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From our Archives – In conversation with Raima Sen, one of India’s finest actors

Raima Sen is a wonderful Indian actress who has made a name for herself in Hindi, Bengali, and South Indian films. She is the daughter of the talented Moon Moon Sen and Bharat Dev Barma, and she proudly carries the legacy of her grandmother, the famous actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Riya Sen, is also part of the Bollywood scene. Their dad, Bharat Dev Varma, is connected to the royal family of Tripura, and their grandmother, Ila Devi, was actually a princess of Cooch Behar. To top it off, Ila Devi’s sister, Gayatri Devi, was the Maharani of Jaipur, and their great-grandmother, Indira, was the only daughter of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda.

On her mom’s side, Raima’s great-grandfather, Adinath Sen, was a well-known businessman in Kolkata. His son, Dinanath Sen, who is related to former Union Law Minister Ashoke Kumar Sen, served as the Diwan or Minister for the Maharaja of Tripura.

We are excited to remind you of a fantastic conversation we had with Raima a few years back, and we are bringing it back from our archives just for you! Don’t forget to join us today, 9th November, on our Hindi Radio Show on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 3:00 PM EST. We cannot wait to share it with you!

From our Archives – a conversation with the very popular Indian Actor, Boman Irani

Boman Irani is an accomplished Indian actor, photographer, and voice artist whose remarkable contributions to Hindi cinema are noteworthy, with over 100 films to his credit.

Mr. Irani received training under the esteemed acting coach Hansraj Siddhia from 1981 to 1983, during his academic years. His inaugural theatrical performance was a cameo role in the play Roshni, presented at the Regional Theatre in Versova. Subsequently, he engaged in television serials such as Family Ties and Mahatma vs Gandhi, notably portraying Gandhi after the role had been declined by Darshan Jariwala. Among his most distinguished theatrical works is the play I Am Not Bajirao, which enjoyed a successful run for a decade. He transitioned to on-screen acting in the year 2000.

Years ago, we  had the incredible opportunity to speak with the talented Boman Irani and delve into his remarkable journey in the entertainment industry. During the interview, he shared captivating stories about his experiences, challenges, and the milestones that shaped his career and his life. Do tune in for an interview recorded several years ago, scheduled to air today, November 8th, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 3:00 PM EST.

Dr. Rajiv Bhateja, co-founder of They See Blue, with us

Dr. Rajiv Bhateja grew up in Bangalore, India, and earned a Bachelor of Technology from IIT, Bombay. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Bhateja has worked at eight startup companies in Silicon Valley, most recently as vice president of engineering. Following retirement, Dr. Bhateja has been active in civic affairs and was recently elected to the City Council in his hometown of Los Altos Hills.

Dr. Rajiv Bhateja is 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. Check out the website: https://theyseeblue.org 

We talk to Dr. Rajiv Bhateja about the upcoming elections, about the economy and much more – Tune – in for sure, yet again on 4th November, on MeraSangeet Gold at 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 6:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA/East at  12:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST.

In conversation with Varsha Das about her life in Florida

Varsha Das lives with her husband in the beautiful sunshine state of Florida. Originally from India, where she built a successful career in technology consulting for large corporations, she immigrated with her husband and small child to the United States of America around thirty years ago. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Information Systems and now serves as assistant director of ERP systems.

In addition to her professional background, Varsha is passionate about the arts. She has a bachelor’s degree in Hindustani classical music and is trained in Bharat’s Natyam dance. She has always loved sports and has played basketball and badminton at a competition level at both college and state levels. As an avid traveler, Varsha enjoys exploring new cultures and cuisines and is currently learning Spanish.

We talk to Varsha Das about her life in Florida, about her concerns and much more – Tune – in for sure, today, on 2nd November, on MeraSangeet Gold at 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 6:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA/East at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST.

From our Archives – a conversation with one of India’s finest actors, Parikshit Sahni

Parikshit Sahni is one of India’s finest actors. He is the son of actor Balraj Sahni and nephew of writer Bhisham Sahni.

Parikshit Sahni is known for playing the lead in the TV series Barrister Vinod, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam (Doordarshan), and Gaatha (Star Plus). He has also appeared in three of Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster films Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, and PK. He starred in the classic Punjabi film Marhi Da Diva (1989), with Raj Babbar, Pankaj Kapur, Kanwaljit Singh, and Deepti Naval. He played a remarkable role in the Hindi film Pavitra Paapi (1970) which was based on a Punjabi novel by Nanak Singh (a famous novelist). Pavitra Paapi also featured his real-life father, Balraj Sahni in a pivotal role. Courtesy https://merasangeet.com/page/2/

Do listen – in this conversation, recorded many years back – yet again today, 29th October, on our show, From our Archives, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 3:00 PM – EST

Kalpana Peddibhotla, Executive Director of SAAJCO, with us

Kalpana Peddibhotla is a lawyer of over 25 years and has practiced primarily in immigration.

