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

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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

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.

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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

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

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

From India to Melbourne, Jenny Chawla’s journey is one of grit, passion, and reinvention. She opened her own cafe, Tosha, pouring her heart into building a community space that celebrated food and culture. But what happens when you decide to sell your dream?

In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, Jenny shares the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, the courage it takes to let go, and what’s next for her journey in Australia.

👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more stories of Indian women shaping their lives abroad.

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Or watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7RtsxloRhM

What does it mean to grow up Indian in New Zealand, build a startup in Melbourne, and fall in love across cultural and religious lines?

💫 In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, Yesha Patel, founder of After, opens up about her inspiring journey — from navigating identity as a South Asian woman to building a business that aims to solve the problem of textile waste.

She also shares her love story with a Bangladeshi Muslim man, breaking barriers of faith and tradition along the way.

✨ Watch the full conversation to explore identity, love, entrepreneurship, and what it truly means to live as an Indian woman abroad.

Find out more about After here: https://www.after.net.au/

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with your community of women abroad.

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If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials:

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Or watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTAU_gV8u6s

What does it mean to be Indian when you’re born in Dubai, study in Singapore, and build a life in Melbourne?

In this episode of Indian Women Abroad, host Mrinaal Datt sits down with Sonia Sarangi — architect, founder of Andever, and cultural storyteller — to explore how her journey across continents shaped her identity.

Sonia opens up about embracing her many cultural layers, why homes abroad often don’t fit Indian needs, and how creating a “cultural brief” can help design spaces that truly feel like home. If you’ve ever struggled with belonging, identity, or finding comfort in a foreign land, this conversation will speak to you.Sonia's article titled "Reclaiming South Asian Culture in Modern Home Design" for SAARI can be found here: https://saaricollective.com.au/cultur...👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with your community of women abroad.Subscribe to the Indian Women Abroad newsletter: https://share.hsforms.com/1vwOOwYhnQk...If you liked this podcast, don't forget to like, comment, share and subscribe and follow us on our socials: / indianwomenabroad / indian-women-abroad / indianwomenabroad / indianwomenabroad Or watch now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN4BdwCRCJg

Manpreet Sekhon, also known as the Curry Queen, owns three restaurants in Australia. These include Eastern Spice, Masti and Elchi.

In this conversation with Indian Women Abroad, she shares her journey of building a career in hospitality, which is generally dominated by men.

She also reveals her journey as an employee in the hospitality industry back in India, and how that helped shaped her experience and growth when she moved to a new country.

You can find more about Manpreet here: https://www.instagram.com/curry.queen.au/

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Or watch now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHSYWLxuxZQ