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Chintan Pandya, recently won the James Beard Award – for “Best Chef: New York State. It is America’s most prestigious culinary award -The James Beard Foundation recognizes exceptional talent in the food industry.

It was in New York that Chintan joined the Michelin-starred Junoon for a brief stint before he met restaurateur Roni Mazumdar in 2017 and became the chef at the modern and upscale Rahi, followed by Adda Indian Canteen for which Chintan was the winner of the 2019 StarChefs New York Rising Star. Within a year after Adda opened, the restaurant was on the short list to be nominated for a James Beard Foundation award for “Best New Restaurant” Food & Wine Magazine’s “Top Ten Best New Restaurants 2019”, Eater National’s Best New Restaurants 2019” and Bon Appetit’s “Top 50 Best New Restaurants of 2019”. In 2021 the duo opened Dhamaka, for which Chintan won The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef, New York State.

On the show today, we talk to Chintan about his journey, in India and from India to the United States – about food – and much about it – one message hits the point – “Do your best in what you do” – So incase you missed it earlier, join in today, yet again, for this must listen conversation, today, 1st July, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

It was today, 25 June 1983, when India lifted its first World Cup title. The 1983 Cricket World Cup (officially the Prudential Cup ’83) was the 3rd edition of the Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 to 25 June 1983 in England and Wales and was won by India.

Kapil Dev captained the Indian cricket team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, and in the process became the first Indian captain to win the Cricket World Cup, and is still the youngest captain (at the age of 24) to win the World Cup for any team. He was a fast-medium bowler and a hard-hitting middle-order batsman, and was named by Wisden as the Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002.

Kapil Dev retired in 1994, at the time holding the world record for the highest number of wickets taken in Test cricket, a record subsequently broken by Courtney Walsh in 2000. At the time, he was also India’s highest wicket-taker in both major forms of cricket, Tests and ODIs. He is the first player to take 200 ODI wickets. He is the only player in the history of cricket to have taken more than 400 wickets (434 wickets) and scored more than 5,000 runs in Tests, making him one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket. On 11 March 2010, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. In 1982 awarded with the Padma Shri and in 1991 the Padma Bhushan. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapil_Dev

So, lets relive the moments from 1983 with the person who made history – with Kapil Dev. The recording is from a long time back – but it will surely inspire you today as well – listen – in for sure, today, 25th June, on our Hindi Radio Show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Leslee Lewis is an Indian singer and composer known for his work with Hariharan, for Colonial Cousins. They won the MTV Asia Viewer’s Choice Award and then the U.S. Billboard Viewer’s Choice Award for ‘Colonial Cousins’, their debut album. He conceived and created all the music for Coke Studio, MTV India debut season.

Popularly known as ‘Lezz’ in the industry, Leslee Lewis is one of the first Indian composers to have introduced the Indian audiences to Rock and Pop music. His creative side comes as an inherited value from his father, P L Raj, noted choreographer from the film industry. He has been successful in keeping his originality intact with advertisement jingles, film music and other forms of modern music. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesle_Lewis_(composer)

This conversation was recorded many years back – wherein Leslee talked about KK – and the songs – yarron…dosti, Pal rahein na …, of Colonial Cousins and the journey before and after, of the many jingles – yes you would love to hear them – So incase you missed it earlier, tune – in for sure, today, 20th June, on our Hindi Radio Show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

Kinjal Desai is a mindfulness expert and an advanced meditation teacher with the Art of Living Foundation. Over the past 20 years, he has led numerous personal excellence seminars and self-development workshops for the public, students in universities, and professionals in many corporations.

Kinjal was introduced to yoga & meditation in 1995 through the Art of Living Foundation, founded by global peace ambassador and humanitarian leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Seeing the immense personal benefit, and being inspired by its vision for creating a stress-free, violence-free society, he started volunteering for the Foundation. Since then, he has led numerous national programs and community service initiatives over the years. He currently serves Board of Directors of the Foundation.

Kinjal holds a graduate degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Rutgers University He currently lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and remains passionate toward his career in the wireless mobile industry as well as his volunteer work.

On the show today, we talk about the forthcoming event in Seattle, Washington, about meditation techniques – Kinjal also shares some anecdotes from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s many travels. So, in case you missed it earlier, do join in today, 16th June, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

Camila Celin is a musician and composer from Colombia. She began playing the guitar at age 9 and has been studying the Indian Sarod for over a decade in Kolkata with Tejendra Majumdar and in the USA with Alam Khan. Her former gurus include maestro Krishna Bhatt and Sougata Roy Chowdhury.

