About: Kanwal

Mike (Mukesh) Patel, a prominent member of the Indian community in the US, was born in Uganda, and moved to England with his family when he was eight years old. He grew up in England, working in his father’s corner shops and playing soccer. He later became an apprentice soccer player, while studying business at the London School of Economics in the evenings. He moved with his wife to the US in 1984(?), and eventually settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where he founded a business developing hotels, real estate and banking.

Mike has served as a commissioner on former US president Bill Clinton’s White House Initiative for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He was chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the largest hospitality group in the world with over 20,000 members, in 1998. He is also a co-founder of the Fair Franchising Initiative, a group of more than 300 hotel owners created in March to give voice to franchisee concerns over the treatment of small business branded hotels.

In case you missed it earlier, do tune – in, on 25th November, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM EST

Mr. Jay Patel is the SVP and Chief Operating Officer at the Bank and he oversees both Branch and Back-Office Operations including Information Technology, Marketing, and Human Resources.

Mr. Patel began his banking career in 1996 with World Savings Bank in Santa Barbara, CA. Since then he has served in a variety of roles with multiple banks in operations, lending, finance, and technology. He has also worked in the FI specialty group at RSM US, LLP providing community banks with attestation and advisory services. Since joining State Bank of India (California), he has held several senior management roles prior to his current position and has also previously served as the Bank’s Information Security Officer for 3 years.

Mr. Patel received his B.A. degree in Business Economics and Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a licensed CPA (inactive). He lives in Yorba Linda, CA with his wife and two children.

On the show, Mr. Patel talks about the various services offered by State Bank of India California. State Bank of India California is Member FDIC – For more information, please visit www.sbical.com.

If you have questions about State Bank of India California’s services, do tune – in for sure, for this very informative conversation with Mr. Jay Patel, once again, on 20th November, on our Hindi Radio Show, Chat and Chai, on MeraSangeet Gold at 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM,7:00 PM , 11:00 PM – EST.

Every year, around this time, Rohit Bhambi would grace our show on Mera Sangeet- this for almost more than a decade. Then the Pandemic hit. Life kind of came to a standstill.

But as Rohit says, Boston Bhangra is back with a bang this year – with all the energy and enthusiasm. So, do save the dates for Boston Bhangra.

Rohit tells about the many teams participating, about the venue, date and time of course – and what are the surprises – he gives out some, and for some — well, that is a surprise.

Do tune – in for the conversation for more information about the event, on 17th November, on our show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM

Dr. Rajiv Bhateja grew up in Bangalore and went on to pursue his undergraduate course – Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering, from IIT Bombay. He came to the US in 1978.

He earned an MS and a Ph.D. in Engineering and Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology and UC Berkeley, respectively. Over his career Dr. Bhateja has worked at eight startup companies in Silicon Valley, most recently as vice president of engineering.

He now runs his own consulting business. Dr. Rajiv Bhateja is a businessman and a co-founder of They See Blue. He first became involved in U.S. politics in 2004. He volunteered for the first Obama campaign in 2008, co-founded Silicon Valley Courageous Resistance in January 2017 and They See Blue in July 2018. He serves on the They See Blue National Strategy Team and helps coordinate its technology and data management activities. In his hometown, he chairs the Community Relations Committee and the Technology Committee.

On the show, we talk about the US economy and business environment. In case you missed it earlier, do tune in for sure -Today, 7th November, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM EST

Annette Philip is an award-winning musician, educator, and arts entrepreneur. A seasoned recording and touring artist, composer, pianist, and voice-over actor, she is an Emmy-nominated TV personality and bonafide sari connoisseur, with roots in Kerala, India.

Creating community through art and conversation is at the core of everything Annette does. The first Indian musician to be invited to join the faculty of Berklee College of Music, Annette founded the Berklee Indian Ensemble and is the Artistic Director of the Berklee India Exchange institute. Under Annette’s leadership, the Ensemble evolved into a global viral phenomenon with over 300 million views (accounting for 70% of Berklee’s YouTube views), created by a dynamic ecosystem of 500 musicians from 52 countries. Prior to her Berklee journey, Annette founded Artistes Unlimited in New Delhi, India which went on to become one of the country’s most diverse arts collectives that infused a cappella music into the city, while inspiring several young musicians to take up music as a career.

