Podcasts about Aarti

Programa sobre saxofonistas con Joe Lovano, Perico Sambeat, Charles Lloyd, James Brandon Lewis, Joel Frahm, Xhosa Cole, Ben Wendel, Javier Feltrer, Paul Dunmall, Soweto Kinch y Jerri Bengonzi. Temas que suenan en el programa: 01 2025 Joe Lovano - Paramount Quartet - Congregation - Julian Lage Asante Santi Debriano Will Calhoun (5' 23'') 02 2025 Adriano Tórtora - Nice to meet you 02 All the thigns I Found - Perico Sambeat Marc Miralta DeeJay Foster (4' 05'') 03 2025 Charles Lloyd - Figure In Blue 01 Abide With Me - Jason Moran Marvin Sewell (2' 47'') 04 2025 James Brandon Lewis - Apple Cores 11 Exactly, Our Music - Josh Werner Chad Taylor (3' 00'') 05 2023 Joel Frahm Trio - Lumination 10 Catch - Dan Loomis Ernesto Cervini (3' 10'') 06 2024 Xhosa Cole - On A Modern Genius (Vol.1) 01 Trinkle, Tinkle - Steve Saunders Josh Vadiveloo Nathan England Jones (8' 32'') 07 2022 Ben Wendel - Understory Live At The Village Vanguard 05 Jean & Renata Gerald Clayton Linda May Han Oh Obed Calvaire (7' 36'') 08 2025 Aarti 2025 01 Tritón - Javier Feltrer Jorge Sevilla Paco Alarcón Nacho Gil (4' 04'') 09 2023 Paul Dunmall - Bright Light a Joyous Celebration 05 Bright Light a Joyous Celebration - Soweto Kinch Xhosa Cole Corey Mwamba Dave Kane Hamid Drake (10' 21'') 10 2025 Jerry Bengonzi - Avant-Gonz 02 Odds - Phil Grenadier Carl Winther Johnny Åman Anders Mogensen (3' 31'')

In this episode of Best in Fest, host Leslie LaPage sits down with Aarti Misra — producer, business strategist, and global dealmaker working at the intersection of film, technology, and finance.With over 20 years of experience spanning Silicon Valley startups, film production, and international co-productions, Aarti breaks down how the entertainment industry is evolving—and what filmmakers must understand to stay competitive in an AI-driven, globally distributed marketplace.

In this episode, Dr Aarti Soorya explores the nervous system not as something to “fix,” but as something to understand, listen to, and work with.Aarti trained as a physician, became chief resident, and then moved into functional medicine after feeling that conventional medicine was missing something deeper. But even functional medicine, with its labs, supplements, and protocols, didn't fully answer the questions she was asking. Her own experience with insomnia, fatigue, and feeling out of alignment led her toward nervous system work, yoga nidra, and a more compassionate understanding of the body.Together, we explore what happens when the body gets stuck in survival mode, and why symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, digestive issues, low mood, brain fog, insomnia, people-pleasing, and shutdown can all be signs of a nervous system that no longer feels safe.Aarti explains the vagus nerve, fight, flight, freeze and fawn responses, and why stress itself isn't always the problem. The real issue is whether we can recover. Rather than simply “managing stress,” she invites us to think about adaptability: the ability to be with our own physiology without fear, and to gently build capacity over time.This conversation is also full of practical, grounded tools. We talk about yoga nidra, breath, posture, cold exposure, movement, blood sugar stability, rest, play, creativity, connection, and why joy is not a luxury, but part of a resilient system.At its heart, this is a conversation about learning to stop fighting the body and start listening to it. Because sometimes the symptom is not the enemy. Sometimes it is the message. Episode HighlightsWhat the nervous system is and how it shapes how we think, feel, and respond to lifeThe difference between coping, stress management, and true adaptabilityHow chronic stress can contribute to insomnia, fatigue, gut issues, anxiety, and low moodA simple explanation of the vagus nerve and why it matters for overall healthThe four common stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawnWhy symptoms may be messages from the body rather than signs that something is wrongHow yoga nidra helped Aarti recover from insomnia and burnoutPractical tools for building a more resilient nervous systemThe role of joy, play, dance, and connection in healingWhy rest is essential for creativity, repair, and long-term wellbeingChapters00:00 Adaptability and learning to feel safe in your body02:19 Aarti's journey from medicine to nervous system work06:31 Insomnia, burnout, and the missing piece in healing09:46 Understanding the nervous system in plain English14:51 Cortisol, chronic stress, and why symptoms appear17:15 The difference between coping and true adaptability20:49 Signs your nervous system may be dysregulated28:23 Fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and “functional freeze”31:10 How yoga nidra helped Aarti recover from insomnia38:08 Healing without overhauling your whole life41:47 Why joy, play, creativity, and connection matter42:16 Sleep, safety, and listening to your body46:33 Cold exposure, breath, and building resilience53:37 Epigenetics, lifestyle, and personal agency59:49 Dance, movement, and coming back to joyGuest BioDr Aarti Soorya is an integrative medicine practitioner and physician whose work brings together conventional medicine, functional medicine, lifestyle interventions, nutrition, neuroplasticity, and Yoga Nidra. She is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and has completed functional medicine training.Through Jiya Health, Dr Soorya helps people understand the nervous system, build physiological resilience, and use practices like Yoga Nidra, nervous system mapping, and lifestyle changes to support long-term health and adaptability.The Bountifull PodcastBountifull is a personal growth and wellbeing podcast exploring what it means to live a joyful and meaningful life.bountifullworld.com/podcast/

“Love on the Spectrum” stars Dani Bowman, Subodh and Aarti Garg chatted with “Virtual Reali-Tea” co-hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real about their “Laughs on the Spectrum” comedy special for Netflix, held at Los Angeles' iconic Laugh Factory. The trio dished on participating in the all-neurodivergent comedy-variety show, while also unpacking their respective journeys on reality TV. Plus, Dani and Subodh shared exciting updates in their current love lives. Check out the full unedited interview! “Love on the Spectrum” is available to stream on Netflix. Follow us on Instagram! Sign up for our newsletter! Check us out on YouTube! Head to our show page for more tea! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of bullying and child loss. Please watch with care.

STANDARSEMANAL.-HOT HOUSE.-VINILOSMITICOSDELJAZZ.-.Condon, Eddie - Jammin' At Condon's.-JAZZACTUALIDAD..AARTI-2025

We're talking about Real Housewives of Atlanta, Real Housewives of Rhode Island, future possible congressman and current cutie patootie Luke from Summer House, and the latest housewife to have a mugshot!

Are you looking for another deep dive into the Summer House Drama? Well, here ya go!

18th March 2026 In this Satsang, there were spiritual discussions led by Sanjay, with participants sharing their experiences and questions about meditation, work-life balance, and connections to Arunachala and Bhagavan Ramana. Sanjay advised Raj to maintain awareness during work without being result-oriented, while encouraging Purnima to practice 30 minutes daily of silent sitting to explore her underlying longing. The group discussed the relationship between Arunachala and Bhagavan Ramana, with Sanjay explaining that they are essentially the same, and Radhika shared her experiences attending daily Aarti ceremonies at the ashram. Thomas expressed gratitude for finding the spiritual path and shared insights about self-inquiry and surrendering to God, while Ben mentioned how seeing a picture of Arunachala led him to discover Bhagavan's teachings.These are teachings and pointers from ongoing NDA(Non-duality awareness)/Advaitic Satsangs held at Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Arunachala Ramanaya !

