Contributors

Ambreen Ali

Ambreen Ali is a freelance journalist with over 15 years of experience writing about politics, business and cultural issues for newspapers and digital media, including The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, Agence France Presse, Ozy, Runner's World, Edible Jersey and CQ Roll Call.

Ifrah Akhtar

Ifrah Akhtar is an Associate Editor at Central Desi. Her work has been featured in Edible Jersey, Muslim Girl, Cold Tea Collective, and more. She is also the founder of MODEST Magazine, a fashion publication.

Aysha Qamar

Aysha Qamar is a 2025-26 reporting fellow at Central Desi and a freelance journalist based in New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on culture, community, and global affairs.

Navya Asopa

Navya Asopa is a 2025-26 reporting fellow at Central Desi and a freelance journalist based in New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on labor, immigration, and India-U.S. relations. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a master's in investigative journalism.

Joti Rekhi

Joti Kaur Rekhi is the inaugural video reporting fellow at Central Desi. She is a veteran local news anchor and reporter who recently launched her own production company, Harjan.

Kani Ilangovan

Dr. Kani Ilangovan is a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist, mother, writer and activist. She is a board member of The E Pluribus Unum Project and works for pluralistic curriculum advocacy.

Astha Lakhankar

Astha Lakhankar is a freelance reporter for Central Desi and was a past fellow in the 2024-25 reporting fellowship. While at Rutgers University, she served as managing editor of the student-run newspaper, The Daily Targum.

Zoya Wazir

Zoya Wazir was a 2024-25 reporting fellow at Central Desi. She also works as a production assistant at NBC News NOW, NBC News' streaming platform.

Tehsin Pala

Tehsin is an independent journalist from India, currently based in New York, with a dedicated focus on amplifying the voices and experiences of marginalized communities. Her journalistic endeavors revolve around shedding light on the challenges faced by minority groups, including immigrants, women, and children.

Selena Patel

Selena was part of Central Desi's inaugural Journalism Fellowship cohort in 2023-24.

Mariyum Raina Rizwan

Mariyum was part of Central Desi's inaugural Journalism Fellowship cohort in 2023-24. She is currently an Assignment Editor at MSNOW (formerly known as MSNBC). Her work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY, and The Trentonian.

Sofia Ahmed

Sophia was part of Central Desi's inaugural Journalism Fellowship cohort in 2023-24. She is a journalist reporting on immigration and politics with three years of experience in fact-checking, research and podcasting.