Chaitimeradio

This week on Chai Time, we sit down with Dr. Lalita du Perron — Associate Director of Stanford’s Center for South Asia — for a rich and honest conversation about her journey, research, and the stories that shape her work. A scholar of Hindi poetry and performance, Lalita is the author of Thumri Lyrics and co-author of The Songs of Khyal. Her work spans courtesans, queer parenting, and questions of consent — always bold, deeply human, and full of heart. She also hosts SASSpod, giving voice to South Asia at Stanford. Don’t miss this thoughtful exchange on identity, storytelling, and life at the intersection of academia and lived experience. Dr. Lalita du Perron is the Associate Director of the Center for South Asia at Stanford University. She earned her PhD from the University of London and is the author of Hindi Poetry in a Musical Genre: Thumri Lyrics, and co-author of The Songs of Khyal. From thumri lyrics and courtesans to queer parenting and questions of consent, her work is bold, thoughtful, and deeply

The Vasu Dixit Collective is a vibrant ensemble that fuses folk traditions with contemporary sounds, creating a musical tapestry that resonates with both the heart and the soul. At its core is Vasu Dixit, renowned for his open-throated vocals and dynamic performances, whether with his band Swarathma or through his solo endeavors. His artistic journey is a celebration of life's nuances, blending his roles as a composer, musician, and filmmaker to craft music that transcends mere entertainment .​ Joining Vasu are Joel Sakkari and Manu Shrivastava, whose contributions are pivotal in shaping the Collective's evolving sound. Joel, with his expertise in synth and guitar, and Manu, skilled in keys and synth, bring a modern edge to the band's folktronica style. The Vasu Dixit Collective's repertoire includes original compositions and special renditions of poems by revered saint poets like Purandaradasa, Basavanna, and Kabir, sung in Kannada and Hindi. Their music serves as a conduit for community connection and co

What an absolute blissful afternoon it was at the Stanford campus, immersed in the vibrant world of Nautanki—the rich folk theater tradition of North India. It was an honor to spend time with not just great artists, but also remarkable human beings who are preserving and innovating this beautiful art form. We had the privilege of engaging with Padma Shri Pandit Ram Dayal Sharma Ji, a living legend and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, whose dedication to keeping Nautanki alive is awe-inspiring. Adding to this enriching experience was his son, Professor Dr. Devendra Sharma, a prolific artist and scholar in his own right, and Shubhra Prakash, a familiar voice on Chai Time and a celebrated theater artist from the Bay Area, now making waves in New York. Don’t miss this special episode of Chai Time, where we dive deep into the world of Nautanki, exploring its timeless charm, evolving narratives, and the passion that fuels these extraordinary artists.

This Women's Day, we celebrate strength, leadership, and innovation by shining a spotlight on the North American Film Association (NAFA: https://northamericanfilmassociation.org), an organization where women don’t just have a seat at the table—they lead the way. With 95% of its top executives being female, NAFA stands as a true beacon of female leadership in the arts and entertainment industry. In this special episode of ChaiTime, we bring you an inspiring conversation with four extraordinary women—leaders, professionals, and passionate volunteers—who have seamlessly balanced careers, families, and a deep love for the arts. My heartfelt thanks to Arundhati Datye, NAFA Co-founder and Film Production Lead; Riya Thosar, NAFA Co-founder and Marketing Lead; Archana Saraf, this year’s Film Festival Lead; and Gauri Gholap, a dedicated donor, contributor, and volunteer. Together, they share their experiences, the challenges they have overcome, and their vision for a more inclusive and empowered future in film and l

What an incredible afternoon at KZSU Stanford with Rajeev Prakash, Aarti Prakash, and Shubhra Prakash. Tune into my Chaitime show to discover their fascinating journeys and insights. We explore Shubhra Prakash's solo play Fontwala, a tribute to the remarkable life of Rajeev Prakash Khare, a pioneer in typography and calligraphy for Indian scripts. He designed the Anglo Nagari Keyboard, which enabled Indian scripts to be typed on a Latin keyboard. Don't miss your chance to meet these inspiring artists at: An Evening of Performance and Calligraphy with Shubhra Prakash and Rajeev Prakash Khare, which is today, September 25, at 6 pm** at the San Francisco Center for the Book (SFCB), 375 Rhode Island St, San Francisco, CA 94103.

What an absolute pleasure it was to host Dr. Anna Bigelow and Ambika Sahay on Chaitime today! Click the link to enjoy our conversation about SALA 2024, a vibrant celebration of culture and creativity!

