Namma Vancouver: Shruti Khuntia's Journey Across Borders | Diasporaa Podcast Episode 15
In this episode of Diasporaa, host Aditya Mehta sits down with Shruti Khuntia, an immigrant from Cuttack, Odisha, who has lived in 15 cities around the world, and now resides in Vancouver. Shruti discusses her journey from India to the U.S. and finally to Canada, highlighting her experiences, challenges, and triumphs. From her career in sales to her cultural adaptation and life in cities like Bangalore, Bombay, and Seattle, Shruti provides a nuanced perspective on the immigrant experience. The episode also touches on practical aspects of immigrant life such as finding community, coping with visa challenges, and the vibrant cultural landscape of Vancouver.
List of Resources:
Andheri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andheri
Bandra Kurla Complex: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandra_Kurla_Complex
Chitralekha magazine: https://chitralekha.com/
Cuttack: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttack
Momos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT86glQ6fqw
SP Jain: https://www.spjimr.org/
Surat’s Oriya Community: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/a-little-orissa-in-the-heart-of-surat/articleshow/46707510.cms
About the Podcast:
Diasporaa was Aditya's third startup based in Vancouver, BC. It focused on helping new immigrants in Canada find their feet, get off to a running start and ease their assimilation into Canadian life. A big part of the platform were conversations, community and support. Though the startup stopped growing once Aditya moved to Seattle, WA - it remained alive in the form of several discussion groups and online communities.
Now, Diasporaa has been resurrected in the form of a podcast focused on uncovering and sharing interesting immigrant stories from the South Asian diaspora. It is available on YouTube, all major podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, etc. and is also broadcast as a radio show on Alternative Talk 1150 AM and 98.9 FM HD Channel 3 on Wednesdays from 2-3pm PST.
About Aditya Mehta:
Aditya is a Bombay boy who has lived in Austin, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Vancouver before making it to his current home in Seattle. He has degrees in marketing, urban planning, real estate and strategy but has spent his career in financial services, social media and now real estate - mostly as an entrepreneur and partly as an employee at Amazon.
He balances Indian, Canadian and American culture, loves helping those who are new to North America and looks forward to the interesting stories that his interview guests bring each week. When not podcasting, he is helping his wife Prachi build her pharmaceutical business or hanging out with his son Arjun.
Connect with Diasporaa:
Instagram: @diasporaapodcast
YouTube: https://linke.to/dspyoutube
Bio Link: linke.to/diasporaa
Listen on Spotify: https://linke.to/dspspotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://linke.to/dspapple
Diasporaa Podcast on KKNW Alternative Talk Radio: https://linke.to/kknw1150