Maharani Talks

My guest this episode is the distinguished Kumi Naidoo - a human rights and climate justice activist. Naidoo first began his journey at the age of 15 fighting against the then apartheid government in South Africa by organising school boycotts. He was arrested several times for civil disobedience and when the government imposed a state of emergency, he was forced to go underground and flee to the UK, where he became a Rhodes scholar. He eventually returned to South Africa in 1990 when Mandela was released from jail, and went onto play a vital role in shaping the then African National Congress. His steadfast work in the human rights and justice sphere led him to become the first person from the global south to head Greenpeace International and later, Secretary General of Amnesty International. From scaling oil rigs to protest against the fossil fuel industry to sitting down with the likes of Tony Blair, Angela Merkel and Putin, Naidoo has become one of the prominent voices in the climate justice movement.  He continues to represent Africans Rising for Justice, Peace, and Dignity as a Global Ambassador and currently holds the position of Distinguished visiting lecturer at Stanford University's Center for Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law.  In this conversation, we discuss the tragic human crisis unfolding in Palestine to climate urgency and how the climate crisis is interlinked with human rights. To learn more about Naidoo's work, please visit: https://www.kuminaidoo.net You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

What is it like to be a woman scientist in India? Why don't we see enough of them? If you're quick to point the superstar ones, sadly they're not always the norm. In fact, research has shown that women in academia are expected to be much more competent than their male counterparts to be considered for the same role. It's this bias that got Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj to start ‘The Life of Science' web portal to document stories of regular women in science, and the systemic bias they fight in their everyday lives. Having began their journey in 2016, it has now given rise to their book ‘Lab Hopping: A Journey to find India's Women in Science'. Backed by research, it makes the reader come to terms with unsettling facts plaguing Indian academia, when it comes to gender and caste diversity. In our conversation, we bring some of these issues to light and what can be done to remedy it. To learn more about The Life Of Science or order the book, visit: https://thelifeofscience.com/ You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic    

Artificial intelligence or AI is quite the buzzword these days. Many of us would not have missed the news pouring in about AI - sometimes it is promising and at times, it isn't reassuring. But Ankush Sabharwal, founder and CEO of CoRover, believes AI is more than a buzzword. It is here to stay - simply because an average human is already relying on AI in ways that they don't realise. CoRover is a platform for conversational AI. The kind of AI Chatbot-as-a-service (CaaS) that we encounter through customer support with organisations. The company is also the brainchild behind AskSarkar, an app that helps citizens better access and resolve issues about government services; behind Indian Railways' virtual assistant DISHA and also BharatGPT, our own version of ChatGPT that supports 12 Indian languages and over 120 foreign languages. A graduate of BITS Pilani and IIM Calcutta, Sabharwal has over 15+ years experience in the SaaS space and is a member of the invite-only Forbes Technology Council. He has appeared on many media outlets offering his opinion on the fast paced growth of AI. To learn more about CoRover, please visit: https://corover.ai/ You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider rating the show. 

How often have you shared a digital artwork on social media to simply convey your thoughts on an issue?  The power of digital art to convey dissent or to protest has grown to become one of the most preferred ways to vent frustration or show solidarity. Its creation is not intended to sell (maybe that will soon change), but it does often cause one to react. A reason probably why many of these artists choose to be anonymous. Smish Designs is a digital artist and illustrator whose work is a searing commentary on the socio-political events that happen in our country. Some of her designs have been used during protests such as the Hathras case and anti-CAA. In her first solo exhibition in 2021, Pati, Patni Aur Woke - her designs delved into the injustices often meted out to women in the institution of marriage as Smish asks if marriage is really a safe space for women? But voicing one's unfiltered opinion always comes at a cost - she has had to deal with threats, trolling, and even Instagram and Twitter taking down her posts.  As she becomes one of the well-known voices in India's protest art culture, stay tuned to this interesting episode as we talk about her art, staying anonymous, protecting her mental health, the prevalence of protest art in the age of social media, role of artificial intelligence and much more! To learn more about her work, you can check her work on: https://www.instagram.com/smishdesigns/?hl=en You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

In many ways, Anjali Gopalan has been a torchbearer for the LGBTQIA+ community. She started Naz Foundation in 1994 to lead a dedicated fight against HIV/AIDS issues and defend those marginalised due to their sexuality. Naz Foundation is the original petitioner to challenge Section 377 criminalising homosexuality, an archaic law which was struck down by the Supreme Court four years back. Honouring her persistent fight for equality, she has received the Knight of the Legion of Honour, one of the highest honours from the French Government in 2013, shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, named one of Time magazine's Most Influential People in the World in 2012 and received the Woman Achiever Award from the Indian Government in 2007. Join us as we talk about many issues concerning the queer community such as the ongoing same-sex marriage petitions in the Delhi High Court, expressing gender at work, rainbow washing by corporates and the way forward for the Indian queer community. To learn more about The Naz Foundation, please visit: https://www.nazindia.org/ You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

The Bombay Canteen is considered as one of the most popular restaurants in the country and its food most sought out. It has been adjudged as The Best Restaurant in India in 2018 by Conde Nast Traveller and was also included in its list of 100 places in the world to eat. And as the restaurant's former Executive Chef, Thomas Zacharias' constant innovation of the Indian food became its pièce de résistance.  Through his latest venture, The Locavore, Chef Zacharias is keen to create a community around our rich Indian food legacy and in the process put the spotlight back on the best (and sometimes forgotten) regional dishes and cuisines. He's among the forefront of people championing the cause of local ingredients and to ultimately, do good through food. This is the 50th episode of Maharani Talks. To learn more about The Locavore, please visit: https://thelocavore.in You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic    

