Between Friends: Conversations with Maitri

What if more men chose to speak up? What if more men chose to stand up? What if we stopped seeing domestic violence as “someone else’s problem”? 💜In our latest episode of Between Friends: Conversations with Maitri, host Nandini Ray talks with Sunil Ramesh, Ritesh Nayak, and Vasant Balasubramanian of BOOMM—three men who have been standing with Maitri through music and community support since 2013.🎙️ They talk about why they choose to stand against domestic violence and gender-based violence, how men can help prevent violence, and why creating safer, healthier communities is everyone’s responsibility.Their message is an important one: Men can speak up when harmful behavior is normalized. They can challenge attitudes that excuse violence. They can model healthy relationships. And they can use their voices, talents, and influence to support change.💜 This conversation is a call to action—especially for men—to move from silence to solidarity.Our Guests are:Sunil Ramesh: By day, Sunil Ramesh is a technology leader at Roku, building next-generation experiences across AI, media, and consumer technology. By night, he trades product roadmaps for power notes as BOOMM’s lead vocalist, bringing serious range, energy, and stage presence to the band. Equal parts technologist, music obsessive, and frontman, Sunil is proof that some people really do have a second gear.Ritesh Nayak: Ritesh Nayak is a technologist, entrepreneur, and musician whose work spans AI, consumer technology, and the performing arts. A former Google product leader and startup founder, he is currently building ventures focused on AI, deep learning, and traditional arts. An accomplished Hindustani classical vocalist, guitarist, percussionist, and producer, Ritesh brings his genre-crossing musical energy to BOOMM.Vasant Balasubramanian: In the corporate world, Vasant leads the Risk business at ServiceNow, helping enterprises bring a little order to the wonderfully chaotic world of AI, risk, and governance.On stage, he is BOOMM’s resident bassist, laying down the deep grooves that keep the band—and occasionally the audience—moving. Equal parts business leader, technologist, and bass obsessive, Vasant has spent decades managing risk at work while taking considerably more of it on stage.Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention and Policy Advocacy, Maitri.Upcoming Concert of BOOMM: Rocke De BOOMM Returns! Friday, Oct 23, 2026, 7 PM @ the De Anza College- Visual & Performing Arts Center.Ticket Link: https://secure.swirepay.com/event-page/eventpage-b2ffaee66fc94240b47d4c3ca0f38cdc

For many South Asian families, we talk openly about education, success, and responsibility—but conversations about anxiety, depression, and mental health often remain unspoken. In this episode, we explore the mental health of South Asian youth and the power of youth activism with Sarah Shelke, a UC Berkeley student and founder of Mind4Youth, one of the world’s largest youth-led mental health nonprofits. When young people speak up, challenge stigma, and createspace for honest conversations, change becomes possible.

 🎧 Tune in to Between Friends –Conversations with Maitri and join the conversation. Let’s make mental health aconversation, not a silence.

Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention & Policy Advocacy, Maitri. (E) [email protected] | Visit: www.maitri.org

AboutSarah: Sarah Shelke is an Indian American mental health advocate working to make mental health care accessible for youth worldwide. After navigating a family member’s struggle with depression at 13, Sarah founded the nonprofitMind4Youth to expand access to free mental health support, therapy access, and educational resources for teens globally. Since then, Sarah has spoken to members of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, advocatedfor health legislation on Capitol Hill, and supported legislation introduced in the Virginia State Legislature. For her work, Sarah was named to the inaugural TIME Visionaries list and was a 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize Top 3Finalist. Visit: https://mind4youth.com/

Formany South Asian families, we talk openly about education, success, andresponsibility—but conversations about anxiety, depression, and mental healthoften remain unspoken. In this episode, we explore the mental health of SouthAsian youth and the power of youth activism with Sarah Shelke, a UC Berkeleystudent and founder of Mind4Youth, one of the world’s largest youth-led mentalhealth nonprofits. When young people speak up, challenge stigma, and createspace for honest conversations, change becomes possible.

 🎧 Tune in to Between Friends –Conversations with Maitri and join the conversation. Let’s make mental health aconversation, not a silence.

Host:Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention & Policy Advocacy, Maitri.(E) [email protected] | Visit: www.maitri.org

AboutSarah: Sarah Shelke is an Indian American mental health advocate working tomake mental health care accessible for youth worldwide. After navigating afamily member’s struggle with depression at 13, Sarah founded the nonprofitMind4Youth to expand access to free mental health support, therapy access, andeducational resources for teens globally. Since then, Sarah has spoken tomembers of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, advocatedfor health legislation on Capitol Hill, and supported legislation introduced inthe Virginia State Legislature. For her work, Sarah was named to the inauguralTIME Visionaries list and was a 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize Top 3Finalist. Visit: https://mind4youth.com/

How do harmful cultural norms, traditions, and deeply rooted beliefs impact intimate partner relationships—and what can we do to change them?

