Amituckeredout

We're going to space guys!  I grew up in the NASA area in Houston and my neighbor was Mike Mullane, an astronaut who flew the Space Shuttle missions in the 80's and 90's.  So the idea of talking to someone who is helping revive space exploration was beyond exciting for me.Tejpaul Bhatia leads revenue generation and monetization strategy for the commercial development of space as Chief Revenue Officer at Axiom Space.  Axiom Space is a private space company developing its own module for the International Space Station and building the first commercial space station.Axiom Space revealed its team of four first-time astronauts who have each paid $55m to spend eight days on the International Space Station launching on March 30th.  Axiom Space AX-1 crew will travel to the ISS in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and will spend eight days carrying out experiments. This is the first time an all civilian crew has visited the ISS at the same time.We talk about the history of the ISS and what the station has given humankind,

BONUS-While our team is busy getting the next slate of VERY exciting episodes ready, here's one of our favorites from last year!  I don't remember laughing so hard in a interview...Zarna Garg is an Indian immigrant, mom, and lawyer turned New York comedian and TikTok star (https://www.tiktok.com/@zarnagarg) with more than 20 million views on the platform. She has performed standup at sold-out clubs across the country and headlined her own show My American Dream at the famous Carolines on Broadway. Unwilling to let the pandemic stop her, Zarna has kept audiences laughing with online comedy shows (which were recently profiled in the New York Times) and impromptu sets outside major landmarks across New York City including Central Park and The Met.Her debut romantic comedy screenplay “Rearranged” won the Best Comedy Screenplay Award at the 2019 Austin Film Festival (placing #1 out of 11,000 scripts), and was also a 2019 Academy Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist. The script has been optioned by Marginal Mediaworks

Deepa Purushothaman is a former senior executive, a corporate inclusion visionary, and co-founder of nFormation, a company for women of color by women of color where they provide a brave, safe, new space for professional women of color. This is a first-of-its-kind community that is a vetted, membership-based technology platform for high-performing WOC that seeks to reimagine traditional power structures to not just help more WOC take their seat at the table but to change the way the table is formed.Deepa’s book, The First, The Few, The Only-How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America, will be published by Harper Business in March 2022.Prior to this, Deepa spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was the first Indian-American woman and one of the youngest people to make partner in the company’s history.We discuss how it's time for all WOC to come together with our shared challenges to support one another, what it will really take to advance WOC, how many WOC tend to manifest physical ailments be

Sujata Day is an American actress, model, and screenwriter. You may know her as CeeCee in the Issa Rae web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl (2011-2013) and Sarah in Insecure.  In 2019, it was announced that Day will direct a film called Definition, Please, for which she also wrote the script.  It stars Ritesh Rajan and Jake Choi and was shot on location in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2019.Definition Please is one of two titles from South Asian female filmmakers debuting on Netflix from Ava DuVernay's ARRAY.We talked about growing up in a small town as a brown girl, what really needs to change in Hollywood to get more South Asian representation, why we both love coming-of-age films,  how the model minority myth affected us personally,  and the spelling bee word that will haunt her foreverThe film dropped on Netflix last week and here to do a special introduction is her childhood friend and one of my dear friends. Monica Jindal Mehta.

So 2022 has been...déjà vu?I decided to kick off 2022 talking to  stand-up comedian and humor writer, Meg Indurti.  Indurti writes for The New Yorker and Reductress and is a headline contributor for The Onion. In 2019, she was featured in the NBC Breakout Comedy Festival and in 2020, she was featured in the San Francisco Sketchfest.She performs regularly at Laugh Factory, Zanies, Comedy Bar, and Comedians You Should Know.  In 2019, she was a writer for a comedic short directed by Natasha Lyonne featuring John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph, Melinda Gates, and more.We talk about the real reason her parents immigrated to the US, why most Indians need to go through steps to figure out their "Indianness", our prom and first dance stories, how Nicholas Cage got her a job interview, and how finally feeling confident led her to a book deal.

