N.R.I. Woman

Water is the most important natural resource in the world; without it, life cannot exist. 2.1 billion people across the world lack access to clean drinking water. Marita Peters, the Executive Director of Surge UAE chapter, is determined to change that.

Marita’s childhood friend, Shilpa Alva, is the founder of Surge. Growing up together, they had a shared dream to do something that makes a difference in the world. Both Shilpa and Marita shared similar lives growing up. They were NRI kids who mostly visited India only during the holidays. It was during these trips they realized that running water was not available to everyone and the thought that they must do something about it occurred to them. It was this thought that later led to Shilpa setting up Surge, a non-profit organization that focusses on providing clean water and sanitation in water-stressed areas.

Since its inception Surge has impacted over a million people across the world. Marita shares her wonderful story of fulfilling a childhood dream with her best friend, Shilpa and how their bond is now enriching the lives of so many across the world.

Connect with the guests:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marita.peters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surgeforwater
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surgeforwater
Website: https://surgeforwater.org/

Support our sponsor: Mehta Jewellery
Click on the link and fill the form to receive exclusive offers from Mehta Jewellery: http://mehtajewellery.com/nri-woman/

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on our social and please rate us wherever you’re listening so more people can find us. Thank you and we are so grateful for your support.

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Credits:
This episode is edited by Eric Heidbreder

Dipti Mehta is a scientist, entrepreneur, writer and an award-winning artist based in New York. She grew up in a conservative, patriarchal family in India. But she was not one to keep quiet; she questioned everything, especially why she was treated differently from her brothers.

At twelve, an All India Radio executive discovered Dipti at an elocution competition and offered her a ten-minute slot on the radio. She used this opportunity to share her budding feminist ideas.
Since then, Dipti has used art for social transformation, for being the voice of those who have none, and towards changing the deeply patriarchal patterns that exist in our culture.

Dipti shares her inspiring story of understanding patriarchy, breaking social stereotypes, and purposefully championing gender equality.

Connect with the guests:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diptijmehta/
Website: https://www.diptimehta.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diptimehta
Comic: https://www.priyashakti.com/priya-lost-girls

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on our social and please rate us wherever you’re listening so more people can find us. Thank you and we are so grateful for your support.

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Credits:
This episode is edited by Eric Heidbreder

“Don’t you have long sleeves you can wear while you’re outside?”, “I brought a new brightening face scrub for you to try.”, “Try not to stay in the sun too long, you’ll get dark.” South Asian kids listen to these kinds of comments all the time. And not from outsiders but people close to our hearts.

This was also the case for Anu Kumar. Born in New York to Indian Immigrant parents, from Southern India, Anu moved and was raised in Knoxville, TN. Anu was confused when she realized that people, who are like her of Indian descent didn’t like their dark skin and people who are from around the world who have much lighter skin wanted to become darker.

Anu shares her story of growing up in almost two different worlds, one where her skin colour was appreciated, even desired—the other where she was constantly reminded that it was something undesirable and in need of being fixed. She talks about how she overcame Colorism, identifying and accepting her inner thoughts on this subject and working on being comfortable in her own skin.

Connect with the guests:
Email: [email protected]

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on our social and please rate us wherever you’re listening so more people can find us. Thank you and we are so grateful for your support.

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Avani Modi Sarkar is the co-founder of Modi Toys a family-owned small business, that honours her Indian roots. They’re the first-ever makers of the original and mantra-singing Baby Ganesh, Baby Hanuman and Baby Krishna plush toys, which are both fun and cultural.

Avani shares her story about building a generational brand that she hopes will help maintain and pass on the Indian culture. She, like so many others, wants children to be aware of their roots. Avani hopes to do this by sparking curiosity about their culture.

Her story is awesome just like her – we hope you enjoy it!

Connect with the guests:
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/moditoys/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ModiToysForTots
Website: https://www.moditoys.com 

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on our social and please rate us wherever you’re listening so more people can find us. Thank you and we are so grateful for your support.

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Today, Vandana Shah is amongst the top divorce lawyers in India. The story of how she got there is unique. Vandana was in an abusive marriage and only got out of it because her in-laws pushed her out of the house one night. With only 10 dollars in her account, Vandana rebuilt her life taking every opportunity that came her way.

