Black and Desi: A Shared History,” written by Anirvan Chatterjee and published in the June 2015 issue of India Currents, is a landmark article tracing over a century of solidarity between African Americans and South Asians in the United States.
The article highlights key moments and figures in this intertwined history, including:
Swami Vivekananda speaking against anti-Black racism in Pasadena in 1900
The Black Bengalis of Harlem and early South Asian–African American intermarriage (1880s–1940s)
Civil rights collaborations between Indian freedom activists and African American leaders (1920s–1947)
Jawaharlal Nehru and W.E.B. Du Bois, global anti-colonial dialogue, and mutual ideological influence
African American activism in the 1960s overturning racist immigration laws that restricted South Asian migration
Modern movements such as #Asians4BlackLives and the work of DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving)
Through personal narrative, historical analysis, and contemporary activism, the article reveals a deep legacy of shared struggle against racism, casteism, colonialism, and xenophobia. It reframes how both communities understand solidarity today.
Black and Desi: A Shared History,” written by Anirvan Chatterjee and published in the June 2015 issue of India Currents, is a landmark article tracing over a century of solidarity between African Americans and South Asians in the United States.
The article highlights key moments and figures in this intertwined history, including:
Swami Vivekananda speaking against anti-Black racism in Pasadena in 1900
The Black Bengalis of Harlem and early South Asian–African American intermarriage (1880s–1940s)
Civil rights collaborations between Indian freedom activists and African American leaders (1920s–1947)
Jawaharlal Nehru and W.E.B. Du Bois, global anti-colonial dialogue, and mutual ideological influence
African American activism in the 1960s overturning racist immigration laws that restricted South Asian migration
Modern movements such as #Asians4BlackLives and the work of DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving)
Through personal narrative, historical analysis, and contemporary activism, the article reveals a deep legacy of shared struggle against racism, casteism, colonialism, and xenophobia. It reframes how both communities understand solidarity today.
Blessed is a Naatak original inspired by the widely reported miracle attributed to Mother Teresa, in which a woman named Monica Besra was believed to have been cured of a tumor. The play examines the intersection of faith, institutional authority, and skepticism, exploring the processes and politics behind sainthood within the Catholic Church
A short community service announcement from Bolly 92.3 FM (KSJO San Jose) promoting the station’s Blanket Drive for those in need during the winter season. The clip highlights the station’s role in engaging listeners through charitable efforts and civic awareness, showcasing how South Asian media in the Bay Area extends beyond entertainment to serve the broader community.
A short station identification audio clip for Bolly 92.3 FM (KSJO San Jose), the Bay Area’s first full-time Bollywood FM music station. Produced around the station’s 2016 launch under Universal Media Access, this ID reflects Bolly FM’s energetic, bilingual sound and its role as a hub for South Asian pop culture in Silicon Valley. The clip encapsulates the moment when Bollywood music transitioned from AM radio to the FM dial, bringing high-fidelity sound to the region’s South Asian diaspora.
Bolly 92.3 FM (KSJO 92.3 FM) is a commercial FM station licensed to San Jose, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It broadcasts a Bollywood-music format branded as “Bolly 92.3 – The Bay Area’s Bollywood Station” and is owned by the Silicon Valley Asian Media Group, LLC.
The station offers a musical and cultural platform for the South Asian community, airing Hindi film songs and related content, while also engaging diaspora audiences online.
In 2024, BollyFM modernized its workflow by transitioning to a fully cloud-based studio operation — one of the first of its kind in a major U.S. market.
On March 1, 2016, Universal Media Access relaunched KSJO 92.3 FM as BollyFM 92.3 — the Bay Area’s first full-time Bollywood FM station, responding to strong community demand for Bollywood music on FM.
A father and daughter share a delicate moment, reminding each other that hardship, like joy, is temporary. Bong Eats is a 2023 pandemic-era family drama centered on a specialty restaurant struggling through financial crisis and emotional strain. Performed at Cañada College in Redwood City, the play follows a family of four whose encounter with an unexpected visitor brings new perspective to both the guest and the family.
The ensemble cast of Bong Eats takes the customary audience bow. Written and directed by Ritendra Datta, Bong Eats is a 2023 pandemic-era family drama centered on a specialty restaurant struggling through financial crisis and emotional strain. Performed at Cañada College in Redwood City, the play follows a family of four whose encounter with an unexpected visitor brings new perspective to both the guest and the family.
Buddha is a Naatak original musical that traces the life of Siddhartha Gautama, from his departure from royal life to his attainment of enlightenment and his journey as a teacher. Set in the sixth century BCE and written in verse, the play combines narrative, music, and choreography to explore themes of renunciation, compassion, and transformation. Staged outdoors, the production uses ensemble performance and visual design to create a fluid, immersive theatrical experience. This image captures an interaction between two contrasting figures, one representing worldly life and the other spiritual transformation, visually emphasizing the play’s central tension between material desire and the path toward enlightenment.
Alibaba Ani Chalishitale Chor presents a contemporary Marathi social comedy structured around suspicion, gossip, and social pretense. Set during a private party hosted by a doctor in his forties, the evening takes an unexpected turn when the lights suddenly go out and guests hear the unmistakable sound of a kiss and a slap. When the lights come back, speculation spreads rapidly, exposing fragile egos and hidden tensions among the attendees. As accusations and rumors escalate, the host ultimately confesses that he staged the sounds himself, revealing the ease with which perception overtakes truth. The play examines middle-class morality, performative respectability, and the dynamics of rumor within tightly knit social circles.
Nava Gadi Nava Rajya marked a strategic shift in the organization’s programming philosophy. As reflected in director Mukund Marathe’s recollection, earlier productions had largely appealed to a smaller, dedicated segment of Marathi theater enthusiasts. With this play, CalAA sought to broaden its audience by presenting work that remained thoughtful yet accessible to a wider community. The drama centers on a newly married couple navigating insecurity and misunderstanding when the wife’s close college friend visits. The husband, unsettled by the openness and familiarity between the two, begins to question their relationship. The play explores jealousy, trust, and communication within contemporary marriage, ultimately emphasizing dialogue and emotional growth over suspicion. By blending humor with relatable domestic tension, Nava Gadi Nava Rajya represents CalAA’s move toward crossover programming designed to engage both traditional theater audiences and a broader diasporic public.
CapRadio (Capital Public Radio) is a public media organization serving the Sacramento region and California’s Central Valley. CapRadio produces local news, investigative reporting, and cultural programming and is a key contributor to California’s public radio ecosystem.
Carnatic is a style of violin playing which involves different tuning and a seated playing posture as compared to Western violin playing. It is used in Indian Classical music.
Harvard history professor Mukesh and Columbia literature professor Sunita journey through 50 years of undeclared love to protect a precious friendship. Mukesh and Sunita explore other relationships while denying their own love.