This is our final episode of the year!  So I started this podcast back in 2017 after listening and being inspired by the first season of Serial, the most downloaded podcast of all time. I could not think of a better guest to round out this year than the women who brought Adnan Syed's case to light, Rabia ChaudryRabia Chaudry is a Pakistani-American attorney, author and podcast host. A childhood friend of Adnan Syed, subject of the podcast Serial (2014), Chaudry subsequently wrote a book about his case called Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial (2016), which became a New York Times best seller.Chaudry co-hosts 3 podcasts- Undisclosed, a podcast on Syed's case and many others, which has now 360 million downloads, The 45th, which followed the crazy that was Trumps presidency, and The Hidden Djinn, showcasing the folklore and history behind the legends of the djinn, and connecting the tales through Islamic, Christian, and Jewish sources. She is also an Executive Producer of a four-part HB

Guys, the holidays are about to get messy. Welcome to a very special holiday bonus episode!Today I chat with producers and stars of Comedy Centrals South-Asian led film, Hot Mess Holiday, Melanie Chandra and Surina Jindal!Hot Mess Holiday helps get audiences into the festive season and  features a largely South Asian cast including Kal Penn, Ravi Patel, Richa Moorjani and many more.The film, which debuts on December 11th, revolves around two best friends,  a young banker, Melanie (Chandra), who is unceremoniously dumped by her cheating fiancé, Rishi (Ritesh Rajan), during the Diwali holidays, and her free-spirited best friend, Surina (Jindal), who is determined to help her get lit. Along with their outrageous crew, they embark on a wild holiday adventure across Chicago, but when they come into possession of a multimillion-dollar diamond, their messy antics place their entire team in danger.I chat with the ladies about their journey together up till now, working 16 hours a day on set, some of they crazy moment

Well guys, it's the end of the year and of course that means reflecting back on 2021 and thinking, why did I eat my kids (both of them) entire birthday cake this year?I get it, trust me, I already yelled at myself in the mirror this week.  And that's why I so needed to talk to my next guest!Dr. Amy Shah is a renowned wellness expert, immunologist, nutritionist, and author.  After years of practicing nutrition and immunology, it was a personal scare in 2012 that made Shah turn to Ayurveda and take more  holistic approaches to health which involves clean eating, intermittent fasting, balancing hormones, and strengthening the gut.  Basically, all the things that we know we're suppose to do but just don't have time to do it!She has written a book, I’m so Effing Tired, which highlights some of the things we can tweak to help reach our peak mind and body health.  We talk about how one huge scare back in 2012 changed her journey, why we grew up thinking taking a break for ourselves was considered selfish,  how its t

Michelle Ranavat founded RANAVAT, a global skincare line inspired by Indian beauty rituals in 2017. The award-winning line is known for its luxurious skin treatments and counts the World's top retailers: Neiman Marcus, Blue Mercury and Credo as partners. Michelle and RANAVAT have been consistently featured in publications including Allure, Glamour and VOGUE, where Michelle was named one of the "Top 50 Influential Global Indians."This company not only helps take care of our planet, they also give back.  As part of its "Claim Your Crown" platform, RANAVAT has partnered with the Desai Foundation (a non-profit) to provide educational programs to men, women and children in rural India.She talks about growing up in Wisconsin as a first generation Indian-American and  wanting to "belong", how she started embracing her roots more and celebrating our culture, how her 2010 trip to India with her father changed the course of her journey, and why she believes in Ayurvedic ingredients.We also talk about starting your own

BONUS- The Tuckered Out team is taking a Thanksgiving break and is thankful to our terrific throngs of Tuckered Outians.  Please check out one of the first episodes we did this year with co-founders of Product of Culture!I chat (and laugh) with the co-founders of Product of Culture, Archana Jain and  Monika Sharma!Product of Culture (#POCNation) empowers South Asian creatives and innovators to grow and thrive globally. The organization is a WOC founded and funded collective that amplifies Brown brands + creatives with strategy, content, and experiences rooted in culture.We discuss how the co-founders met, why they work well together, the story behind their very first pop-up event, and the upcoming POC Fest, which includes the South Asian Film Fest of America and The Founder's Summit.We talk about building opportunities for Brown brands, why numbers don't matter in social media, and how I may be potentially hosting their dating event at POC Fest.Based in New York City and Los Angeles, these women are changing

