Aastha Anurag Gaur (Ms)

Proposed Thesis Title:  Bambaiyya Bhel: Urbanization, Caste and Street Food in Colonial Bombay
Supervisor: Associate Professor Medha Kudaisya

Aastha Gaur is a recent graduate of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies and minored in History. Originally from Pune, India, Aastha developed an interest in culinary history while working on a cultural mapping project for the Indian organization Sahapedia.

At HKU, Aastha co-founded "Blue Plate," a start-up promoting sustainable eating practices among university students. She also participated in an exchange program at Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Italy, furthering broadening her culinary horizons. Aastha’s interest in history deepened when she was selected for the Summer Research Program, where she explored the emergence of Mumbai’s iconic dabbawalas or lunchbox carriers. The following year, she was awarded under the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, where she explored the transition of Kolkata’s Chinese community from tanners to restauranteurs.

Her academic interests lie at the intersection of urbanism, culinary cultures, and migration. At NUS, she will research the convergence of economic development and street food in colonial Bombay. Her thesis aims to expand the scope of urban economic history to include food and situate the role of the street food stall in shaping urban migrant citizenship and discourses around migrant rights in an Indian metropolis.

When not tucked away in a corner reading, Aastha enjoys cooking, photography, and experimenting with coffee. She hopes to be a certified scuba diver soon!