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: The Vanishing Mustache: A Holi Prank Unveiled Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2026-03-19-07-38-19-hi Story Transcript:Hi: फूलों की खुशबू से भरी हवा, हंसी और होली के रंगों का त्योहार – यह वसंत का समय था।En: The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, laughter, and the festival of colors - it was springtime.Hi: शहर में हर कोई होली की तैयारियों में मगन था।En: In the city, everyone was engrossed in the preparations for Holi.Hi: उसी के बीच, पुलिस स्टेशन में एक अनोखी हलचल मची हुई थी।En: Amidst this, there was a peculiar commotion at the police station.Hi: राज, जो अपनी शानदार मुंछों के लिए प्रसिद्ध था, अब पुलिस स्टेशन में खड़ा था।En: Raj, known for his magnificent mustache, was now standing in the police station.Hi: उसके चेहरे पर चिंता की लकीरें थीं।En: Worry lines were visible on his face.Hi: "सब इंस्पेक्टर शर्मा, यह एक संगीन मामला है," राज ने गंभीर आवाज में कहा।En: "Sub Inspector Sharma, this is a serious matter," Raj said in a grave voice.Hi: "कैसा मामला, राज?" इंस्पेक्टर शर्मा ने हंसते हुए पूछा।En: "What kind of matter, Raj?" Inspector Sharma asked laughing.Hi: "मेरी मुंछे गायब हो गई हैं!" राज ने चिंतित स्वर में कहा।En: "My mustache has disappeared!" Raj said with a worried tone.Hi: पुलिस स्टेशन के भीतर हल्की सी हंसी गूँज उठी।En: A light chuckle resonated within the police station.Hi: होली के रंगों के बावजूद, वहां का माहौल हल्का-फुल्का था।En: Despite the colors of Holi, the atmosphere there was light-hearted.Hi: परंतु राज की चिंता सच्ची थी।En: However, Raj's concern was genuine.Hi: उसकी वो हस्ताक्षर वाली मुंछे, जो उसकी पहचान थी, गायब थीं।En: His signature mustache, which was his identity, had vanished.Hi: उसे शक था कि उसकी शरारती पड़ोसन, आरती ने यह कारनामा किया था।En: He suspected that his mischievous neighbor, Aarti, had done this deed.Hi: होली के अवसर पर, आरती कोई स्पेशल प्रैंक बना सकती थी।En: During Holi, Aarti could have crafted some special prank.Hi: "आरती पर मुझे शक है," राज ने कहा, अपनी भौं सिकोड़ते हुए।En: "I suspect Aarti," Raj said, frowning.Hi: इंस्पेक्टर शर्मा ने एक हंसी दबाते हुए कहा, "आरती! अच्छा, चलो उसे बुलाते हैं।"En: Inspector Sharma stifled a laugh and said, "Aarti! Well, let's call her."Hi: कुछ ही देर में आरती स्टेशन में आई।En: In no time, Aarti arrived at the station.Hi: उसके चेहरे पर होली के रंग और एक मासूम सी हंसी थी।En: Her face was covered in Holi colors and adorned with an innocent smile.Hi: "राज, तुम्हारी मुंछें गायब हो गई हैं?" आरती ने छेढ़ते हुए पूछा।En: "Raj, your mustache is gone?" Aarti teased.Hi: "हाँ, और मुझे पता है तुमने क्या किया है।" राज ने खीझते हुए कहा।En: "Yes, and I know what you did," Raj replied irritably.Hi: कुछ समय तक माहौल गंभीर रहा, फिर अचानक आरती ने हंसते हुए खुलासा किया, "राज, यह मैंने की थी।En: For a while, the atmosphere was serious, then suddenly Aarti revealed with a laugh, "Raj, it was me.Hi: बस थोड़ा सा अस्थायी रंग था, जिससे तुम्हारी मुंछे नजर नहीं आ रही हैं।"En: It was just a bit of temporary color, making your mustache invisible."Hi: राज अवाक् रह गया।En: Raj was stunned.Hi: इंस्पेक्टर शर्मा अब खुद को रोक नहीं पाए और जोर से हंसे।En: Inspector Sharma could no longer hold back and laughed loudly.Hi: "तो यह कोई जुर्म की बात नहीं थी।En: "So, this wasn't a crime.Hi: यह तो बस होली का मस्ती भरा प्रैंक था," शर्मा ने कहा।En: It was just a playful Holi prank," Sharma said.Hi: राज पहले थोड़ा खीझा, फिर हंस पड़ा।En: Raj was a bit annoyed at first, then burst into laughter.Hi: उसे एहसास हुआ कि कभी-कभी जीवन को हल्के में लेना चाहिए।En: He realized that sometimes life should be taken lightly.Hi: इंस्पेक्टर शर्मा, आरती और राज अब हंसते-हंसते बाहर निकले।En: Inspector Sharma, Aarti, and Raj walked out laughing.Hi: राज ने होली की रंगों में बहे जाते हुए कहा, "शुक्रिया,आरती।En: While being swept away in the colors of Holi, Raj said, "Thank you, Aarti.Hi: मुझे अब समझ आया, हमे अपनी जिंदगी में थोड़ी मस्ती और हंसी भी शामिल करनी चाहिए।"En: Now I understand, we should include a bit of fun and laughter in our lives."Hi: और इस प्रकार, होली के इस खुशनुमा त्यौहार ने एक गुस्ताखी भरे मज़ाक के पते से दोस्ती और हास्य का अनोखा रंग भर दिया।En: And thus, this joyful festival of Holi filled the air with a unique color of friendship and humor through a jokey prank. Vocabulary Words:fragrance: खुशबूengrossed: मगनpeculiar: अनोखीcommotion: हलचलmagnificent: शानदारgrave: गंभीरsignature: हस्ताक्षरmischievous: शरारतीprank: प्रैंकstifled: दबातेadorning: सजीirritably: खीझतेchuckle: हंसीresonated: गूँजvanished: गायबcrafted: बनायाtemporary: अस्थायीrevealed: खुलासाstunned: अवाक्innocent: मासूमdeed: कारनामाsuspected: शकfrowning: भौं सिकोड़तेgenuine: सच्चीlight-hearted: हल्का-फुल्काannoyed: खीझाinclude: शामिलswept away: बहे जातेhumor: हास्यjoyful: खुशनुमा

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SAT865. CME/MOC/NCPD/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until February 22, 2027.Immune Innovation in Head and Neck Cancer: Insights on Checkpoint Inhibitors and Bispecifics Across Disease Settings In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by educational grants from Bicara Therapeutics Inc., Coherus BioSciences, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Merus.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

In this episode of The General Counsel Series (in proud collaboration with @ZohoSign), we sit down with Sandhya Tolat, General Counsel at Aarti Industries, to decode what modern legal leadership looks like inside a large, manufacturing-led organisation—where law intersects daily with plant operations, safety, environment, supply continuity, contracts, and reputation.  From the mindset shift required to move from “legal correctness” to legal, business, and operational decision-making, to building high-trust internal legal teams and choosing technology that actually gets adopted across locations and workflows - this conversation is packed with practical insights for in-house counsel, external counsel, law students, and business leaders.  A special focus in this episode is how GCs evaluate and implement digital execution and governance, and where digital signature solutions like Zoho Sign can make the biggest day-to-day difference, from vendor and customer contracting to HR documentation and board/governance workflows.  A big thank you to @ZohoSign for powering this series. About Zoho Sign Zoho Sign is part of the Zoho suite of digital products and enables organisations to streamline document execution with secure digital signing and governance-friendly workflows. Connect with us The Daily Lawyer Contact: contactus@thedailylawyer.in Website: https://thedailylawyer.in/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailylawyer/ LinkedIn (Jenna Krishnan): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-v-krishnan/ Connect with Zoho Sign Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zohosignoff... X: https://x.com/zohosign?lang=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zohosign/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zohosign Explore: https://www.zoho.com/en-in/sign/ #GeneralCounsel #InHouseCounsel #ZohoSign #ContractManagement #LegalTech

Naam Tero Aarti, ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰੋ ਆਰਤੀ ਮਜਨੁ ਮੁਰਾਰੇ (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ang 694 Sabad 1850)

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Finding Peace by the Ganga: A Journey of Hope and Healing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2026-02-16-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: गंगा की ठंडी रात थी।En: It was a cold night by the Ganga.Hi: वाराणसी के घाटों पर हलचल थी।En: There was commotion at the ghats of Varanasi.Hi: महा शिवरात्रि का उत्सव था, और हर कोई भक्ति में लीन था।En: It was the festival of Maha Shivaratri, and everyone was immersed in devotion.Hi: अरुण ने अपने हाथ में एक दीपक थामा।En: Arun held a lamp in his hand.Hi: उसकी आँखें गंगा की लहरों पर टिकी थीं।En: His eyes were fixed on the waves of the Ganga.Hi: उसके मन में बेचैनी थी, हाल ही में उसने निजी हानि का सामना किया था।En: There was restlessness in his heart, as he recently faced a personal loss.Hi: इस यात्रा का उद्देश्य उसकी आत्मा को शांति और नवजीवन मिल जाए।En: The purpose of this journey was to find peace and new life for his soul.Hi: उसी दौरान, लीला घाट पर खड़ी थी।En: At the same time, Leela stood at Leela Ghat.Hi: गरम शॉल में लिपटी, उसने उत्सव का आनंद लिया।En: Wrapped in a warm shawl, she enjoyed the festival.Hi: उसकी आँखों में नई चमक थी, लेकिन दिल में सवाल थे।En: There was a new sparkle in her eyes, but questions lingered in her heart.Hi: करियर और निजी जीवन के चौराहे पर खड़ी, वह दिशा ढूंढ रही थी।En: Standing at the crossroads of career and personal life, she was looking for direction.Hi: अरुण और लीला की नजरें मिलीं।En: Arun and Leela's eyes met.Hi: एक मुस्कान और संवाद का आरंभ।En: A smile marked the beginning of a conversation.Hi: दोनों नाव में सवार हो गंगा के बीचों बीच पहुंचे।En: Both boarded a boat and reached the midst of the Ganga.Hi: अरुण ने कहा, "मैं उम्मीद करता हूँ इस महाशिवरात्रि पर मुझे मेरे सवालों के जवाब मिलेंगे।En: Arun said, "I hope I find answers to my questions on this Maha Shivaratri."Hi: "लीला ने सर हिलाया, "मैं भी अपने जीवन के बारे में आस्था और समझ चाहती हूँ।En: Leela nodded, "I too seek faith and understanding about my life."Hi: " नाव धीरे-धीरे बहने लगी।En: The boat slowly started to drift.Hi: चारों ओर माघ की ठंडी हवाओं के बीच प्रार्थनाओं की आवाज गूंज रही थी।En: Amidst the cold winds of Magh, the sounds of prayers echoed all around.Hi: दोनों ने मंत्रमुग्ध होकर आरती देखी।En: They both watched the Aarti mesmerized.Hi: अरुण का मन धीरे-धीरे हल्का होने लगा।En: Arun's heart gradually began to feel lighter.Hi: उसने महसूस किया कि शांति उसके भीतर ही बस रही थी।En: He felt that peace was residing within him.Hi: रात का समय और अधिक गहरा गया।En: The night grew even deeper.Hi: भीड़ में धूप की सुगंध और भजनों की आवाजें थीं।En: In the crowd, there was the fragrance of incense and the sounds of hymns.Hi: लीला ने महसूस किया कि उसने अपने जीवन की दिशा पाई।En: Leela sensed that she had found her life's direction.Hi: उसे स्पष्टता का एहसास हुआ।En: She realized a sense of clarity.Hi: प्रार्थना और ध्यान की उस रात दोनों के जीवन में एक मोड़ आया।En: On that night of prayer and meditation, a turning point came in both of their lives.Hi: अरुण को जीवन की अनिश्चितताओं को अपनाने की शक्ति मिली।En: Arun gained the strength to embrace the uncertainties of life.Hi: उसने पाया कि वो अपने नुकसान के बोझ से मुक्त हो गया था।En: He found that he was free from the burden of his loss.Hi: दूसरी ओर, लीला को अपने लक्ष्यों का आत्मविश्वास मिला।En: On the other hand, Leela found confidence in her goals.Hi: गंगा की लहरों के साथ, उनके दिलों में नए सपने और नई आशाएँ पनप उठीं।En: With the waves of the Ganga, new dreams and new hopes blossomed in their hearts.Hi: वाराणसी छोड़ते समय, अरुण और लीला ने नई ऊर्जा और स्पष्टता के साथ जीवन को गले लगाने का निर्णय लिया।En: As they left Varanasi, Arun and Leela decided to embrace life with new energy and clarity.Hi: इस यात्रा ने उन्हें न केवल व्यक्तिगत संतोष प्राप्त करने में मदद की, बल्कि उन्हें सिखाया कि कभी-कभी स्वयं को खोकार ही हमें असल में पा सकते हैं।En: This journey not only helped them achieve personal satisfaction but also taught them that sometimes it is by losing oneself that we truly find ourselves. Vocabulary Words:commotion: हलचलghats: घाटोंimmersed: लीनdevotion: भक्तिwaves: लहरोंrestlessness: बेचैनीpersonal loss: निजी हानिpurpose: उद्देश्यdirection: दिशाcrossroads: चौराहाmesmerized: मंत्रमुग्धdrift: बहनाechoed: गूंजनाfragrance: सुगंधincense: धूपhymns: भजनclarity: स्पष्टताembrace: गले लगानाuncertainties: अनिश्चितताएँconfidence: आत्मविश्वासblossomed: पनपनाsatisfaction: संतोषmeditation: ध्यानburden: बोझresiding: बसनाsparkle: चमकshimmered: झिलमिलानाrealized: महसूस कियाquestions lingered: सवाल थेturning point: मोड़