Annette has spent over a decade touring the globe with the internationally acclaimed vocal quartet, Women of the World; disrupters in the a cappella world, singing in 37 languages and counting. She is also a consultant for holistic music pedagogy, with decades of experience as a master clinician and keynote speaker at global forums.

Do listen in to her inspirational journey – today, the 3rd of November, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM EST.

Swati Narayan is the Director of Operations at Houston Coalition Against Hate. She was born in Houston, Texas to immigrant South Asian parents. Her childhood experiences informed her views on justice and the right for all to have access to quality education and life opportunities. She has worked in the nonprofit sector both in India and in her home city of Houston focusing her efforts on underserved women, children, and marginalized communities.

Swati serves on the Board of Directors for Leadership Houston (Class XXXV), the Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston’s IMpower, the University of Houston’s Friends of Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, Momentum Education’s Advisory Board, and is an active volunteer in the Houston Independent School District.

Swati is the mother of three sons and resides with her husband in Houston and their two rescue dogs. She hopes to facilitate a movement where the inherent value, worth, and dignity of all people are respected and supported in all spaces.

Do listen -in to her views on the ongoing gun violence crisis in the United States, on the ways to curb the proliferation of assault weapons, and much more – this Wednesday, 2nd November, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM EST

Dr. Charanjit Kalsi graduated with honors from M.S. University in Vadhorda, Gujarat. She received two Gold Medals: in Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology. She also received the President of India Medal for scoring high marks. After coming to the USA she did her internship and residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology and got her Board Certification.

Dr. Kalsi started her clinical practice in July 1976. She enjoyed taking care of her patients, some of whom she has known for 30 years! Dr. Kalsi found so much joy in delivering their babies and discussing family issues… She got to know their families and watched multiple generations grow up. She is now retired and misses her patients, though she does not miss the sleepless nights! Dr. Kalsi has passed the baton to younger physicians and knows her patients are well taken care of.

She is also a wife and mother of two grown sons who she is extremely proud of.

On our show, Saat Samundar Paar, she talks about her views on various issues – about women’s right to reproductive freedom, and much more. In case you missed this earlier, do tune – in today, 21st October, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM EST

Prof Shuvra Das is a founder member of SAMOSA, a South Asian grassroots organizing group in Michigan. In 2019 SAMOSA became a partner with the Michigan chapter of They See Blue.

Prof Shuvra Das pursued his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He came to the US as a graduate student in 1985 and completed his Ph.D. at Iowa State University. He was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame for just under a year. He has been a faculty member of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, USA, Since 1994.

Prof Das loves reading, writing, painting, photography, and theater. He has five published texts on different topics of engineering and a sixth one will be published soon. His creative writings (mostly poetry) in English and Bengali have been published in many magazines.

In case you missed this earlier, do tune – in again, and learn about Prof Das’s political views as he talks about various issues, on 17th October, on our show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00 AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM, and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM

Ms. Salila Pande is the President & CEO of State Bank of India California. She is a Financial Risk Manager, with a brilliant career spanning across geographies such as India, Singapore and the USA.

Ms. Pande has more than 2 decades of professional experience in Business Development, Risk Management and Leadership roles.

It was indeed very nice to have Salilaji grace our show. So, if you have questions about State Bank of India California’s services, this conversation is a must listen.

Salilaji also talks about the various services offered by State Bank of India California. State Bank of India California is Member FDIC – For more information, please visit www.sbical.com

In case you missed this, do tune – in for sure, for this very informative conversation with Ms. Salila Pande, this Sunday, 16th October, on our Hindi Radio Show, Chat and Chai, on MeraSangeet Gold at 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM,7:00 PM , 11:00 PM – EST.