Random Rukus Avenue Radio Podcasts

Maya Batra is a singer-songwriter, and producer from Los Angeles. Maya has been in the studio recording vocals for film and session work since the age of six. She is now hired as a vocalist, songwriter and producer for artists to help them find and develop their sound. After attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Maya finished her BA in Music Production and Composition at Australian Institute of Music in Sydney. Since moving back to Los Angeles, she has been mentored by Ben Folds, 1500 or Nothin, & Kari Kimmel amongst others. Maya has recently been hand selected by James Fauntleroy and Larance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin to be mentored in a scholarship program. Episode 25 of Maya Batra’s talk show, “You Matter Radio”.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: indian culture, Maya Batra, Rukus Avenue, Rukus Avenue Radio, South Asian Culture, You Matter, You Matter Radio

Shiksha Mahtani is a Host, Actress, Dancer, Choreographer, and Writer living in Los Angeles, CA.She started hosting with AfterBuzz TV in September of 2019. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, jazz funk, hip hop, bollywood, and other various dance styles. She focuses her choreography on Bollywood and Bollywood Fusion (fusing bollywood with the aforementioned western styles). Shiksha Mahtani, an American citizen, fully Indian in heritage, was born in Santiago, Chile. She moved to the United States when she was only six years old. Having been born in South America she grew up bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish fluently. Raised in Nashville, TN, she was fully exposed to the American culture while keeping her Indian roots. She grew up in a very traditional Indian home, which in turn taught her much about the Indian culture. It is because of her unique background that she is completely comfortable immersing herself in American, Indian, or Spanish crowds. Shiksha started performing in front of people from the age of three and never stopped. Her passion for dance and acting have driven her to participate in various plays, musicals, and yearly dance performances while growing up. Apart from regularly attending both actor and dance classes/workshops in both Los Angeles and India, Shiksha has also joined forces with AfterBuzz TV where she hosts, at minimum, 6 aftershows a week. She is driven and determined to make her dreams come true. Shiksha graduated from the University of Richmond with a double major in Leadership Studies and Political Science, as well as a concentration in Social Justice and Gender Equality. She hopes to one day combine her passion for social justice and gender equality with her passion for hosting, dancing, acting, and performing. Bollywood has always been a constant in Shiksha’s life. She has grown up watching the movies, listening to the music, and admiring the actors. Her deep passion for Bollywood and the Indian culture has driven Shiksha to look for ways to share her knowledge and love, for both, with the world. From hosting different Indian events, starting a Bollywood dance team, and hosting a Bollywood news show, Shiksha is always looking for more ways to share her love for her culture with those around her. Episode 39 of Shiksha “Bollywood” Mahtani’s talk show, “Bollywood Break”.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Bollywood, Bollywood Break, Dash Radio, Rukus Avenue, Rukus Avenue Radio, Shiksha Mahtani, South Asian Culture

“Conversation offers the antidote to apathy, the catalyst for relationships, and the birth of the next idea!” Abhay Dandekar has spent much of his life in conversation with people from every generation. He is a devoted father and husband, and an avid fan of sharing stories about the South Asian experience. Talented individuals are making progress in every profession, every genre of art, every journey – the South Asian diaspora has folded these into our collective ongoing narrative. We are better off to hear them shared broadly and inform ourselves. “Trust Me…I Know What I’m Doing” presents a snapshot of this ongoing dialogue! Abhay is a proud American who draws upon deep cultural roots from Maharashtra, India. He was born and raised by his parents and grandparents in Los Angeles, and now lives with his family in the Bay Area. Abhay has been a physician for over 20 years, and is profoundly committed to medical education, advocating for children, and advancing equitable healthy outcomes in our health systems and communities. Developing trust through dialogue and conversation has been a foundational bedrock in his journey. Abhay is an enthusiast of all forms of art, takes pop culture and sporting matters seriously, and yearns to be outdoors as much as possible. Most importantly, while Abhay encourages impactful exercises in intellectual rigor and curiosity, he is also someone who isn’t afraid to often dance like an uncle. “Because every story told is a lesson learned. Because every lesson learned is a story waiting to be heard!” Physician, comedian, and podcaster, Priyanka Wali, joins Abhay for a conversation about merging her passions, about her journey as an extroverted introvert, and on the lessons learned through “Hypochondriactor”.

Categories: Society & Culture

Tags: Abhay, Abhay Dandekar, indian culture, Rukus Avenue, Rukus Avenue Radio, South Asian Culture, Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing

Born in Southern California (USA), since 2015 Dj ARTiFX has rerooted himself in India and now resides in South Gujarat. With over 20 yrs of musical experience, Dj ARTiFX has evolved through the entertainment spectrum in Los Angeles, California from TV commercials and modeling, in his early years, to Djing and music production through the decades to follow. After falling in love with the studio environment, he pursued a career as an audio engineer and earned his BAS in Sound Arts at SAE Express Episode 55 of Dj Artifx’s hip hop show, “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop”.

Categories: Music, Society & Culture

Tags: DJ Artifix, DJ Uri, hip-hop, indian culture, It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop, Rukus Avenue, Rukus Avenue Radio, South Asian Culture