Abhi Gholap, with over 20 years in healthcare innovation, has co-founded successful startups and secured many patents. Currently he is leading OptraSCAN, an AI pathology platform, and serving as an investor at HealthFAX, focusing on Generative AI healthcare solutions. Abhijit is also a charter and board member of TiE Silicon Valley and founder of the Jiji-Bhau Foundation, supporting children with Leukemia in rural India. Beyond his professional achievements, Abhi is a renowned figure in the Marathi film industry. He has won स्वर्ण-कमळ national award for his first movie “देऊळ”. He founded NAFA to establish the Marathi film industry in the USAand is organizing the first American Marathi film festival on July, 27-28 July in San Jose. Exclusive World Premiere of 4 movies at NAFA, America’s First Marathi Film Festival, in presence of director and actors on 27-28 July 2024 at San Jose, CA Book:- https://lnkd.in/gnHnEvb8

After 25 years, one of the most significant celebrations of Maharashtrian Culture, Customs, and Community— Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal (BMM) is coming to the global center of tech and innovation—the Bay Area! It was a pleasure to host @prakash ji and @anita ji @chaitime on standard radio and talk about one of the most happening events in the Bay Area, BMM2024. Prakash ji is the convener, and Anita ji represents the volunteer team. Together they provide a snapshot of the program and eminent artists, offering a comprehensive view of the lineup, performances, and creative talent involved.

Conversation between Dr. Aloka Nanjappa, Salil Chowdhury’d daughter.

I had the rare privilege of conversing with Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, an exceptional scientist and nation-builder. This unique opportunity allowed me to gain insights into his remarkable contributions and their impact on both scientific advancement and nation-building. Our transformative conversation left a lasting impression on me, reinforcing the significance of human potential and innovation. This encounter serves as a powerful reminder of the profound influence individuals can have on society. Enjoy the conversation.

Chethan Anant is a South Asian Classical bansuri (bamboo flute) player, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and music educator based in Chicagoland. He has studied the Raagdhaari Sangeet Classical Music tradition for most of his life. He has been fortunate to study under esteemed gurus, including Pandit Ronu Majumdar, Pandit Shyam Kane, Pandit Vikas Kashalkar, and Pandit Arun Kashalkar. Chethan has been teaching music since 2016 and has shared his new generational perspective on classical music with more than 50 students. He spends months each year studying with his gurus in India and extensive time practicing at home. Saurabh Kumar began learning tabla from the age of five from Smt Bindu Pathak and later received training from Shri Nishad Parmar. Since 2016 he has been learning from Shri Prithwiraj Bhattacharjee at the Pandit Jasraj School of Music Atlanta. Saurabh is currently a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Stanford University. He is an avid Zakir Hussain fan and treasures watching an

Maya Vishwakarma is the Founder and Chairperson of Sukarma Foundation. A native of Mehragaon village in district Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh (MP), India, Maya has lived in San Francisco, California, USA, for nearly a decade and distributes her life between two countries. She is known as India's 'Padwoman,' and has tirelessly fought against society's deep-rooted decision that devalues the existence of menstruation among women. Sukarma Foundation is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization working on improving the lives of rural Indians. Key initiatives (or Karmas) by the foundation include educating women about the importance of female hygiene and sexual health, empowering them through employment opportunities via sustainable businesses, providing telemedicine facilities to people in remote areas with a want of timely quality medical assistance, making primary education available to children and adults from impoverished sections of the Indian rural population and many more. You can donate, help and learn

In this Chaitime, we talk to poet, singer, songwriter, and inventor Kavish Seth. In this episode, Kavish talks about his musical journey and his latest single, Hindi Kavish has also conceptualized an innovative project, Zubaan, a music project that aims to create platforms for collaboration between independent music artists from different corners of India. Chapters have started in Odisha, Varanasi, Deoria, Kausani, Khetri, Nagpur/ Wardha/ Gadchiroli, Mumbai, and Kolkata, where around 30 artists have been collaborating and performing all across the mainland. Kavish has also created an innovative instrument, Noori, which allows him to play different kinds of music using the same instrument. Kavish graduated from IIT Bombay but chose to pursue music and connect with people. Bole To Bole Ki Ganwaar Hai (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWqMCPm9qgo).

