Meet the Team

Swati Bhise, Visionary + Artistic Director

Inspired by the Warrior Queen of Jhansi, Swati is dedicated to empowering the Warrior Queen in all.

Aditya Bhise

COO

Judy Caleb

Associate Producer

Pema Bhutia

Scheduling Assistant

Natasha Pithawala

Assistant to the Director

New Years Resolutions for being a Warrior Queen

Every day we have to choose to live true to ourselves. Sometimes it’s harder than others. As you plan your 2023 resolutions, Warrior Queens through history have lessons to teach us about accomplishing our stated goals.  When Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi was just a girl, her father taught her …

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Supporting AAPI Colleagues in the Workplace

Diversity, equity and inclusion practices are good business. A McKinsey study from 2019 found that the most diverse companies were 36% more profitable than their least diverse counterparts. DEI efforts also go far in retaining top talent: people want to work for inclusive companies. There’s a lot you can do …

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How to get involved in the AAPI equality movement

The movement for equality has a role for all of us. Whether you identify as AAPI, or a woman, there’s a place for you in working towards a better world for all of us. Sometimes it can be overwhelming knowing where to start, or if your actions will make a …

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Episode 21: Claudia Chan on Transforming Culture through Transforming People (Part 2)

This second episode featuring Claudia Chan focuses on the importance of whole life planning. Starting with the pillars of health, family, career and community, Claudia frames generations of women’s empowerment through education. With the family being the original leadership development arena, Claudia and guest host Rinarisa DeFronze share stories of …

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How the Rani of Jhansi broke social expectations

When the Rani of Jhansi was born Manikarnika on November 19, 1828, no one could guess the number of expectations she would eventually come to break. The country was occupied by the British, and ruled by the British East India Company. Yet her father, Moropant, taught Manikarika to ride and …

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WQP (Claudia Chan)

Episode 20: Claudia Chan on Transforming Culture through Transforming People (Part 1)

On this episode of the Warrior Queen Podcast, guest Claudia Chan, women’s empowerment and leadership expert, and social entrepreneur, is interviewed by Rinarisa DeFronze, who sits in for host Swati Bhise. The author of How We Rise and founder of the SHE Summit, Claudia shares her story from growing up …

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Announcing Our Expanded Action Kit

We want to help you bring out the Warrior Queen who exists in you, and we’ve expanded our Action Kit to support you! Many of us have been told to be quiet when what we need is to use our voice, to be meek when we should be bold and …

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Sivagami “Shiva” Subbaraman (Warrior Queen Podcast)

Episode 19: Sivagami “Shiva” Subbaraman on Bringing Together Who We Are (Part 2)

Welcome back to The Warrior Queen Podcast for Part 2 of the conversation between Swati Bhise and Sivagami “Shiva” Subbaraman. The episode begins with Swati Bhise expressing that it is okay to have a chosen family that is different than your blood relatives. The pair speak about South Asian Society …

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Swati Bhise At NYU Medical Center

Breast Cancer Reveals Your Warrior Queen

I had fought many health battles already by the time I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2022. While making the movie The Warrior Queen of Jhansi, I’d fallen ill with swine influenza on the last day of the shoot in the Moroccan cold desert! I pushed so hard …

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Sivagami “Shiva” Subbaraman (Warrior Queen Podcast)

Episode 18: Sivagami “Shiva” Subbaraman on Bringing Together Who We Are (Part 1)

This week on the Warrior Queen Podcast, Swati Bhise speaks with Sivagami “shiva” Subbaraman. Shiva was the Founding Director of the LGBTQ Center and Executive Director of the Women’s Center from 2008 to 2021 and is now an Adjunct Faculty member and Lead Advisor in Performing Arts at Georgetown University. …

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