TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING
Serving as both a reflective mirror and an open window into the global Indian diaspora and South Asian communities. The conversations led by Abhay Dandekar are informal and informative, adding insights and perspective to our evolving expressions of culture, confidence, and trust. New episodes weekly, on Tuesdays (and some Thursdays). Listen or watch anywhere you get your podcasts, and please rate and review if your enjoying it.
Episodes
"When you're creating, you can be fearless. But fear is what makes your pieces more interesting." — Abhay Sehgal
How do you go from studying fine art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to building a global surreal art brand, launching the streetwear label Code BRWN, and capturing modern Indian identity through memory and chaos?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with ...
"If my child is going to break the mold and not be a statistic, the number one quality that I had to embed in him was a belief system in himself. If you can take ownership of what makes you different, then you are unstoppable." — Shireen Hafeez
How do you go from receiving a late hearing loss diagnosis for your child and fighting insurance companies to founding an international movement that empowers tens of thousands of deaf ...
How do you go from anchoring primetime news on NDTV to leaving mainstream television, co-founding India's first short-form digital news platform, and bringing old-school editorial rigor to Gen Z — all while fighting algorithms and online polarization?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with award-winning independent journalist, former NDTV primetime anchor, and PEEK TV Co-Found...
How do you go from seeing the Google website load for the first time on a campus computer screen in Mumbai to building and exiting three tech ventures, writing The Golden Tap, and buying back your company from VCs — all while navigating the rapid rise of AI?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with serial entrepreneur, investor, author, and HyperTrack Founder & CEO Kashyap D...
How do you go from an introverted engineering student in Goa to winning two back-to-back National Film Awards and directing hit films like Article 370 and Baramulla — all without ever working as an assistant director?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with acclaimed writer and director Aditya Suhas Jambhale. Aditya shares his incredible journey of disruptive self-belief, turni...
How do you carry the monumental weight of one of Indian classical music’s most revered lineages while fearlessly forging your own contemporary artistic voice?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with Grammy-nominated Sarod master, composer, and performer Alam Khan. As the son of legendary maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Alam inherited the keys to the iconic Maihar Gharana traditi...
How do you transform high-stress event planning into a joyful, seamless experience?
Vishal Joshi joins the podcast to explore wedding and event orchestration, scaling Joy from an initial demo project into a platform serving over 50 million people across 150 countries.
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with Joy co-founder and CEO Vishal Joshi to discuss the intersection of design...
How do we move beyond shallow representation to capture the deep, fluid, and beautifully complex realities of the global South Asian diaspora? Snigdha Sur, Founder & CEO of The Juggernaut, joins us again to share how her media tech company operates as a "smart best friend" providing essential context, investigative reporting, and nuanced storytelling for a dynamic global community.
If you want to catch more deep dives into the g...
What happens to intimacy, nostalgia, and creative power when a world-class filmmaker decides to step away from the camera and help reimagine their masterpiece for the live stage?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with award-winning filmmaker, writer, and director Ritesh Batra. Celebrated globally for his masterpiece debut feature film, The Lunchbox, Ritesh has spent the last decade crafting incredi...
What happens to elite sports analytics, player development, and leadership when the data-driven games of the NBA and NCAA are purposed for human relationship building?
In this SPOTLIGHT episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with Queens University of Charlotte Assistant Men's Basketball Coach and Game Plan Strategy Coordinator, Amit Tailor. As a prominent South Asian coach pioneering the integration of data ana...
What happens to tradition, personal identity, and creative freedom when an artist decides to completely rewrite the rules of the musical game in real time?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with the phenomenal award-winning Indian singer and musician, Rashmeet Kaur. Known widely for her boundary-pushing fluid artistry, Rashmeet has carved out a completely unique sonic footprint by effortlessly brid...
What happens when a former high school principal and White House fellow steps into the political arena to challenge the status quo?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with educator, leader, and congressional candidate for Florida's 22nd district, Pia Dandiya. From founding a high school in Harlem with an 86% poverty rate and sending 100% of its students to college, to running a tight political operation in...
What happens to career strategy, leadership, and professional growth when the traditional rules of the corporate game are rewritten in real time?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with executive search expert, leadership advisor, and host of the Corporate Confessions podcast, Deepali Vyas. Known widely as the "Elite Recruiter," Deepali has spent 25 years advising Fortune 500 companies, hedge funds,...
What happens when a venture capitalist steps out into the front office of a major sports franchise?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, I sit down with entrepreneur, VC, and the new co-owner and alternate governor of the Portland Trail Blazers, Sheel Tyle. We break down the massive shifts happening at the intersection of global technology, venture capital, and professional sports.
Sheel pulls back t...
How do we move the needle from simple charity to true, lasting systems change? Megha Desai, President of the Desai Foundation, joins the podcast to share how they have impacted over 12 million lives by treating dignity as a measurable currency.
If you want to catch more deep dives into the global desi and diaspora experience, hit the Subscribe button to join our community!
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, hos...
In this episode, Abhay sits down with dance artist Nikita Banawalikar — a Kathak exponent, choreographer, and scholar who seamlessly bridges the gap between ancient tradition and modern storytelling.
Nikita shares why she views Kathak not just as a dance, but as her true "home". She discusses the rigorous journey of becoming a scholar of the arts and offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of choreographing for major films...
How does the intersection of science and spirituality unlock your inner healing? Monica Singhal joins the podcast to explain how to reconnect with yourself.
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, we are joined by Monica Singhal, the founder of Hari Om Smiles, to explore the powerful synergy between scientific understanding and spiritual wisdom.
If you enjoy these deep dives into the global desi and diaspora experience, hi...
What happens when a musical pioneer finds himself and his artistic voice after a period of disillutionment?
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING, I sit down with musician, composer, and producer Karsh Kale to discuss his latest album, DUST, and the 'silent war' of staying creative in a world driven by algorithms. Karsh opens up about feeling lost after the pandemic and shares what he had to 'unlearn' to find his ...
How does metabolic health govern your long-term vitality, energy, and quality of life? Dr. Priya Jaisinghani outlines why monitoring some basic lifestyle actions could prevent so many common chronic diseases.
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, we sit down with NYU endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Priya Jaisinghani to decode the complexities of metabolic health.
Forget the quick fixes and diet cultur...
How does dance evolve beyond tradition?
Harini Nilakantan joins the podcast to explore movement as a mosaic, bridging Bharatanatyam with modern expression.
In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, Abhay chats with Chicago-based dancer and choreographer Harini Nilakantan to discuss the intersection of heritage and innovation.
Harini, a movement artist and award winning dancer and choreographer, shares her journey ...
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