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Unmasking History: A Museum Curator's Daring Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2026-02-07-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: ठंडी सर्दी की सुबह थी।En: It was a cold winter morning.Hi: सूरज की हल्की किरणें दिल्ली के नेचुरल हिस्ट्री म्यूज़ियम की ऊँची खिड़कियों से छनकर अंदर आने लगी थीं।En: Gentle rays of the sun began filtering through the tall windows of the Natural History Museum in Delhi.Hi: म्यूज़ियम के संरक्षक, आरती, हमेशा की तरह सुबह जल्दी पहुँच गई थीं।En: The museum's curator, Aarti, had arrived early as usual.Hi: आज उनका दिल किसी अनजाने ख्वाब में डूबा हुआ था।En: Today, her heart was immersed in an unknown dream.Hi: वे सोच रही थीं कि क्या वे कभी अपने काम में कोई महत्वपूर्ण बदलाव ला पाएंगी।En: She was pondering whether she would ever bring about any significant change in her work.Hi: म्यूज़ियम की गैलरियों में आजकल एक खास आर्टिफैक्ट प्रदर्शित किया गया था।En: A special artifact was being exhibited in the museum galleries nowadays.Hi: यह एक प्राचीन मूर्ति थी, जो देखकर पुराने समय की कहानियाँ सुनाई देती थीं।En: It was an ancient statue that seemed to narrate stories from times long past.Hi: राज और प्रिया, आरती के करीबी साथी, भी रोज़ आवास पर इस अद्भुत आर्टिफैक्ट को देखने आते थे।En: Raj and Priya, close companions of Aarti, would also come to the museum daily to witness this marvelous artifact.Hi: पर आज, कोई अलग संदेश छिपा हुआ था।En: But today, there was a different message hidden.Hi: आरती के मन में अचानक से खटका हुआ कि यह मूर्ति असली नहीं है।En: Suddenly a hunch struck Aarti's mind that this statue might not be genuine.Hi: उसे लगा कि इसे किसी ने बदला है।En: She felt that someone had possibly replaced it.Hi: उसने सोचा, "अगर यह सच है तो म्यूज़ियम की प्रतिष्ठा को ख़तरा होगा।"En: She thought, "If this is true, it could endanger the museum's reputation."Hi: लेकिन आरती को म्यूज़ियम की सुरक्षा टीम या अन्य लोगों से यह बात कहने का हौसला नहीं था।En: However, Aarti did not have the courage to bring this up with the museum's security team or others.Hi: वह अकेली इस बात को सुलझाना चाहती थी।En: She wanted to resolve this issue on her own.Hi: आरती ने राज और प्रिया से इस बारे में बात की।En: Aarti discussed this with Raj and Priya.Hi: उन्होंने भी इस रहस्य में आरती की सहायता करने का वादा किया।En: They also promised to help her with this mystery.Hi: तीनों ने मिलकर एक गुप्त जाँच शुरू की।En: The three initiated a secret investigation together.Hi: एक-एक सुराग को ध्यान से परखा और हर छोटी से छोटी चीज़ पर नज़र रखी।En: They carefully examined each clue and paid attention to every little detail.Hi: रात का समय था।En: It was nighttime.Hi: म्यूज़ियम की छत से सिर्फ फीके प्रकाश की धुंधली लाइनें दिख रही थीं।En: Only faint lines of dim light were visible from the museum's roof.Hi: आरती और उसके साथी गुप्त जानकारी के आधार पर म्यूज़ियम के एक पुराने गलियारे में पहुँचे।En: Based on confidential information, Aarti and her companions reached an old corridor of the museum.Hi: वहाँ उन्हें एक छुपा हुआ कक्ष मिला।En: There, they discovered a hidden chamber.Hi: भीतर एक पुराना स्टाफ मेंबर था, जिसे देखकर आरती हक्की-बक्की रह गई।En: Inside was an old staff member, which left Aarti stunned.Hi: इस कर्मिशाली का सामना करना आसान नहीं था।En: Confronting this treachery wasn't easy.Hi: उसने कभी यह सोचा भी नहीं था कि उसका विश्वासघात होगा।En: She had never imagined betrayal would occur.Hi: आरती के सामने असली मूर्ति रखी थी।En: Before Aarti lay the true statue.Hi: उसके सामने निर्णय करने का वक्त था - सत्य को उजागर करना या किसी की पहचान छुपा लेना।En: It was time for her to make a decision - to reveal the truth or conceal someone's identity.Hi: आरती ने सत्य उजागर करने का निश्चय किया।En: Aarti decided to reveal the truth.Hi: अगली सुबह, वे म्यूज़ियम के बोर्ड के सामने खड़ी थीं। प्राचीन मूर्ति उनके साथ थी।En: The next morning, she stood before the museum's board with the ancient statue.Hi: आरती ने सच बात बताई।En: Aarti told the truth.Hi: ऐतिहासिक विद्वान जब म्यूज़ियम आए, तो आरती की सत्यनिष्ठा और तत्परता के माध्यम से म्यूज़ियम का सम्मान वापस लौटा।En: When historians came to the museum, the museum's honor was restored through Aarti's integrity and promptness.Hi: इस घटना के बाद, आरती ने खुद पर भरोसा करना सीखा।En: After this incident, Aarti learned to trust herself.Hi: उसने समझा कि उसकी सबसे बड़ी ताकत उसकी ईमानदारी और मेहनत है, न कि बाहरी प्रशंसा।En: She understood that her greatest strength was her honesty and hard work, not external praise.Hi: म्यूज़ियम की प्रतिष्ठा दोबारा स्थापित हो गई और उसके साथ ही आरती की नई पहचान बनी।En: The museum's reputation was reestablished, along with Aarti's new identity.Hi: म्यूज़ियम के गलियारे फिर से पुरानी कहानियाँ सुनाने लगे, इस बार आरती की कहानी के साथ।En: The museum corridors once again began to echo old stories, this time with the story of Aarti. Vocabulary Words:curator: संरक्षकimmersed: डूबा हुआartifact: आर्टिफैक्टpondering: सोच रही थींgenuine: असलीendanger: ख़तराcourage: हौसलाresolve: सुलझानाinvestigation: जाँचclue: सुरागfaint: फीकेcorridor: गलियाराchamber: कक्षtreachery: विश्वासघातbetrayal: धोखाintegrity: सत्यनिष्ठाhonor: सम्मानreputation: प्रतिष्ठाconfronting: सामना करनाdecision: निर्णयconfidential: गुप्तexhibited: प्रदर्शितcompanion: साथीconfided: भरोसा करनाscrutinize: गौर से देखनाconceal: छुपानाhistorian: ऐतिहासिक विद्वानpromptness: तत्परताexternal: बाहरीidentity: पहचान

