While many of us know Jyoti as Calgary’s Mayor, her story starts when she was born in the U.K, and at the age of four, she and her family immigrated to Canada. Settling first in Winnipeg and then moving to smaller towns in Manitoba, she experienced the typical childhood growing up in the prairies, playing basketball, curling with jam cans, and skating on ponds. Jyoti’s family was one of the few visible minority families in town, which meant they faced many barriers; this resulted in her father sacrificing parts of his faith to be able to provide for his family. Still, the family spoke Punjabi at home and Jyoti has always retained her mother tongue, continuing to emphasize the role language plays in community and culture building.  

Jyoti’s education led her to completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba and starting a role as a policy analyst with Family Services at the Government of Manitoba. She married her husband Todd in 1996, and the two of them moved to Alberta, eventually establishing Calgary as home in 1997. Her career at Credit Union Central and then a leadership role at Greyhound Canada provided Jyoti the opportunity to meet with people in different businesses and communities. By meeting people on their turf and asking how she could best serve them, Jyoti fostered a crucial relationship of support and respect between the organization, its managers, and their clients – a skill that she continues to bring with her today at the City of Calgary. 

Her father, who remains a driving force for her decision to choose public service, passed days before she defended her masters thesis in corporate social responsibility. His legacy was carried on through Jyoti as she took on a leadership role in Calgary’s South Asian community, through creating open conversations about the role of culture, language, and religion in public education. Jyoti’s commitment and participation across various community volunteer boards and committees led her to be elected as the Ward 3 Councillor in 2017. Her collaborative skillset, bold decision-making, and belief in the potential of continued prosperity and growth in Calgary drove her to be elected as Mayor in 2021. 

Jyoti shares a home with her mum (Surjit), husband (Todd), 19-year-old Justice, and her dog, Smokey. Jyoti’s connection to her Punjabi heritage through language started with her mum and has now influenced her journey in truth and reconciliation with Calgary’s Indigenous communities. Frequently referring to language as a way of sustaining culture, Jyoti recognizes the strength and value in how it connects us to others and to ourselves. Jyoti continues to empower Calgarians by asking questions, building social connections, and providing supports to understand and address different community needs and priorities.