Neela Banerjee Leads ExxonKnew Investigation
A landmark investigation into climate change transformed public understanding of corporate accountability. Reporting for InsideClimate News, Neela Banerjee led the ExxonKnew series, which revealed that Exxon scientists had long understood the dangers of global warming while the company publicly questioned the science. The investigation became a Pulitzer Prize finalist, sparked government inquiries, and helped reshape […]
Radhika Jones Named Editor-in-Chief of Vanity Fair
One of America’s most influential cultural magazines entered a new chapter when Radhika Jones became editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair in 2017. As the first Indian American and the first woman of color to lead the publication, she inherited a magazine that shaped national conversations around politics, culture, entertainment, and style. Her appointment reflected broader changes […]
Bobby Ghosh Named First Non-American World Editor of Time Magazine
International reporting assumed new prominence at Time magazine when Bobby Ghosh became its first non-American World Editor. Having reported extensively from conflict zones including Iraq, he brought first-hand experience to one of the world’s most influential news publications. His appointment reflected the increasingly global character of American journalism and placed a journalist of Indian origin […]
Sonny Mehta Leads Knopf as Most Influential US Publisher of His Generation
American literary publishing entered a remarkable era under Sonny Mehta’s leadership of Alfred A. Knopf. Over more than three decades, he championed Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and emerging voices whose books reshaped contemporary literature. His editorial judgment introduced generations of American readers to writers from around the world while strengthening Knopf’s reputation as one […]
Dev Pragad Acquires Newsweek
Newsweek entered a new era under Dev Pragad’s leadership after he acquired a major stake in the storied American news magazine and became its President and CEO. Facing declining readership and an uncertain future, the publication underwent a successful digital transformation that expanded its monthly audience from millions to more than 100 million readers while […]
Indian American Creators Reshape Beauty, Comedy, and Culture on Social Media
Social media transformed who could shape American culture without the backing of traditional media companies. Deepica Mutyala built Live Tinted into an influential beauty brand that challenged industry standards, while Ruhee Dosani introduced South Asian dance and humor to millions of followers. In 2017, Liza Koshy officially became the fastest YouTube creator to reach 10 […]
Rohit Vyas Pioneers South Asian American Broadcast Journalism
Rohit Vyas helped establish Indian American visibility in broadcast journalism through a career spanning more than four decades. His reporting brought South Asian perspectives into local television news, while his moderation of New Jersey’s first gubernatorial debate focused on Asian American voters signaled the growing political importance of the diaspora. By combining community reporting with […]
Mini Timmaraju Leads National Reproductive Rights Fight Post-Dobbs
In 2021, Mini Timmaraju became president and CEO of NARAL Pro-Choice America, one of the oldest and most influential reproductive rights organizations in the United States, taking the helm just as the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Under her leadership, the organization rebranded as Reproductive Freedom for All, mobilizing millions […]
Stop AAPI Hate Turns Community Data into Federal Law
When anti-Asian hate incidents surged in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Manju Kulkarni co-founded Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition that built the first national reporting system for anti-Asian bias in the United States. The data it gathered gave policymakers, journalists, and the public a documented picture of a crisis that had gone largely […]
Indian American Women Found National Organizations Defending Immigrant Workers
Bhairavi Desai founded the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in 1998, building the first collective bargaining voice for New York City’s largely immigrant taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, a workforce explicitly excluded from federal labor protections. Saru Jayaraman co-founded Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United) in 2001, creating a national organization advocating for improved wages, […]