As someone who has a keen interest in space, I'm very excited to finally feature Dr. Susmita Mohanty, spaceship designer and a serial space entrepreneur, who started India's first private space startup, Earth2Orbit - at a time when the Indian space industry didn't welcome private players. She had also previously founded MoonFront and LIQUIFER, worked briefly with NASA & Boeing and as a climate activist, visited both the Artic & Antarctica on invitation.  A protégée of Arthur C. Clarke, she has been featured in numerous publications such as Fortune, Vogue and Bloomberg.  Dr. Susmita has now started India's first space think thank, Spaceport SARABHAI. As ISRO is solidifying its global presence and more private players are coming up in India, she shares interesting insights on how we need to steer the global space narrative to focus on explorations done in the Eastern hemisphere.  You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will take only a few moments of your time. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199  

Tech unions are considered a rarity in Silicon Valley. So, when Google employees announced the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), named after Google's parent company, it ended up becoming a catalyst for white collar workers to stand up against injustices in the workplace.  Raksha Muthukumar was one of the union's earliest members and helped in its formation. A GeorgiaTech graduate, during her work stint with Google, she saw the growing discontent among employees over Google's sexual discrimination practices, which led to the 2018 global walk out by Google employees, and over its ethical use of technology, which saw the forced exit of Dr. Timnit Gebru, a respected figure in ethical practice of AI. In October last year, Raksha was named as one of the 18 tech activists to watch out for by Business Insider, along with the likes of Frances Haugen who exposed Facebook's algorithm decisions. The union itself has been extensively covered by numerous publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, and The New York Times. So what did it take to make it happen? You can get in touch with Raksha at https://raksha.gay/ You can reach me at maharanitalks@gmail.com or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Who make up the Indian newsrooms? Do journalists cover diverse voices?  Priyadharsini is the founder director of The Blue Club (TBC), a grassroots media organisation that amplifies stories of women from marginalised communities and the LGBTQIA. TBC is solely led by a team of members from such discriminated communities. An Oxfam India report in 2019 shows how badly skewed representation of varied communities is in our newsrooms. A case in point - the report states that of the 121 newsroom leadership positions across newspapers, TV news channels, news websites, and magazines under study, 106 are occupied by journalists from the upper castes. The need to lessen this lacuna and louden such oft-ignored voices is the objective of The Blue Club. Priyadharsini is also a documentary filmmaker and has brought out films such as Go, Get Education, a short film based on the revolutionary 19th century feminist and social reformer, Savitribai Phule and #dalitwomenfight. It brings to light rape atrocities Dalit women face in Haryana and was screened at the 38th session of United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva. While stating the Oxfam Report in the podcast, I mistakenly mention of the total number of newsroom leadership positions as 101, which is not correct. It is a total of 121 newsroom leadership positions as stated by the Report. The error is regretted. You can reach me at Maharani Talks on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ To learn more about The Blue Club: https://www.theblueclub.org You can read more about the Oxfam India Report 2019 here: https://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/default/files/2019-08/Oxfam%20NewsLaundry%20Report_For%20Media%20use.pdf MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will take a only few moments of your time. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199

I've been of the opinion that death penalty is justified for those convicted of heinous crimes. But in doing so, am I completely isolating the perpetrator and their actions to this one crime? Does the onus of the death penalty fall majorly on those marginalised in our society? My guest this episode is Dr. Anup Surendranath. He is the Executive Director of Project 39A and an Assistant Professor of Law at National Law University in Delhi. Project 39A's Death Penalty India report is the first empirical research done on capital punishment, the way its administered and about those who live on death row. The Centre also offers pro bono legal aid for these convicts. In this episode, we talk about: The socio-economic and caste profile of those who often get the death penalty Understanding the mental health of convicts on death row Does death penalty really deter crimes?  Can our legal system support the capital punishment? Prisoners convicted of terror activities If death penalty is abolished, will people lose faith in our judiciary? To know more about Project 39A, please visit: www.project39a.com You can reach me at Maharani Talks on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will only take a few moments of your time. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199

Dr. Revathi, or Kutti Revathi as she is often known as, is my first guest on the podcast that I'm talking to for the second time. The last time I spoke to her was a decade ago, and the issues that mattered to her then matter even today. She is a prominent Tamil poet, writer and lyricist whose works have largely centered on body politics and oppression.  Her second work, Mulaigal (Breasts), published in 2002, that spoke about female sexuality and the use of Tamil words like mulaigal and yoni (vagina) enraged certain sections of the society (read male writers) that they called for Revathi's book to be burnt followed by threats and discussions about her morality. But Revathi has since then gone on to publish more works and also started Panikkudam (Amniotic Sac), first Tamil feminist magazine. Revathi received Sigaram 15: Faces of Future award for literature from India Today and was one of the four women poets whose works were translated into English to highlight its prominence by Harper Collins. She has also penned lyrics for A.R.Rahman. In this episode, we talk about many pertinent topics such as: - Why women's bodies are constantly regulated - How regional poetry is a tool to dissent - Meeting legendary poet Mahasweta Devi and what she learnt from her - Regional poets in India vs. poets who write in English - How translation has helped bring the issue of body politics resonate further - Working as first time lyricist with A.R.Rahman MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will take just a few moments of your time. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199

Can you remember the time when the topic of love and marriage was discussed around you, the issue of caste was never brought up? A quick Google search on this issue will throw up a spate of news about inter-caste marriages and the incessant battles couples often face. The latest Pew Research findings that came out in June 2021 confirmed exactly this - we are shackled by societal expectations when choosing our mate. ⠀ This important conversation around our obsession with caste in matters regarding love and marriage that Jyostna Siddharth's work, Project Anti-Caste, Love finds prominence. She is an actor, activist and India Lead for Gender at Work, and also founder of Dalit Feminism Archive. ⠀ Jyotsna, who has a Masters in Development Studies and Social Anthropology and a recipient of Chevening Scholarship, talks about how her personal experiences shaped the Project, and her own intersectionality as a Dalit Queer woman. Some of the topics we discuss about: How inter-caste relationships help break up society binaries Being raised by her mother, a prominent Dalit activist, Rajni Tilak Discrimination in academic circles Why the Savarna #MeToo movement is a Dejavu movement for Dalit women Portrayal of marginalised communities in the media and movies  You can check out Project Anti-Caste, Love at: https://www.instagram.com/projectanticastelove/ Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will only take a few moments of your time. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199

