️ The Indian Edit: Mini Edit with Sonali Dev – “There’s Something About Mira” Welcome back to The Indian Edit! In this special mini edit, award-winning romance author Sonali Dev returns to the podcast to discuss her newest novel, There's Something About Mira (Feb 2025). We dive into the inspirations behind the book, themes of identity, love, and community, and the layered characters that travel from Naperville to New York to Darjeeling and beyond. In This Episode: The origin of There's Something About Mira and how a New York Times article inspired the plot Exploring “Brown Town,” community expectations, and finding emotional safety The story within the story: a powerful queer love story in 1980s India What draws readers to wealthy romantic leads and how Sonali rethinks that trope Creative energy management and the joys and pitfalls of newsletters & social media Travel tips and favorite cities: Mumbai, Darjeeling, Chicago Sonali’s recent reads and book recommendations

SHOWNOTES for Ep. 99: Books Mentioned: ["Becoming" by Michelle Obama](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/315843/becoming-by-michelle-obama/) (audiobook) "365 Days of Art" (creativity workbook) Documentaries: "Lovesick" (https://www.lovesickfilm.com/) - documentary about Dr. Suniti Solomon and HIV in India by Priya Giri Desai & Ann Kim Personality/Self-Development Resources: [Enneagram Personality Framework](https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/) [Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)](https://www.myersbriggs.org/) Organizations Mentioned: [Pratham USA](https://www.prathamusa.org/) [UN AIDS](https://www.unaids.org/) [FXB Foundation](https://www.fxb.org/) [Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/) [McKinsey and Company](https://www.mckinsey.com/) [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.jhu.edu/) [MIT Jameel Poverty Action Laboratory](https://www.povertyactionlab.org/) Recommended Resources: [Pratham USA Website](https://www.prathamusa.org/) Local Pratham chapters in major US cities Recommended Learning: Volunteer with nonprofits Attend workshops on personal development Explore international development opportunities Podcast Information: [The Indian Edit Podcast](https://www.theindianediit.com/) Instagram: [@theindianediitpodcast](https://www.instagram.com/theindianediitpodcast/) Support the show via Patreon! Questions? Comments? Get in touch @theindianeditpodcast on Instagram! Want to talk gardens? Follow me @readyourgarden Special thanks to Soumya Saksham, Sudipta Biswas and the team at The Media Tribe for audio-post production!

Rivers have been on my mind recently with some recent buzzy arrivals on their power (from Elif Shafak to non-fiction Robert Macfarlane). Join me with author Suma Subramaniam and illustrator Tara Anand to discuss their beautiful picture book My Name Is Long As a River. Inspired by Suma’s own heritage, the story celebrates the deep connections between names, family history, and cultural identity. Together, Suma and Tara share how rivers, poetry, and personal memory shaped this tribute to the power of knowing where we come from. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

Another long overdue episode with a FANTASTIC guest! Philly-based lawyer-turned-writer Farah Naz Rishi has written YA, sci-fi, romance, and a heartbreaking memoir ‘Sorry for the Inconvenience’. Pop in your airpods, grab a hot drink, go for a walk, listen how you please, but don’t miss how this Pakistani-American Muslim writer became a TikTok sensation, how she wrote the book that ‘broke Mindy Kaling’s heart’, and of course her favorite books and hometown Philadephia hang outs! Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

And we are back! After a very long delay (you can read why here on the newsletter), I’m delighted to bring you this overdue episode with Dr. Seema Yasmin. Ignore my most awkward intro ever to hear how this brilliant Emmy-award winning journalist, author, medical doctor and professor managed to overcome a challenging childhood and Islamophobia in a small town in England to publishing multiple books and teaching at Stanford by following her passions and pivoting when it felt right! The conversation feels very timely given Seema’s efforts to battle Scientific misinformation, promote reproductive rights and queer and Muslim representation in children’s books. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

