In this episode, Rajan travels to South Africa to have an open conversation with Santosh Harilal. A recovering Alcoholic whose life started to spiral out of control from the tender age of 13. The pair have an open and frank conversation about the horrific journey that nearly led to murder and the remarkable journey to sobriety.
Losing control of yourself and your actions, hurting loved ones, feeling hysterical, paranoid, or on the verge of going crazy, are all possible side-effects of alcoholism and what our guest Santosh openly speaks about.
We meet a man haunted by his horrific past actions and now, almost 12 years in sobriety, he speaks of his remarkable road to recovery, his demons, and his advice to others suffering from alcohol abuse. It is a raw, courageous account of life as an alcoholic and the gift of a new start.
A special thank you to our guest for sharing his experience with us.
Alcohol abuse -
Alcoholism, known as Alcoholic Use Disorder (AUD), is a condition in which a person has a desire or physical need to consume alcohol, even though it has a negative impact on their life. It can affect people from all walks of life.
Our community -
In some countries, alcohol abuse is a major public health concern. Amongst our global Indian community, 1/3 of domestic violence incidents occur while intoxicated, a whopping 60% of all emergency room visits involve alcohol and it is also the most common cause of cirrhosis in our community.
Despite this, drinking is commonly normalised in our community and embraced by many as an accepted form of social engagement. Although not everyone who drinks alcohol becomes addicted, some do.
What is your experience with alcohol? Has it affected you or others around you? Have you sought help? Share your comments below.
About Santosh Harilal:
Santosh Harilal is a member of Alcholics Anonomous in South Africa. His story is as inspiring as it is emotionally shocking; from attempted murder to changing the lives of countless individuals across the region
About the Global Indian Series:
Rajan Nazran is the chief chief explorer for the Global Indian Series, the official platform for people of Indian origin (PIO), because let's face it, we are everywhere!
For almost 15 years we have travelled across the globe covering 58 countries to date whilst exploring the kaleidoscope of our remarkable global community.
Voyaging to the edges of the Amazon, facing Ebola in West Africa, being held hostage in Eastern Europe, tapping rubber in Malaysia, drinking chai with Heads of State and sharing laughter with local fishermen - I have been there, looking for us!
Our purpose is simple, to build a living encyclopaedia of the community and a safe mooring ground for open discussions, whether you are an NRI, Indian Diaspora, person of Indian origin (PIO) or a fan of South Asian anthropology, what we do is bring people and communities together.
We do this by plunging into the human experience of being a person of Indian origin (PIO), taking a second look at the countries we now call home and tackling the conversations we need to know more about.
Through our range of award-winning original content (print, podcasts, events and TV) and fascinating discussions, our impactful stories and platforms have spearheaded national and international conversations that have brought people together.
Our work is featured in global brands including The Indian Express, OWM, Manager, ABC and many more.
How to get involved:
Interested in getting involved in building the world’s largest living encyclopedia on the community? Whether you want to become a patron, buy us a chai in a new location or have your story shown, simply get in touch via our website, we would love to hear from you. www.GlobaIindianSeries.com
Social media:
You can reach Rajan via:
Instagram: @rajannazran
Linkedin: Rajan Nazran
Youtube: Global Indian Series
Twitter: @rajansnazran
Special thank you to TAIZU for the music
Episode details:
Episode: 28
Presenter – Rajan Nazran
Producer –Global Indian Series/NazranRoth
Guest – Santosh Harilal
Art Design – Vanisha Patel
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