There has been much talk about diversity and inclusion in the workplace, galvanised by the growing clout of social media.But how much of that translates for the transgender community? Recently, Karnataka became the first state government in India to reserve 1% of all government jobs for the transgender community. A significant move, considering that many transgender individuals, abandoned by their families and robbed of their dignity and livelihood, are forced to beg and/or become sexual workers to make ends meet.  It is to ensure a better socio-economic standing for trans people that Neelam Jain started Periferry, an organisation that works to skill and find employment solely for the trans community. And in the process, help corporates/startups diversify their workforce by supporting the LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Since its inception in 2017, Periferry has helped place over 190 trans people and upskilled over 300, and worked with companies such as Wipro, Accenture, HP, Goldman Sachs and others to sensitise their work culture. You can reach out to Neelam Jain at www.periferry.com Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will take a few moments of your time but will go a long way to support independent podcasters like me. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199

If you're a person with a vagina, be it binary or non binary, using public toilets has always been an icky experience. So what do we do? We either go long hours not peeing, hover over the toilet or in the worst case scenario, try to wipe the toilet seat.  When Deep Bajaj noticed how his wife and his mother struggled through these problems, even through pregnancy and arthritis, he decided to do something about it and came up with PeeBuddy - India's first portable, disposable and environment friendly FUD (female urination device) that enables women to stand and pee. And he patented the product in 2015. From often being shown the door during the early days to getting trolled for talking about women's hygiene issues, PeeBuddy has now sold about 2 million units and over the years, Deep has brought out other products under Sirona Hygiene. For his innovation, he has won National Entrepreneurship Award, ET Innovation Award and listed under well known 40 under 40 lists. To learn more about PeeBuddy and other female hygiene products, visit: www.thesirona.com MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ If you enjoy this podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It will take a few moments of your time but will go a long way to support independent podcasters like me. https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/maharani-talks/id1514769199    

This episode is the second part of my conversation with Nikesh Murali, writer and creator of the acclaimed podcast, Indian Noir. Before you listen to this episode, hope you've already checked out the prequel to this conversation where Nikesh and I talk about Indian Noir becoming a Spotify exclusive, podcasts and social media, the audio boom, mental health during the pandemic and his initial years of struggle as a writer.  Check out Indian Noir at: https://www.indiannoir.com Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic    

I'm thrilled to share with you all that Maharani Talks has completed a year! And one of the first podcasters I reached out to is Nikesh Murali, who has been supportive from day one. So I'm really excited that I finally got to sit down with him and have a wonderful discussion about his incredible work as a writer, voice actor and as the creator behind Indian Noir, an acclaimed chart topping podcast that tells thrilling crime and horror stories. And has now become a Spotify exclusive! Indian Noir has been featured in publications such as Harper's Bazaar, India Today, The Statesman, The News Minute among many others. As a writer, Nikesh's work spans close to two decades with a prolific body of work that includes a multi-award winning, Amazon bestselling short story collection 'The Killing Fields', and the novel, 'His Night Begins', which earned him the tag of the 'most hardboiled of Indian crime writers' from World Literature Today Journal. He won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the Asian region in 2011. As one of the early players of the Indian podcast industry, Nikesh talks about Indian Noir's place in the Indian horror/crime genre, the evolving scene of the podcast industry in the country and many more interesting topics. Check out Indian Noir here:  https://www.indiannoir.com Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic    

I remember when I watched Delhi Crime, it was gut wrenching, and took me back to the time when news reports were trickling in about Jyoti Singh’s gruesome rape and death. The show gave me a chance to understand how the Delhi Police went about nabbing all those involved.  The hard hitting docu-drama was awarded the International Emmy Award in November last year, becoming the first show from India to win an Emmy. But the show was initially declined by Netflix. It’s this need to champion independent voices that Apoorva Bakshi is most passionate about as her role as a producer. She has also spearheaded National Award winning movies such as Shut Up Sona and Leeches.  As one of the youngest producers in South Asia, she is the co-founder of Golden Karavan and Managing Partner at Project Fuel. Apoorva talks about why she chose Richie Mehta’s Delhi Crime and the rise of OTT platforms in pushing independent production.  Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

In 2014, Arjun Bahl and Thanish Thomas along with three of their co-founders, Hanif Kureshi, Giulia Ambrogi and Akshat Nauriyal, went to Shahpur Jat in New Delhi with a few artists and decided to paint the walls with art that was both vibrant and relayed a story or a message. With that, St+art India Foundation was formed and soon snowballed into a national movement that would propel street art in the country. The not-for-profit organisation’s idea to get art out of the galleries and away from elitist control was welcomed by scores of people as their reach grew to cover 25 cities, six art districts, 21 festivals and over 500 local and intentional artists.  St+art India is not the first street art movement in India but no other cause grew to the national significance it has. So how did the founders manage to do that? Check out St+art India Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/startindia/ Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

When Amrita Samant decided to pursue her passion and take up maternity and child photography back in 2013, little did she realise she would help open up a whole new industry in India, paving the way for many more such photographers. Over the years, Amrita has done over 1400 shoots spread across different countries, won multiple international awards and scaled up to leading an all-women’s team. Through her photography, she has run campaigns to highlight the importance of breastmilk donation for babies in intensive care unit. From a portrait photographer to having grown to a family documentary photographer, Amrita has also shot for many personalities including actor Sameera Reddy and cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin. So what was it like to be among first movers in this industry and what does she want her work legacy to be? The article referring to Anne Geddes is by ArtNet News. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anne-geddes-profile-1849401 To check out Amrita's work, please visit: www.mommyshotsbyamrita.com Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

