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™, Anirudh Pisharody, Des from Netflix's Never Have I Ever, joins Sujatha Padmanabhan to talk about the role that unexpectedly turned him into a global internet boyfriend and changed how a brown leading man could be seen on American television. Anirudh discusses why audiences connected so strongly with Des, and what it meant to see a South Asian man portrayed as both intelligent and desirable on Never Have I Ever. They also talk about growing up Indian in Texas, choosing acting over the pre-med path, the realities of building a career in Hollywood, and why Anirudh eventually decided to create stories himself through Black Velvet Films. All of this, and more, on this episode of Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:40 Early Years and Career Choices 08:19 Passion vs Risks 12:45 Playing ‘Des’ in Never Have I Ever 19:50 The Des and Devi Arc 23:35 On The Reductive ‘Indian Stereotype’ 30:04 On His Relationship with Jill 36:03 Playing ‘Ravi’ on 9-1-1 39:16 Starting Black Velvet Films 43:26 Dream Roles and Rapidfire Questions 📸 Follow us on: Instagram : ⁠https://www.instagram.com/diasporadialoguesbytoi/ Facebook : ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563158002784⁠ 🎧Listen to us on: Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/diaspora-dialogues Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/diasporadialogues-applepodcast Subscribe for more conversations with Indian-American artists, musicians, chefs, and achievers from all walks of life shaping the NRI experience. Diaspora Dialogues by TOI™ is sponsored by Laxmi Basmati, the most consistent Basmati https://tinyurl.com/LAXMIFOODSBRAND Sistar Mortgage, offering tailored mortgage solutions. ⁠⁠https://sistarmortgage.com/ and Remitly Trusted by millions to move money worldwide https://www.remitly.com/us/en
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    52 mins
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