CB – SPOTLIGHT
Neha Sonthalia Periwal, Director at EventXpress and host of the “Expressions” podcast, is reshaping Indian storytelling with conversations rooted in warmth, introspection, and authenticity. Her recent episode with Mitti Café founder Alina Alam reflects her commitment to narratives that spark reflection, challenge silence, and celebrate humanity beyond headlines.
For someone who thrives at the intersection of storytelling, media, and real human emotion, Neha Sonthalia Periwal carries an effortless calm that belies the intensity of the worlds she navigates. She is a Media Leader with a storyteller’s heart, a Mompreneur with a public voice, and the host of a podcast that has quietly but unmistakably become one of the most sensitive and emotionally resonant conversation spaces in Indian media. Through “Expressions,” the platform she nurtured with patience and instinct, Neha has emerged as a chronicler of voices and journeys that rarely find a home in mainstream storytelling. Her work doesn’t shout; it listens. And listening, she believes, is where the real power lies.
Born and raised in Chennai, Neha grew up in a family deeply embedded in the world of media and publishing, yet her path into the industry came not from inheritance but intent. She has always been drawn to the craft of storytelling—not only as journalism but as community-building, as cultural memory, as a way of shaping the world’s understanding of itself. Today, as Director at EventXpress of The New Indian Express Group, she leads some of the most influential intellectual and cultural platforms in the country, from ThinkEdu and Devi Awards to Cinema Xpress Awards and Edex initiatives. Her touch across these events is evident in the way they bring together thought leaders, changemakers, artists, and everyday heroes. But to understand Neha fully, one has to look beyond the world of conferences and ceremonies, and step into a space that feels far more intimate—her podcast.
“Expressions,” aptly named, is an extension of Neha’s inner world. For her, it is not a professional project alone; it is a personal canvas. Each episode is a conversation crafted with warmth and empathy, rooted in the conviction that every story matters when told with honesty. And perhaps no recent episode captured this essence more strongly than her conversation with Mitti Café founder Alina Alam. Even before the episode aired, Neha found herself shaken—in a good way—by the emotional and moral clarity that Alina brought into the room.
Describing the recording, Neha said she felt humbled to meet someone whose idea of success comes drenched in compassion. Mitti Café’s model of inclusive employment for persons with disabilities is widely appreciated, but what moved her most was the invisible network of dignity, support, and community that Alina has built. Neha was struck not by numbers or scale, but by the humanity threaded through every story Alina shared. And then came a moment that has stayed with her ever since—Alina’s reference to Emperor Nero and the metaphor of people becoming “silent guests at his banquet.” The phrase unsettled Neha. It forced her, she admitted, to confront how often silence becomes complicity in everyday life.
The reflection was deeply personal. She found herself asking why people hesitate to speak up even when the person harmed is someone familiar, someone loved. Is it fear? Is it convenience? Or just the easy way out? It is this willingness to probe—her guest’s thoughts and her own—that sets Neha apart as a conversationalist. She never pretends to have all the answers; instead, she creates a space where questions matter just as much.
This vulnerability is what makes “Expressions” more than a celebrity or influencer podcast. It is a medium where Neha allows her guests to show not only their achievements but their doubts, contradictions, and turning points. In every episode, she acts less like a host and more like a companion walking with the listener through someone’s life. Her listeners often describe the show as therapeutic, grounding, or eye-opening—not because it sensationalises but because it humanises.
Before she became a podcaster, Neha was already shaping lifestyle journalism in India. As the founder of Indulge, she helped create a publication that redefined the category with its mix of sophistication and warmth, blending fashion, culture, food, and entertainment with the narrative depth she believes lifestyle stories deserve. Through Indulge, she brought a new texture to Indian lifestyle writing—one that makes room for design, craft, aspiration, and everyday beauty, but also for the personalities and emotions behind them.
Her ability to move seamlessly between multiple worlds—events, journalism, fashion, audio storytelling—comes from a creative curiosity that refuses to settle. She is, in many ways, a bridge herself: between tradition and innovation, between legacy media and digital culture, between professional ambition and the tender responsibilities of motherhood. Neha embraces the label of mompreneur with pride, not to glamourise the challenge but to acknowledge the real, unfiltered work of balancing two identities that demand everything from her. Motherhood, she says, has made her a better listener and a more grounded leader.
And yet, despite her many roles, it is storytelling that remains her anchor. Whether she is curating speakers for a major national conclave or sitting across from a guest on her podcast, Neha approaches every story with the same sincerity. For her, stories are not content—they are experiences that shape empathy, challenge comfort zones, and sometimes shift cultural narratives. Her work is a reminder that media, when handled with intention, becomes a force not just for information but for connection.
In a landscape where digital noise often overpowers nuance, Neha’s voice stands out for its clarity and softness. She is one of those rare storytellers who leads not by being the loudest in the room but by inviting others to speak freely. Her podcast is a testament to that spirit, offering an antidote to performative conversations with its emotional honesty. The episode with Alina Alam, with its quiet intensity, represents everything “Expressions” aims to be—a space where courage, kindness, vulnerability, and reflection can coexist.
As Neha looks ahead, she remains focused on growing the podcast while continuing her work across media and events. But what excites her most is not scale or accolades; it is the possibility of sparking meaningful thought in her listeners. She often says that if even one conversation nudges someone to rethink their silence, notice a hidden struggle, or appreciate an uncelebrated community, then her work has purpose.
In an industry shaped increasingly by speed, spectacle, and short-lived trends, Neha Sonthalia Periwal is building something far more enduring—a culture of thoughtful storytelling. Through “Expressions,” Indulge, and the many platforms she leads, she stands as a reminder that media is not just a profession; it is a responsibility. And in her world, every story deserves the chance to breathe, resonate, and leave behind a quiet echo long after the microphones turn off.