Kalpana is the Executive Director of the newly formed South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO) which seeks to advance the rights of South Asians living in the US.

Kalpana has a great perspective as an Immigration Lawyer on how the Presidential candidates deal with immigration, and can bust some prevalent immigration myths.

Join us for a great conversation, today, focused on the issues being discussed for the November Elections. Tune – in for sure, yet again, today, 28th October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 6:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA/East at 12:00 PM  and  7:00 PM EST.

In conversation with Environmental Advocate, Chitra Kumar

Chitra Kumar is a mother of two boys and environmental advocate living in the Washington, DC, metro area. Her family immigrated to the U.S. in 1980 and raised her in the American Midwest, including Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a Masters degree from MIT focusing on environmental issues. Chitra worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for more than 20 years and now works for an environmental nonprofit in Washington, DC.

In her free time, Chitra sings and plays Western music, inspired by her mother’s passion for Carnatic music. She loves adventure, taking to the ski slopes, hiking and enjoying the beauty of Mother nature.

We talk to Chitra Kumar about various concerns she has and also about the upcoming elections – Tune – in for sure, on 25th and 26th October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 6:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA/East at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST.

In Remembrance – From our Archives – Conversation with Indian singer, Pankaj Udhas

Pankaj Udhas is a very popular Indian ghazal and playback singer. After his success as a ghazal singer, he was invited to appear and sing for a film by Mahesh Bhatt, Naam. He did playback singing for many Hindi films after that. In 2006, Pankaj Udhas was awarded Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pankaj_Udhas

On the show, Pankaj Udhas talks about his growing-up days, about his father, his brothers – how music just became his first love, home, and much much more. This conversation was recorded many many years back but is as fresh as today – So know your favorite singer, and hear him talk about so many memories – as he does so, he also sings along – and we also play many many of his super hit nos.

The date and time to save is – our show, From our Archives, today, 21st October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA at 5:00 PM – EST

In conversation with Sunil Mehta, co-founder of They See Blue

Sunil Mehta grew up in Bombay, India, and earned his bachelor’s degree in Engineering at IIT-Bombay. He moved to the U.S. in 1980 for graduate school and received advanced engineering degrees from Penn State and MIT. He has worked in the electronics industry for more than 40 years in both technical and management roles. He holds 92 U.S. patents.

Sunil was an independent who stayed clear of politics for more than three decades when the unthinkable happened in the November 2016 election. This spurred him to get involved in the ground game of politics for the first time. In June 2018, he co-founded They See Blue, an organization focused on getting South Asians to vote Democratic.

Besides his full-time high-tech job and They See Blue, Sunil has several other interests. He is a movie buff (both Hindi and English films), an aficionado of Hindi film songs, and a voracious reader of books and comics. Over the past three years, he has spent much of his spare time building a blogging/reference website that encompasses his various interests. He just completed the work on the website and it is now live: sunilslists.com.

We talk to Sunil Mehta about the upcoming elections, about the various issues – Tune – in for sure, yet again, today, on 21st October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 6:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 6:00 PM EST and MeraSangeet USA/East at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM EST.

In conversation with one of India’s finest singers, Kavita Krishnamurthy

In conversation with one of India’s finest singers, Kavita Krishnamurthy, we explore her remarkable journey in music and her inspirations. Known for her versatile voice, she shares insights on her creative process, the fusion of traditional and contemporary styles, and the challenges she faced in the industry.

Kavita reflects on memorable collaborations with renowned composers and the joy of connecting with audiences. Her passion for music shines through, inspiring aspiring artists to embrace their uniqueness. Join us as we celebrate the melodic journey of Kavita Krishnamurthy, a true icon in the music world.

Do tune in for the interview, recorded many years back – yet again today, 20th October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 3:00 PM – EST.

From our Archives – Conversation with the popular Indian singer, Master Saleem, also known as Saleem Shahzada, on our Hindi Radio Show

Master Saleem, also known as Saleem Shahzada, is an Indian singer who is known for his work as a devotional singer and also as a playback singer in Bollywood films, like Heyy Babyy (2007), Dostana and Love Aaj Kal (2009). He has also released several private albums of Punjabi Music and Sufi music.

Master Saleem was born as Saleem (Saleem Shahzada), in Shahkot, near Jalandhar, Punjab. He is the son of the famous Sufi singer Ustad Puran Shah Koti, who was also the guru of folk singers, Hans Raj Hans, Jasbir Jassi, Sabar Koti, and Diljaan. At the age of six Saleem also became his disciple and started learning to sing. Courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Saleem

This conversation is simply not to be missed – You will love the way Master Saleem tells us about his journey, his family, his friends and so much more – Tune – in for sure on our show, From our Archives, today, 12th October, on MeraSangeet Gold at 2:00 PM EST and on MeraSangeet USA at 3:00 PM – EST