Shows
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingHindustani: Urdu Shayari x Abhishek ShuklaWe are celebrating the International Mother Tongue Day and dropping a few episodes talking to poets and writers of Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu) language. This mid-season drop has episodes recorded bilingually in Hindi/Urdu and English.Guest author: Abhishek ShuklaHost: Upasna Kakroo Produced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Ira NagarBooks/media in the episode:Harf-e-awara by Abhishek ShuklaMujh Ko Meri Yaad Aa Rahi Hai by Farhat EhsasKulliaat by Mir Taqi MirHansti Shabnam Rote Phool by Ajiz Matwi
2026-02-1030 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingHindustani: Urdu Shayari x Aamir Azher KhanWe are celebrating the International Mother Tongue Day and dropping a few episodes talking to poets and writers of Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu) language. This mid-season drop has episodes recorded bilingually in Hindi/Urdu and English.Guest author: Aamir Azher KhanHost: Upasna Kakroo Produced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Ira NagarBooks/media in the episode:Delhi Ki Aakhri Shamah by Mirza Farhatullah BegThe Broken Spell by Dr. Pasha Khan
2026-02-0938 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Desi Joys Versus Trauma PornWhite authors aren't tasked with writing stories addressing colonialism, inequality, racism, etc. Desi writers have that burden placed upon them (internally & externally: our readership demands it and the publishing industry rewards it). How do we not feed into trauma porn? How do we nurture and grow a readership that connects with and cares about our "joys" as much as our trauma? What is self-love other than our focus on stories of our successes, triumphs and joys?Guest author: Nadir ShahCo-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma HussainProduced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Niloufer Wad...
2025-09-1831 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: LGBTQiA Representation & CelebrationSouth Asia has had a long history of unique reprepresentation of various genders from the Hijra community to Shikhandi in the Mahabharata, but how are we rep-ing today? This episode deals with the representation of different gender and sexual identities in literature and why they're critical for building inclusive and loving cultures.Guest author: Adib KhorramCo-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma HussainProduced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Niloufer WadiaResearch: Imtiaz Ali and Diksha SharmaSupported by: The Very Asian FoundationBooks/media in the...
2025-09-1731 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Desi Model Minority Myth and PerfectionismOur (Asian) culture has a fascination with "good" children. Obedience and co-dependency is baked into our idea of what makes a good and bad life or child. In this episode we talk about these model minority myths and how we can subvert these limiting narratives of what success means.Guest author: Annika SharmaCo-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma HussainProduced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Niloufer WadiaResearch: Imtiaz Ali and Diksha SharmaSupported by: The Very Asian FoundationBooks/media in...
2025-09-1626 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Colorism & Desi Beauty StandardsIn this episode of Zubaani we talk with full time writer and a full time model, Jyoti Rajan Gopal who dazzles the world with grace and gray hair. And importantly, we discuss, how do we break the European beauty standards and notions of what is pretty in our desi communities? What does it take to reclaim our self-worth and build safe spaces of belonging no matter how we look?Guest author: Jyoti Rajan GopalCo-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma HussainProduced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Niloufer WadiaRe...
2025-09-1532 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Love languages & desi dating cultureIn DDLJ, the father says "ja, Simran, ja." Was that not every desi father telling his daughter, 'go follow your heart?' We swoon. We die. We believe Shah Rukh Khan is a global treasure. Almost every South Asian writer is writing about love in one way or another. How does it show up in our homes? How does it work along lines of gender, caste, class, and age?Guest author: Uzma Jalaludin Co-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma HussainProduced by: PeerbaghEpisode cover art: Niloufer Wadia...
2025-09-0829 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Stories of ConflictWelcome to Season 2 of the Zubaani podcast by nonprofit Peerbagh. Season two takes a deep dive into the topic of intergenerational storytelling with writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo as cohosts.Episode 5, Season 2: Stories of ConflictIn this podcast episode, we talk about stories of internalized or external conflict that are often hidden in families. Books we discuss may work as tools and resources to help navigate through these complex journeys in our families.Books and other trivia discussed in this episode:The Secret Diary of Mona Hassan (Sal...
2025-06-2534 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Festivals & FolkloreWelcome to Season 2 of the Zubaani podcast by nonprofit Peerbagh. Season two takes a deep dive into the topic of intergenerational storytelling with writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo as cohosts.Episode 4, Season 2: Festivals & Folklore In this podcast episode, we talk about festivals and folklore from South Asia in today's times. Festivals present an easy entry point into sharing culture and the region's diversity. We also talk about folk and our cultural pasts that are all in fact changing and adapting with newer context. Books we discuss present these ideas with imaginative and inclusiv...
2025-06-1832 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Rewriting NarrativesWelcome to Season 2 of the Zubaani podcast by nonprofit Peerbagh. Season two takes a deep dive into the topic of intergenerational storytelling with writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo as cohosts.Episode 3, Season 2: Rewriting NarrativesIn this podcast episode, we discuss retellings that are being written for South Asian settings. We also talk about what makes these retellings authentic. The episode also talks about the colonial impact in defining hierarchies in art and writing. This has led to an odd othering of South Asian stories in the West, and we talk about desi wri...
2025-06-1133 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: Food MemoriesWelcome to Season 2 of the Zubaani podcast by nonprofit Peerbagh. Season two takes a deep dive into the topic of intergenerational storytelling with writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo as cohosts.Episode 2, Season 2: Food MemoriesIn this podcast episode, we discuss the role of food in storytelling and building cultural identities. We also feature children's books that bring this aspect of South Asian culture for kids and families. Mangoes are included :-)Books and other trivia discussed in this episode:100 Chapatis – Picture Book, by Derek Mascarenhas (Author), Shantala Robinson (Illust...
