Sheetal Sheth’s book teaches Indian American children to love their name

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“Always Anjali”, a children’s book by Indian American actress Sheetal Sheth, is about an Indian American girl named Anjali, who gets bullied for having a ‘different’ name when she and her friends want to get matching personalized license plates for their bikes.

She then tells her parents that she wants to change her name to ‘Angie,’ upon which her mother tells her why she was named ‘Anjali.’

“Anjali is a gift. The most precious kind. Divine. Just like you!” her mother explains.

The overall consensus of the book has been ‘I wish we had this book when I was growing up,’ and is different as it is not about a cultural holiday or religion but about an Indian American girl, who learns to carry her name with pride and power.

The book also features images of strong female friendships and men are shown doing housework.

Sheth has starred in many TV shows as well as over 18 feature films, one where she was opposite Albert Brooks in Warner Bros’ “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World.”

Sheth has also won three Best Actress awards and was voted ‘Favorite Movie Actress’ in AfterEllen’s Visibility Awards in 2012.

She has represented such brands as Reebok and CHI hair care, and was the first Indian American to be featured in Maxim.

Sheth served in President Clinton’s AmeriCorps and is currently on the advisory board of Equality Now and an ambassador for The Representation Project. She has been known to lend a voice to many animated programs, including “Family Guy.”