Indian Women Abroad

Indian Women Abroad

Sharing the stories of women who often get lost in translation.

Episodes

  1. Jun 14

    How a Daughter of Immigrants Raised $500,000 for Her Startup | Indian Women Abroad | Tala Thrive

    In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, Tala Thrive founder Sonia Kaurah shares her journey growing up as a Malaysian-Australian woman with Indian heritage, navigating identity, racism, mental health challenges, and entrepreneurship.Sonia opens up about being the child of divorced parents, never feeling fully Indian, fully Malaysian or fully Australian, experiencing racism after moving to Scandinavia, and struggling to find a therapist who understood the unique challenges faced by women of colour and children of immigrants.She also shares how those experiences inspired her to launch Tala Thrive, a startup focused on culturally responsive mental health support, and how she raised more than $500,000 through crowdfunding to bring her vision to life.In this conversation, we discuss:• Growing up with Indian/Malaysian heritage in Australia• Being the child of divorced parents • Identity struggles and belonging• Racism and living in Scandinavia• Mental health in immigrant families• Why culturally competent therapy matters• Building Tala Thrive• Raising $500,000 through crowdfunding• The realities of being a woman founder• Challenges faced by founders from migrant backgrounds• Representation in startups and venture capital• Lessons from entrepreneurshipWhether you're navigating life between cultures, building a startup, dealing with identity challenges, or looking for inspiration as a woman founder, Sonia's story is one that will resonate.Subscribe for more conversations with Indian women building careers, businesses and lives around the world.Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQkWuevwJh7TXLgszc98If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials:http://instagram.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/indian-women-abroadhttp://facebook.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.tiktok.com/@indianwomenabroadOr watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qAwxxe009qs#IndianWomenAbroad #WomenFounders #IndianDiaspora

    1h 1m
  2. 12/13/2025

    The BIGGEST LIE about Indians & second-hand fashion | Megha on building Kifaayat | Indian Women Abroad podcast

    Indians don’t buy second-hand clothes — or so we’ve been told.In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, I speak with Megha Tripathi, founder of Kifaayat, an online marketplace redefining how South Asians think about thrifting, sustainability, and more. Megha opens up about: Why second-hand clothing is still taboo in Indian communities The cultural stigma around “used” clothes, weddings, and status Building a second-hand fashion startup despite resistance Why sustainability conversations look different in South Asian householdsThis isn’t just a startup story — it’s a cultural one.Find out more about Kifaayat here: https://www.kifaayat.shop/🎧 Watch till the end to understand why changing mindsets is harder than building tech.Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQkWuevwJh7TXLgszc98If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials:http://instagram.com/indianwomenabroad https://www.linkedin.com/company/indian-women-abroad http://facebook.com/indianwomenabroad https://www.tiktok.com/@indianwomenabroadOr watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npdoMGcOh7c#indianwomenabroad #Kifaayat #SecondHandClothing #IndianMindset #CulturalTaboos #SustainableIndia #WomenInBusiness #StartupJourney #SouthAsianDiaspora #FashionRecommerce #IndianWomenAbroad #SecondHandFashion #IndianStartups #SustainableFashion #SouthAsianCulture #WomenFounders #StartupStories #IndianDiaspora #Thrifting #CircularFashion #WomenFounders #IndianEntrepreneurs #StartupStories #WomenInBusiness #CircularFashion #IndianPodcast #Podcast

    48 min
  3. 11/23/2025

    I thought being Kashmiri Pandit was made up | Sarina on cooking her way back | Indian Women Abroad

    In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, I sit down with Kashmiri-Australian writer and cookbook author Sarina Kamini to explore a deeply personal question: how do you belong to a land you’ve never been able to return to?Sarina, a Kashmiri Pandit, grew up with a homeland shaped entirely through stories, recipes, and memory — not physical experience. With Kashmir’s political history and displacement shaping her family’s past, food became her only way of touching a place she couldn’t visit.In this emotional conversation, Sarina opens up about:✨ Growing up feeling like “being Kashmiri Pandit is a made-up thing”✨ Seeing herself represented for the first time — through chef Sandeep Pandit on MasterChef✨ The power of food to restore identity and memory✨ Writing about heritage in a country far from home✨ What it means to reclaim belonging as an adultThis is one of the most moving conversations we’ve had on the show — a story about identity, displacement, and the quiet power of food to bind generational histories.👉 Listen now and let Sarina’s journey remind you of the invisible threads that hold us to home. Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQkWuevwJh7TXLgszc98 If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials: http://instagram.com/indianwomenabroad https://www.linkedin.com/company/indian-women-abroad http://facebook.com/indianwomenabroad https://www.tiktok.com/@indianwomenabroad Or watch on YouTube: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MA6No790TwN59ObGUAxCMhttps://youtu.be/m_5Zn51bmWQ indian women abroad, Sarina Kamini, Kashmiri Pandit, Kashmiri diaspora, Kashmiri food, indian diaspora stories, migrant women stories, indian migration, identity and food, food memoir, Kashmiri culture, Sandeep Pandit, MasterChef Australia, migrant identity, diaspora identity, indian women podcast, australian indians, indian immigrants, storytelling podcast, women of color stories, food and identity, cultural roots, indian cookbook author, Kashmiri traditions, migrant life Australia, interview podcast, indian podcast

