Episode 35

Chris Desai

Chrisna Jagdish Desai, known in the industry as ‘Chris Desai’ was born to a working class
family in Leicester, United Kingdom in the year 1988, to an English Mother and a Political
Refuge, Ugandan Indian / Gujarati Father. He grew up in a multicultural working-class home being exposed to the Eastern and Western culture from a very young age in his home city of Leicester. Fascinated by the natural world and exploration, he went against the grain of being studious and quickly excelled at everything outdoors, such as running, athletics, flying and sailing and was determined to explore the entire planet in his lifetime. His creative talents also
developed in these early years including literature, poetry and spoken word which was
nurtured by his mother. Through the amalgamation of these interests and cultural experiences, he began producing music and writing songs at the age of 14 about his adventures and views on life, by the age of 21 he became an industry-known recording artist and found himself signed to a major record label in London. Shortly after his music career began, he also entered the apparel world and developed a love for high fashion and couture which flourished over the next decade. After a highly successful decade in the music and fashion industry, he realized the damage that fashion was causing the planet, this was realized on a sailing trip he embarked on which lasted over 3000 miles.
When returning to land, he created an organic sustainable and ethical fashion apparel brand
called Vayyu, which would re-invent sustainable and organic fashion. Vayyu was awarded the second most ethical brand in the United Kingdom, and taking its
designs and inspiration from meditation and the esoteric knowledge that is found within.
Chris then established its own registered environmental charity called The Vayyu
Foundation, which operated The UOcean Project, the project rapidly spread across the
planet in its first 2 years and now has over 50 chapters globally and a mission statement to
remove #1BILLIONKILOS of marine/ocean plastic by 2030.

UOCEAN® 2050 represents a pioneering and practical approach to tackling
the urgent global issue of ocean plastics. As a non-profit charitable grassroots
organization, our mission is to eliminate ocean plastics on a global scale.
Through collaborative efforts with partners from various sectors, including
volunteers, individuals, communities, governments, schools, universities, and
the private sector, we aim to forge a circular economy of sustainable
behaviors that support the removal of ocean and river plastics from canals,
rivers, beaches, and the open ocean. At the core of our mission, we are
committed to establishing agents of change globally.
We recognize that the fight against ocean plastics is not just an environmental
issue but a social equity issue. That is why we are also dedicated to
empowering underprivileged and isolated ethnic minority communities to thrive
in conservation.
In addition to our cleanup efforts, we deploy educational toolkits in academic
institutions, bridging the gaps that are leading to climate change. We also
advocate for stricter laws on plastics, their disposal, and global protection of
our oceans. We welcome collaboration with individuals and organizations who
share our passion for preserving the environment and promoting social equity.
At UOCEAN® 2050, we are committed to creating a more sustainable future
for all.