When Varun Sheth was keen to go abroad after his graduation, he tried to raise funds for his education through crowdsourcing from his relatives and thereby, did his first ever crowdfunding campaign. And this was even years before he co-founded Ketto, along with his co-founders Zaheer Adenwala and Kunal Kapoor. As the first mover in the industry, the eight year old company has become a trusted name for making your donations count. And to actually knowing if it benefitted someone. Ketto (from ‘key to tomorrow’) has successfully raised over Rs. 1100 cr through two lakh fundraises and has a database of more than 55 lakh donors. Numbers play a critical role for crowdsourcing and notching up these big figures wasn’t an easy task for Varun, whose idea was once rejected by  investors over and over again when he started the company in 2012. So how did he stay the course? What got him convinced that Indians will donate on an online platform? Let's find out from Varun Sheth on this week’s episode of Maharani Talks. You can check out Ketto here: https://www.ketto.org Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/?hl=en MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic    

It’s not easy to reveal to the world that you’re a sexual minority. Now imagine you’re an Indian. The stakes are that much higher. Dr. Varuna Srinivasan’s decision to come out as a bisexual woman shows that she is not afraid to take a stand & voice her opinion. Her inability to find safe spaces to open up made her become a gender justice advocate and also build an online community to do just that - to be a safe space for others to address their sexual health concerns. She was named 'Woman of Courage' by Serena Williams in Vogue Magazine for her work in promoting gender issues in South Asian communities. Not an easy feat. After completing medicine, Dr. Varuna studied public health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School and went on to work as public health researcher. She has also worked for Doctors without Borders and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and is currently a researcher at Yale University. We discuss many pertinent topics regarding sexual and gender issues, and the LGBTQ community.  You can reach Dr. Varuna on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/drvarunasrinivasan/?hl=en Check out Maharani Talks on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/  

It’s been a year since work from home became a norm across all companies. A recent survey by Microsoft revealed that 40% of global workers are considering leaving their employers this year based on how leaders managed this new challenge. The pandemic has completely overhauled our idea of work culture. In this special episode, I discuss with Anitha M Lakshmi, a Human Resources advisor, what are employees looking for as the pandemic shows no abatement. What is the work culture going to look like? Will women get back their jobs? And more.  As founder and director of Artifex HR, Anitha has over 15 years of experience advising start ups and growing companies in building a diverse team, with clients in industries such as tech, fashion, retail, healthcare etc. You can reach Anitha M Lakshmi on LinkedIn. Check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks

Coffee culture is a big part of our lives. But most of us know it as either instant, espresso or filter coffee. Step in: cold brew - the art of steeping ground coffee beans in cold temperature, bringing out a more intense flavour.  And this is where Arman Sood and his two co-founders, Ashwajeet Singh and Ajai Thandi, decided to step in with their company, Sleepy Owl Coffee, one of the first movers in the cold brew coffee market. What started in a two bedroom apartment in Delhi, Sleepy Owl has now managed to carve a niche space for itself in the coffee market, among bigger players like Starbucks, Nestlè and Amul. So how did they manage to do that? Listen to the episode to find out more. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks/ MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

As a parent, you’re always in search of heartfelt books that you can uncover for your children. For me, that search has also been to balance the storytelling not just by international authors, but equally by Indian authors. It’s this curiosity that has led me to have this wonderful conversation with one of the noted authors of children’s literature in India.  In a decade long career, Natasha Sharma has written and published 21 books for children. After quitting a corporate job, her decision to become an author has seen many books of hers like Icky, Yucky, Mucky!, Rooster Raga, Squiggly Takes a Walk, Vikram and the Vampire, and History Mystery series have become hugely popular among children.  Bonkers! won Natasha the 2014 Crystal Kite Award for Asia and the Middle East, given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her book Kaka and Munni is on the CBSE recommended reading list for schools. In this podcast, Natasha talks about how she develops the idea behind the book, her favourite writing style, the problem of discoverability in India and much more.  You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

By now, most of you would’ve heard, if not read already, this lovely book called Ikigai by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia. What was initially thought to be a book that might interest a certain section of people caught the attention of the world. Ikigai has gone on to sell millions of copies, stood #1 in non fiction categories and translated into many other languages, including Indian languages.  But much before Ikigai the book happened, the award winning author Francesc has always lived in the pursuit of his Ikigai - following his heart’s desire. From studying journalism, working as a waiter, a primary school teacher, travelling, writing, bringing out a music album to becoming an editor and now helping others find their Ikigai.  But Francesc also talks about the period between finding his next passion, which he refers to as a ‘desert crossing’ and how he stayed hopeful during that phase. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic  

Did you know that about 50% of all Indian women take a break within three years of starting work. And 80% of them cannot find a way back to work.That’s an alarming drain of women talent in the workforce right? It’s exactly this issue that I have a chat with Neha Bagaria, who started JobsForHer with the sole aim of getting women, especially mothers, to realise their potential. According to the United Nations Global Compact India study, raising women’s participation in the labour force to the same level as men can boost India’s GDP by 27%. ⠀ It was Neha's own break from her career when she became a mother that got Neha thinking about the need to fill this gap. Since its inception in 2015, JobsForHer has worked with over two million women and 7,500 companies. ⠀ A Wharton graduate, Neha has been listed in Forbes India’s 2018 W-Power Trailblazers and ‘Ten Most Impactful Women in Tech 2020’ by Analytics Insight. Check out JobsForHer at www.jobsforher.com You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

