Diasporaa 05-21-25 Marching Forward: Somnil Das' Story from Calcutta to Nashville

Alternative Talk- 1150AM KKNW

Marching Forward: Somnil Das' Story from Calcutta to Nashville | Diasporaa Podcast Episode 11 Welcome to Diaspora, the show where we share the remarkable stories of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. In this episode of Diasporaa, host Aditya Mehta sits down with Somnil Das, a former Indian Army officer and Amazonian, to discuss his remarkable journey from Calcutta to Canada and eventually Nashville. They explore the cultural adaptations, challenges, and unique experiences Somnil faced, including serving in one of the world's highest battlefields, Siachen Glacier. The conversation dives into differences between living in Canada and the US, the importance of meticulous planning for immigrants, and leveraging professional networks for successful assimilation. Somnil also shares his passion for astronomy, opera music, and his fulfilling career at Amazon. Tune in for an inspirational story filled with valuable insights for new immigrants. 00:00 Introduction to Diasporaa 00:36 Meet Somnil Das: From Calcutta to Toronto 03:03 Life in Calcutta: Childhood and Education 04:28 Military Service: Experiences and Challenges 12:22 Comparing Indian and Pakistani Armed Forces 17:31 Moving to Canada: The Decision and Early Days 26:35 Starting a Career at Amazon 26:52 First Impressions and Working Together 27:54 Lessons Learned and Career Achievements 29:35 Launching Warehouses Across Canada 31:12 Planning for Life After Amazon 32:35 Life in Nashville vs. Toronto 34:25 Immigrant Experiences and Cultural Differences 44:59 Advice for New Immigrants to Canada 49:21 Cricket Memories and Final Thoughts List of Resources: Calcutta Metro Rail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata_Metro Indian Army: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army Siachen Glacier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siachen_Glacier Somnil's article in Outside Magazine: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/meltdown-siachen-glacier/ About the Podcast: Diasporaa was the name of Aditya's startup based in Vancouver, BC. It focused on helping new immigrants in Canada find their feet, get off to a running start and ease their assimilation into Canadian life. A big part of the platform were conversations, community and support. Though the startup stopped growing once Aditya moved to Seattle, WA - it remained alive in the form of several discussion groups and online communities. Now, Diasporaa has been resurrected in the form of a podcast focused on sharing interesting immigrant stories from the South Asian diaspora and uncovering how much we have in common despite our differences. It is available on YouTube, all major podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, etc. and is also broadcast as a radio show on Alternative Talk 1150 AM and 98.9 FM HD Channel 3 on Wednesdays from 2-3pm PST. About Aditya Mehta: Aditya is a Bombay boy who has lived in Austin, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Vancouver before making it to his current home in Seattle. He has degrees in marketing, urban planning, real estate and strategy but has spent his career in financial services, social media and now real estate - mostly as an entrepreneur and partly as an employee at Amazon. He balances Indian, Canadian and American culture, loves helping those who are new to North America and looks forward to the interesting stories that his interview guests bring each week. When not podcasting, he is helping his wife Prachi build her pharmaceutical business or hanging out with his son Arjun. Connect with Diasporaa: -Instagram: @diasporaapodcast -YouTube: https://linke.to/dspyoutube -Bio Link: linke.to/diasporaa -Listen on Spotify: https://linke.to/dspspotify -Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://linke.to/dspapple -Diasporaa Podcast on KKNW Alternative Talk Radio: https://linke.to/kknw1150