In the penultimate episode of season 1, I interview Akanksha Deo Sharma, the only Indian designer at IKEA. I don’t want to give too much away, but we had one of the most incredible conversations that covered the intersection between design, diversity, gender, and identity, and several other topics, making this one of my favorite episodes so far. I do hope you like this episode and urge you to check out Akanksha’s amazing new sustainable, and, genius collection called Forandring at IKEA If you enjoy our podcast, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review. It helps us a lot. You can also follow us along on instagram @gritbyaakivora

GRIT. by Aaki Vora

9. Akanksha Deo Sharma | IKEA

In this episode I interview Shweta Srinivasan and Mani Kumar, the cofounders of the mind clan, which is a “mental health platform dedicated to giving individuals access to a curated list of tools for mental health care." They took time out to discuss how the idea for the platform came about, the resources that they offer, and the status of mental healthcare in India today. I do hope you like this episode and urge you to check out the incredible resources at themindclan.com! If you enjoy our podcast, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review. It helps us a lot. You can also follow us along on instagram @gritbyaakivora

8. Shweta and Mani | The Mind Clan

In this episode, I interview Payal Khandwala, one of India’s leading fashion designers. She started her eponymous fashion label in 2012 when she couldn’t find the kind of clothes she wanted to wear. Although she never envisioned building an empire and creating a category of her own in the Indian fashion space, Payal has gone on to do that and more. Even though her clothes are now adorned by A-List Bollywood celebrities and are often featured in the news, for Payal it has never been about fame, money, or features. It is her love for creating clothes that empower that motivates and inspires her. She generously opened up about her journey, design philosophy, and why she does what she does in this incredible episode, which I hope you love as much as I do. If you enjoy our podcast, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review. It helps us a lot. You can also follow us along on Instagram @gritbyaakivora

7. Payal Khandwala | Fashion Designer

In this episode, I interview Nihaal Mariwala, the founder of Setu, a company that produces vitamin and mineral supplements. Setu is revolutionizing the preventive healthcare space in India, and Nihaal took the time to tell me about how he built the company, the nature of the nutrition supplement industry in India, and how we can take ownership of our own health. e!

6. Nihaal Mariwala | Setu

In this episode, I interview Arunima Patel, one of the founders of iGenetic Diagnostics, India’s fastest growing pathology lab. In addition to the standard menu of microbiology tests, Arunima’s company specializes in molecular testing and genetic sequencing. Molecular testing drastically reduces the turnaround time for test results for life-threatening diseases allowing patients to begin treatment quicker. Testing using genetic sequencing provides doctors valuable information to treat patients, especially those battling cancer, by giving them targeted treatment that minimizes side effects. Not only is her company democratizing healthcare in India by expanding to Tier II and III cities and by making diagnostics more accessible and affordable, but it is also aiding India’s fight against coronavirus. iGenetic developed a COVID test in January, and their team has since been tirelessly running their labs to provide quick and accurate results. Arunima took time out to tell me about how she left her job in private equity to start a pathology lab and how telemedicine may revolutionize our healthcare system. Follow us on Instagram @gritbyaakivora. The cover art is designed by Naomi Shah (@itsnaomishah)

5. Arunima Patel | iGenetic Diagnostics

In this episode, I interview Arman Sood, one of the three co-founders of Sleepy Owl Coffee. A small-time Pokemon card arbitrage in middle school gave Arman his first taste of entrepreneurship, but it wasn’t until law school, where he met Ashwajeet, another co-founder of Sleepy Owl, that he developed a true passion for building businesses. After successfully starting and running two ventures in law school, Arman and Ashwajeet decided they wanted to continue to pursue entrepreneurship. They joined forces with Ahwajeet’s childhood friend, Ajai, and together they found a way to disrupt the beverage industry in India. With the goal of making freshly brewed coffee convenient and accessible to Indians, the three of them came up with the idea for Sleepy Owl. They started in a two-bedroom apartment in Dwarka where they tested and developed their first Cold Brew packet. Sleepy Owl now available in retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai and online across the nation and is consumed by over a million households. Arman and his story are super cool, and I do hope you enjoy the episode. And, if you haven’t already, try Sleepy Owl’s Coffee, it’s fabulous. For behind-the-scenes action and sneak peeks into upcoming episodes follow us on Instagram @gritbyaakivora or visit aakivora.com The cover art is designed by Naomi Shah and the show is created and produced by Aakanksha Vora. 