To help us unpack this important topic, our host, Nandini Raywas joined by two distinguished members of the Pakistani community: Ahsan Qazi and Maria Ahmad.

Ahsan Qazi is a writer, researcher, entrepreneur, and sociologist with a deep interest in understanding the forces that shape society. Ahsan has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Sociology, followed by an MBA in Strategy and Innovation. He is the founder of One Voice: Pakistan and World Affairs in Sociological Perspective. Ahsan has written extensively on social, political, and global issues, with his work published in Eurasia Review. His research explores inequality, governance, identity, and the growing impact of artificialintelligence on society, political beliefs, and human behavior. Professionally, he has spent more than eight years working inenterprise technology and technical communication, and he is the founder and CEO of Marvalero, where he is building an AI-powered platform for businesses and creators. While technology is an important part of what he does, his deeperpassion has always been understanding people, how societies evolve, why institutions succeed or fail, and how ideas shape civilizations.

Maria Ahmad is an international development professional with two decades of experience working at the intersection of gender, migration, and institutional accountability across the UN agencies, INGOs, and independent consultancies. Her work has repeatedly returned to the question of how women, particularly migrant and minority women, are represented, protected, and structurally excluded within the systems meant to serve them, from her early reporting career in Pakistan as an award-winning journalist covering social and gender issues - including reports on MukhtaraMai’s jirga-approved gang rape and accompanying her to the Pakistan Parliament tofight for justice - to her recent gender-mainstreaming review of Uruguay’s National Migrant Integration Plan with UN Women and IOM, where she examined how policy frameworks fail to account for gender even when they claim to be gender-responsive. Maria’s career began injournalism in Pakistan, where she reported for GEO TV, BBC Radio, and Canadian broadcasters before moving into humanitarian and development work with IOM,where she spent years designing accountability and communication systems for displaced and vulnerable populations, including large-scale crisis response inPakistan. She has since worked on safeguarding frameworks addressing gender-specific vulnerability and trafficking risk, advised on AI-enabled toolsfor documenting technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and written on the representation of immigrant communities in public discourse. As a Pakistani woman who has lived and worked across South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American contexts, she brings both a personal vantage point on the patriarchal norms shaping South Asian family and partner relationships, and a professional lens on how those norms show up — often invisibly — in the policies andinstitutions built around them.

Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention &Policy Advocacy at Maitri. (E) [email protected]

Visit: www.maitri.org

Welcome to Policy Matters, a quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that shape the prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities.In our Fifth presentation of Policy Matters, we will be addressing the intersections of gun violence and domestic abuse, a policy priority for Maitri. Zakia Afrin leads the policy advocacy Program at Maitri Bay Area and oversees comprehensive client services and violence prevention strategies at the organization. This episode was curated by the Maitri Policy Advocacy Program and facilitated by Smitha Chandrasekhar. Smitha Chandrasekhar is currently an incoming medical student to the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for more than a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.Resources shared and informed the Discussions:Julia F Weber Keynote Speech at Maitri Youth Convention, 2024   • Keynote Speech by Julia F. Weber at the Ma...  Gun violence in the United States in 2023https://publichealth.jhu.edu/sites/de...Study on the role of domestic violence in fatal mass shootings in the United States, 2014-2019https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...13 Years after the Sandy Hook shootings, calls to end gun violence continuehttps://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/...Advocacy related to Gun violence https://www.everytown.org/Gun Laws by State and Advocacyhttps://giffords.org/Research on mass shootings and domestic violencehttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/mass-sho...Gun violence incident in the MediaIndian Origin Family in Massachusetts: Autopsy reveal murder SuicideMore women and minorities are buying gunshttps://secondcalldefense.org/more-wo...Watch Maitri Youth Convention, April, 2024. Intersection of Gun Violence and Domestic Violence   • Maitri Youth Convention, April, 2024. Inte...  

In this insightful episode, Simi Markar, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, joins our host, Nandini Ray, to explore the realities of couples counseling and partner relationships.

What exactly is couples counseling, and when should couples consider seeking support? What are the early warningsigns of a toxic or unhealthy relationship? How do family interference, cultural expectations, and traditional gender roles shape couple relationships in the South Asian community — and how can couples navigate these pressureswithout harming their bond?

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation filled with professional insights, practical guidance, and culturally grounded perspectives on building healthier relationships.

