The Coconut Culture

Social Media can both make and break stereotypes. Everyone knows the contentious state in which post-colonial Hindustan was left in and how the partition resulted in religious divides, many injustices and hurt sentiments. We seldom hear positive stories so, an Instagram reel on life in Pakistan initiated by Pakistani Hindu influencers Deepna Rajput and Prekshi Boparai along with their younger cousin, created much buzz on social media. We sat down with Prekshi Boparai (@prekshi.boparai), a social media microinfluencer and 4th year medical student, to listen to her personal experience about life in Pakistan as a modern Hindu woman. She breaks several stereotypes and enlightens us on how a post digital world has helped bridge several gaps between stereotypes, but also, how the current news media at times plays a role in continuing to keep divisive narratives and stereotypes alive for the average citizens of the world. Brown History link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QRV96skGrgyBTPIyeNI8x?si=1qpZCzUgQYSNHY-DmIASMA

For many of us, time spent playing or engaging in sports is time wasted on academics! If you grew up in a south Asian household, you would be lucky to have family and society actively encourage you to participate in extracurriculars. This narrative couldn't be truer for our guest this episode, Dr. Srikanth Nithyanandam. Having been raised predominantly in south India, interspersed with his trips to meet his parents in Thailand, he grew up seeing two different lifestyles. This unique experience has driven his passion to establish himself in the field of sports and family medicine in Kentucky, USA. He has a YouTube Channel @drsrikanthnithyanandammd where he shares evidence based knowledge and exercise tips to help manage various aspects of health like diabetes, arthritis and postpartum care just to name a few. He candidly gives us evidence based care tips on how to manage our lifestyle to keep our genetic predispositions, like diabetes and arthritis, at bay.

Talking about the south Asian body can be complicated one as it is often associated with physical appearance that is constantly under scrutiny by south Asian 'aunties' and family members. But, way beyond our appearance or weight, there are so many other factors that determine your health. We talk to Dr. Preyasi Kothari to guide us through how our genetics may put us at risk for certain ailments and how we should be rethinking how we care for our bodies specific to those risk factors. Dr. Preyasi Kothari is an ER physician, certified physical trainer and health coach who uses evidence based techniques to guide her clients to achieve their health goals. You can visit her website www.preysmd.com or follow her on Instagram @preysmd to get your daily dose of science backed inspiration to stay healthy and incorporate healthier habits in your life.

In this episode, we tackle a question commonly asked by NRI parents who move abroad with their growing child, particularly those approaching puberty and teenagers. Parenting teens can be tough but nurturing them while they navigate a different world outside and within (aka hormones) can be quite stressful for both parent and child. Tune in for an open and honest conversation with practical advice from our hosts Nimi & Keerthi!

In this minisode, host Keerthi Jan, an academic writer with degrees in psychology and health systems management, walks you through the advantages and challenges of a child raised in two different countries and cultures. Their world view is a result of not just psychological, but some neurological components as well. Third culture kids (TCKs) are often misunderstood and characterised by their ability to camouflage their traits that stand out and blend into any society as adults. But, how true is this? What happens to those who fail to accept the move? We briefly cover all this and more in this minisode.