In this episode, Kirti reflects on the many layers of friendship…the easy ones, the complicated ones, and everything in between. From quiet support to unexpected disappointments, she explores how friendships evolve, what makes them last, and why they matter.

She also shares a powerful moment from a graduation speech that offers a fresh reminder about what truly counts in the end.

In this emotional episode of Chai & Chronicles, Kirti shares a deeply personal story of loss, resilience, and identity — tracing the night her family was forced to flee Kashmir in 1990. With haunting clarity and raw emotion, Kirti, a Kashmiri Hindu, recounts the trauma of displacement, the fear that swallowed her childhood, and the strength her family found amidst unspeakable loss.

Part memoir, part history — this is the voice of a community that was silenced, but never broken. This isn’t just Kirti’s story. It’s the story of a people who were uprooted, unheard, and unseen — yet never let go of their identity.

🫖 Tune in, reflect, and share — because some stories deserve to be remembered, and some silences must finally be broken.

Because while we left our homeland… Kashmir never left us.

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Kirti opens the envelope on a real-life incident that felt straight out of Gossip Girl — minus the glitz. An anonymous letter lands in a friend’s hands, filled with judgment cloaked as concern. But what hits harder than the words is the silence behind them. Why do people choose secrecy over honesty? What does it say about them and us? With warmth, wisdom, and a hint of sass, Kirti explores the messy emotions behind unsigned messages, the strength in staying grounded, and the power of speaking up with kindness.