According to a study by The Print, the average podcast listenership in India touched a whopping 50.6 million people monthly in the year 2018 alone, with the pandemic opening up a plethora of avenues for content creators to innovate and enable their voices to reach a larger audience.
Podcasts and audio-driven content has seen its highest spike in consumption ever over the last 3 years. Podcast hosts across the world are creating longer and meaningful content that has proliferated what is now a content-driven digital market.
Several podcasts shine through as powerful voices emerge with poignant commentary and opinions on topics that are often not given enough importance in mainstream forms of media. Here is Homegrown’s selection of 5 South-Asian hosted podcasts that give the diaspora a distinct identity in the podcast realm.
I. The Cardamom Podcast
Host Nadya Agrawal brings a refreshing new voice to view varied topics such as news, culture & politics from a South-Asian perspective. The podcast which primarily revolves around society and culture sparks conversations of a larger, global context through a uniquely South-Asian viewpoint.
You can listen to The Cardamom podcast here.
II. Sarees on Screen
With new episodes releasing every Friday, Sarees on Screen covers a wide range of topics that include South-Asian politics, patriarchy and pop culture. The podcast is hosted by two brown, queer feminists, Usha and Rekha who bring very powerful yet witty commentary on South-Asian involvement in the realms that their show covers.
You can listen to Sarees on Screen here.
III. Butter Chicken Podcast
An absolute auditory treat for diasporic communities, the Butter Chicken Podcast is hosted by DJ Sharad & DJ Juicy who are skilled storytellers sharing snippets of South-Asian immigrant lives. The conversations which are light and smooth-flowing, cover various topics ranging from music, South-Asian profiles, sneaker culture, and more.
You can listen to the Butter Chicken podcast here.
IV. City of Women
This unique female-run podcast delves into conversations around calculated strategies, backdoor negotiations, and the absurd lengths Indian women have to go to feel free in their own cities. The podcast is a light-hearted take on crucial conversations that dictate the safety and concerns of women living in Indian cities today.
You can listen to City of Women here.
V. Brown History Podcast
Toronto based Ahsun Zafar hosts this well-researched and detailed podcast that delves deep into the history of marginalised South-Asian communities. The podcast covers moments in history that were less-often spoken about but were momentous for several pockets of South-Asian settlements across the world.
You can listen to Brown History podcast here.
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