4. Arman Sood | Co-founder, Sleepy Owl Coffee

Ruchika is the founder and creative director of Bodice and is one of India's leading fashion designers. Ruchika founded Bodice in 2011, after graduating from the London College of Fashion. She was the recipient of the&nbsp;2018 Woolmark Prize-- an accolade conferred on Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld in their early years. She was named one of&nbsp; Forbes India's 30 under 30, Vogue India's designer of the year, and is listed of the BoF 500. Bodice makes exceptionally beautiful pieces and Ruchika is a creative genius: her brand consciously eschews trends, fast fashion, and the general maximalist Indian clothes, for timeless, sustainable, and minimal pieces that transcend seasons, occasions, and fads.Each piece that Ruchika and her team put out represents persistence, not only because of their style but also because of their commitment to sustainability. From their design and material to their packaging, the clothes are produced with minimal environmental impact. It takes an empowered, gritty, and courageous woman to build a brand that disrupts an industry and keeps on innovating. But Ruchika seems to me as someone who wants to empower others to do the same. We have so much to learn from her story and wisdom and I can't wait for you to hear this episode! For behind-the-scenes action and sneak peeks into upcoming episodes follow us on Instagram @gritbyaakivora The cover art is designed by Naomi Shah and the show is created and produced by Aakanksha Vora

3. Ruchika Sachdeva | Creative Director, Bodice

In this episode, I interview Sushant Divgikr, also known as Rani KoHEnur. Sushant is an actor, singer, performer, model, and reality TV star. You may have seen him on Bigg Boss, Big Switch, or looking straight fire on the covers of Vogue and Cosmo. Sushant's drag self, Rani Ko-HE-nur, is India’s first drag queen. She has performed on several illustrious platforms including Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and as the opening act for RuPaul's Drag Race winner Violet Chachki. Among Sushant’s several accolades, he was Mr. Gay India in 2014 and is part of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 Class of 2020. He is an activist for and icon of the LGBTQI community. Above all, he is unfailing kind and an inspiration to me and thousands of others. In this episode, we talk about self-confidence, overcoming failure and rejection, and taking a chance on yourself. I will also ask Sushant how we can be better allies of the LGBTQI community, participate in activism, and educate ourselves and others on inclusion and empathy. For behind-the-scenes action and sneak peeks into upcoming episodes follow us on Instagram @gritbyaakivora. The cover art is designed by Naomi Shah</a> and the show is created and produced by Aakanksha Vora

2. Sushant Divgikr / Rani KoHEnur | Actor, Drag Icon, Activist

In this episode, I interview Olympian, Arjuna Awardee and Swimminer-turned-Golfer, Rehan Poncha. Rehan is one of the most inspiring and accomplished people I've met and we all have a lot to learn from him and his journey from fighting asthma and a chlorine allergy to become a national champion, and retiring at the top of his game to build a successful career from the bottom in a new sport. Rehan is a close friend and mentor and was the inspiration behind the show so it was only fitting that he be the guest on our pilot episode. For behind-the-scenes action and sneak peeks into upcoming episodes follow us on Instagram @gritbyaakivora. The cover art is designed by Naomi Shah and the show is created and produced by Aakanksha Vora

1. Rehan Poncha | Olympian

Hi. I am Aaki Vora, and I love talking to people about their life stories. I am always inspired when I hear people talk about how they overcame adversity and kept believing in themselves and their dreams. So I decided to ask some exceptional people about their stories - how they started out, how they took a chance on themselves, and how they hung on when the road got bumpy. I hope you'll join me in conversation with some of the most incredible Indians about how they built grit and the stories behind their successful companies, ideas, championships, and movements.&nbsp; To know more about me and the podcast visit <a href="//www.aakivora.com">aakivora.com</a>

Introducing: GRIT. by Aaki Vora

Grit represents firmness of character, indomitable spirit, and perseverance and passion for long-term goals. On this show, I interview Indian entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and activists about their journeys and how they are catalyzing change. The series celebrates stories of courage and resilience to inspire listeners to bet on themselves and their dreams.