TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

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) Introduction
(3:01) Part 1 - being a "free agent", learned lessons from previous roles, what it's like to be an executive
(13:13) Part 2 - baseball culture, his own multicultural background
(26:03) Part 3 - unlearning, pitching in 2025, cultivating teams, legacy
(38:04) Conclusion

A big shout out to Nick and Brad and all the humans and canines over at Al’s Barbershop in Alameda - where everyone leaves a little smarter, a little happier, and with a little less hair.

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, why his walking matters
(39:51) Conclusion

As begrudgingly as I can say it, congrats to any Eagles fans out there - there… I said it, OK?

I’m a fan of feedback, so if you have thoughts or suggestions, send em over to [email protected]

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
(15:02) Part 2 - making films with important themes, one-word descriptors, lessons
(26:32) Conclusion

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.

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 through rehabilitation efforts in urban and rural areas.
(0:00 - 3:40) Introduction
(3:40) Part 1 - stories of entry, stories of trust, helping to manage trauma
(21:32) Part 2 - using compasion as a vehicle, maintaining and sustaining gains, how to promote needed change

Please visit Satyarthimovement.org and satyarthi.org to learn more about their global work.  If you are listening in the US and may be aware of someone who is a victim of humantrafficking, please call 888-373-7888.

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 reflects on the emotional outlet that blues provides and the lessons learned from performing. Aki also explores the relationship between art and identity, expressing optimism for the future of music and his upcoming album. Check out his website (akikumar.com) for news and details about upcoming shows!

Now there are lots of people who  love Bollywood music, and there are certainly a lot of people who love American blues music. But what happens when those two worlds meet?  And that’s what set the stage for a conversation I shared with Aki Kumar, a musician and singer who for over the past decade has been trying to ensure that the intersection of these two musical genres is a space that you need to pay attention to.  Aki was born and raised in Mumbai and came to the US to study computer science - ok that part isn’t without a playbook or blueprint.  But with a passion for Indian music and a deep new embrace for American blues history and local blues performances, Aki set about to express himself by blending melodies from Hindi films with blues music, garnering a buzz for his performances everywhere, many local awards along the way, and the title of “San Jose’s king of Bollywood Blues”.  Now I have to tell you, that I caught one of his shows here in the Bay Area, and from experiencing Aki on stage, his singing, his killer harmonica style, and his superb band,  I could not have asked for a more entertaining way to enjoy both true Americana mixed with some soulful imaginations of Indian music.  Now for me this was all a pleasant surprise because I had made some natural assumptions about what Bollywood Blues might be, so as we   began chatting, I asked him if he also made assumptions about persona or expectations when it came to his unique brand of making music?

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.

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 information
(13:45) Part 2 - Anatomy of a news story, A.I.disruption, South Asian background
(29:28) Part 3 - Combating disinformation, unlearning, joy and optimism
(41:30) Conclusion

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.

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 - collaborations and learning, "connecting the dots", legacy on listeners
(38:00) Conclusion

Like many, my heart and soul go out to those who are struggling as a result of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Please help contribute to the American Red Cross, Mutual Aid LA Network, various Go FundMe efforts, Save the Children, and Baby2Baby. Hoping for a safe, peaceful, and supportive recovery for everyone.

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 her way to nutritional psychiatry
(16:23) Part 2 - unlearnings, South Asian themes
(31:24) Part 3 - nutrition and anxiety in youth and teens, gut microbiome, rituals and routines to build upon
(44:39) Conclusion

Also please note that the content here should not be taken as medical advice, and is for informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your own healthcare professional team for any medical questions or concerns.

Lastly, Dr. Naidoo has many fans out there of her books ... even Tom Brady!

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.
(0:00 - 3:00) Introduction
(3:00) Part 1 - competitiveness, performance mindset, defining goals and excellence
(17:23) Part 2 - surprises in working with athletes, Indian heritage, lessons learned, unhealthy wins and healthy losses
(43:03) Part 3 - the aging athlete, finding peace and cultivating trust
(57:15) Conclusion

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 stories, temperament of an activist, racial intersections and interrogations
(36:48) Part 3 - unlearnings as activists, "3D activism", lasting impressions
(47:40) Conclusion

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Local Bay Area photography shout out to George Nixon - the ultimate pro!