It’s been about two weeks since India rolled out its Covid vaccination drive against the ongoing pandemic. While the current priority is to provide these vaccines to health professionals and other front line workers, many regular folk are either awaiting to take the shot or would like to delay it.  And the questions over the administering of Covaxin vaccine (by Bharath Biotech) to the general public before completing it’s Phase III clinical trial has added to this confusion and anxiety. The other vaccine available is Covishield (by Serum Institute of India), which has completed all the three phases of clinical trials. In this special episode, I discuss with Dr. Pavithra Venkatagopalan, a virologist whose specialisation has been in the field of coronoviruses and has spent many years studying the virus. She is also the director of Care Health Diagnostic Lab. Dr. Pavithra outlines the differences between both the vaccines, the ongoing concerns over Covaxin and the doubts people often have before getting the shot.  This interview was recorded on January 29th, 2021.  The content in this episode is for informational purpose only. Please consult an authorised medical professional for any queries concerning the vaccines.  You can reach Dr. Pavithra on Instagram @pavithravenkatagopalan You can check out Maharani Talks on Instagram @maharanitalks

When we want to catch up on news, there are countless sources at our disposal. But what about those who’re visually impaired? India is home to over 20% of the world’s blind population, yet other than the radio, there are no newspapers or magazines that can inform them about current affairs.   It’s this troubling thought that made Upasana Makati launch White Print, India’s first lifestyle magazine in Braille, in May 2013. White Print became such a novel  innovation that companies such as Coco Cola, Raymond, Tata Group, Mahindra ₹ Mahindra and others learnt how to advertise in Braille. For her remarkable feat, Upasana was presented the First Lady Award by the Women & Child Development Ministry of India (2018), and made it to Fortune India 40 Under 40 and Forbes India 30 Under 30 lists. For more information about White Print, check out www.whiteprint.in You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Meet Ram Devineni, the creator of India’s first female superhero - Priya’s Shakti. When Ram published the first comic book in 2014 at the Mumbai Comic Con, he didn’t expect his protagonist - a gangrape survivor, who overcomes her fear and stigma, to become such a viral hit, not just in India but globally as well.  The poignant image of Priya riding bravely on her tiger and friend, Saahas ended up denoting a symbolic crusader against gender violence.  Since then, Priya’s Shakti has been honoured by UN Women as a ‘Gender Equality Champion’, and has been covered in countless international and national publications such as The Huffington Post, Forbes, The Guardian etc. The subsequent comic series tackled equally pressing issues like acid attacks and sex trafficking.  The latest one, Priya’s Mask, released this month highlights the issue of children coping through this pandemic. Along with an animated short film with actors Vidya Balan and Mrunal Thakur voicing the characters. As a documentary filmmaker, Ram had, through his company, Rattapallax produced The Russian Woodpecker, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and later directed The Karma Killings, based on the horrific Nithari murders. To find out more about Priya and Saahas, please visit www.priyashakti.com You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Shazia Iqbal was one of the lead production designers of Emmy nominated and India’s first original Netflix series, Sacred Games and Emmy nominated mini-series Lust Stories. Sacred Games is also the only Indian series to feature in The New York Times list of ‘The 30 Best International TV Shows of the Decade.’⠀ Her powerful short movie, "Bebaak' that discusses religious and patriarchal preoccupation over women's bodies, won many awards including Best Debut Director, International and Audience Choice award at the 35th Sao Paulo International Shorts Film festival and Filmfare Best Short Film. Bebaak was produced by Anurag Kashyap and features actors Sarah Hashmi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. In this episode, I sit down with Shazia Iqbal to discuss:⠀ ▪Working on Sacred Games⠀ ▪Her transition from a production designer to a director⠀ ▪Her powerful short movie, "Bebaak' that discusses religious and patriarchal preoccupation over women's bodies⠀ ▪Stereotyping of movies directed by women  You can watch Bebaak streaming on Mubi. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Shaili Chopra was a prime time anchor and a well known business journalist who had interviewed eminent people such as Warren Buffet, Indra Nooyi, Christine Lagarde among many others. She had also covered the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Shaili quit at the peak of her career and decided to launch a women-only platform when she witnessed conversations concerning women are considered niche. And hence was born, SheThePeople.TV, considered to be India's largest media platform for women's voices.  Shaili Chopra was awarded the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Business Journalism and named one of India's 50 most influential women in media by Impact Magazine. You can check out SheThePeople website at www.shethepeople.tv You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic •Shaili's memory of anchoring her first show [04:28] •Climbing the corporate ladder of broadcast journalism [07:40] •Her thoughts on the current scene of television journalism [14.35] •Why did she feel a platform like SheThePeople.TV was necessary [16:02] •Why convincing women was the biggest challenge she faced [19:54] •How can independent and investigative journalism can thrive in the age of social media? [31:32] •Her secret to time management [36.39] •How did covering the 26/11 terror attack change her? [39:09] •Her fond memory of interacting with Warren Buffet [42:32]  

This episode is the second part of my conversation with digital marketing expert Jag Sharma, where we sit down and talk about all things social media. If you have come here directly, I'd suggest that you check out the first part as this episode is a continuation of the earlier one. To recount from the first part, some of the topics we talk about are measuring social media success, rise of bot accounts, the role of social media in the US Presidential election this year and Facebook's Oversight Board. So let's continue where we left off. Highlights: • From sparking political tensions in Myanmar to Ethiopia, why is Facebook failing to curb false information? [1:17] • The movie 'The Social Dilemma' doesn't discuss the needs of small creators and businesses [29:43] • The rise of influencer marketing [38:09] • Predictions for social media for the next decade [45:43] You can reach Jag Sharma at www.instagram.com/jagsharma and check out his podcast Society 4.0 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

