South Asian EPISODES

Uday Benegal is the founding vocalist of Indus Creed (formerly Rock Machine), the Bombay band that that arguably forced the rest of the world to acknowledge the existence of a culture that had always existed inside post-colonial India amidst the crossfire of an East and West not always as hypothetical as portrayed. Rock Music. Indus Creed navigated a global music industry with no label, no budget, and no precedent, and still managed to land an MTV Video Music Award at a time when public in...

There is an entire chapter of Indian music history that has shaped global music in unknown ways remains preserved only in the human memory of a select few. Sandhya Sanjana is one of those humans. Long before "world music" became a marketing category, she was part of a generation of home-grown South-Asian artists blurring the edges of jazz, global and Indian classical music by a trial and error met with genuine curiosity, rather than novelty. Co-founder one of India's earliest internatio...

(Rec. 23rd Oct 2025) Photo: © Peter Pavlov When a serendipitous turn of events resulted in Mahidhara's international debut being on one of the most visible stages of the world, the cascade of events that followed leading to an illustrious career that breaks multiple stereotypes in the arts industry by default, was not on a premeditated agenda, but a natural bi-product of a passionate and tenacious work ethic amply apparent even in her earlier formative years. We dig deeper to trace t...

In his third appearance on Tapasya Loading, guitarist, composer, and educator Rez Abbasi joins T.L. Mazumdar for a conversation that begins with music but doesn’t end there. Born in Karachi and raised in California, NYC-based guitarist Rez has long been a bridge between worlds: jazz, South Asian and urban traditions, intellect and instinct, virtuosic precision and play. Award-winning touring and recording artist and teacher at the New School in New York, he is known for a sound that is as ...

Composer, sarodist, and cultural shapeshifter Soumik Datta joins T.L. Mazumdar for a conversation that goes far beyond the usual talk of craft and career. Born in Mumbai and raised in London, Soumik grew up between cultures, mentored by Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta in Kolkata and later trained in composition at Trinity Laban. Today, he stands as one of the rare contemporary artists bridging heritage and innovation with equal devotion. His work spans collaborations with Beyoncé, Anoushka Shan...

What happens when social expectations collide with artistic vision? In this episode, vocalist, producer, and founder of Tamil Jazz Collective, Harini Iyer shares her journey of carving out a path beyond conventional definitions of success. With a diverse background including engineering and business analysis, and a Grammy nomination as part of a Berklee ensemble, Harini’s story bridges the worlds of structure and improvisation. From navigating the pressures of tradition, playing the quintessenti...

What does it take to sustain both a marriage and a creative partnership—without one overshadowing the other? In this long-awaited conversation, we sit down with Kiran Ahluwalia & Rez Abbasi, a powerhouse couple who have built extraordinary solo careers while seamlessly collaborating as partners in both life and music. From navigating creative differences to maintaining individuality within a shared artistic vision, Kiran and Rez open up about the complexities of working side by side in an ind...

Canada-based Indian Jazz Vocalist Shruti Ramani speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Innovator & Musician Rajesh Mehta Speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Boston-bred Vocal Coach Zachary Daniel Ray speaks to T.L. Mazumdar on his life in India

Madhura Talluri speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Iconic British-Asian Singer/Author/Coach Sheila Chandra speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Founder of SNS Arts, Shreya Nagarajan Singh talks to T.L. Mazumdar

Kolkata-bred Jazz/Avant-Garde musician Bodhisattwa Ghosh speaks to T.L. Mazumdar

Surviving member of pioneering band D For Brother, Amyt Datta speaks to T.L. Mazumdar.

T.L. Mazumdar speaks to London-based US-Indian Violinist/Composer, and Fullbright scholar, Preetha Narayanan.

T.L. Mazumdar talks to pioneer British-Asian singer Sheila Chandra.