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Finding Serenity: Anaya's Transformational Journey in Banaras Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2026-02-04-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: गंगा की धारा के किनारे बसा, बनारस सजीव हो उठा था।En: The city of Banaras, situated on the banks of the river Ganga, had come alive.Hi: सर्दी की ठंडी हवा ने वातावरण को तरोताजा कर दिया था।En: The cold winter breeze had refreshed the atmosphere.Hi: अरण्यिका शहर की यात्रा पर थी।En: Aranyika was on a trip to the city.Hi: वह एक स्कूल शिक्षिका थी और पहली बार बनारस आई थी।En: She was a school teacher and had come to Banaras for the first time.Hi: उसे अध्यात्मिक ताजगी की तलाश थी, अपनी रोज़मर्रा की ज़िंदगी से भाग कर थोड़ी शांति खोजने की चाहत में।En: She was seeking spiritual rejuvenation, wanting to find some peace away from her everyday life.Hi: संध्या का समय था और घाटों पर भीड़ उमड़ने लगी थी।En: It was evening, and crowds began to gather at the ghats.Hi: कहीं दूर मंदिर की घंटियों की आवाज़ के साथ धूप का धुआँ वातावरण को महका रहा था।En: The scent of incense, mixed with the sound of temple bells ringing somewhere in the distance, enhanced the ambience.Hi: अनया अपने दोस्तों, रोहन और मीना के साथ गंगा आरती देखने के लिए घाट की ओर बढ़ी।En: Anaya, along with her friends Rohan and Meena, proceeded towards the ghat to watch the Ganga Aarti.Hi: जैसे ही उसे भीड़ का एहसास हुआ, अनया का दिल तेजी से धड़कने लगा।En: As soon as she realized the crowd, Anaya's heart started to beat faster.Hi: उसे भीड़ से डर लगता था।En: She was afraid of crowds.Hi: एक कदम पीछे हटकर, उसने गहरी सांस ली।En: Taking a step back, she took a deep breath.Hi: क्या उसे होटल के कमरे में वापस लौट जाना चाहिए?En: Should she return to the hotel room?Hi: इस प्रश्न ने उसे कुछ पल के लिए रोक दिया।En: This question stopped her for a few moments.Hi: रोहन और मीना ने उसका हौसला बढ़ाया।En: Rohan and Meena encouraged her.Hi: "यह अनुभव एक बार का है," मीना ने मुस्कुराते हुए कहा।En: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Meena said with a smile.Hi: अनया ने अपने भीतर की बेचैनी को फिर से काबू में किया और आगे बढ़ने का निर्णय लिया।En: Anaya controlled her restlessness once again and decided to move forward.Hi: गंगा आरती शुरू हुई।En: The Ganga Aarti began.Hi: चारों ओर मंत्रों का उच्चारण और संगीत का स्वर गूंज उठा।En: The sound of mantras being recited and music echoed all around.Hi: अनया भीड़ के बीच घिर गई थी, लेकिन उसे ही मंत्रमुग्ध कर देने वाला अनुभव हो रहा था।En: Anaya was engulfed by the crowd, yet she was experiencing something mesmerizing.Hi: उसने अपनी आँखें बंद कर लीं और सब भूल कर उस ऊर्जा को महसूस किया जो चारों ओर व्याप्त थी।En: She closed her eyes and let herself forget everything, feeling the energy that spread all around.Hi: आखिरी मंत्र के साथ, एक अजीब शांति ने उसे अपने घेरे में ले लिया।En: With the final mantra, a peculiar peace surrounded her.Hi: आरती खत्म होने के बाद, अनया ने घाट के एक शांत कोने में खुद को छुपा लिया।En: After the Aarti ended, Anaya found a quiet corner of the ghat to sit by herself.Hi: वह वहीं बैठ गई और गहरी सांस लेने लगी।En: She sat there taking deep breaths.Hi: दिल की धड़कन धीरे-धीरे सामान्य होने लगी।En: Her heartbeat gradually returned to normal.Hi: उसने महसूस किया कि वह अपनी डर से लड़ गई थी।En: She realized that she had fought her fear.Hi: शहर की अराजकता ने उसे विचलित किया था, लेकिन अब वही जीवन की धड़कन उसमें नई ऊर्जा भर गई थी।En: The city's chaos had disturbed her, but now the same pulse of life had filled her with new energy.Hi: अब अनया को किसी भी नए अनुभव से डर नहीं था।En: Anaya was no longer afraid of any new experiences.Hi: वह पहले से अधिक खुली और जीवंत हुई महसूस कर रही थी।En: She felt more open and alive than before.Hi: बनारस ने उसे एक नया जीवन दृष्टिकोण दिया।En: Banaras had given her a new perspective on life.Hi: इस पश्चिमी शहर की यात्रा ने अनया को जीवन की उस अद्भुत शक्ति का एहसास करा दिया, जिससे उसने आत्मज्ञान और शांति पाई।En: This journey to the western city made Anaya realize the incredible power of life, through which she found self-awareness and peace.Hi: जीवन की छोटी-छोटी परेशानियों ने अब उसे भयभीत नहीं किया।En: The small troubles of life no longer scared her.Hi: अनया खुश थी कि उसने अपने डर पर विजय पाई।En: Anaya was happy that she had conquered her fears. Vocabulary Words:banks: किनारेrejuvenation: ताजगीambience: वातावरणafraid: डरengulfed: घिर गईrealized: एहसास हुआperspective: दृष्टिकोणconquered: विजय पाईself-awareness: आत्मज्ञानpeculiar: अजीबchaos: अराजकताmesmerizing: मंत्रमुग्धincense: धूपrefresh: तरोताजाtrip: यात्राrecited: उच्चारणenergy: ऊर्जाmantra: मंत्रdistant: दूरstep back: पीछे हटकरtroubles: परेशानियाँheartbeat: धड़कनpulse: धड़कनexperienced: अनुभवspiritual: अध्यात्मिकseeking: तलाशcorner: कोनेcrowds: भीड़quiet: शांतfear: डर

We reprise one of our most popular episodes in our continuing series on Space with Aarti Holla-Maini, the Director of the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) who joins the podcast to share her journey from solicitor training to attending business school and entering the aerospace industry, growing and leading the Global Satellite Industry Association, and now leading UNOOSA. Along the way, she discusses the importance of meditation and knowing your own strengths and purpose, as well as the importance of authenticity in leading others.

Back in the early days of our Patreon, I convinced Raheel to watch classic Housewives episodes - On this episode from 2022, Aarti, Raheel, and Noor take a trip to Blue Stone Manor where Dorinda made it nice but everyone should be ashamed of themselves for not knowing how to spell pedophile. 

Tulsi Mata Aarti : AI Aarti

Tulsi Mata Aarti : AI Aarti

00:00 - Why was Lionel Messi in India?07:33 - Event management gone wrong 16:59 - Responses to Messi's GOAT Tour22:02 - Is Messi more important than your Mom or wedding day?30:12 - Messi meets the Ambanis and does Aarti?!32:41 - Kalyug Alert: Working on your wedding day?!39:28 - The internet's response to the wedding day laptop photo op43:32 - Baby Announcements gone wrong50:30 - CSK's reaction to Indy becoming a Dad54:34 - Desi Dad's reactions to life events56:57 - Why Indy was slightly late for the pod this week...!59:00 - Married Is NOT A Competition! We're all doing the best we can.Follow Us On:Tik Tok - https://bit.ly/indy-and-dr-tik-tokInstagram - http://bit.ly/indy-and-dr-instaFacebook - http://bit.ly/indy-and-dr-facebookSpotify - http://bit.ly/indy-and-drAlso available at all podcasting outlets.#messi #messiindia #messiindiatour

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: From Tea to Canvas: Neeraj's Artistic Winter Awakening Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-14-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: शिमला की ठंडी सर्दियों में, जहाँ बर्फ की चादर हर जगह फैली होती, वहीं पर था नीले रंग का नीराज का चाय का स्टॉल।En: In the cold winters of Shimla, where a sheet of snow was spread everywhere, there was a blue tea stall belonging to Neeraj.Hi: नीरज का चाय स्टॉल, शिमला की पहाड़ियों के बीच एक कोने में बसा हुआ था।En: Neeraj's tea stall was nestled in a corner among the hills of Shimla.Hi: सर्द सुबह में जब सूरज के हल्के उजाले से बर्फ चमकने लगती थी, उस समय नीराज अपनी कड़ाही में अदरक वाली चाय तैयार करता था।En: On chilly mornings, when the snow started to sparkle with the soft light of the sun, Neeraj would prepare ginger tea in his kettle.Hi: नीराज को चाय के साथ-साथ चित्रकारी का भी बहुत शौक था।En: Neeraj was passionate not only about tea but also about painting.Hi: उसका सपना था कि एक दिन अपनी चाय की तरह लोगों को अपने चित्रों द्वारा भी सुकून दे सके।En: His dream was that, one day, just as his tea provided comfort to people, his paintings could do the same.Hi: लेकिन हालात कुछ ऐसे थे कि दिनभर ग्राहकों की भीड़ से उसे एक मिनट का समय भी नहीं मिलता था।En: However, the situation was such that due to the crowd of customers throughout the day, he didn't get even a minute of free time.Hi: वहीं, पास में थोड़ी दूरी पर आरती ने अपना नया चाय का स्टॉल खोला था।En: Nearby, at a little distance, Aarti had opened her new tea stall.Hi: उसकी चाय में नया स्वाद और आकर्षण था, जो पर्यटकों को खींच लाता। नीराज थोड़ा चिंतित रहने लगा।En: Her tea had a new flavor and appeal that attracted tourists, causing Neeraj to become a bit anxious.Hi: क्रिसमस नजदीक था।En: Christmas was approaching.Hi: नीराज ने अपने स्टॉल को रंगीन बत्तियों और छोटे-छोटे क्रिसमस ट्री से सजाया।En: Neeraj decorated his stall with colorful lights and small Christmas trees.Hi: उसने फैसला लिया कि क्रिसमस की पूर्व संध्या को देर रात तक स्टॉल खुला रखेगा।En: He decided to keep the stall open late on Christmas Eve.Hi: क्रिसमस की उस शाम, सब कुछ खास था।En: On that Christmas evening, everything was special.Hi: लोग, हँसते, बातें करते, चाय की चुस्की लेते आ रहे थे।En: People were coming, laughing, chatting, and sipping tea.Hi: तभी अचानक, एक बर्फीला तूफान आ गया।En: Suddenly, a snowstorm hit.Hi: सब लोग सुरक्षित अपने घर चले गए। बस, नीराज कुछ ग्राहकों के साथ अपने स्टॉल में फँस गया।En: Everyone went safely to their homes, and only Neeraj was stuck at his stall with a few customers.Hi: तूफान थमने के बाद, खुला आकाश बर्फीले चादर से ढका हुआ अद्भुत प्रतीत हो रहा था।En: After the storm subsided, the open sky covered with a snowy sheet appeared magnificent.Hi: नीराज को उस रात का इंतज़ार था।En: Neeraj was waiting for that night.Hi: उसने अपने स्टॉल की आरामदेह खिड़की से बाहर का दृश्य देखा।En: He looked outside from the cozy window of his stall.Hi: आखिरकार, वह पल आ गया, जिसका उसे इंतज़ार था।En: Finally, the moment he had been waiting for arrived.Hi: नीराज ने अपने पेंट ब्रश और रंग उठाए और उसी समय उस नगम्या दृश्य को कैनवास पर उकेर दिया।En: Neeraj picked up his paintbrush and colors and captured that mesmerizing scene on canvas right then and there.Hi: यह रात शांति और खूबसूरती से भरी थी।En: That night was filled with tranquility and beauty.Hi: सुबह की पहली किरणों के साथ, लोग उसके चित्र को देखकर उसकी तारीफ करने लगे।En: With the first rays of morning, people began to admire his painting.Hi: लोगों ने नीराज को प्रेरित किया कि वो अपनी चित्रकारी को आगे बढ़ाए।En: They encouraged Neeraj to advance his painting career.Hi: अब नीराज न केवल एक सफल चायवाला था, बल्कि एक उभरता हुआ चित्रकार भी।En: Now, Neeraj was not only a successful tea vendor but also an emerging painter.Hi: उसने सिखा कि चाहत और दृढ़ संकल्प से हर सपना साकार हो सकता है।En: He learned that with passion and determination, any dream can come true.Hi: अब नीराज का स्टॉल सिर्फ चाय पीने की जगह नहीं था, बल्कि उसकी कला से रू-ब-रू होने का भी ठिकाना था।En: Now, Neeraj's stall wasn't just a place to drink tea, but also a spot to experience his art.Hi: इस तरह, नीराज ने अपने सपने को और भी चमकदार बना दिया।En: In this way, Neeraj made his dream even brighter. Vocabulary Words:nestled: बसा हुआsparkle: चमकनेkettle: कड़ाहीpassionate: शौकpaintings: चित्रोंcomfort: सुकूनcrowd: भीड़anxious: चिंतितdecorated: सजायाcolorful: रंगीनsnowstorm: बर्फीला तूफानsubsided: थमनेmagnificent: अद्भुतcozy: आरामदेहpaintbrush: पेंट ब्रशmesmerizing: नगम्याtranquility: शांतिadmire: तारीफemerging: उभरता हुआdetermination: दृढ़ संकल्पbrighter: चमकदारvendors: विक्रेताturmoil: उथल-पुथलentrepreneur: उद्यमीmotivation: प्रेरणाtranscend: उठाillusion: भरमaura: आभाresonance: अनुनादambiance: वातावरण

