Prickly Peers

Send us Fan MailNamrata thought of herself as an average corporate woman with a loving partner & family, no children (by choice) and a travel bug but with no real story to tell, till one day, she and her husband were caught and injured in one of the worst earthquakes Taiwan had ever seen. How did they come out of it alive? Did a fight-or-flight body response actually kick in when it was supposed to? Which thoughts helped her stay motivated to survive? Did the fact that she nearly died, change anything about how she thinks about life's purpose, day to day life or choosing to not have children? She answers all of this in our episode and more! Through vivid storytelling and raw emotion, Nam recounts the immediate aftermath of the quake – the fear, the confusion, and the desperate fight for survival in her memoir 'Shaken not broken: within and without'. If you love and support stories of resilient women of color, get your copy on Amazon now. Support the show

Send us Fan MailBeyond from her day job of being an HR leader at Unilever, Ananya was always curious about self-discovery. So, she decided to take an unpaid leave from her very supportive employer to find herself. She tells us how this helped her find the love of her life, apart from getting to know herself and the world a lot better. Looking back at that year and her childhood, Ananya shares with us a truly articulated purpose statement and how she lives it every day. Find out to listen what it is. Hint: her purpose might have something to do with helping you find yours. Support the show

Send us Fan MailWould you trade a lifetime of high paying corporate law jobs in air conditioned offices across the world to parade and roll bareback on hot concrete roads in South Indian summer? Sonali did, with a smile on her face, because she couldn't bare the thought of staying away from her destiny, that called out to her every time she tried to picture a happy future.Growing up in cantonments across the country, Sonali's happiest memories contained a community caring unconditionally for one another, soldiers having blind faith in their leaders and everything else that came with the typical "fauji life". She knew that's where she belonged- so with the odds of 2:2000000 of getting in, the shy introverted 20 something dancing queen had her first ever prickly moment, as she rebelled towards the life she always wanted. Just to be safe, she had a plan B- if she couldn't don the uniform, she could always marry someone who did ;) Did she finally get what she was chasing? 8 years later, is she happy? Tune in to find out as Nalini interviews her most special guest so far, her younger sister. P.S: If you notice Ankita disappearing within the first minute, it is because her internet connection decided that it needed to go on a break. You'll find her in our next episode. Support the show

Send us Fan MailWould you be able to define endometriosis? We couldn't. Not until we spoke to Rashmi Bhutani, an endo-warrior.Join us as we chat with Rashmi about her experience and learn a little more about what she learnt when she decided to fight back against notions that extreme period pain is not normal and painful sex is just part of the deal. By the end of the episode, we hope you are able to understand what endometriosis is, recognize common symptoms and support friends going through this journey. If you are an Endo warrior, do share your story with us on Instagram DMs or comments.For more information, here are a few Instagram accounts that dedicate themselves to spreading awareness and connecting to endometriosis specialists@endogirlsblog@endometriosis_india@in16yearsofendoPlease note, this episode doesn't contain professional medical advice and we urge you to contact certified endometriosis medical experts for diagnosis and treatment, if your symptoms sound similar to those being described in the episode.Support the show

Send us Fan MailOn day 1 of her first job, a lifelong introvert and an IT engineer Ayesha knew in her gut, the big corporate world was not for her. She then looked back at what gave her unparalleled joy in the past to guide her future. She talks to Nalini about being a female brown founder in her early twenties, why she believes twenties might be the best time to start up. Join us as she shares how she turned her two joys- helping others and video editing into a successful, bootstrapped and (now profitable) animation studio at an age most people are only just getting used to being adults! Ayesha takes us through the crests and troughs of setting up and growing a remote business IN the pandemic, the kind of people and clients she likes to have around, how zoom might have made her work life more equitable and what's next for her.Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Phew! It's been quite the journey. When we first finalized the topic for Season 1, we had no idea how controversial it would end up being; from being criticized for our topic choices, the difficult search for guests to having guests drop out last minute, to say it was 'eventful' would be an understatement. However, once the episodes started being heard, the feedback has been overwhelmingly heartening. Join us as we chat about our biggest takeaways and what's next. Also, thank you for supporting us in every way that you have. We wouldn't be embarking on Season 2 with the confidence we have if it weren't for you. We'll see you in the new year & here's wishing you the best wind down ever! Don't forget to buy us that coffee ;) Support the show

Send us Fan MailBravery, fearlessness and sacrifice are often admirable traits. Yet, what happens when they are taught in the name of caste and at the cost of all other emotions? Join Ankita as she chats with Rashmi- an emotional intelligence coach in Malaysia, who battled her own human emotions while growing up in Uttar Pradesh because 'Rajput darte nahi hai' (Rajputs are fearless) and 'Rajput rote nahi hai' (Rajput's don't cry)! How did Rashmi tread the path from what her mother taught to discovering self love, self acceptance and breaking out of generational trauma. Did Rashmi ever repeat these sentences to her daughter? Tune in to find out. Support the show

Send us Fan MailWhat does it take for a prickly girl surrounded by a conservative religious Bihari society to turn into a confident prickly woman, when her mother worries about the safety and societal acceptability of her 'different' daughter, every day of her life? Prerna grew up fighting minor everyday battles with her parents (who she loves very much). At 18, She put her foot down to leave a university her parents already paid for, to follow her dream of pursuing mechanical engineering. The decision changed the trajectory of her forever. A decade and a half later, she heads a luxury retail brand for a living- something she believes only happened, because of her first adult rebellion.Alas, roles seem to have reversed now between her and her parents. Tune in to find out how.Note: Episode contains intermittent use of Hindi and some engineering acronyms Indian students grow up assuming everyone else's life also revolves around🙈Eg: AIEEE (All India engineering entrance exam), E&TC (electronics and telecom), NIT (National institute of technology) etc. Support the show