TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

Isabella Sreyashii Sen, co-CEO of Hazelnut Media, joins Abhay to share her journey of finding home in Singapore and how her background informs her storytelling approach. She discusses the importance of empathy in media, the challenges of independent film production, and the role of the Indian diaspora in shaping global narratives. Isabella highlights the need for patience, gender equity, and the power of community.

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Abhay shares a conversation with Satyajit Hange, co-founding farmer of Two Brothers Organic Farms, located in Bhodani, a rural village in Maharasthra.  They chatted about generational influences on his journey, grappling with the challenges of running an eco-conscious enterprise,  and even the impact of his Vedic philosophy on his mission, vision, and values.

(0:00 - 3:10) Introduction
(3:10) Part 1 - nostalgia, typical ...

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor. 

So it’s springtime in a lot of our global areas, where traditionally, things everywhere are starting to bloom. And with melting snow and healthy rains it also means that water is flowing freely to activate dormant soil and nurture the la...

Comedian, writer, and actor Sindhu Vee joins Abhay for a broad conversation about her new comedy special Alphabet, how her journey has informed her comedy, and the way she measures success.  Mangoes, Amitabh Bachchan, and love letters were all of course included!

(0:00 - 2:49) Introduction
(2:49) Part 1 - consuming comedy, South Asian roots
(15:00) Part 2 - integrating and enduring, love letters, mothering
(33:20) ...

Abhay is joined by the creator of the Hulu series Deli Boys, Abdullah Saeed, to chat about everything from vulnerability and courage with storytelling, to cultivating trust on this project, to weaving partition into the show, to finding comfort and humor in the absurd.  Simpsons and Tan France references were part of the overall gentle charm of this conversation.
(0:00 - 2:54) Introduction
(2:54) Part 1 - Underachiev...

Author, writer, and journalist Sanjena Sathian rejoins TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING to chat about her new novel Goddess Complex, and the state of South Asian American millennial adulthood with attention to procreation, pregnancy, and parenting. 
Abhay was thrilled once again to step into the Sanjenaverse!
(0:00 - 2:53) Introduction
(2:53) Part 1 - the birth of a new book, narrative speed, tormented writing
(1...

Abhay shares a chat with Nima Sherpa, the youngest human in the world to have climbed all 14 peaks over 8000m. Nima shares his journey through the world of climbing, the lessons learned, and the importance of mentorship. He discusses the unique perspective that youth brings to risk-taking and humility, the significance of Sherpa culture in mountaineering, and the evolving landscape of climbing as a profession. Nima emphasi...

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor. 

So ok, a while back , I had to think about making a will and living trust, and not to be morose or sad, but  it was a good exercise that forced me to think about things that are family heirlooms, or even the more basic question of wh...

Abhay is joined by Sree Sreenivasan journalist and CEO/Co-Founder of Digimentors, for a broad conversation from August of 2024 about his experiences in journalism and media.  He is also the co-founder and current president of the South Asian Journalists Association. Sree is a passionate, talented, and humble soul and tells some amazing stories  - apologies in advance to any avid fans of Leonid Brezhnev.
(0:00 - 2:45) In...

Abhay is joined by Major League Baseball executive Farhan Zaidi to chat about everything from the culture of being a front-facing leader in sports, to his journey in baseball, to his insights on starting pitching, to who he thinks is the smartest player he's ever been around. After spending time with the A's and Giants, Farhan is back again with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers as a special advisor.

(0:00 - 3:01) Intr...

Abhay is joined by peace activist Nitin Sonawane as he embarks on a cross-country Gandhian walking journey for peace across America, from San Francisco to Washington DC.
(0:00 - 2:56) Introduction
(2:56) Part 1 - starting out and mapping, typical walk day, growing up 
(15:11) Part 2 - peace and conflict, getting to actuation, surprises
(29:00) Part 3 - grassroots peace activism, combating fatigue, walking shoes...

Abhay is joined by filmmaker Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, whose debut feature  Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.  Sabar Bonda is the first ever Marathi feature film to be presented at the festival.

(0:00 - 2:38 ) Introduction
(2:38) Part 1 - Sundance, patience as a filmmaker, mourning and grieving as a backdrop
(...

Abhay is joined by Kinsu Kumar and Varsha, two leaders from the Satyarthi Global Movement for Compassion, which is dedicated to globalise compassion to restore justice, peace, equity and sustainability in the world.   Kinsu and Varsha are part of the movement’s Bal Ashram and Bal Mitra initiatives, which exemplify these efforts at the grass roots level in India, addressing child labor, sex trafficking, and child marriage t...

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I’m DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor.

In this spotlight episode, Aki Kumar shares his journey as a blues musician, discussing the universality of blues themes, the importance of being a lifelong student of the genre, and how his Desi identity influences his music. He reflect...

Abhay is joined by Melissa Mahtani, journalist and the executive producer of CBS Confirmed.  Over two decades, she’s been a reporter, a blogger, a moderator, and an anchor covering stories about human rights, gender equity, global affairs, and breaking news.  They talked about verified journalism, empowering audiences, and more.
(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction
(2:45) Part 1 - Cultivating trust, democratization of informat...

Abhay is joined by singer Dhee, as they both shared a conversation about making music and loving the process.
Dhee is a Sri Lankan born, Australian raised, Tamil-rooted artist whose music is available everywhere.
(0:00 - 2:21) Introduction
(2:21) Part 1 - loving the process, completing a song
(11:05) Part 2 - singing in various languages, exploration vs. comfort, versatility in her music
(27:43) Part 3 - co...

Abhay chats with nutritional psychiatrist, Dr. Uma Naidoo, author of the books "Calm Your Mind With Food" and "This Is Your Brain On Food".
They chatted about a range of things, reviewing the many connections between mood and food. Check out the 6 Pillars of Nutritional Psychiatry and more of her work at umanaidoomd.com. 
(0:00 - 2:29) Introduction
(2:29) Part 1 - mythbusting, moments of celebration, how Uma found...

Abhay chats with performance psychologist and sports scientist, Shayamal Vallabhjee to chat about everything from setting goals and empowering individuals to sustaining performance and cultivating trust in your achievements. Shayamal’s expertise is sought after by everyone from elite sports teams, global leaders and executives, and Indian cricket athletes like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.

Abhay is joined by the founders of the Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee, to talk about activism, unearthing local South Asian American history, and suprises from their experiences.
(0:00 - 3:23) Introduction
(3:23) Part 1 - reflecting on the first tour, South Asian American history as a "secret"
(14:57) Part 2 - identity as historians and activists, amplifying...