About Simi Markar: Simi Markar, MFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the Bay Area. She has been in practice for the last 20 years and is the founder of Mindset Counseling Group. This is a group practice that has a diverse team of clinicians and serves clients all throughout California. Herwork has been focused on supporting the South Asian community on issues related to: marriage, parenting, divorce, and co-parenting. She is passionate about reducing the stigma around mental health and making counselingservices easy to access.

More info can be found on the website: www.mindsetcounselinggroup.com

In this powerful episode, Jagbir Kaur Kang joins our host Nandini Ray to share a story of extraordinary strength and resilience. Facing domestic violence, uncertainty of the future, and self-doubt, she refused to give up and transformed her pain into a journey of growth and renewal.From surviving to thriving, Jagbir now uses her voice to uplift others. In her book Blooming Through the Cracks, she courageously revisits her trauma to offer hope to those suffering in silence.A moving reminder: domestic violence is never the victim’s fault—everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the chance to heal. About Jagbir Kaur Kang: Jagbir Kaur Kang is a survivor–proof that perseverance and persistence may lead to a path of healing and growth. She is an author of the #1 New Release bestseller “Blooming Through the Cracks” on Amazon and holds a master's degree in psychology from Harvard University Extension Studies. She is an international speaker, a yoga and meditation teacher, and regularly delivers webinars on mental health and domestic violence. She is the founder of @ihealandgrow and has embarked on a quest to help other survivors shine through their adversities.

Chains and Strength: Women in Bengali Literature

In this podcast episode, Zakia Afrin and Nandini Ray of Maitri come together for a heartfelt conversation on the portrayal of women in Bengali literature. Drawing from their favorite short stories, novels, and poems from both Bangladesh and India, they explore how women characters have endured inequality and oppression while also embodying courage, resilience, and resistance to patriarchy.These unforgettable characters in Bengali literature has long mirrored women’s struggles and celebrated their strength. 

Tune in, reflect with us, and join the conversation.What stories moved you? Which women characters have stayed with you?

We’d love to hear from you, email us at [email protected]. 

এই পডকাস্ট পর্বে মৈত্রীর জাকিয়া আফরিন ও নন্দিনী রায় এক আন্তরিক আলাপচারিতায় একত্রিত হয়েছেন বাংলা সাহিত্যে নারীর উপস্থাপনাকে ঘিরে। বাংলাদেশ ও ভারতের ছোটগল্প, উপন্যাস ও কবিতা থেকে উদাহরণ টেনে তারা আলোচনা করেছেন—কীভাবে নারী চরিত্ররা বৈষম্য ও নিপীড়নের মুখোমুখি হয়েছে, আবার একই সঙ্গে সাহস, সহনশীলতা ও পিতৃতন্ত্রের বিরুদ্ধে প্রতিবাদের প্রতীক হয়ে উঠেছে।

বাংলা সাহিত্যের এই অবিস্মরণীয় নারী চরিত্রগুলো দীর্ঘদিন ধরে নারীদের সংগ্রামের প্রতিচ্ছবি হয়ে আছে এবং তাদের শক্তিকে উদযাপন করেছে।

আমাদের সঙ্গে শুনুন, ভাবুন, আর আলোচনায় যোগ দিন। কোন গল্পগুলো আপনাকে স্পর্শ করেছে? কোন নারী চরিত্রগুলো আপনার মনে স্থায়ী হয়ে আছে?

আপনাদের মতামত জানাতে ইমেইল করুন: [email protected]।

In conversation between:

*Zakia Afrin, Director, Survivor Advocacy at Maitri is also Founder of Auditiya, a social and cultural platform promoting feminism, human rights and social Justice issues in Bangladesh and the diaspora. www.auditiya.com 

*Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention & Policy Advocacy and the host of the Maitri Podcast, Between Friends, Conversation with Maitri (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAXam2z_Ro4JhXZqOQH7OyIjKDD1szHOb)

Books we discussed: 

1. Streer Patra (The Wife's Letter) is a short story written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1914.

2. Noshtoneer or Nashtanir, (The Broken Nest) is a 1901 Bengali novella written by Rabindranath Tagore.

3. Ghôre Baire  (At home and outside) is a 1916 novel by by Rabindranath Tagore 

4. Dahan, a novel by Suchitra Bhattacharya, published in 1996

5. Draupadi, a short story by Mahasweta Devi was published in 1978 

You can find All Tagore books here: https://archive.org/search?query=Tagore 

1. সুলতানার স্বপ্ন / Sultana’s Dream  (Performance by Auditiya at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco)

2. লাল সালু /Lal Shalu

3. আমি বীরাঙ্গনা বলছি/ Ami Birangona Bolchi (Auditiya Interview on the English Translation, War Heroines Speak)

