Abraham George Interview Guide: TV, Podcasts, Print and Talks

An Abraham George interview is most often about Shanti Bhavan, the free residential school program he founded for children from India's poorest families, and The George Foundation. A former Indian Army officer who built a finance software company in the New York area, he has spoken on PBS with Charlie Rose (2005), on The Kelly Clarkson Show (2026), at Duke and Asia Society, and on more than 20 podcasts.

Where has Abraham George been interviewed on TV?

Charlie Rose, PBS (May 18, 2005)

His earliest television interview on record is the Charlie Rose appearance on May 18, 2005. He was billed as "Founder, The George Foundation; Author," and he talked about the privately funded boarding school he had started in India for poor children.

The Kelly Clarkson Show (March 19, 2026)

In March 2026 he appeared with a Shanti Bhavan graduate in a segment about the school. It aired on March 19 as Season 7, Episode 96, and reached Peacock the next day. The Women's History Month segment covered Shanti Bhavan's impact and his new memoir.

Abraham George interview podcasts, 2024 to 2026

Between August 2024 and February 2026, more than 20 podcast episodes featuring George were released, many around the January 2026 publication of his memoir, Mountains to Cross.

Leadership and business shows

On Scott D. Clary's Success Story (January 15, 2026), he talked about leaving finance, his injury in the army and building a school with no prior experience. Michael D. Levitt's Breakfast Leadership Show (January 14, 2026) focused on linking professional success to social purpose.

Shahid Durrani's Super Entrepreneurs Podcast (November 5, 2025) discussed the sale of his software company and "business with a heart" leadership. With David Pasqualone (May 7, 2025), the talk turned to credibility and honesty in business and to the school's three pillars: academic excellence, leadership and communication skills, and humane values.

Education and social-change shows

The ThoughtStretchers Podcast (March 26, 2025) centered on education and generational poverty. Nicole Jansen's Leaders Of Transformation (April 8, 2025) looked at building self-belief in students.

Maria Ross of The Empathy Edge (November 4, 2025) explored the difference between sympathy, empathy and compassion in action, along with his rule that graduates should each help at least 100 others. On Corinna Bellizzi's Care More Be Better (September 11, 2024), he explained his decision not to accept government funding and described the lead-poisoning work. Of the graduates' progress, he said: "It's a silent revolution, I would say."

Long-form conversations

A few episodes run close to an hour. The Guiding Voice with Naveen Samala (December 21, 2024) lasts about 64 minutes. Inspire Someone Today (July 3, 2025) runs 61 minutes and touches on his hope for 100 campuses. The PM Podcast from DonorSearch (August 29, 2025) traces his path from army captain to NYU, finance and philanthropy.

Other episodes include I Spark Change (August 2024); Passion Struck (December 2024); Mission Matters (June 2025); TALRadio and Mindful Businesses (both July 2025); Inspiring Possible (August 2025); Grit, Grace, & Inspiration (December 2025); Books That Make You and The Gritty Hour (both January 2026); and The Darriel Roy Show (February 2026).

Print interviews and written Q&As

• Laura's Books and Blogs (March 13, 2026): a Q&A about writing the memoir, including cutting the draft from nearly 150,000 to 90,000 words.
• Lisa Haselton (January 13, 2026): why he wrote the book and his current work. "Most of my time is devoted to bringing up and guiding the children of Shanti Bhavan."
• Reader's Digest India (2026): a profile built on his quotes, covering the army injury, Project Lead-Free and the second campus.
• Global Indian (March 1, 2025): an interview-based profile that follows him from the army and finance to the foundation.
• Authority Magazine (September 18, 2022): Karen Mangia's Q&A on leadership and what a nonprofit needs to succeed.
• The Gould Standard, NYU Stern (December 14, 2017): a five-question alumni spotlight. On gender equality at the school: "We don't talk much about feminism. We don't need to preach; we teach by action."
• PassBlue (March 3, 2017): Barbara Crossette's feature, based on a Skype interview from Shanti Bhavan.
• STERNbusiness (Fall 2006): Daniel Gross's profile "Return of the Native Son," on India's uneven growth and his ventures there.

Talks and public conversations

Duke University (January 2024)

The Duke India Initiative hosted George for a conversation with Professor Prasenjit Duara, written up by Duke as "Building Shanti Bhavan, a School of Hope." He described how reading Albert Schweitzer during his army years shaped his thinking, and he talked about keeping the school financially sustainable over the long term.

Asia Society, New York (November 8, 2018)

Abraham George and his son Ajit George, who became chief operating officer in January 2024, spoke at a screening and conversation about how Shanti Bhavan supports children from school through to their first job.

NYU Stern (2006 and 2007)

In spring 2006 he spoke to about 50 MBA students at NYU Stern about India's development and the gap between rich and poor. In April 2007, accepting the Stewart Satter Social Entrepreneur of the Year award, he urged business leaders to see ethical job creation as the route out of poverty.

Other talks and addresses

He gave a virtual opening keynote, "Where Success Meets Purpose," at The BookFest on April 11, 2026. He spoke to students of the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media about journalism and a free press on January 4, 2021. Years earlier, on April 23, 2000, a written message from him on citizenship and the role of the press was delivered at the institute's foundation-stone ceremony.

What does Abraham George talk about in interviews?

The same subjects come up in almost every Abraham George interview across two decades. He describes the dynamite blast he survived as an artillery officer and how it changed what he wanted to do with his life. He explains why he returned to India in 1995 rather than waiting until he had made more money.

Most of all, he talks about education as the lever against poverty and about the duty he asks of Shanti Bhavan graduates: to help at least 100 others. With business audiences, he returns to credibility, honesty and long-term thinking.

Frequently asked questions

Was Abraham George on The Kelly Clarkson Show?

Yes. Abraham George appeared with a Shanti Bhavan graduate in a segment about the school that aired on March 19, 2026. It was Season 7, Episode 96.

What podcasts has Abraham George been on?

Abraham George has appeared on more than 20 podcasts since 2024, including Success Story, The Empathy Edge, Care More Be Better and The Guiding Voice. Most episodes cover his move from finance to service and the Shanti Bhavan model.

Has Abraham George spoken at Duke University or NYU?

Yes. Abraham George spoke at Duke University in January 2024. At NYU Stern, where he earned his MBA and PhD, he addressed MBA students in 2006 and received the Stewart Satter Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007.

What was Abraham George's first TV interview?

The earliest television interview on record with Abraham George is his appearance on Charlie Rose on PBS on May 18, 2005. He discussed the privately funded boarding school for poor children that he had opened in India in 1997.

Where can I find a full list of Abraham George interviews?

Abraham George keeps a list of his podcast appearances, and a separate press page, on his personal website. Many of the podcast episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts.