The Brown Girl Blueprint

Tulsi Patel

Lately, life has felt a little overwhelming - like I’m just about holding it together. Some days it’s home-cooked meals, other days it’s hospital food. I forget to reply to messages, fall asleep on the sofa mid-chapter, and question everything from my career to whether I’ve made my family or myself proud. As women, especially minority women, there’s this constant pressure to achieve, to exceed, to prove our worth. So I’ve been searching for who I am beyond the job title - from my roots to my soul. I’m Dr. Tulsi Patel, a British-born Gujarati Indian junior doctor in London. I know how rare it is to see Asian women represented in certain spaces. That’s why I created The Brown Girl Blueprint - a podcast celebrating inspiring Asian women who are breaking barriers and redefining what’s possible. Through honest conversations, we’ll explore identity, ambition and cultural pride. Because there’s no single way to be an Asian woman. Every story matters.

Episodes

  1. Limitless: How Surgeon Priya Achar Built a Life Without 'Can’t'

    4D AGO

    Limitless: How Surgeon Priya Achar Built a Life Without 'Can’t'

    Sitting down with Priya for this conversation felt like being back in her office again, laughing too loudly and talking about everything from ward rounds to life choices. In this episode, I wanted to understand how she actually did it: moving from India to the UK, retraining from scratch, building a complex surgical career and raising two children with very little family nearby. What came through most was her calm belief that hard work, respect and the right partner can carry you through seasons that are anything but easy. What We Explore - Destiny & Graft: How Priya went from almost choosing engineering to falling in love with anatomy, “accidentally” landing in ENT, and then rebuilding her surgical career from the ground up after moving to the UK. - Motherhood & Partnership: The reality of having two surgeons in one household, navigating sick babies, postpartum depression, au pairs, and why she believes real partnership is rarely 50-50 and always rooted in respect. - ENT Myths & Joys: Her take on ear infections, nasal strips and “selective hearing,” the goriest foreign bodies she’s seen, Bollywood in theatre, and why she still gets a stress spike on her heart-rate monitor when she operates. Spending this time with Priya reminded me that a “big” life is usually built quietly, through years of small, consistent choices and a refusal to shy away from hard work. I hope her story gives you permission to define success on your own terms, ask for the support you need, and keep hold of your dreams even when the path bends. Thanks for listening and being here with us. Connect with Priya Connect with Priya on LinkedIn. Follow The Brown Girl Blueprint:  Instagram | TikTok Connect with Tulsi: Instagram | TikTok The Brown Girl Blueprint is produced by Urban Podcasts.

    1h 5m
  2. How to Challenge Your Thinking Without Compromising Your Values with Barrister Eleena Misra

    JAN 20

    How to Challenge Your Thinking Without Compromising Your Values with Barrister Eleena Misra

    I’ve been so excited to share this conversation - Eleena Misra is exactly the kind of trailblazer who inspired me to start The Brown Girl Blueprint. In this episode, I sit down with Eleena, a powerhouse barrister and King's Counsel who's shattered ceilings in the legal world. We talk about everything from navigating cultural identity as an Asian woman in law, to the breakthroughs that got her where she is today, and the honest realities of balancing a high-stakes career with family life. It's a chat full of wisdom, laughs, and that unfiltered inspiration I love bringing to you. What We Explore - Cultural Identity in the Courtroom: Eleena shares how being an Asian woman shaped her path – the challenges, the triumphs, and why representation matters so much. - Career Breakthroughs & Barriers: From early struggles to becoming KC, the key moments that propelled her forward (and the ones that tested her resolve). - Work-Life Wisdom: Honest advice on mentorship, boundaries, and why there's a season for everything in building a life you love. Eleena's story is a reminder that bold, brilliant Asian women are out there making waves and you can too. If you're chasing your own breakthroughs, this one's for you. Connect with Eleena: LinkedIn Follow The Brown Girl Blueprint:  Instagram | TikTok Connect with Tulsi: Instagram | TikTok The Brown Girl Blueprint is produced by Urban Podcasts.

    1h 5m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Lately, life has felt a little overwhelming - like I’m just about holding it together. Some days it’s home-cooked meals, other days it’s hospital food. I forget to reply to messages, fall asleep on the sofa mid-chapter, and question everything from my career to whether I’ve made my family or myself proud. As women, especially minority women, there’s this constant pressure to achieve, to exceed, to prove our worth. So I’ve been searching for who I am beyond the job title - from my roots to my soul. I’m Dr. Tulsi Patel, a British-born Gujarati Indian junior doctor in London. I know how rare it is to see Asian women represented in certain spaces. That’s why I created The Brown Girl Blueprint - a podcast celebrating inspiring Asian women who are breaking barriers and redefining what’s possible. Through honest conversations, we’ll explore identity, ambition and cultural pride. Because there’s no single way to be an Asian woman. Every story matters.