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Harmony on the Ghats: A Tale of Music, Connection & Renewal Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-08-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: सर्दियों की एक शाम थी।En: It was a winter evening.Hi: बनारस के घाटों पर चहल-पहल थी।En: There was a hustle and bustle at the Banaras ghats.Hi: गंगा आरती की तैयारियाँ चल रही थीं।En: Preparations for the Ganga Aarti were underway.Hi: हवा में धूप और अगरबत्ती की खुशबू तैर रही थी।En: The air was filled with the fragrance of incense and agarbatti (incense sticks).Hi: घाट पर बहुत सारे लोग इकट्ठा थे।En: A large number of people had gathered at the ghat.Hi: सबकी निगाहें गंगा माता की ओर थीं।En: Everyone's eyes were fixed on Ganga Mata (Mother Ganges).Hi: यह दृश्य बेहद मोहक था।En: The scene was extremely enchanting.Hi: अरुण एक प्रतिभाशाली संगीतकार था।En: Arun was a talented musician.Hi: लेकिन हाल ही में उसकी प्रेरणा कहीं खो गई थी।En: But recently, his inspiration had disappeared somewhere.Hi: वह अपने भीतर शांति की तलाश में था।En: He was searching for peace within himself.Hi: उसके मन में आत्म-संदेह और असफलता का डर था।En: Self-doubt and fear of failure lingered in his mind.Hi: उसे लग रहा था कि वह कहीं अटक गया है।En: He felt as though he was stuck.Hi: वह नई धुन की तलाश में बनारस आया था।En: He had come to Banaras in search of a new melody.Hi: हर शाम की तरह, आज भी गंगा आरती की शुरुआत होने वाली थी।En: Like every evening, today too, the Ganga Aarti was about to begin.Hi: आरती की घंटियाँ बजने लगीं।En: The bells of the Aarti started ringing.Hi: पूरा वातावरण भक्तिमय हो उठा।En: The entire atmosphere became devotional.Hi: अरुण ने सोचा, "क्यों न मैं भी कुछ बजाऊं?En: Arun thought, "Why don't I play something too?"Hi: "उसी समय, प्रिया भी घाट पर आई थी।En: At the same time, Priya also arrived at the ghat.Hi: प्रिया एक साहसी यात्री थी।En: Priya was an adventurous traveler.Hi: वह भारत के पवित्र स्थलों की सैर कर रही थी।En: She was touring the holy places of India.Hi: उसकी आत्मा एक जुड़ाव की तलाश में थी।En: Her soul was seeking a connection.Hi: वह चाहती थी कि उसे ऐसा कुछ मिले जो उसके जीवन को गहराई दे।En: She wanted to find something that would add depth to her life.Hi: अरुण ने बिना कुछ सोचे, बाँसुरी निकाल ली।En: Without thinking, Arun took out his flute.Hi: वह धीरे-धीरे एक मधुर धुन बजाने लगा।En: He slowly started playing a melodious tune.Hi: गंगा की लहरें उस धुन के साथ बहने लगीं।En: The waves of the Ganga began to flow with that tune.Hi: वहां खड़े सभी लोग मंत्रमुग्ध हो गए।En: Everyone standing there was spellbound.Hi: प्रिया का ध्यान भी उस धुन की ओर खिंच गया।En: Priya's attention was also drawn to the tune.Hi: आरती के बाद, प्रिया अरुण की ओर बढ़ी।En: After the Aarti, Priya approached Arun.Hi: दोनों के बीच बातचीत सहजता से बहने लगी।En: A conversation flowed naturally between them.Hi: उन्होंने संगीत और आध्यात्म पर बातें की।En: They talked about music and spirituality.Hi: अरुण ने अपने दिल की बात कह दी, "मुझे नए संगीत की तलाश में मुश्किल हो रही है।En: Arun poured his heart out, "I am struggling to find new music."Hi: " प्रिया ने उसके डर और संकोच को समझा।En: Priya understood his fears and hesitations.Hi: प्रिया ने कहा, "संगीत हमेशा दिल से आता है।En: Priya said, "Music always comes from the heart.Hi: तुम अपनी आत्मा को सुनो।En: Listen to your soul."Hi: " अरुण को पहली बार ऐसा लगा जैसे कोई उसकी भावना को समझ रहा है।En: For the first time, Arun felt like someone understood his feelings.Hi: उस शाम के बाद, अरुण और प्रिया ने बनारस में और भी समय बिताने का फैसला किया।En: After that evening, Arun and Priya decided to spend more time in Banaras.Hi: दोनों ने साथ में घाटों का भ्रमण किया, मंदिरों में प्रार्थना की, और संगीत के बारे में चर्चा की।En: Together, they explored the ghats, prayed in temples, and discussed music.Hi: धीरे-धीरे अरुण को अपनी आत्म-विश्वास वापस मिला।En: Gradually, Arun regained his self-confidence.Hi: उसे एहसास हुआ कि उसका संगीत दूसरों के लिए भी प्रेरणादायक हो सकता है।En: He realized that his music could also be an inspiration for others.Hi: दूसरी ओर, प्रिया को अरुण के साथ एक अटूट जुड़ाव महसूस हुआ।En: On the other hand, Priya felt an unbreakable connection with Arun.Hi: उसने महसूस किया कि वह अकेली नहीं है।En: She realized that she was not alone.Hi: उस सर्दी में, गंगा के घाटों पर, दो आत्माएँ एक हुईं।En: That winter, on the ghats of the Ganga, two souls became one.Hi: दोनों ने अपने भीतर की शांति पाई और एक दूसरे में सच्ची मित्रता।En: They found peace within themselves and true friendship in each other.Hi: बनारस की पवित्रता में उनका रिश्ता और मजबूत हुआ।En: In the sanctity of Banaras, their relationship grew stronger.Hi: कहानी का अंत एक नई शुरुआत के साथ हुआ।En: The story ended with a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:hustle: चहलbustle: पहलpreparations: तैयारियाँfragrance: खुशबूgathered: इकट्ठाenchanted: मोहकinspiration: प्रेरणाself-doubt: आत्म-संदेहlinger: अटकाmelody: धुनdevotional: भक्तिमयadventurous: साहसीtouring: सैरdepth: गहराईmelodious: मधुरspellbound: मंत्रमुग्धapproached: बढ़ीconversation: बातचीतstruggling: मुश्किलhesitations: संकोचrealized: एहसासunbreakable: अटूटsanctity: पवित्रताsoul: आत्माconfidence: आत्म-विश्वासtemples: मंदिरोंflute: बाँसुरीspirituality: आध्यात्मrelationship: रिश्ताgathering: इकट्ठा

This episode of The Mohua Show is a generational punch to the heart.Author Aarti Narayan, a former MNC executive, tells the story behind her debut novel, The Lives She Carried, inspired by her grandmother, a woman frompre-Independence Kerala who turned pain into power and raised nine children against impossible odds.A conversation about what women are taught to endure and what they choose to become.What this episode is REALLY aboutNot perfection.Not heroism.Not feminist slogans.It's about:Generations of women trained to tolerate and give awayThe male genius vs misogyny paradox of old IndiaA daughter who ran away to save herselfThe real cost of ambition: when moving to Bombay means no way backSurvival after losing everythingReinventing life with humour, rage and lemon riceWhy every child should inherit books, not traumaIf you've ever asked, “How did our mothers survive so much?” this episode has answers.Support the Podcast If this conversation moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it today. Subscribe for more voices that rewrite the rules with **truth, heart and courage**.✅ Subscribe To Our Channel: / themohuashow Stay updated!