In today's ChaiTime, we talk to Shri Anand Mahadeo Ganu, Founder-President of Garje Marathi Global, and Dr. Sanjay Bhandari, a leader and key contributor to Garje Marathi Global projects. Listen live at: https://kzsu.stanford.edu/live/ Mr. Anand Gaju is the Founder-President of Garje Marathi Global (www.garjemarathi.com), a nonprofit registered in California, USA. Garje Marathi Global is a platform for 'Non-Resident Marathi' and 'Back to Motherland Marathi' ( परत मातृभूमीला मराठी) who value knowledge, education, and entrepreneurship. GMG has four main objectives: Networking, Mentoring, Giving back to society and our roots, and celebrating the success of Marathi around the world. Dr. Sanjay Bhandari is the Founder and CEO of a Stealth mode Start-up. Previously, he held positions as President & CTO at MEMSIC Inc., CTO and Sr. VP mCube (now Movella) and has won several awards, including EE Times/EDN Start-up of the Year award in 2012, "MEMS Start-Up of the Year" by MEMS Industry Group in 2014 and "MEMS/Sens

Background Music - Morning Ragas by Ravishankar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n91Vhdrrkss)

In today's ChaiTime, we talk to renowned award-winning Indian classical vocalist Mahesh Kale (http://www.maheshkale.com). In this conversation, we talk to him about his musical journey and his upcoming Stanford Jazz workshop, Indian Jazz Journey, with jazz saxophone virtuoso George Brooks. Details of the workshop are here: https://stanfordjazz.org/more-info/indian-jazz-journey-mahesh-kale-george-brooks-22/ Mahesh Kale is a San Francisco Bay Area-based Indian Classical vocalist renowned for specializing in Indian Classical, Semi-Classical, Devotional, and Natya Sangeet. After winning India's National Film Award as the Best Playback Singer for a classical piece in the film Katyar Kaljat Ghusli in 2016, Mahesh Kale has established himself as the face of Indian classical music of the new generation. Trained in the Gurukul learning system from the legendary Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Mahesh is among the most sought-after performers globally. He has performed extensively in India, USA, Canada, Europe, UAE, Sout

हम रहें या ना रहें कल, कल याद आएँगे ये पल At Chai time radio today, we celebrate KK's legacy on ChaiTime with Vamsidhar, a prolific singer and prominent bay area voice. It is not just a regular episode but a heartfelt collaboration of two ardent, dedicated fans of KK. I hope you will like it and send your good wishes and blessings to our talented singer Vamsi. Indian playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, who was fondly known as KK, died unexpectedly last year on May 31st. The untimely news of KK's demise shattered millions of fans, but the only solace is that he went doing what he did best - singing and winning millions of hearts. KK was one of the greatest playback singers of the modern era, and it is a humble effort to pay tribute to him through his songs sung by Vamsi. You can listen to the complete songs and stay updated with Vamsi's singing at: Youtube channel link: https://www.youtube.com/@vamsimusic Tribute to KK playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4brP8Gc9ag&list=PLTE0qBLi0A3zBagQcbfoOPW_EPh

In today's show, we play Saaz, Awaaz, and Andaaz presentation Rhythms of the legends with नितिन शंकर जी. It was an honor to listen to stories and hear melodious music from the rhythm master Nitin Shankar Ji on the latest episode of Saaz Awaaz and Andaaz. Nitin Shankar Ji is a legendary rhythmist who has remastered Sholay theme music with contemporary instruments and was the rhythm arranger for the 1942 love story Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge, Devdas, Hum Dil de chuke sanam, Bajirao mastani, Kalank and many more. He learned tabla from the great maestro Ustad Alla Rakha Sahab and Zakhir Hussian Sahab and has worked with legendary composers like Sachin Dev Burman, Rahul Dev Burman, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This program was telecast live using Facebook Live with Nitin Ji joining from Mumbai and our bay area artists and a live audience in Pleasanton, CA. There is more to come in Part -2. *Saaz Aawaz Andaaz* (SAA) is a Unique Musical Initiative of the East Bay Karaoke (EBK) group with an objective to preserve A

मेरी प्रिय कविता - सीताः एक नारी (Sita: Ek Naari) श्री प्रताप नारायण सिंह by ChaiTimeRadio

In this Chaitime, we talk to Annette Philip and Rohit Jayaraman from the Grammy-nominated band Berklee Indian Ensemble(https://berkleeindianensemble.com/). The band will perform in the SF Bay Area on April 7th, 2023, as part of their "The Shuruaat Tour," celebrating their Grammy-nominated album Shuruaat. The show in SF Bay Area is in collaboration with the Sankara Eye Foundation. An evening where cause joins creativity, this event will help Sankara Eye Foundation achieve the goal of raising donations for 1000 free eye surgeries as part of its Vision 2030: March to a Million initiative(https://www.giftofvision.org/the-shuruaat-tour). Founded in 2011 by Annette Philip, the Berklee Indian Ensemble is a world-renowned collective known for its global Indian sound that honors traditions while boldly experimenting with genre, culture, and multidisciplinary art. In July 2022, the ensemble released their debut album, Shuruaat, a collection of 10 songs featuring 98 musicians from 32 countries. Shuruaat was nominated f