2025-06-0433 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingZubaani: The Stories We CarryWelcome to Season 2 of the Zubaani podcast by nonprofit Peerbagh. "Zubaani" in Hindustani translates to "through the language" or "by means of language". Season two takes a deep dive into the topic of intergenerational storytelling with writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo as cohosts.Research shows intergenerational storytelling is like a resource (similar to air, clean water) but it is inequitably distributed. Whether you live in the subcontinent or the diaspora, colonial rule and its subsequent conflicts have left the South Asian subcontinent wounded. There is intense loss of human stories that tell the...
2025-05-2731 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingS1 Ep 5: HindustaniEpisode 5: Hindustani
In this episode of Zubaani by Peerbagh, we speak to Urdu educator and influencer, Tamania Naqi. The episode is in Hindustani and English. We talked about contextualizing and modernizing language and stories for children in a new generation and those in the diaspora. Naqi talks about raising multilingual children that helps wire their brains to be more creative. She also shared the colonial impact on South Asians that has historically created a need to be English-speaking over giving importance to regional and local languages. We talk about tips and ideas for parents who are willing...
2024-12-0220 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingS1 Ep 4: Born Confused?Episode 4: Born Confused?
In this episode of Zubaani by Peerbagh, we talk about the experiences of families in the diaspora that straddle two worlds between the subcontinent and the immigrant culture they're a part of. Researchers believe that the community-oriented culture of South Asians often clashes with the individualistic experiences in the West with elders and youth having different preferences toward their host culture. We spoke to author and influencer Jyoti Chand popularly known as Mamajotes about her experiences of being a part of an Indian-Burmese family with multiple languages and a very blended cultural setup. Chand...
2024-12-0219 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingS1 Ep 3: Passing the TorchEpisode 3: Passing the Torch
This episode of Zubaani by Peerbagh talks about the tools and resources parents can use to encourage storytelling and creative imagination in kids. We spoke to educator and children's book author, Natasha Padhiar who shared how children imitate their family members and how family storytelling can develop a love of stories and reading. We also discussed the role of diverse stories for South-Asian diaspora families including stories from a host culture along with stories from their heritage culture to learn from.
Natasha questioned the tokenism that may be...
2024-12-0121 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingS1 Ep 2: Roots of WisdomEpisode 2: Roots of Wisdom
This episode of Zubaani by Peerbagh delves into intergenerational storytelling and how memory-sharing helps parents or elders pass on wisdom to the next generation. Researchers argue that intergenerational storytelling is a developmental resource and is often inequitably available. This injustice impacts everyone but marginalized communities that need them the most.
We speak to writer and publisher Anusha Velluswamy. She talks about this topic through the lens of her children's book about a sweet bond between a child and her grandmother. Anusha shares her life experience as a child...
2024-12-0119 min
Zubaani: South-Asian Parenting Tips and StorytellingS1 Ep 1: Far From the TreeThe first season of Zubaani is produced by Peerbagh with Upasna Kakroo as the host. "Zubaani" in Hindustani translates to "through the language" or "by means of language." The first season talks about South-Asian parenting tips and storytelling for our future- showcasing folk, personal, and regional stories that build our common myths and community as people.
Episode 1: Far from the tree
This episode delves into the complicated experiences of South-Asian immigrant parents or those who grow up away from their heritage cultures. We talk about the challenges parents face in teaching their child...
2024-12-0119 min
Storytelling with Shweta“Wake up, Kumbhakarna, Wake up” - A Ramayana StoryIn this episode of Storytelling with Shweta, we will hear a story from the ancient Ramayana. Today’s story is about waking Kumbhakarna the Asura up from his enchanted sleep. Kumbhakarna is an iconic character in Indian mythology. He is the brother of Ravana and enemy of the gods. This story was performed live at the Peerbagh Varta Festival at the Ann Arbor District Library. This was a South Asian literary event that focused on oral storytelling traditions. The story was originally written for a live audience with lots of interaction with the listeners, but it’s been adapted for...
2024-10-1714 min
Give Back EconomyPeerbaghUpasna Kakroo is the CEO-USA of Peerbagh located in Austin, Texas. Check out
https://www.peerbagh.com/ re books.
Find out more at https://give-back-economy.pinecast.co
2024-02-0325 min
The Teacher StoryEp.72-Season 3 Finale: A Gratitude Message to My Guests & A Reading from The Guided Teacher-Jackie ScullyIn the Season 3 finale, I share a heartfelt gratitude message to the incredible guests who made this journey memorable. This season was filled with stories about innovation and entrepreneurship in education. I share a special moment by reading an excerpt from my book, The Guided Teacher. This segment focuses on the moral of the story and unveils my vision for education. It's a moment of reflection, gratitude, and a glimpse into the core principles that guide my work. I look forward to sharing more stories and insights in Season 4, which kicks off January 7th, 2024!Check out my...
2023-11-2612 min
The Teacher StoryEp.66-Empowering Young Voices: Diverse Storytelling-Peerbagh CEO, Upasna KakrooIn this episode, we're joined by Upasna Kakroo, an innovative marketing and communications leader who has spent nearly two decades at the forefront of brand strategy. With a remarkable career that's unfolded across four global markets, she's been instrumental in shaping the narrative of brands and creating captivating stories that resonate with diverse audiences.She is currently the driving force behind Peerbagh, an organization with a unique mission—to ignite the imaginations of children and families through storytelling inspired by the rich tapestry of South Asia.We discover her passion for children's books—she's a publ...
2023-10-1535 min