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Riya's Diwali: Rediscovering Roots in a Village of Light Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-11-19-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: पेड़ों की शाखाओं पर रंग-बिरंगे झंडे लहरा रहे थे।En: Colorful flags were waving on the branches of the trees.Hi: खेतों में पीली-पीली फसल कटने को तैयार थी।En: The yellow crops in the fields were ready to be harvested.Hi: गाँव की छोटी गलियों में मिठाई की महक और ढोल की धीमी आवाज़ें गूंज रही थीं।En: In the small lanes of the village, the aroma of sweets and the soft sound of drums were echoing.Hi: दीवाली का त्योहार आने ही वाला था।En: The Diwali festival was about to arrive.Hi: रीया, आरव, और मीना गाँव की ओर जा रहे थे।En: Riya, Aarav, and Meena were heading towards the village.Hi: रिया शहर में रहती थी और परिवार से कुछ दूर हो गई थी।En: Riya lived in the city and had become somewhat distant from her family.Hi: मीना, उसकी माँ, चाहती थी कि रिया इस दीवाली पर गाँव की खुशियों और परंपराओं को महसूस करे।En: Meena, her mother, wanted Riya to experience the joy and traditions of the village during this Diwali.Hi: आरव, रिया का चचेरा भाई, एक किसान था।En: Aarav, Riya's cousin, was a farmer.Hi: फसल कटाई और त्योहार की तैयारी से वह बेहद उत्साहित था।En: He was immensely excited about the harvest and the festival preparations.Hi: गाँव पहुँच कर रिया ने देखा कि हर जगह दीये जल रहे थे।En: Upon reaching the village, Riya saw diyas lit everywhere.Hi: बच्चे फुलझड़ी और पटाखे चला रहे थे।En: Children were playing with sparklers and firecrackers.Hi: आरव ने रिया को खेत दिखाए और समझाया कि कैसे इन फसलों की मेहनत से परिवार खुशी मनाता है।En: Aarav showed Riya the fields and explained how the hard work on these crops brings happiness to the family.Hi: ये बातें रिया के लिए नई और खास थीं।En: These things were new and special for Riya.Hi: रीया ने देखा कि गाँव वाले कैसे आपस में मिलकर काम करते हैं और एक-दूसरे की मदद करते हैं।En: Riya observed how the villagers worked together and helped one another.Hi: गाँव में कोई अजनबी नहीं था।En: There were no strangers in the village.Hi: हर किसी ने उसके लिए दरवाजे खोले और स्वागत किया।En: Everyone opened their doors and welcomed her.Hi: फिर दीवाली की रात आई।En: Then came Diwali night.Hi: गाँव के मंदिर में बड़ा आयोजन था।En: There was a big event at the village temple.Hi: आरव और मीना ने रिया को साथ लिया।En: Aarav and Meena took Riya along.Hi: मंदिर में भजन और दीपों की रौशनी से माहौल अत्यंत पवित्र लग रहा था।En: The atmosphere felt extremely sacred with hymns and the light of lamps in the temple.Hi: रिया ने महसूस किया कि यहाँ के लोग किस तरह अपनी संस्कृति और परंपराओं को जीवित रखते हैं।En: Riya sensed how the people here keep their culture and traditions alive.Hi: उसने मंदिर में आरती में भाग लिया।En: She participated in the Aarti at the temple.Hi: आरती के दौरान उसने अपनी आँखें बंद कर लीं और महसूस किया कि उसका दिल हल्का हो रहा था।En: During the Aarti, she closed her eyes and felt her heart becoming lighter.Hi: शहर की चकाचौंध के उलट इसे उसने अपने दिल से जुड़ा पाया।En: Opposite to the city's glitter, she found this connected to her heart.Hi: अचानक, रिया ने खुद को उस गाँव के बीचों-बीच पाया।En: Suddenly, Riya found herself in the midst of the village.Hi: उसे अहसास हुआ कि वह अपनी जड़ों और अपने परिवार से कट कर नहीं रह सकती।En: She realized that she couldn't stay cut off from her roots and her family.Hi: उसे अपनी पहचान के इस हिस्से को अपनी जिंदगी में पूर्ण रूप से अपनाना चाहिए।En: She should fully embrace this part of her identity in her life.Hi: इस अनुभव के बाद, रिया ने फैसला किया कि वह अपने शहर की ज़िंदगी और अपनी सांस्कृतिक जड़ों, दोनों को सहेजेगी।En: After this experience, Riya decided she would cherish both her city life and her cultural roots.Hi: वह अपने परिवार और परंपराओं का सम्मान करेगी और उनसे जुड़ी रहेगी।En: She would respect and stay connected with her family and traditions.Hi: दिवाली की रौशनी के बीच रिया ने अपने दिल के कोनों में एक नई रौशनी महसूस की।En: Amidst the light of Diwali, Riya felt a new light in the corners of her heart.Hi: वह शांतिपूर्ण और संतुष्ट महसूस कर रही थी, जैसे उसने स्वयं को पुनः खोज लिया हो।En: She felt peaceful and content, as if she had rediscovered herself.Hi: रिया के चेहरे पर अब एक संतोष की मुस्कान थी।En: There was now a smile of satisfaction on Riya's face.Hi: उसने पाया कि अब वह अपने परिवार और परंपराओं का एक अभिन्न हिस्सा थी।En: She found that she was now an integral part of her family and traditions. Vocabulary Words:waving: लहरा रहेaroma: महकechoing: गूंज रहीdistant: दूरimmensely: बेहदsparklers: फुलझड़ीexplained: समझायाhard work: मेहनतstrangers: अजनबीsacred: पवित्रhymns: भजनtraditions: परंपराओंembrace: अपनानाcherish: सहेजनाcontent: संतुष्टrediscovered: पुनः खोज लियाintegral: अभिन्नglitter: चकाचौंधcrop: फसलharvest: कटाईfestival: त्योहारglimpse: झलकidentity: पहचानpreparations: तैयारीlight: रौशनीcultural roots: सांस्कृतिक जड़ोंwelcomed: स्वागतparticipated: भाग लियाpeaceful: शांतिपूर्णmidst: बीचों-बीच

Aarti is back to celebrate M-A-M-D-A-N-I and we discuss how the RHONY women possibly voted during the NYC mayoral elections. We chat briefly about RHOC before jumping deep into the Real Housewives of Potomac where Aarti shares the QVC-HSN beef, followed by the real friend-of on Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, FARTS.