4. আমি দ্রৌপদী/ Ami Droupodi

Policy Advocacy: Part 4: What every domestic violence survivor & advocate should know about Artificial Intelligence. In our fourth Policy Matters presentation, we interview Adam Dodge, founder of EndTAB.org, about what every survivor and advocate should know about Artificial Intelligence. This episode was curated by the Maitri Policy Advocacy Program and facilitated by Smitha Chandrasekhar, a Maitri volunteer who is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.The United Nations Program for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, reported in November 2025 that approximately 16 to 58 percent of women worldwide are impacted by technology-facilitated violence, an issue only being amplified by the onset of AI-powered online abuse. AI and large language models that have been trained on content containing gender stereotypes and are now integrated into many everyday platforms, such as X’s Grok AI or Meta AI. These platforms are now being used to further propagate the spread of gender based abuse in an even more violent and widespread manner than before.Since the boom of artificial intelligence via ChatGPT in 2023, AI has become a household name and topic across the globe. In this new reality, both new challenges and new opportunities are at the forefront of the conversation for domestic violence survivors and advocates alike.Our guest is Adam Dodge. As the founder of EndTAB.org (Ending Technology-Enabled Abuse), and the Tech-savvy parent (https://www.thetechsavvyparent.com/) Adam’s work is characterized by his dedication to addressing the existing and future threats posed by technology to victims of crime and gender-based violence. He haswritten extensively on technology-enabled abuse, non-consensual pornography, and created the first resource guide for victims of Nonconsensual Deepfake Pornography. Adam spends a great deal of his time delivering innovative technology-enabled abuse presentations to organizations around the world. He is also a special advisor to the Coalition Against Stalkerware and sits on the World Economic Forum’s Pathways toDigital Justice Advisory Committee. Adam has been interviewed on the subject of tech-enabled abuse for Vogue, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal. SELF Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Gizmodo, GQ, and the MIT Technology Review. A licensed attorney in California, he earned his JD by way of McGeorge and HastingsCollege of the Law.

South Asian Men in the Gender Justice Movement:

Did you know that in 2023, over 51,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or family members? (UN Women)

Violence against women is often seen as a “women’s issue”, but it’s not! Since most acts of gender-based violence are committed by men, men must also be part of the solution.

In this episode of the Maitri Podcast, we sit down with two inspiring community leaders — Dr. Dasharath Yata, Executive Co-Director of SEWA-AIFW (Asian Indian Family Wellness), and Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of the South Asian Network (SAN). Together, they explore how men can engage in the movement for gender justice and help build safer, more compassionate communities.

This conversation is a reminder that ending gender-based violence requires all of us — and that change begins in the everyday moments: in our homes, friendships, and communities. Please share this interesting conversation with all men in your networks. 

Our Guest speakers: 

Dr. Dasharath Yata, Executive Co-Director of SEWA-AIFW (Asian Indian Family Wellness) is a passionate advocate for the South Asian community in Minnesota, leading programs that promote health, wellness, and social justice. SEWA-AIFW has been dedicated to bringing “Total Family Wellness” to the Twin Cities community since 2004. We have continued to expand and adapt to meet the needs of our community. Visit: https://www.sewa-aifw.org/

 Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of the South Asian Network (SAN) brings decades of experience organizing and empowering minority communities, advocating for civil rights, and building interfaith solidarity. South Asian Network is a community-rooted resource serving, supporting, & advocating for the South Asian community: Visit: https://southasiannetwork.org/#

Maitri Podcast Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager, Outreach, Prevention & Policy Advocacy

Maitri is a free, confidential, nonprofit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area that primarily helps families and individuals from South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives) facing domestic violence, emotional abuse, cultural alienation, or family conflict. 

Visit: www. maitri.org

In this Maitri podcast episode, Chanchal Garg opens up about the spiritual and sexual abuse that shook her identity and forced her to confront a life shaped by duty and sacrifice. She courageously shares her journey of personal transformation—unearthing hidden truths that have been buried under cultural obligations, spiritual trauma, and the silence often expected of women.This moving conversation offers courage and hope for anyone navigating cultural pressures, intergenerational conflicts, or the weight of victim-blaming.Chanchal Garg is a speaker, author, executive coach, and conscious leadership facilitator. For over eight years, she has facilitated a course on interpersonal dynamics at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Chanchal is also the author of Unearthed: The Lies We Carry and the Truths They Bury. 🌐 Website: chanchalgarg.comBook link: https://www.amazon.com/Unearthed-Lies-Carry-Truths-They/dp/B0F8LLD48L