The dynamic author Sujata Massey joined me in conversation earlier this summer and shared her resolution to make it her best summer by “only reading pleasurable and escapist books”! Why not take this idea into the hectic ‘Back to School’ season too? Join us as Sujata shares more about her latest Perveen Mistry historical mystery set in 1920s India and don’t miss her fun suggestions for light reading and how to make some free fun for yourself WITHOUT getting on a plane! Sujata was first on the podcast on Ep. 60 which you can catch right here! Hear our latest chat now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

“Why do people migrate?” was the question Ritu Hemnani’s daughter posed to her one day. A deeper look at her own family’s story of migration from Sindh to Hong Kong led this educator to explore the history of the Partition and to share this story with her family and beyond. Author of ‘Lion of the Sky’ a beautiful, middle grade novel in verse, Ritu joins me on this episode to discuss her family’s story of resilience. We chat about the Sindhi language, life in Hong Kong, her experience teaching in an urban British school, and so much more. Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

Another one for you book lovers out there! Many of us were introduced to the wonder of picture books only once we began reading them to our kids. My latest guest Srividhya Venkat fell in love with children’s books and never looked back (at her former career in accounting)! Srividhya began a second act in early childhood education, and then a third in children’s literature. Her beautiful books ‘Girls on Wheels’ and ‘Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps’ are a wonder, and she has a brand new one out next week celebrating Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi! Join us in this conversation celebrating the joy of kidlit! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend!

Looking for a new picture book to read with kids in your life? This brand new one really made me think about all the tiny and large ways children develop their sense of belonging in a family and their sense of self in the world at large. The rich detail of what family members pass down to new arrivals is beautifully captured in this lovely book written by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Meenal Patel. I get to chat with TWO previous guests on this Mini-Edit (hear Shelly’s story on Ep. 55 and Meenal’s on Ep. 23)! Join me as we dive into the story behind this new book, and please take a second to rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

Why does American history still exclude so many? My latest guest Mae Ngai is Lung Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University and has written award-winning books on immigration and the Chinese diaspora sharing stories of immigrants during the Gold Rush and other pivotal historical events. Before becoming a historian, Mae was a labor union organizer and educator in New York City where she met another influential documenter of Asian America: photographer Corky Lee who sadly passed away from Covid-19 in early 2021. Mae has edited a brand new book “Corky Lee’s Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice” which collects the activist photographer’s iconic images into a beautiful and moving book. Join me as Professor Ngai gives us a glimpse into Asian American history and Corky’s important contribution, and please share the episode with a friend who might enjoy this chat!

Wondering where to start with learning more about black and brown solidarity? Or how to write about a difficult experience? Reading author and educator Nina Sharma’s wonderful debut “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown” is a great first step. So grateful to Nina for her honest and elegant writing and for this amazing chat! Nina shares her sometimes rocky road to owning her writer identity, her struggle to write about her mental health challenges, and the profound connection she felt when she met her husband who is African-American and a fellow writer. BONUS: So much great advice on writing for everyone out there! Listen now on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you enjoyed this, PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE WITH A FRIEND!

What happens to families AFTER they’ve survived a traumatic historical event? Veera Hiranandani set out to explore this question in her sequel to the beloved Newbery-honor winning middle-grade novel ‘The Night Diary’. ‘Amil and the After’ now finds Nisha and Amil navigating a new life in Mumbai following their family’s migration from Sindh during the Partition of India in 1947. Join me as Veera chats about her new book, and listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen! And if you’d like to hear Veera’s whole journey leading up to ‘The Night Diary’, please check out Ep. 34!

Ever wondered whether you should take that step to turning your hobby into a business? New York based Simran Khiantani (also goes by Namrata) shares her journey from Bombay to New York via the Canary Islands! Inspired by her MIL’s amazing sauces and her friends’ insistence that she start selling them, Simran recently launched her condiment brand after years of research and development. Try them now from Amazon and join our chat as Simran takes us behind the scenes of launching her business and some ideas for dinner tonight! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this, please leave a star rating wherever you listen!