Every once in a while, I meet someone whose story reminds me why inclusion and communication go hand in hand. My guest this week, Shabnam Asthana, is one of those people. She's a global PR leader, entrepreneur, and author who has spent her life turning words into bridges that connect people and purpose. We talk about her journey from teaching and lecturing at India's National Defence Academy to leading global communications for major brands—and what it taught her about empathy, leadership, and real inclusion. Shabnam shares how storytelling can turn data into emotion, and why true diversity is less about representation and more about respect. Her message is powerful and deeply human: being unstoppable begins with an open heart, quiet courage, and the willingness to rise again. If you're ready to lead with empathy and communicate with purpose, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. Highlights: 00:43 – Hear how early role models and a working mother raised ambitions and set a path toward leadership. 03:39 – Learn why strong communication skills pointed her toward PR and how debates built confidence. 05:24 – See why teaching became the first step when women in PR roles were rare in smaller cities. 08:12 – Discover what it took to lecture at India's National Defence Academy and earn respect in a rigid setting. 12:09 – Understand the leap from academia to corporate PR after being scouted for communication excellence. 15:50 – Learn how serving as a spokesperson shaped internal and external messaging at a Swedish-Indian firm. 17:01 – Gain a humble view of global work and why inclusion means moving from tokenism to listening. 21:08 – Compare India and Sweden and see how representation differs from real inclusion in practice. 24:18 – Learn how small, specific acts like adding sign to slides can make people feel genuinely seen. 34:24 – Find out how storytelling turns CSR spreadsheets into human change that inspires action. 43:22 – Explore the choice to found Empowered Solutions and why entrepreneurship kept growth alive. 53:06 – Take a fresh definition of an unstoppable mindset rooted in resilience and an open heart. About the Guest: A multi-faceted Professional, who has fast tracked from being a reputed National name to a well-respected and emulated global one! Shabnam Asthana has added new dimensions to Global PR and Communications. She has to her credit, post graduate degrees in English Literature, Public Relations and Advertising, an MBA in Marketing Management & several International certifications including a prestigious Hon. Doctorate in Business Administration from the National American University USA (NAU). She has over 25 years of rich professional experience. She started her career in the educational field as a high school teacher and then moved on to the role of a Lecturer at the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla. She was the only civilian who compered for the Passing out parades, PT & Equestrian display and the Graduation ceremony of the NDA for 3 consecutive years. This was covered live on Doordarshan. It was after one of the Passing out Parades that she was compering at the NDA, that a senior position in a reputed company was offered to her and thus began her foray into the corporate world. After her successful corporate stint in senior positions with reputed companies including Multinationals in India and abroad and reputed real estate businesses, she started her own PR and communications firm, Empowered Solutions in 2005 which has been running successfully since then. Adding offices in USA and Canada as part of its international expansion. Ways to connect with Jan: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabnam_Asthana Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shabnamasthana/?hl=en Linked in - https://in.linkedin.com/in/dr-shabnam-asthana-7b174a5 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShabnamAsthana/ X - https://x.com/shabnamasthana VyaapaarNiti Expert Profile - https://www.vyaapaarniti.com/expert/dr-shabnam-asthana- Tring Celebrity Platform - https://www.tring.co.in/shabnam-asthana About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, Hi again, everyone. I am your host, Michael Hingson, and you are here listening to or watching or both, unstoppable mindset today, our guest is a person of many talents, and I think you're going to be as amazed about her as I am. Shabnam Asthana is a person who has been involved in she was a teacher for a while. She's been very heavily involved in a variety of things at the corporate level. She started her own marketing firm in 2005 and I don't know what all my gosh, she's got so many things, it's really hard to keep up, but I'm sure she's going to tell us all about it, and I am looking forward to that. And I really appreciate all of you being here with us. So Shabnam, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And thank you for being here.   Shabnam Asthana ** 02:15 Thank you, Michael, truly wonderful to be with here, and thank you for that amazing introduction. You make me feel as if I've worn a professional cape of so many accolades and so many things. It's wonderful to be here with you.   Michael Hingson ** 02:32 Michael, well, you do have lots of awards and lots of accolades.   Shabnam Asthana ** 02:38 That's just one part of the journey. The true reward is in the, you know, work that I do, these stories, that I shape, the narratives that spring in that is the true reward. And of course, accolades are always welcome, and they are a way of encouragement, which do ensure that, yes, I continue doing the good work.   Michael Hingson ** 03:00 Well, why don't we start back at the beginning, which is always fun to do. Why don't you tell us about the early Shabnam growing up?   Shabnam Asthana ** 03:08 Okay, that's something which is very close to my heart. I was born in India in a small city called Bokaro, Steel City. It was a Steel City. It was an industrial town, and we were a very close knit community, and we had lots of, you know, interaction with people. I came from a background where both my parents, my mother and my father were working, and at that point of time, a working woman was sort of seen as a novelty, not something I'm talking way, way back. And now the people will also guess my age, I guess because it's pretty way back. And that was the time when we weren't India was still developing, and women were still not seen as the working class, you know, especially in senior corporate positions. And my mother was a senior officer in the steel plant, so that set my aspirations and ambitions very high. And I wanted to emulate her. I wanted to be someone who was working now what I would do I was not very sure of, but yes, I wanted to be working. And then later on, my sister, my both my sisters, were also working, my older siblings, and of course, that set the tone for me to also hop into the professional shoes, and, you know, chart out a career path for myself. So,   Michael Hingson ** 04:44 so what? What did you do? As far as schooling? Did you go to college?   Shabnam Asthana ** 04:51 Yes, I went to the local school there, which was an English medium good school called sin Xavier School. And that was some. Thing which really groomed me for the future, that set the foundations for my career. And after that, I did my schooling in the my college, sorry, in the capital city of India, which is Delhi. And then on, I moved to a place which is close to Mumbai, which is Pune, and I continued my education there. And of course, my career started in Pune. That is when I got into academics, and then henceforth,   Michael Hingson ** 05:34 so when you were in college, and as you were coming out of it, what did you want to do with your life? What was your plan? Or did you have one?   Shabnam Asthana ** 05:43 Yes, I did have one. Like I said, I was always good in communications, and people used to tell me that you are a good communicator. I used to win all the debates. I used to win elocution competitions. And I said, Well, yes, communication does seem to be my forte, so why don't I build on that? And then I saw my father, he was in the public relations industry, and I somehow at the back of my mind, I said, Yes, that is something I would surely want to do. So why not try my hand at PR? And that's how the seeds of my career was planted in my mind, and then it developed there on.   Michael Hingson ** 06:30 But you started out in education and in teaching.   Shabnam Asthana ** 06:34 Yes, that's very interesting. I'll tell you. I wanted to start my career in PR, but I was in a place which was a small city, and it was a place called Jamshedpur, before I moved on to Pune, and there, the career scope was very limited. We didn't have women in the PR. In fact, it was unheard of. So the best thing, or the easiest thing that a woman could do was to hop on the bandwagon of academics. And not saying that it was something you know, that was not looked up to. But yes, I did enjoy my role as a school teacher. That was my first job in Jamshedpur, a small it was, again, a steel city in India, and I became a high school teacher, and quite enjoyed it, because that was also communication. It was the way you communicated with your students, and, you know, sort of got them into, got them interested in what they were learning. So that was, again a stepping stone, and it was the area of communications which expanded later on.   Michael Hingson ** 07:47 So how long did you stay in teaching?   Shabnam Asthana ** 07:51 I was there for about two years in Jamshedpur, and then I moved on to Pune. And guess what the next opportunity I got was as a lecturer in the National Defense Academy. That was a place where the future generals were being groomed, and I was a civilian who, sort of, I was the only civilian, probably, who got into the teaching profession there and there I spent a good four years truly memorable. Worth remembering recounting. There was so many incidents, and I loved teaching. That was something which I did at the National Defense Academy too. Although that was at a higher level, it was very different from the school teaching which I had done. This was more, you know, on a national level, where you had to be more, and there was a lot of discipline which came in, because it was the future, you know, Army personnel, Navy personnel, so all that, there was a lot of discipline that came in and that groomed me better. I understood what the world of discipline meant in the true sense, because I lived   Michael Hingson ** 09:10 it right. What? How did you discover the job at the defense Academy? Though that's certainly a whole lot different than teaching high school students or maybe not.   Shabnam Asthana ** 09:23 It is a whole lot intimidating. Let me tell you that it's very intimidating to walk into a room full of, you know, future generals, army people you don't know who you know who you are, I mean, who they are, and you sort of get very intimidated by the kind the aura is very, very intimidating.   Michael Hingson ** 09:46 How did you discover that job? Yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 09:49 that was done. We in India, we have something which is called the employment exchange. So you register there and you give your qualify. You list down your qualifications, and you know whatever you are planning to do, and they invite you for certain vacancies. So one fine day, I was just sitting and having my lunch at home when I received a letter, and the letter was an interview call for the National Defense Academy. I literally jumped out of my skin because I was a school teacher, and then being asked to appear for an interview in the National Defense Academy itself was a big leap for me. Whether I got it or not was a different thing. But then to sort of come on board and go and sort of appear for an interview was also something very exciting. And when I went there, I was like, I said, the only civilian The rest were army officers, wives and daughters, you know, related to the working personnel there. So when I went, I was interviewed by the three representatives from all the three wings, that is the Navy, the Air Force and Army. And that was a very good experience. They asked me a lot of questions, and I believe it was later on I was told that it was my confidence that got me in. So thanks to that, I   Michael Hingson ** 11:23 was going to ask you why you why you got in, or why you think you got in. And yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 11:30 yeah, I did ask them that later, and unofficially, I was told that. Well, it was the way you carried yourself, the confidence and, you know, the excitement and enthusiasm that you shared, which was very, very refreshing.   Michael Hingson ** 11:48 So what exactly did you do at the academy?   Shabnam Asthana ** 11:53 I was teaching them English, and I was teaching them literature. I don't know how interested they were in literature, but then the feedback that I got, which was, you know, the it was a routine feedback, which we have the teachers get. So I used to get good marks, and people used to say, yes, that, you know, your classes are engrossing. It's good. And then, apart from that, there was something very interesting I did, which was I compared for their passing out parades, and I compared for all their shows. And that was something which was covered on television, and that gave me a different kind of foothold in my profession, where I was being seen, where I was being heard, and my confidence grew by leaps and bounds. I was being accepted as a woman. I was being accepted as a civilian. And that was something which was very, very heartwarming for me,   Michael Hingson ** 13:01 and I would assume, very difficult to achieve,   Shabnam Asthana ** 13:05 I think so I do yes, in retrospect, yes.   Michael Hingson ** 13:09 So you did that for roughly four years. Yes. And why did you leave that? What was your? Was your thought about that,   Shabnam Asthana ** 13:21 okay, I would have gone on. It was such a glorious part of my career. But, you know, change, they say, is constant, and that is something which happened. I was comparing for a passing out parade when the chairman of a corporate company which was doing rather well, heard me, and he was impressed by my communication, my speaking abilities, my, you know, the way I was presenting things. And he said he offered me a job, and he said, Why don't you come and join my office and come in as a PR person for my company, and that's exactly I was actually, you know, not very sure whether I wanted to leave this an industry and career where I was already established, where people knew me, and just hop on to the corporate world. But if you remember, that was my ambition. That was what I had always won right at the start. So the moment it came, it almost felt as if it fell into my laps. And I said, Why don't I do that? Yes, and this is a good opportunity, and I must take it up. My I spoke to my family, and they too, felt that it was a good stepping stone to move on. And so I accepted it, and that was my entry into the world of PR, in the corporate   Michael Hingson ** 14:48 world. So what year was that this   Shabnam Asthana ** 14:53 was way back on now you are prompting me to give away my age, which is like. Like ancient, I'd be a fossil. Okay, yes, this was way back in the 90s,   Michael Hingson ** 15:06 okay, and that was kind of what I was curious about. So at that time, industry was a little bit more stable than it was later on, but, but still, you You did it, and you so you stepped into that goal, into that role, and so you became part of the PR world, which is, as you said, what you wanted to do initially, anyway. So, so how long did you stay at that company? I   Shabnam Asthana ** 15:39 stayed there for about four years, and then the chairman of the company passed away. Unfortunately, he was on a trip to China, and he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, so I was working very closely with him in his office, and as is the norm of the industry, once the leader is not there things you know, sort of crumble, and you know, there's reorganization. New faces come in, and normally the new people bring their own teams. So I felt as if, you know, before they told me to sort of move out or something. I don't know why I pre empted that. I said, Why don't I myself make a shift and join some other industry? I mean, join some other company, which I did. Again, I applied. It was a Swedish company, and again, it was one of the best moves that I could have made. I spent a good 12 years in that company, which Hogan is India Limited, I must name them. They were brilliant. And I spent a very, very good part of my career with that company.   