In 2009, Camila was nominated for a Grammy for best world music album in collaboration with the Hindustani slide guitar maestro Debashish Bhattacharya. She performs around the world and has composed music for film, theater, and commercials. She lives between New York City and Kolkata, India

On the show today, Camila shares anecdotes of her childhood days, of getting the guitar as a birthday gift, of knowing that all she ever wanted to do was to be a musician, of travelling to India and much more!! She would be performing at the concert, Mausiqui- and yes we do hear a beautiful rendition on the Guitar!- So, tune-in for sure, today, 9th June, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold, today – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

Abhik Mukherjee is a Kolkata-born sitar player of the Etawah-Imdadkhani gharana. He was initiated to sitar at the age of six by his father, Sri Tarit Mukherjee, and also by Sri Bimal Chatterjee, while simultaneously receiving vocal instruction from Sri Kaylan Bose.

Abhik has taken talim from Pandit Arvind Parikh and Pandit Kashinath Mukherjee, themselves disciples of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan. He is a gold medalist in musicology from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, and has also received a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, India.

Abhik currently lives in New York City and is one of the founding members of Brooklyn Raga Massive, an Indian classical music artists’ collective. He is the director of academic affairs at Chhandayan School of Music in New York City.

Today, we talk to him about his childhood days, of the time he got initiated into this beautiful musical fold, of him finally falling in love with the Sitar and the journey till now. We also talk about Mausiqui – the concert – and yes we do hear a beautiful rendition on the Sitar! So, tune-in for sure, today, 8th June, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold, today – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

The Friends of India Society is run by volunteers, with the mission to preserve and promote the rich Indian cultural heritage through various events in the South Jersey region. It also aims to empower youth to be responsible citizens of the community.

Friends of India Society is actively involved in the community and has donated $83,861 since year 2009 to various charities in USA and India.

Yogesh Thakur, one of the founding members of the society talks to us about the organization, its inception, the work it does and now the upcoming event – which is also their signature event, the “Annual Kite and Color Festival”. So, yes, incase you missed Holi or the Kite festival, or are counting days till next year, you have another chance for a 2 in 1 celebration – just around the corner – to know more, tune – in for this conversation with Yogesh Thakur, today, the 7th of June, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold, today – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

Mr. Virendra Bansal is the Country Head of the US Operations of State Bank of India since July 2020, which includes its offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo and Washington DC. Prior to his present assignment, he was Chief Executive Officer, New York Branch since May 2019. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical) and has certification of AML/ KYC from Indian Institute of Bankers.

Mr.Bansal is a career banker with over 30 years’ experience with State Bank of India in India and outside. Having joined as a directly recruited Probationary Officer in 1990, Mr. Bansal has handled several important and crucial assignments in diverse areas of Credit, International Banking and Retail Banking.

His prior assignments include, Deputy General Manager & Relationship Manager at Corporate Accounts Group of State Bank of India at Mumbai where he managed relationship with some of the large corporates with aggregate credit exposure of USD 8.00 billion approx. His previous roles were Head (Trade) at London branch of State Bank of India and Branch Head of retail branch handling
high net worth customers.

In case you missed it earlier, do listen- in to this conversation, on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, today as well, on MeraSangeet Gold, 3rd June, at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also catch the interview on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST

Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, was a popular Indian playback singer. He recorded songs in several languages.

KK began his career by singing for advertisement jingles, and made his film debut with an A.R. Rahman soundtrack. In 1999, he launched his debut album titled Pal. The songs “Pal” and “Yaaron” from the album Pal became very popular and are commonly used in school farewells. He has received six Filmfare Awards nominations, and a Filmfare Awards South.  Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KK_(singer)

He will always be remembered for his work and for the many popular songs that he rendered.

Rest in peace KK – you will continue to live on, in our hearts, through your music!!

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders held a virtual press conference raising concerns about the growing threat of gun violence, on Friday, 27th May.

State Senator Dr. Michelle Au, State Representative Sam Park and State Committee Member, Democratic Party of Georgia, Kannan Udayarajan addressed the conference.

Robert Peterson, whose mother, Yong Ae Yue, was murdered in the March 2021 mass shooting targeting Asian American women, was also present. Michael Webb, who said he is a gun owner and a hunter, shared his views during the conference. He is the husband of Xiaojie Tan, who was murdered in the March 2021 mass shooting targeting Asian American women.

Today we bring to you snippets from the press conference, once again, incase you missed it earlier – To listen in, please tune – in to on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, today, 31st May, on MeraSangeet Gold, at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST. You can also listen – in on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST.

We also look forward to your views, your opinion on this ever growing concern – write in for sure at kanwal@merasangeet.com