Exploring her husband’s Goan and Portuguese heritage led writer Christine Chitnis to create a beautiful celebration of the visual culture of Portugal: “Patterns of Portugal”. Having successfully completed a similar project in 2020 with “Patterns of India”, Christine was inspired to share her view of the beauty of this small nation at the edge of Europe. Join me in this mini-Edit where Christine takes us behind the scenes of putting together this stunning lifestyle book, including some of her favorite moments and travel tips! Listen and rate us on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Christine’s first appearance where we chat about “Patterns of India” was on Ep. 31 and if you enjoyed this, please do tell a friend!

“You know, as Asian Americans, we often don't know our history. I myself have lived in the US more than 50 years, and yet a lot of people still think that you’ve recently come from India. This is not just about MIT, it's actually an important part of the history of South Asians in America.” - Ranu Boppana A physician and former President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology South Asian Alumni Association, Ranu Boppana began to learn about the history of South Asians at MIT (which began in 1880!) and the history of MIT’s role in developing technological education in the newly independent India and Pakistan. She teamed up with History Professor Sana Aiyar and, along with MIT-India Program Manager Nureen Das, they conceived of an exhibit showcasing this shared history. Driven by their own curiosity and their commitment to sharing their discoveries with current and former MIT students, the team has created a wonderful digital resource for us all. I learned so much about the history of South Asians in the US, including many surprising connections with the Indian Independence movement. Join me in this fascinating journey back in time with Ranu and Sana and please take a second to rate the podcast on iTunes so we can spread the word about their amazing work!

Ever wondered how an author takes a flash of inspiration and weaves a story from it? My guest Sheela Chari shares how she came to write her many wonderful children’s books, including the moment in college (as an economics major) that changed her life. Sheela now teaches writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts while creating new stories of her own, and she graciously breaks down the process behind writing and publishing each of her books. Hear Sheela now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening or share the podcast with a friend!

Sumaira Ahmed is a force! Upon being diagnosed with a rare neuroimmune condition (Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder/ NMOSD, whose symptoms can include vision loss, paralysis, and weakness), Sumaira couldn’t find the community she needed, so she went right ahead and launched a foundation (two months later!) to create that support for herself and patients around the world. The Sumaira Foundation has since advocated for patients, funded disease research, increased NMO awareness globally and truly been a game changer in the field. Hear how this young dancer and Bollywood aspirant (who was crowned the first Miss Bangladesh-USA) turned into a fearless non-profit leader and champion for patients suffering from this rare disease. Join me with the wonderful Sumaira - now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!

My guest Chandana Singh is a lawyer, founder of ‘Advocacy for Dyslexia’, and of The Office of Learning Support at India’s leading liberal arts university Ashoka University. Join me in this chat as Chandana dives into what makes life challenging as a neurodiovergent learner and what we can do as parents, friends, and community members to both support these children and adults and also learn from them! Listen in as Chandana shares what led her to doing this important work in Mumbai and all over India! Hear our chat now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!

Ever wonder what makes people take that leap and pivot into a second or even a third act? My Boston-based guest moved from a successful career in consulting to non-profit leadership, and now to landscape design! So inspiring to hear how this dynamic and passionate Bangladeshi-American has jumped into new fields and established her own business. I’m particularly partial to this topic as a plant and garden design nerd myself, and I hope you’ll take away some inspiration to plan your own garden for next spring, or even your own career pivot! Listen in as Shoma shares tips on successfully switching into a new career, and also ideas for making your outdoor space more sustainable and wildlife-friendly! Hear our chat now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world!

Ever wonder how museums go shopping for art? What does a curator see when they look at a picture? What makes something special enough to spend a fortune on? Join me in this first mini-sode featuring Laura Weinstein, Ananda Coomaraswamy Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as she gives us a ‘behind the scenes’ look at two recent acquisitions for the museum’s collection. We chat about Indian art under the British, William Dalrymple, and adorable squirrels! Hear our chat now on your favorite podcast app, Spotify or iTunes and please take a second to rate us wherever you’re listening so the voices of these inspiring women can be heard all over the world! P.S. Laura was previously my guest on Ep. 18, so do catch her whole story there if you missed it, and let me know what you think of this shorter format focused on a single topic @theindianeditpodcast on instagram!