Rajiv Satyal
Rajiv Satyal, aka ‘The Funny Indian’ was born and raised in Hamilton, Ohio to Indian immigrant parents, he traded a marketing career at Procter & Gamble for a life onstage and never looked back. Rajiv has since opened for Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Russell Peters, and more. His viral video I AM INDIAN has […]
Nimesh Patel
Nimesh Patel made history in 2017 as the first Indian American writer on Saturday Night Live — but the story of how he got there is just as good. A young comic performing in Brooklyn caught the eye of Chris Rock, who recruited him to write for the 88th Academy Awards. From there: an Emmy […]
Hasan Minhaj
Hasan Minhaj is a comedian, writer, and political commentator who brought Indian American perspectives into the mainstream of American public discourse. He first gained national prominence as a correspondent on The Daily Show before achieving wider acclaim with his one-man special Homecoming King, which won a Peabody Award. Through stand-up comedy, television, and political commentary, […]
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari is a comedian, actor, writer, and producer who helped reshape how Indian American experiences are portrayed on television. After gaining national recognition on Parks and Recreation, he created and starred in Master of None, a critically acclaimed series that explored identity, family, relationships, and immigrant life with unusual depth and nuance. The show […]
Zarna Garg
Few careers in American comedy have begun as unexpectedly as Zarna Garg’s. At fourteen, she left her home in Mumbai after refusing an arranged marriage, rebuilt her life in Akron, Ohio, earned a law degree, and spent sixteen years as a New York City stay-at-home mom before her daughter encouraged her to try stand-up comedy. […]
Bhaskar Menon
Bhaskar Menon was a pioneering music executive who rose to the highest levels of the global recording industry. After serving as President and CEO of Capitol Records, he became Chairman and CEO of EMI Music Worldwide, one of the most powerful music companies of its era. He oversaw a catalogue that included artists such as […]
Hari Kondabolu
Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer, and filmmaker whose work challenged longstanding portrayals of South Asians in American popular culture. In 2017, he released the documentary The Problem with Apu, a widely discussed examination of the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from The Simpsons. The film sparked a national conversation about stereotypes, representation, and who gets to […]
Annette Philip
Annette Philip is a vocalist, educator, and academic leader who helped institutionalize Indian music within American higher education. In 2011, she founded the Berklee Indian Ensemble at the Berklee College of Music, creating the first program of its kind at a major American music institution. Under her leadership, the ensemble brought Indian classical and contemporary […]
Dalip Singh Rana aka The Great Khali
Dalip Singh Rana, known professionally as The Great Khali, is a professional wrestler who became one of the most recognizable international stars in WWE history. Standing 7 feet 1 inch tall, he captured the World Heavyweight Championship in 2007, becoming the first Indian-born wrestler to win a world title in WWE. His imposing presence and […]
Archie Panjabi
Archie Panjabi is an award-winning actress whose performance as Kalinda Sharma on The Good Wife earned widespread critical acclaim. In 2010, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, becoming one of the first actresses of South Asian heritage to receive the honor. Her portrayal of a complex, intelligent […]