This episode is for all you bad betis & besharam bibis!Today I catch up with activist, writer & speaker, Sangeeta Pillai, who is the the founder of Soul Sutras.  Soul Sutras is the South Asian feminist platform that is all about tackling taboos in South Asian culture, creating safe spaces where South Asian women can explore everything from sex to mental health.Their projects include Masala Podcast, featuring interviews with fierce South Asian women about taboo topics and Masala Monologues, a series of writing workshops and theatre shows in the UK & the US.Starting life as a blog, Soul Sutras now boasts a range of projects from podcast, theatre shows, webinar to books & beyond.She has become a key voice in British South Asian feminism speaking at the Women of the World (WOW) 2020 and has been featured in the Huffington Post, BBC Asian Radio, Brown Girl Magazine and is the winner of British Podcast Awards 2020 & 2019.She tells me about living life in the slums of Bombay, her volatile relatio

Editor's Note- This is a live podcast so please excuse all the extra background noise.We had the honor to attend Diwali On The Hudson this year, NYC's premiere Diwali event hosted by The Desai Foundation.  And let me tell you, we had some good times.  Diwali On The Hudson celebrates love, light and of course the very important work of The Desai Foundation.This year, appearances by the talented Falu and The Resistance Revival Chorus graced the stage and we had some fantastic jams courtesy of DJ Suhel!The Desai Foundation’s main focus for over 20 years has been empowering women and girls through community programs to elevate health and livelihood in India & U.S. During the 2021 COVID crisis, they shifted their focus to address the needs of the communities we serve, while also leveraging the programs that were already in place.The foundation is currently operating in 1000 villages, and has reached a population of over 3.4 million people. Their work cultivates dignity so that everyone can dream beyond their c

Snehal Patel, M.D., J.D.  is the CEO at MyDoc, Asia’s leading patient-centric digital healthcare platform delivering personalized continuous care across key markets in the region.  Snehal is a Kauffman Fellow, a Forbes 30 under 30 Judge, and a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Has been invited to and spoken on numerous panels related to entrepreneurship and healthcare globally.We discuss the rise of health tech in Singapore, what we need to know about the healthcare system in Asia, why the healthcare system is so expensive in the US, the power dynamic between patients and doctors, and how the pandemic has shifted the relationships between governments and healthcare start-ups.We also discuss his recent piece in Think Global Health and the 10th anniversary of his bar, 28 HongKong street in Singapore, which is often credited as the bar that gave rise to the craft cocktail scene in Singapore and Asia.  If you ever visit, you must definitely check it out!https://my-doc.com/https://www.thinkglobalhealth.o

A brand strategist with a purpose, Vipe Desai is an award-winning executive and thought-leader.With more than 30 years of marketing, branding and leadership experience along with 20 years of governance serving on a dozen boards, Vipe has a proven track record for leading organizational change, brand re-positioning and process change within the boardroom and a passion for inspiring, mobilizing, and empowering support for underserved communities.On October 6th, 2021, a pipeline failure sent at least 126,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific off the coast of Orange County, creating a 13-square-mile slick. Dead fish and birds washed ashore in some areas.On Monday, October 18th, Vipe testified in front of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources joint oversight hearing titled, “Southern California Oil Leak: Investigating the Immediate Effects on Communities, Businesses, and the Environment.Vipe talks about the immediate and long term affects of these oil spill

One of the foremost global leaders on social impact and innovation, Sonal Shah has started and led social impact efforts in academia, government, and the private and philanthropic sectors for over twenty-five years.  She is the President of TAAF-The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), a convener, incubator, and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for AAPI communities. TAAF supports advocates and organizations committed to AAPI causes so that together they can more effectively take action against hate and violence, and build the infrastructure needed to improve AAPI advocacy, power, and representation across American society.We talk about the huge spike of anti-hate crimes against the Asian American community the past few years, the main focus areas for TAAF, and how far back the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders goes in the United States.We also talk about our own childhood growing up in Houston as South Asians, how our generation perhaps internalized those feelings of bei

