What does home mean when life is built in one country and memory is rooted in another? For many Indians living in the United States, home is not defined by a single address. It can be found in the aroma of rice cooking in the kitchen, a familiar recipe shared across generations, the first home bought after years of hard work or the ways people continue to stay present for family in India.
As Sarina Jain says, “ Don’t ever be embarrassed to be where you come from . He says he does not simply make perfume; he brings back memories. This layered idea of belonging lies at the heart of Diaspora Dialogues by TOI, a podcast series exploring what it means to build a life between two cultures. Through candid conversations with South Asians, the series moves beyond broad labels such as ‘NRI’ or ‘Indian American’ to explore identity, ambition, sacrifice, creativity and belonging. Guests such as fitness entrepreneur Sarina Jain, chef Vikas Khanna, actor Kal Penn and cricketer Saurabh Netravalkar speak about lives shaped by continuity and change. Across these conversations, adaptation emerges not as a rejection of the past, but as a way of carrying parts of it into a new life, giving them new meaning. This idea runs through the series: culture can travel, evolve, and become part of a new life. When food becomes a way of remembering For the South Asian diaspora, food is one of the most immediate ways of staying connected to home. A dish can bring back a childhood kitchen, a festival, a family gathering or the comfort of a meal prepared by a parent. In his conversation on Diaspora Dialogues, Kal Penn recalls undhiyu , a dish associated with family, community and tradition. Yusuf Bhai’s story offers a complementary perspective from the wider global diaspora. His journey from Kerala to Qatar and Dubai, and his work in the world of perfume, are rooted in memory. That emotional connection also shows up in the everyday ingredients used in South Asian homes across the US. Rice, lentils, beans, spices and regional staples help families maintain rituals, introduce younger generations to the flavours of their heritage and make a new home feel familiar.
This is the larger context in which Sistar Mortgage can be introduced.
His observation that “ that sacrifice is patriotism ” reflects the many ways in which people continue to remain connected to the places and people who shaped them. For families living away from India, access to familiar staples can make it easier to keep these rituals alive. Laxmi Basmati enters this everyday space, bringing familiar Indian ingredients into kitchens where food often becomes a way to preserve memory and pass tradition to the next generation. Here, food is not simply about what is served on the table. In that sense, the kitchen becomes one of the places where belonging is practised, rather than simply remembered. Putting down roots in a new country Starting over in another country can involve uncertainty. It may mean leaving behind familiar networks, adjusting to a new professional environment and finding confidence in a place where the rules are not always obvious. Saurabh Netravalkar’s story captures that experience. After being dropped from Mumbai’s cricket pathway, he pursued engineering, completed a master’s degree at Cornell and eventually returned to the sport through Team USA. His journey offers a powerful lens on the courage to begin again while holding on to an ambition that never truly disappeared. For many members of the Indian diaspora, putting down roots eventually takes the form of buying a home. Homeownership can represent stability after years of transition, a place for family and friends to gather, and the confidence to imagine a longer future in a new country. The company offers mortgage solutions and personalised guidance to homebuyers as they navigate the process of understanding their options and planning for homeownership. For those buying a home for the first time, having access to clear information and human guidance can make an unfamiliar process easier to approach. A home, in this context, becomes more than a property. It becomes a point of continuity- a space where old traditions and new experiences can exist together. Staying connected across borders Migration is rarely an individual story. Behind every person who builds a career or business abroad are relationships, memories and connections that continue across borders. Vikas Khanna’s conversation brings this emotional reality into focus. His journey from Amritsar to becoming one of the most recognised Indian chefs in the world is also a story of distance, sacrifice, and building a life away from family. For families separated by geography, sending money home can be one practical expression of care. It may help someone participate in an important family moment, support a loved one’s plans or simply remain connected to everyday life back in India. The meaning lies not only in the transaction, but in the thought and relationship behind it. Remitly is part of this larger ecosystem of cross-border connection. Its digital service enables people in the US to send money to India, giving them a way to support family and stay involved across distances. In the broader story of diaspora life, remittances are not merely financial transfers. They can be a simple, meaningful way of expressing care when families live in different countries. Carrying home forward A recipe, a home and a money transfer to family may appear to belong to different parts of life. Yet each reflects the same underlying instinct: the desire to remain connected while moving forward. That is what makes the stories on Diaspora Dialogues by TOI so relatable. They are not simply stories about migration. They are stories about making choices, finding belonging and deciding which parts of home to carry along. Support from like-minded brands helps conversations like these reach a wider audience and creates space for more nuanced stories from the global South Asian community. Diaspora Dialogues by TOI is streaming on YouTube and major podcast platforms. Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Diaspora Dialogues by Times Internet’s Spotlight team. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.