We no longer log off social media like in the early days. It's available literally at our fingertips. And that's exactly how the social media companies would want it. But to what end? How is it changing us in ways we don't notice? Where is it headed? In this two part series, these are some of the points I discuss with Jag Sharma. Jag Sharma has over a decade of experience driving social media campaigns in industries such as FMCG, luxury goods, automobile and finance among others and for companies like Nissan, HSBC and Mondelez. His passion is social media and he also hosts a podcast Society 4.0 where he talks about this very phenomenon. Highlights: • What got him interested in social media? [6:03] • Driving social media campaigns for corporates vs. influencers [18:30] • Why we're stuck in measuring social media success with followers and likes [27:07] • How is social media being used for the 2020 US Presidential election [33:06] This interview was recorded prior to the 2020 US Presidential election results.  You can reach Jag Sharma on LinkedIn @JagSharma and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/jagsharma. Check out his podcast Society 4.0 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

One in three women are sexually harassed over the course of their lifetime. That's an alarming statistic but yet, violence against women no longer brings out a reaction in us unless it's a rarest of rare case like the brutal rape and death of Jyoti Singh in 2012. This led Dr. Shruti to set up Sayfty in 2013, an organisation that educates and equips women to fight against violence through workshops and offering support to survivors. For her work, Dr. Shruti has been named as One of the Most Influential People in Global Policy 2019 by Apolitical and one of EU top 200 Women in the World of Development Wall of Fame 2016 and a nominated changemakers for the United State of Women 2016. Join me as I discuss with Dr.Shruti the steps that need to be addressed to combat this problem. To learn more about Sayfty, please check out their website: www.sayfty.com You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

"I hope when people see my art, they are able to get some sense of our connection to the world - seeing the planet and skies anew. To just look up and change their perspectives. That would be wonderful." - Rohini Devasher, artist. When I came across Rohini's work, I was intrigued how she used her art form to explore our natural world - how science, fiction and speculation can transform our construct of this planet. Having trained as a painter and printmaker, Rohini enjoys working in a variety of media such as video, prints and wall drawings. Her art has been showcased in museums across the world. Rohini was named as Forbes Contemporary Artist of the Year in 2014 and Skoda Breakthrough Artist Award in 2013. So let's find out what draws her to this subject. To learn more about her work, do check out her website: www.rohinidevasher.com You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

We see hunger all around us yet we're immune to it. This is where a cause like The Plated Project has stepped in by raising our interest with its beautiful plates and an interesting tagline, 'Buy a plate. Fill a plate.' For Chitresh Sinha, its founder and director of Chlorophyll Innovation Lab, the aim is also to start conversations around charity. The Plated Project which has so far sponsored 4.8 lakh meals and collaborated with numerous artists and NGOs such as CRY, Creative Dignity and Goonj, has also received support from many celebrity chefs, influencers and big brands who've shared it on their social media feed. So what makes a worthy cause like The Plated Project successful?  Please check out The Plated Project on Instagram at www.instagram.com/theplatedproject You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Gunjan Menon was so passionate about telling the story of the diminishing numbers of the red panda that she trekked 12,000 feet in Nepal. The short documentary film, The Firefox Guardian, soon caught the attention of the world and went on to win numerous awards and nominations across several countries, including a student BAFTA nomination. She also donned many hats for a conservation series, "On the Brink', that aired on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel. Let's listen to Gunjan Menon as she talks about the impact storytelling can have on wildlife conservation.  You can reach Gunjan Menon on Instagram at www.instagram.com/gunjunglebook You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

For someone born with spina bifida, a condition where the spine is not completely developed, and hence was paralysed from the waist down, Niranjan Mukundan is now training to compete in the Tokyo Paralympics as a para swimmer. At the 2015 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports World Junior Games, he won a medal for all 10 events he competed in and became the Junior World Champion. Niranjan also received the National Award for Best Para Sportsperson that same year and Karnataka's Eklavya Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports in 2016. Listen to his journey that exemplifies his mental fortitude and the sacrifices made by him and his family to get him to where he is now. Niranjan Mukundan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niranjan_mukund/ You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

If you haven't seen P.C.Ramakrishna on stage, the chances are you would've heard his voice. An eminent theatre and voice artist in India, he completes 51 years in theatre and is a member of the oldest theatre group in the country, The Madras Players. The group itself celebrates 65 years in theatre this year and during this lifespan has given a huge boost to India's English theatre scene and encouraged many Indian playwrights in the process, like Vijay Tendulkar and Girish Karnad. Ramakrishna is also among the first few English newsreaders in the country and his distinctive voice is considered as one of the most recorded voices in English in India. In this podcast, he talks about his early days in theatre playing 'chocolate hero' roles, handling criticism and what sets a good voice actor apart.  You can check out The Madras Players (@themadrasplayers) on Facebook and Instagram. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

Parth Upadhyaya fulfilled his nine year long dream of successfully scaling Mt. Everest summit (8848m) on May 23, 2019. As a professional mountaineer, who has climbed many high peaks including Stok Kangri (over 6000m), he often deals with the gargantuan task of raising funds for mountaineering that is sometimes not considered nor supported as a sport but the wins are celebrated. Parth is currently preparing for his expedition to climb Mt. Annapurna (8091m) on March 24, 2021. His goal is to climb all 14 mountains that are over 8000m. Check out the podcast to listen to his interesting stories during his climb, about his gruelling routine and having the right mindset to conquer a mountain.  You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic

"My best design is still to come. A successful design needn't always be your best design." - Mukul Goyal. The versatile designer has created many acclaimed designs in home decor, furniture, art, jewellery, installations and sculpture. Though he is often known for his lean men series of home decor, Goyal enjoys experimenting whether through different materials or mediums. For instance, his installation 'Flying Locomotives' adorns the new Mumbai international airport. Goyal is a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts, London and an alumnus of Domus Academy, Milan, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Listen to the podcast as he talks about pushing his boundaries and why he calls himself an accidental designer. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Childhood dream of being an inventor [01:18] • Accidental designer [05:06] • Facing resistance during early days [26:34] • Lean men series [28:38] • Going past a successful design [36:10] • What's your design process? [38:40] • From designing products to sculptures [43:10] • Design trends [50:41] • Art in public spaces [59:12]