This past month, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and act that would have created national standards for policing in an effort to increase accountability, sadly couldn’t reach a bipartisan deal-leaving it dead in the water.  We all have heard about the horrific killing  of George Floyd, the protests that occurred after, and the many stories that have been shared over social media.  Today, I interviewed Rahul Dubey, one of Time Magazine's Heroes of 2020 who simply, as he puts it, opened the door to those in need.On June 1, Rahul Dubey was at home in Washington, DC, as demonstrators filled the streets  to protest the killing of George Floyd.  After a 7 p.m. curfew, he noticed crowds in the street outside who were  seemingly trapped and being pepper-sprayed by police.We talk about his story of housing 70 protestors overnight to help them avoid curfew, the fear and pure terror he felt for himself and the demonstrators, and how that one night changed his life. Recent News-Today, a Texas parole board recom

So there are a few (hundred) topics that South Asians tend to not discuss, divorce being one of them.  When I read Shibani Joshi’s ELLE article called "The Other Side of Divorce", I knew I had to have her on the pod.Shibani Joshi is an experienced journalist who has covered business, technology and general news for global media outlets including ABC News, Fox News Channel, Yahoo! Finance and Huffington Post. Shibani Joshi is a writer, speaker and lecturer focused on bleeding-edge tech, grounded excellence and tactical business concepts that enhance everyday life.Previously, Shibani anchored a daily markets show and had her own dedicated technology segment on TV called “Joshi on Tech” on the Fox Business Network in New York City. In her almost 6-year tenure, she evolved into the dedicated on-air technology reporter at both Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.We of course talk about her journey writing and publishing the ELLE article as well as her newsletter, Boldly-Forward, but we also get into so much

Now that I am in my..ahem...proper adulthood age, things are starting to work a bit...differently.  The fall routine has begun and I know that my daily routine is pure madness and with that, I tend to ignore my own well-being.  This is why I had to get some advice from a professional!Anita Mirchandani, M.S, R.D, C.D.N received a B.A. from NYU and a M.S. in Clinical Nutrition from NYU. After completing a dietetic internship at New York-Presbyterian hospital, Anita became a Registered Dietitian in 2011.  Anita also maintains current fitness certifications in indoor cycling, kickboxing, group exercise, and personal training. She is also an AFPA certified prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist.We talk about growing up in Texas and in the 80s where portion control was not a concept, how we're both alive after eating Pop-Tarts 5 times a day growing up, launching India's first Greek yogurt and how Indians in general are starting to understand our common chronic diagnosis.   Anita also has a passion for  women’s

The first episode of the fall season is officially here! Feels good to be back!  I thought the best way to start off the podcast this fall is to talk to someone who has been working in journalism for over 15 years.Sriram Iyer is editor in chief of Business Insider India.  He tells me why he chose the path of journalism versus the "traditional" Indian career path, how journalism has become a lot more discerning, and why journalist need to be more than just a one-trick pony in order to succeed today.We dive into how social media and "fake news" has affected journalism in India, his thoughts on how the Indian government has been trying to control online speech and content coming out of the country,  why the concept of "hyper-personalization" has become an issue with the media industry, and if he himself is ever worried about publishing certain stories that could potentially be polarizing.We go over important topics such as cryptocurrency, the COVID crisis in India, and women in the workforce.  I ask him about hi

BONUS EPISODE!!Before we begin our fall interviews in September, we wanted to post some of our favorite chats from this past year for the next 5 days.  The final episode for our "highlight" series is my interview with actress and author, Lisa Ray.  Thank you for your support and for subscribing to our podcast.  We'll see you next week with all new episodes!Internationally acclaimed performer, philanthropist, author, and public speaker Lisa Rani Ray does not shy away from a challenge.  With a career that spans three decades and several continents, this trailblazer has a reputation for taking on issue-orientated films with courage and grace.   The two of us get a chance to play catch-up after 18 years (I basically was a chaiwallah on her movie set) and talk about it all.  From her first taste of public attention, to working in Bollywood in the 90's, to how serendipity has really played a major role throughout her career.  We talk about how all the unexpected turns in her life, including her multiple myeloma dia