Hire Geeta to Speak at Your Next Event

Geeta is available to speak on a wide variety of topics relating to Indian food, religion and culture. She has designed a series of signature talks, all of which can be modified to suit the needs of your group.

1. Desis 101: ‘Desi’ refers to anyone from the Subcontinent. What’s the difference between a Desi and an ABCD? Geeta will guide you through the top ten words you need to learn to understand Indians. Why do Indians wear dots on their heads, consult astrologers, and still believe in arranged marriage? And who is the most famous actor on the planet? His name isn’t Brad or Tom. By the end of this talk, you’ll be able to talk like an Indian and have a great laugh while doing it.

By the end of this talk, you’ll be able to talk like an Indian and have a great laugh while doing it.

2. The Spice Tour: India is undeniably the land of spice, yet many of her iconic flavors are recent transplants. Learn about the history of spices and the Colombian exchange that brought heat to Indian cuisine. Take a tour of Geeta’s spice box and taste essential ingredients. Also, Geeta will recount the amazing history of chai and the British quest to get Indians to drink it. It’s an advertising campaign that would make Don Draper jealous. Why do Indians have so many, and differing, food rules? How does religion affect those rules?

Geeta will recount the amazing history of chai and the British quest to get Indians to drink it. It’s an advertising campaign that would make Don Draper jealous. 

3. Religions East and West: Geeta will take you on a tour of six religions, comparing the Abrahamic tradition to the three indigenous faiths born of Indian soil: Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Learn about concepts like karma, ahimsa, nirvana, and reincarnation and why they are the foundation of life in India. Why do these religions often promote vegetarian diets and a life of non-violence? What percentage of Indians are in fact practicing vegetarians? How do Indian faiths differ from the religions of Abraham, namely Islam, Christianity, and Judaism? Why does the sentence ‘Ye shall have dominion over the Earth’ have no meaning in the Indian religious context? These and many other questions will be answered during the talk.

Why does the sentence ‘Ye shall have dominion over the Earth’ have no meaning in the Indian religious context?

4. The Jains and the Jews: How did less than 20 million people end up controlling over 80% of the world’s diamonds? Who has the most complicated food rules of all the world’s religions? Which group commands the world’s respect and envy, but often also a few jokes? The Jains and the Jews. Who are the Jains and why do they share similarities with the Jews? Find out during this fascinating talk that takes you on a tour of diamond mines, the Silk Road, and the world’s oldest ports.

How did less than 20 million people end up controlling over 80% of the world’s diamonds?