Maalavika Manoj, or Mali, as her stage name goes, is one of the prominent indie musicians in the country. Her new single, Absolute, released this August from her debut album, Caution to the Wind, has crossed 60,000 views on YouTube, and tweeted about by A.R.Rahman. She was one among the three Indian artistes chosen this year by Spotify for their Emerging Artists Program, Radar. Some of her songs often carry pertinent social messages as she likes to use her music as a medium for that. And during this pandemic, people have taken more notice of indie artistes with the slowdown of movie releases. Listen to the podcast as she talks about the tight knit indie community and why she gravitates towards melancholic melodies. You can check out her music under Mali and Mali Manoj Music on Spotify and YouTube respectively. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Earliest memory of music [04:16] • Early days with Bass in Bridge [10:42] • Managing early criticism [13:42] . Gravitating towards melancholic approach [15:20] . Using her music as a medium [17:07] . Dealing with self-doubt and comparison [18:46] . Her important milestone [22:56] . Making of her song, Absolute [25:12] . What she struggles most as an indie artiste? [28:12] . Are recording houses more receptive? [31:00] . Future plans [38:36] . Rapid fire [43:03]

A discussion between Piyush Ghosh with his friends and co-founders, Tuhin Sen and Tannison Matthhews, in a park in Bhopal has led to India's first positive stories only newspaper in print. The Optimist Citizen has since grown to over 250 members and more than 1000 subscribers in about 25 cities, with digital reach in other countries as well. While Piyush's focus right now is not for it to become the next big newspaper but for The Optimist Citizen to be an agent of change - to push mainstream media houses and readers to give equal importance to good and positive news. For their work in promoting positive news, Ghosh has received accolades such as the Manthan Award for journalism, Queen's Young Leader Runner-Up, Ashoka Youth Venturer and listed under Forbes Asia 30 Under 30. You can check out The Optimist Citizen at www.theoptimistcitizen.com You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at Maharani Talks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Being shaped by parents who are social entrepreneurs [01:21] • What prompted him to start The Optimist Citizen [03:05] • Early goals for the newspaper [6:40] . Difficulty in building a team [8:12] . Developing a pan India network [11:52] . His hardest lesson as an entrepreneur [14:09] . Most painful rejection/feedback [17:37] . Spinning positive stories on topical issues [19:33] . Editorial process [22:15] . Putting out credible news with news becoming freely available [33:14] . Building a community between the readers and the subjects [40:23] . Hopes for The Optimist Citizen [43:16]

Swetha Subbiah was among the first few certified women trainers in Bangalore and now in over a decade long career, she has made a name for herself in the fitness world by becoming among the few Nike-certified instructors. She also now trains professional athletes such as Rohan Bopanna and players of Karnataka's football association. As she continues to take forward her fitness consultancy firm, Sweat by Swetha, she has also been passionate about getting more and more women to take up sports through Sisters in Sweat, an organisation she co-founded along with Tanvie Hans, a professional football player. Check out Sisters in Sweat on Instagram at @sistersinsweat.in. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Importance of sports while growing up [02:31] • Quitting a corporate career to take up fitness [05:34] • Setting up a health club [07:44] . How difficult it was to become a Nike-certified trainer? [11:58] . Bias towards women trainers [14:06] . Need for tracking infradian rhythm for women athletes [20:32] . Sisters in sweat [22:05] . What is stopping women from playing sports? [28:00] . The evolving fitness industry [31:41]

Ayaz Basrai is one half of the duo behind The Busride Design Studio, an architectural and design studio. The other half being his brother, Zameer Basrai. Spaces such as The Bombay Canteen, Bhane, Smoke House Deli, Toit Brewery, Social, Café Zoe, The Taj Mahal Tea House and Le15 Café are a few of their designs. Ayaz doesn't like to slot their work under tags and thus limit their design capabilities. ⠀ ⠀ Through their Busride Design Lab set up in Goa, he hopes to also focus his work on solutions that can bring about better utilisation of public spaces for humanity. From the design of homes post COVID and does aesthetics really play an important role?, to the intersection of architecture and artificial intelligence in designing, tune into the podcast to hear how he thinks the design field will evolve. ⠀ You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Highlights: • Initial days at The Busride [06:55] • What does he look for in a project? [14:06] • Encasing both history and future outlook of the city in a design [23:31] . Convergence of architecture and AI [27:29] . Role of aesthetics during a design process [37:06] . Design of spaces post-COVID [44:47] . What has the pandemic taught the design community? [53:13]    

"I want to bring back love and heart in business - that you can have emotions and can cry, and still run a heartful, purposeful and successful business. I don't want to build a billion dollar business. I want to build a business that makes an impact." -Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO, YourStory. It's no secret that Shradha has weathered many obstacles to get to the place she is at now. Hailing from Bihar, often considered a lesser developed state, and being a woman entrepreneur - there were many barriers stacked up against her. But she persevered and YourStory is a testament to that. It is now one of the most prominent digital media companies supporting entrepreneurs and more importantly, building a community for them. Listen on as Shradha shares her most valuable lessons in this episode. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Her father's role while growing up [01:38] • Shradha's most profound childhood memory [07:00] • Getting through her mother's death [10:10] . What being kind in the biz world has taught her? [13:28] . Importance of bootstrapping [18:28] . What would she have done differently? [20:06] . Her core strength as a leader [27:22] . What has COVID taught in running her business? [28:02] . Reassessing YourStory priorities [32:24] . Another passion she would've pursued? [36:50] . What's the biggest impact you want to leave in this world? [38:15] . Work-life balance [44:19] . What Shradha would like to share with other women entrepreneurs? [50:15]

