On this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Dr. Jha shares his inspiring journey from growing up in a small village in Bihar, India, to being asked by the President of the United States to join his administration. He also opens up about facing racism in high school and how support at Columbia University helped shape his dual identity and career.

About Indianness:
Indianness is a vibrant community for Indian Diaspora changemakers. We aim to foster engagement, collaboration, and mentorship through our platform. Our mission is to capture the inspirational stories of our community while creating opportunities for all our members through

Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Journey
03:01 Dr. Jha’s childhood memories in Bihar.
08:51 The great unknown of moving to Canada.
17:11 The move to New Jersey and the harsh reality of facing racism.
19:25 Facing a high school teacher who told him to change his name.
25:47 Learning to embrace both his Indian and American identities.
38:59 The President’s invitation to join the White House as COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
40:00 The privilege of working in the West Wing as an Indian immigrant.
41:25 The value of building and maintaining meaningful relationships.
42:34 Why service is one of the most enriching experiences in life.

Resources Mentioned:
Dr. Ashish Jha –
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashish-jha-b9aab41/
Columbia University –
https://www.columbia.edu
Brown University School of Public Health –
https://graduateprograms.brown.edu/graduate-program/public-health-mph?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=MPH&utm_content=traffic&creative=613468509292&keyword=brown%20university%20masters%20in%20public%20health&matchtype=b&network=g&device=c&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwreW2BhBhEiwAavLwfLqUIDqHZqKhWapyYPIskdsJHEW872WYuwCVEI0U4PObifvPrFTEdxoCRUIQAvD_BwE
Harvard Medical School –
https://hms.harvard.edu
University of Toronto –
https://www.utoronto.ca
World Health Organization (WHO) –
https://www.who.int

About your host
Sanjay Puri is a recognized authority on US-India relations. He serves as the Chairman of the US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC), a national, bipartisan political action committee representing Indian-Americans. He is also the founder of the Alliance for US India Business (AUSIB), an organization dedicated to strengthening economic ties between the US and India. He is also a successful technology entrepreneur, mentor and investor.

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