EP-459 I A Bangalorean in USA since 1963 who has seen India and America over the years

M. Farook Sait is an attorney at law who moved to America from India in 1963, at the age of 23. He served as Special Counsel to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1972 to 2012. Over the past six decades, he has witnessed some of the most defining moments in American history.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Farook Sait discusses his early years in America, his experiences with racism, and the realities of the American Dream. He also talks about the H-1B visa debate and how life in America has changed for the Indian diaspora.

For more information on PILOT's initiatives to support girls' education, visit https://impilot.org/

00:00 – Introduction

01:02 – Moving to the U.S. in 1963

04:04 – Discrimination in America

08:42 – Studying in Alabama

15:04 – Life in Segregated American South

18:54 – Love Story with Yvette

33:24 – Elvis Presley Fan

39:14 – John F. Kennedy’s Assassination

48:11 – The Watergate Scandal

50:22 – The 9/11 Attacks

54:05 – H-1B Visas

58:29 – Indian American Community

1:01:51 – ANI Documentary on ‘Indian Muslims Abroad’

1:06:32 – Indian Diaspora’s Challenges Abroad

1:14:18 – Memories of Bangalore

1:17:18 – India’s Progress Over the Decades

1:23:07 – A Childhood Story from 1947