Manashri Shejwalkar is a passionate climate activist and sustainability professional. Instead of simply upgrading her education in mechanical engineering, Manashri chose to follow her heart and pursue an education and career in sustainable energy. Her interests lie in food, culture, climate, and social justice. She consistently follows up her words with actions as she pursues a plastic-free lifestyle, participating in organizations such as Plastic Free YYC, where she engaged and connected the Calgary Community. In her downtime, Manashri enjoys collecting plants and fostering dogs, all while running a podcast and blog sharing knowledge around the intersectionality of sustainable practices, food, and climate justice. Manashri’s passion for cooking and shopping with waste and sustainability in mind is contagious.
Manashri was born in Vadodara, a city in the Gujarat province in Western India. She moved to Canada in 2013 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. When she first arrived in Calgary, Manashri found comfort in cooking traditional Indian food at home, as it was difficult to find in the city. This love for food, cooking, and gardening materialized itself in her education as she was inspired to take the next steps in her professional career to pursue her Masters of Sustainable Energy at the University of Calgary. Her capstone project raised critical questions to the community, researching food waste from grocery stores in Calgary. She explains this as a seamless and effortless transition that is more geared towards her calling and how she wants to lead her life. Manashri currently works for the Federal Government in the department of Northern Indigenous Affairs. She enjoys her job as it allows her to create an impact on real people in the world. Manashri credits her husband and pre-existing network of friends in Calgary for her smooth transition to Canada but recognizes that not all immigrants are this lucky. She acknowledges the many years it took her to find restaurants and grocery stores that catered to authentic Indian cuisine. Manashri is critical of the difficulty newcomers to Calgary may experience when trying to create a connection to their home country while dealing with the emotions of adapting to a new place, looking to food to potentially create a bridge. Manashri explains restaurants that cater to different cultures can be clustered in certain areas. For example, many Indian street food restaurants open in northeast Calgary, leading to issues of accessibility and equity for those who can’t reach the areas or can’t afford delivery services. However, she acknowledges the progress Calgary has made in providing accessible cultural restaurants and grocery stores which has allowed her to find comfort in the city. Some of her favourites are Mumbai bites and Cinnamon (downtown). That being said, Manashri loves how Calgary has allowed her to try new foods she may never have tried if she stayed in India, her favourite being red Thai curry from White Elephant or Juree’s Thai. Manashri is an inspiring activist who has created an amazing example of how to connect, create, and engage communities. She shares a perspective on food systems that connects the environmental, cultural, emotional, and economic aspects of food. She communicates an understanding of how food and their distinct smells bring comfort to newcomers, transporting individuals back to memories and places through a sensory experience. Furthermore, she explains how the power of food transcends into environmental and economic systems when evaluating the implications of food waste, plastic use, and accessibility. Manashri’s passions, work, and past experiences reveal the possibility for a holistic model of food systems, inspiring and educating all generations about the power of food within our cities. |
Manashri Shejwalkar on Grocery Stores
Manashri Shejwalkar Overview
Manashri Shejwalkar on Food And Comfort
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