Gouri Mirpuri is a “backyard activist” and a writer. She has published several books for young adults, and is regular contributor to several business and travel magazines.

Gouri has lived in many countries over the past two decades and is currently in Indonesia with her diplomat husband. She has supported various social initiatives wherever she has lived, including deafness related support organizations, youth programmes and art/heritage issues.

Her biggest passion however is the environment. She supports an initiative called “The Learning Farm” to rehabilitate street youth through organic farming. Gouri is also a columnist with Globe Asia and writes on environmental issues.

Recently she was invited to be a TED speaker because of the series of witty, localized cartoons she developed for a major newspaper highlighting ways the average person can nurture and sustain the environment. These green tips, as they are called, are being used in schools and organizations throughout the archipelago and abroad.