Meenal's World

Jess Jones A.K.A. The Fat Funny One is a mum of four and a lifestyle blogger. Jess is known for spreading awareness on self-confidence and has recently released her book, Own It - a practical guide to learning how to love yourself in your own skin.

We discuss her life as she grew up in a council estate without her biological father and how that shaped her journey into self-discovery and motherhood.

Follow Jess on Instagram

Order Own It

Asma Khan is one of the UK's most prominent female chefs and an unstoppable force for social change in the food industry. 

We discuss her life before coming to the UK and why she felt the need to explore her identity and culture through her cooking.

The process of going from having dinner clubs at home to opening a restaurant at the most prestigious sites in London was full of many challenges - but nothing that Asma couldn’t take on.

As well as creating a place for Indian food, Asma has made Darjeeling Express into much more than a restaurant. It’s a platform for social change – a place where every woman is celebrated and empowered.

Watch Asma Khan on Netflix's Chef's Table

Pre-order Ammu

Follow Asma on Twitter & Instagram

We all know Gina Martin as the woman who changed the law in 2019. Taking this step came at a huge personal cost and Gina is still processing the turmoil she went through for something which seemed so simple at the time - women's safety.

Gina talks about her life before becoming an activist and author. We dive deep into the role she hopes to play in this world as a feminist and how she wants to use her platform to raise the voices of others fighting similar battles.

You can follow Gina on Instagram and Twitter.

Order her book, Be The Change: A Toolkit For The Activist In You

Deepti is a clinical epidemiologist and throughout the pandemic, she has been very vocal about the lack of data the British government has been providing to the public. Deepti has used her own platform to speak truth to power and raise alarm bells with the government's handling of the pandemic.

But this isn't the first time she decided speaking up was important - Deepti previously worked at the Sanger Institute where she had to face terrible consequences for challenging her managers.

We discuss Deepti's upbringing and how she went against all odds to marry the man she  fell in love with during her time at medical school.

Subscribe to Meenal's World on iTunes, Spotify and any other podcast app!

Follow Deepti on Twitter

George Monbiot is a writer and activist. Throughout his years as an investigative journalist, he uncovered some of the greatest stories of mankind. Despite the resistance he faced to publish his stories in mainstream media, George always had his mind set on making people aware of the truth.

We discuss how his love for the environment started from a very young age and how he always felt different from the rest of the crowd, especially when he went to boarding school. Politics was at the heart of his family and George used this knowledge to his advantage to work his way around the system to speak up against corruption and educate people on the realities of the systems that control us.

This has to be one of my favourite episodes - someone who has achieved so much in one lifetime, yet so humble and generous with his time and energy.

You can read more about George and his work on his website.

Pre-order his latest book, Regenesis.

Follow George on Twitter 

Dr Gavin Francis is an award-winning writer and GP. His latest book explores how - and why - we get better, revealing the many shapes recovery takes, its shifting history and the frequent failure of our modern lives to make adequate space for it.

We dive into his learnings as a doctor and how despite such a hectic career, he’s found time to pursue his passion for writing and teaching.

Order Recovery on Amazon

Follow Dr Gavin Francis on Twitter

It was a pleasure having Jaspreet back on the show!

As she prepares to release her new book, Brown Girl Like Me, we discuss:

- Her writing process
- Why it's important to have South Asian voices in the writing world
- How she's learnt the art of self-love and compassion over the most stressful period of her career.

Pre-order Brown Girl Like Me: www.browngirllikeme.com
Follow Jaspreet on Twitter: @behindthenetra
Follow Jaspreet on Instagram: @behindthenetra

Jamie Klingler has had an eventful year - not only through her activism, but also through her journey of weight loss and quitting alcohol. We discussed how she's found a new purpose through her work as an activist and how none of this would have been possible if she hadn't made the bold decision to quit alcohol and lead a healthier lifestyle. 

Jamie is a bundle of energy and passion and you can hear it as she speaks on this episode - a lot of gems here that I'm sure will help you in your own journey of activism and finding your purpose. 

Follow Jamie: https://twitter.com/jamieklingler
Follow Jamie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photogirluk

Follow Reclaim These Streets:  https://twitter.com/ReclaimTS 

Otto English is the pen name for author and writer Andrew Scott. In his book, Fake History, he dissects the greatest lies told by the world that shaped our society. Andrew's take on Brexit and our current political landscape is eye-opening and throught-provoking.

We discuss politics, the role journalists play in shaping our society and of course, his fascinating book, Fake History.

Follow Otto on Twitter
Order Fake History here

Catherine's insight into our political landscape is thought-provoking and inspiring. We discussed Catherine's case against Time Magazine for sex and age discrimination.

This was an extremely challenging period of her career, but she knew this wasn't just for her - it was a fight for the future of women in journalism. In a world where we are witnessing the rise of the far-right, we discuss how the progress we've made as a generation might be undone and what this means for our future. Setting up @WEP_UK alongside @sanditoksvig was pivotal in creating a level playing field in our democracy.

We also discussed her latest book, Good Grief - Catherine and her mother, Anne Mayer Bird were widowed within 41 days of each other on the eve of the pandemic. Throughout lockdown, they shared their grief and celebrated the lives of their beloved husbands.

For more information on Good Grief and Catherine Mayers work - https://www.catherinemayer.co.uk

Follow Catherine on Twitter: @catherine_mayer 

Follow Catherine on Instagram: @mayeroflondon