When she found that she was running around in circles as a litigant, because of her limited understanding of the law, she decided to study law. She chose to document her journey as a litigant in a book to help others who may be in similar circumstances. The book, The Ex-Files: The Story of my Divorce is a best-seller and currently part of the judicial college syllabus.

Vandana shares her story of triumphing over adversity while keeping a positive outlook towards life and inspiring other victims of domestic abuse find the courage to rebuild their lives.

Connect with the guests:
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/360degreesbacktolife/
Email: [email protected]

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

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Bhavna has a career in IT, but her passion lies in connecting people through food. She’s the author of the blog, Just a Girl from Aamchi Mumbai which featured in the top twenty blogs in Perth.

Her most recent venture, The Modern Desi, a culinary experience represents both, the girl holding on to her culture and roots in India and the newer her as she embraces and grows in a different culture in Australia.

Bhavna’s birth-home, India and home of choice, Australia are different at various levels. Yet, both societies have strikingly similar views towards those choosing to be childfree. It is barely understood. Bhavna hopes that by sharing her story of wanting to be childfree, more people can see it for what it is, a choice.

Connect with the guests:
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/themoderndesi.co/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/themoderndesi.co/
Website: https://themoderndesi.co/
Email: [email protected]

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

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Suzanna grew up surrounded by nature and by all things natural in Munnar, India. When she moved to the city, she quickly adapted to the city life of access and “use and throw” mentality. All that changed when Suzanna’s daughter was born. She wants her daughter to grow in a world that is not being crushed under the burden of consumption. And so, Suzanna became conscious of the everyday choices she made. She found this shift in her way of living was not easy, cheap or accessible.

We consume and never question where anything is coming from or where it’s going. Suzanna hopes to change that way of thinking by sharing the story of the product, where it came from, who made it and why it may be the right fit for you through her eco-conscious store Inkahaani.

Connect with the guests:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkahaani/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanna.verghese

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

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Priti Raman Vishwakarma’s love for travel began after her first solo trip to Himachal Pradesh in India. Despite her initial apprehensions, she found the courage to travel alone, and her life was forever changed. She hopes that by sharing her experience, others are encouraged to travel more. That’s how Womaniya on road trips, a travel company for women, led by Priti began.

Priti has Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy and was advised by the doctor to stop travelling after she had a seizure at an airport on one of her trips. She weighed her options and decided not to give up on her dream of travelling.

Now, Priti briefs her co-travellers about her condition and how to handle the seizure if it happens. She continues to be amazed by the support and encouragement she receives from other travellers while doing what she loves.

Connect with the guests:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womaniya_on_roadtrips/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womaniyaonroadtrips/

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

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Reshma is an artist-activist advocating and supporting several issues from mental health and sexuality to human rights.

Val Resh as she’s popularly known was diagnosed with schizophrenia at twenty-two. Since then she’s had many diagnoses. She does not let these labels define her and calls herself the schizophrenist, combining the words schizophrenia and artist-activist.

She gives us an insight into what it is like to live in our society with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, in her book Fallen, Standing. She hopes that we will stop labelling others and see the individual before their label.

Correction: In the episode, we’ve stated Reshma rode her bike for three days. She rode her bike for 36 hours. Apologies about the error and thanks Resh for pointing it out.

Connect with the guests:
Website: https://www.valresh.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valresh/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/val_resh

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

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Sonam Shekhawat is the first Indian to win an Emmy Award for writing. She shares her story of growing up in Jaipur, India, watching cartoons all day to becoming one of the most coveted animation series writers.

Sonam had offers to pursue a degree in medicine or engineering from some of the most prestigious colleges in India, and she chose to pursue a degree in animation, a career choice her parents were not keen on. However, they supported her decision, and Sonam is grateful for their support. Convincing her parents is part of the story, how she got her break in the animation industry is a story that shows her grit and ingenuity.

She’s a born story-teller, and her story is interesting, funny and inspiring.

This is our final episode of Season Three, and we will be back with more in September 2019.

Connect with the guests:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonam-shekhawat-6b94382a/
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7278484/

Please help the voices of our guests be heard by sharing this podcast with your friends and family. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We promise not to bore you! 

Subscribe!
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Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/2WSSQ2p

Credits
Edited & mixed by Deepthy Shibish @ [email protected]