When Rhea Mazumdar Singhal set up Ecoware, India's first sustainable packaging solutions company, she was gearing up for a big task. She brought Ecoware as a market disruptor offering natural products for both individuals and companies to help reduce their eco footprint. Eleven years on, she wants more industries to turn to sustainability options. She was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar by the Indian government for pioneering the sustainable food packaging industry. As we're still trying to figure how our lives and economies are going to take shape in a post-COVID world, Rhea believes the only way forward for companies is to genuinely focus their effect on the environment. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Taking up pharmacology [02:25] • Starting Ecoware [04:06] • Navigating Delhi with minimal understanding of Hindi [09:06] . Facing pushback in a plastic-saturated market [14:06] . Getting Indian Railways on board [17:52] . Expanding four-fold [22:35] . Your biggest struggle [25:03] . Techniques to centre yourself on bad days [28:50] . Wife-husband partnership [31:44] . Winning Nari Shakti Puraskar award [35:04] . Solutions for Delhi air pollution due to crop burning [38:02] . Sustainability revolution and importance of ESG investing [42:58]

Sharath Kamal Achanta won the Oman Open in March this year despite playing under anxiety and his family concerns as the coronavirus pandemic was starting to spread. This win at 37 shows his longevity in Table Tennis is no mean feat. He was already 20 years old when he played at the national level, considered usually to be a late start. But he has since gone on to become the first Indian table tennis player ever to become nine times Senior National Champion and won medals at Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, and represented India at three Olympic Games. He is also the first table tennis player to be awarded the Padma Shri and through his career given huge visibility to the sport. Despite starting with no recognition as a junior player and an injury that almost put a stop to his playing days at the age of 32, Sharath's career has exemplified the importance of grit and patience for an athlete. Listen to his fascinating journey despite the heartbreaks, hitting rock bottom and bouncing back. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • Dealing with pandemic during the Oman Title win [01:54] • Picking up the sport at the age of two [07:18] • Hitting a low point in his career [16:00] . Dealing with rejection and a bad patch in playing [22:33] . Coming back from an injury that derails his playing days [25:37] . What has kept him going in his long career? [35:25] . The need to win big tournaments to bring visibility to the sport [39:46] . Managing fitness during lockdown [42:51] . Supporting the Table Tennis fraternity during this crisis [46:37]

Ashwin Thiyagarajan is a really chilled out and fun guy to talk to. Earlier this year, he made headlines when his ensemble was seen on the Oscars red carpet. The flirty sherwani with feminine pleats was sported by Oscar-nominated Indian-American director Sami Khan. Over the years when I’ve come across Ashwin’s designs, I found them simple but elegant, understated yet fun. So I decided to catch up with him and find out what gets him in the right headspace when he sits down to create. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Highlights: • From engineering to fashion designer [01:25] • His first designer walk [07:30] • Getting noticed in the fashion world [10:44] . Creative coincidences vs. plagiarism[12:45] . Coming out with new collection every season [15:50] . Talking about his Oscar red carpet moment [17:22] . What is stopping South Indian designers to be considered on par with North Indian designers? [20:17] . Living in Chennai as a gay man [23:00] . Seven spontaneous questions [27:30]  

Nikhil Taneja's list of achievements is many - he has been with Hindustan Times, MTV India, Yash Raj Films and is now the co-founder of Yuvaa, a purpose driven youth media, and serves as a member of Global Advisory Board of Goalkeepers of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But what struck me the most was his warm demeanour and his genuine interest in everyone's story. He wanted to know about my opinion as much as I wanted to know his. We discuss about many important issues this episode - the focus on men's mental health, the problems GEN Z are facing and the lessons we're learning from this pandemic. So do listen in. You can reach him @tanejamainhoon and check out Yuvaa @weareyuvaa on Instagram. You can check out the Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Show Notes: • His childhood days [03:015] • Writing letters on global policy to newspapers [06:11] • Being bullied as a child [10:35] . Was the anxiety attack a wakeup call? [17:04] . Posting about his anxiety on social media [24:21] . Taking men's mental health discussion forward [27:03] . How does he manage stress? [33:30] . How GEN Z are managing the lockdown? [37:10] . Being more empathetic on social media [41:22]

How often have we asked our parents or grandparents their version of an important time back in history whether it was a war, or a partition or even about a different era? But telling our history through the eyes of the people who lived it has made Indian Memory Project a valuable source for future generations and is now studied in academic circles. And to think of it, Anusha Yadav started it as an experiment in 2010. The photographer, book designer, curator and archivist was invited by The New Yorker to showcase Indian Memory Project on Instagram in 2015. Anusha also curated the first ever international narrative and image based exhibit on historical criminal investigations from the Indian Subcontinent. She has been awarded the ‘Honorary mention’ at the Prix Ars Electronica 2013 awards, an international award for excellence in Cyber Arts & online Media, the L’oreal Paris Femina Women Achievers’ Award 2013 and the Innovator of the Year – India Today Women’s Summit, 2014. In 2015, Anusha was listed as the top 21 photographers to follow on Instagram. She is also the founder of The Memory Company, a design firm that works on projects related to history and popular culture. Join in as we talk about how Indian Memory Project is continuing to shape how we experience history and how she views the role of her numerous other works. You can check out Maharani Talks on Instagram at www.instagram.com/maharanitalks MUSIC: Lights by Sappheiros https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Highlights: • When did your fascination with history begin? [02:15] • How has Indian Memory Project changed in these 10 years? [09:27] • When did you realise how big Memory Project had become? [13:11] . How has life changed since? [14:26] . Which era did you find most interesting? [18:26] . About her portrait series, Transfixed [25:08] . On her other project, Letters of Love [[34:55] . Role of Indian Memory Project in the future [36:33]