    1 hr
  4. 10/25/2025

    How I ended up at Vogue Wedding Atelier with India’s biggest designers | Indian Women Abroad podcast

    In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, I sit down with Prerna Karnani, founder of Shaadis & More, who shares her inspiring journey from Melbourne to Vogue’s Wedding Atelier — one of India’s most prestigious bridal showcases. Prerna opens up about what it’s like to build a brand from scratch, the power of community in entrepreneurship, and her unforgettable experience meeting Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, and other icons of Indian fashion. She also reveals what it felt like to have her photos taken by Siddharth Sharma, the celebrity wedding photographer and founder of House On The Clouds, who was behind the weddings of Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma, Sidharth Malhotra & Kiara Advani, and Ranbir Kapoor & Alia Bhatt. If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your creative idea into a global brand — or wondered what really happens behind the glitz of India’s luxury wedding industry — this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen now to discover how Prerna built her brand, found her voice, and made her mark on one of India’s biggest stages. 🎧 Listen now to discover how Prerna built her brand, found her voice, and made her mark on one of India’s biggest stages.👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more stories of Indian women shaping their lives abroad.Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQkWuevwJh7TXLgszc98If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials:http://instagram.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/indian-women-abroadhttp://facebook.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.tiktok.com/@indianwomenabroadOr watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35pPgvaaanY Chapters: 00:00 Guest Introduction 00:54 The birth of Shaadis and More 05:25 How Prerna moved abroad 10:00 How love happened and planning my own wedding 18:52 The impact of Covid on entrepreneurship and weddings 22:38 How motherhood changes priorities 29:40 Differences between Indian and weddings abroad 32:40 Going all in on Shaadis 'AND' More 46:00 How motherhood fuels creativity 57:00 Being the "plus one" at a client's nikaah 01:00:00 Ending up at Vogue's Wedding Atelier 2025 01:10:00 The 'whitewashing' of Indian fashion 01:13:00 Getting shot by Virushka, Sid-Kiara, Ralia's wedding photographer 01:23:15 Reimagining my wedding 01:31:45 Advice for other Indian women abroad #VogueWedding #VogueWeddingAtelier #ShaadisAndMore #PrernaKarnani #IndianWomenAbroad #Indianentrepreneurs #Indianweddingdesigners #ManishMalhotra #Sabyasachi #Indianwedding #LuxuryIndianweddings #Buildingabrandabroad #Indianwomenfounders #Indianbusinessstories #Melbourneentrepreneurs #SouthAsianpodcasts #Indianpodcast

    1h 35m
  5. 10/11/2025

    Not Indian enough? ABC journalist Angelica Silva on identity, trolling, AI | Indian Women Abroad

    Angelica Silva, ABC journalist, joins Indian Women Abroad to share her powerful story of identity, belonging, and resilience.Born in Australia to South Indian parents, Angelica talks about her viral essay “Bollywood Made Me Feel Like an Inferior Indian Because I’m South Indian” and the backlash she faced from online trolls questioning her “Indianness". You can read the essay here: https://reclamationmagazine.com/2021/02/13/bollywood-made-me-feel-like-an-inferior-indian-because-im-south-indian/And find more of Angelica's work for the ABC here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/angelica-silva/13852448She opens up about navigating identity while dating across South Asian cultures, and how she finally embraced her true self.We also discuss her journalism career, immigrant storytelling, and the future of truth in the age of AI and fake news.🎧 Watch till the end — this conversation is raw, bold, and inspiring.Chapters:00:00 Introduction of the guest01:50 Identity crisis and struggles of immigrant kids06:30 Facing bullying in high school11:50 Using writing as a healing process18:20 Trolled by Bollywood fanatics for an article24:13 Angelica's experience of dating across cultures35:00 A Bollywood love story come true41:10 Lack of diverse voices in media43:32 Angelica's biggest South Asian inspirations56:00 Working at the ABC01:03:55 The future of journalism in the age of social media01:07:48 The challenge of misinformation and AI01:17:17 Young South Asians are paving the way01:20:30 Angelica's advice for women👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more stories of Indian women shaping their lives abroad.Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQkWuevwJh7TXLgszc98If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials:http://instagram.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/indian-women-abroadhttp://facebook.com/indianwomenabroadhttps://www.tiktok.com/@indianwomenabroadOr watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMSnclkjofA#IndianWomenAbroad #AngelicaSilva #SouthAsianVoices #ABCJournalist #IndianAustralian #IdentityCrisis #ImmigrantStories #FakeNews #AI #ABCNews

    1h 26m

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Sharing the stories of women who often get lost in translation.