Michael Hingson ** 16:56 And so again, you did primarily PR, or what did you Yes, it was   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:02 PR and it was handling the chairman and managing director's office. So the entire communication was handled through me, the internal as well as the external communication. I was a spokesperson, yes,   Michael Hingson ** 17:18 so you became so in a sense, sort of the face of the company.   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:21 Yes, I did. It's nice to feel that yes, that it was a good many years that I was the face of the company in terms of communication, yes,   Michael Hingson ** 17:33 right, right. And, and where were you doing this?   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:38 This was in Pune, and their head office was in Sweden. I used to sort of move between the two. It was a very global company. The subsidiary was an Indian subsidiary, but the parent company was Swedish. So we had a lot of global travel   17:56 that kept you busy. That did so   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:59 there were conferences, and there were so many meetings which were happening,   Michael Hingson ** 18:03 yes, right? So what did, what did you? What did you learn from all of that? Do you think   Shabnam Asthana ** 18:12 it was a very humbling experience? You know, more than the excitement, I was armed with a lot of excitement, because that would have been one of my first trips outside India. I was I had a lot of excitement, lots of things were on my mind, but then ultimately, when one does travel and work in a global company, it's a very humbling experience, because you are exposed to your strengths and also your blind spots, your strengths, your weaknesses, everything comes to you and then you feel that diversity is not always about representation. It's about respect and inclusion is moving from tokenism to listening. That is what I felt, you know, adapting various voices to your workplace, working in unison, trying to empathize with people from different cultures, different streams, different departments, all that really broadened my horizon. So that was something which I learned.   Michael Hingson ** 19:30 So what was the culture like, in terms of since you were at a global company, as it were, how was it different when you were dealing with Sweden, as opposed to when you were dealing with India.   Shabnam Asthana ** 19:45 In India, we don't have diversity as a choice. In India, we are served diversity on a platter because you are born with being diverse. You have. Are numerous religions, you have culture. So we are adaptable people in that sense. But strangely enough, it's a paradox. If I would tell you that inclusion is still a work in progress. Inclusion isn't automatic. It doesn't come to you like that. You have to work for it. Now there is a big change, but I'm talking of the days, way back in the 90s when women in boardrooms were a novelty. So sometimes it was just purely for ornamental value. Sad to say that. But gradually you had to open up, you have to open the doors, and you have to say, look, we are here for a reason. And please listen to our voices too. And that's how we started. I started sort of, I remember once when I was moving in India. I mean, not in Sweden, but once when I was in India, and I was in a strategic board meeting. I was the only woman in the room, and the people were sort of, I could sense the expressions. People were curious, people were dismissing. People were sort of, you know, not sort of prepared to take or listen to me, that was a little bit of a setback. But then gradually, when I started moving abroad, and I started seeing more women, and then gradually, when I was moving so were the others, and they too saw the kind of change that was happening. And so it was pretty difficult in India, initially, if I were to be very honest, Sweden was more inclusive. I could see a lot of women in the workforce. And gradually, since we were sort of interacting with each other, we absorbed each other's cultures and values, and the company became very, very inclusive. So it was a pleasure to work there.   Michael Hingson ** 22:08 Okay, so in a sense, there were, there are parts of Sweden that made you happier than what you were in the East initially experiencing in India.   Shabnam Asthana ** 22:19 Absolutely, absolutely, and I have no hesitation in saying that, because they were welcoming. They were welcoming. And the not necessarily my company, but any company in India, the representation of women, especially in PR, was very, very limited. Now we have evolved, and it's a world of difference, and I'm so happy to see that.   Michael Hingson ** 22:48 How about you, may or may not have a lot of expertise in this, but how about if we're going to talk about inclusion and so on, people with disabilities, both in India and in Sweden and so on and again. I don't know whether you really had much experience or exposure to that. I   Shabnam Asthana ** 23:06 do. I did have my share of exposure, maybe not extensive, but yes, I do. I remember there's this one incident I'd like to talk to you about. It was in Paris. I was in a conference, and there was a deaf girl in the conference room. I could see people making presentations and knowing fully well, because we had the list of participants, and we had their intros, their introductions with us, my team. And you know, of course, I headed that team. We made a special endeavor to include sign in our presentation. And she was so happy because she said, you know, she came to me and she expressed to me that although I have participated so many times in meetings, and especially corporate meetings, I am so happy to see. It was the first time that I felt I was seen and I was not just a presence. So she was very happy with the kind of, you know, preparation that we did for her especially. So I believe it's very nice if people learn to respect each other and learn to believe that not everybody is similar. You may have so many strengths which I don't have. I do not see any physical disability as a handicap. I'm very, very sure about that, I do not see anybody who appears different or who doesn't have the same listening capacity, hearing capacity, to be different from me. They have their own strengths. So I truly believe that, you know, disability. In that sense, is something which does not put a person in the back seat. How.   Michael Hingson ** 25:09 How was that attitude received? Well, both at the company, when you were when you were in the room with her, and you were signing and so on. How did other people receive that? And how was that kind of attitude received initially in India?   Shabnam Asthana ** 25:29 Well, to be very honest, Michael, it wasn't something that is the done thing. People do not accept that. They are like, well, it's a general presentation. We really don't have to make specific I do remember a person who came up to me and said, Shabnam, why did you make a very specific presentation? It was a very general presentation by you doing that, you have set a precedent for others to sort of make them feel small, you know. So he took it in a very negative way. Said, you've made us feel very small. I said, no, please do not look at it that way. It is something where we have made her feel a part of us. It is not trying to belittle anybody, trying not to, you know, get a an edge over others. All of us are the same. It's just that I made it a little easier for her. That's what I just told him, and probably he did, walk away with a smile. I don't know whether it was a sarcastic one or whether it was a smile of acceptance, but then I got my   Michael Hingson ** 26:38 point. I took was this was this in Sweden or India. This was in Paris. In Paris, okay, yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 26:46 okay, this was a conference, which was   Michael Hingson ** 26:49 she said that, right? Well, you know, the reality is that's all part of the inclusive mindset and the inclusion mindset, and it is so true that most people don't tend to realize it Yes. So I hear what you're saying,   Shabnam Asthana ** 27:10 yes, and realization and sort of acceptance has evolved. People are more accepting. People are more flexible. You know, the rigidity earlier, people were very rigid. Now there is a lot of flexibility. I believe that, right?   Michael Hingson ** 27:32 Well, I think it's better. I'm I think there are still all too many people who tend not to really have an overly inclusive mindset. And it is, it is something that that will be with us for a while, and hopefully over time, people will become more open and realize the value of inclusion. In this country, we have, well and around the world, we have a significant number of people who have these so called physical disabilities, and the reality is that the disability is more caused by inaction mostly than it is by real action.   Shabnam Asthana ** 28:12 Absolutely yes. And I also seriously believe that diversity enriches the outcomes. I have some I have practical experience, and I've seen that. So inclusion enriches outcomes in many ways, right?   Michael Hingson ** 28:35 How has all of your traveling and all of your exposure in various places around the world. How has that tended to shape your understanding of diversity and inclusion?   Shabnam Asthana ** 28:50 Okay, yes, that's a very interesting question. I have seen that challenges are real, biases, stereotypes and expectations that women need to prove themselves twice as much also exists in many, many parts of the world. So they have been. I mean, there have been certain cultures, certain countries, which are very easy to breeze through when you are at work meetings or you're talking to people. But there are certain countries in the let's say in the Middle East, the Far East, which are still not very open to, you know, women taking on lead roles, women strategizing, women talking things that would influence decisions. So sometimes there's also a word I'd like to put in here that sometimes it is not country specific. Specific. It is very individual, specific. So there, like you said, you know, there are certain mindsets which still exist. There are people who may be residing in countries that are very open and very receptive, but their own mindset is limiting. And it is a mindset which is closed, it is rigid. So that stops and that prevents any inclusion. You know that, if I were to put it that way, so I would say it's not merely, not always country specific. Yes, individuals have to evolve themselves and change their mindsets. So it's sometimes I've seen it's countries are good, but some individuals are rigid. I've seen some individuals that are good, but the countries that are rigid. So it sort of works both ways.   Michael Hingson ** 30:54 And it's not just about women, it is about anybody who is different. Yes, then the so called norm, whatever that happens to be, absolutely   Shabnam Asthana ** 31:03 inclusion is not limited to women. So again, I'd like to clarify that it's inclusion is a broad spectrum. So yes, of course, we are a small part of it. But yes,   Michael Hingson ** 31:17 you have written a book, yes, romancing your career and and also you've done a lot of mentoring, obviously, and so on. But what do you mean when you talk about women? And I would say anybody who's different need to define success on their own terms. Tell me more about that.   Shabnam Asthana ** 31:41 So women, or anybody, let's not be very specific about women, because then it would be detracting from the main subject of inclusion. Anybody who wants to be heard has to believe in one thing, that silence is not the answer. Courage is so you have to move from silence to courage. Try and portray your point of view. Speak to people if they listen to you good enough if they don't, it's not as if the doors are closed. If the doors are closed, you can surely open a window for yourself, and it works. So just being silent or being very subdued or being very you know sad that your point of view, or being upset, for that matter, that your point of view is not being listened to is not the answer. You have to show courage. You have to do your homework, right? Remember that value is something that takes anybody places. It's not about being a woman, it's not about being any nationality, any ethnicity. It's just that you have to carry value in whatever you are trying to bring to the table. Once people see value, they will forget whether you are of XYZ nationality or you're an Indian, or you are of any other you're any other gender, if I may say that. So it's the value that a person should work towards. Everybody should work towards bringing value to the table. That is what will get you noticed, and that is what will see you going places. Yes, it did.   Michael Hingson ** 33:43 And again, I think one of the important things is that, from my standpoint, and I keep pushing it, but it's there is that it also is the same for for so called disabilities. One of the things that I maintain is that everybody on the planet has a disability, and the disability for most people is that you depend on light in order to function, and when suddenly light disappears, you have a big problem, unless you have a way to get light back on demand. But we are. We're not ready to accept that as a as a race yet, so people think that's cute, but, but they're not ready to accept it. It doesn't change the fact that it's really there. But the fact of the matter is that that people do have to speak up for themselves, and there are ways to do that, and there are ways not to do that. It isn't a matter of being obnoxious and demanding, but it is all about, as you expressed it earlier, being confident and showing that confidence and showing your knowledge and showing what you bring to the table absolutely well. You've been involved in PR for a long time, and I'm sure that you would agree, one of the main tools that people in the public relations world and elsewhere have to offer is storytelling. I believe the best salespeople are people who can tell stories and can help relate. But my question would be to ask you, how can storytelling bridge communities and bring people together?   Shabnam Asthana ** 35:31 Storytelling is a very, very strong element of PR. Storytelling humanizes everything. It brings in a lot of connection. So people connect automatically, if your storytelling is good, so like I keep telling all my juniors as well or new interns who join in corporate fact sheets can be informative. They can give you facts, but storytelling will transform everything. So you move from information to transformation. Storytelling is the human angle to everything. All of us love you a human angle. For example, let me tell you I was in a meeting which was quite a few years ago, and the CEO of the company was telling me they've done a lot of work in corporate social responsibility. So he wanted to tell me about all the expenditure that they've done. They've uplifted so many schools. They've done so much. They've spent so much on education, they've spent so much on water, on sanitation and so many other things, which has improved the lives of the citizens there. I told him, could you tell me one story of one life that has been affected. So he was at a loss because he had not he did not dive deep into that. He didn't look beyond the numbers and the figures. So his HR person stepped in and he told me a story of a girl. She was an Indian girl. Her name was Aarti. How they had transformed her life, and she had moved on to studying in Howard, and she was being employed in one of the top American companies there. So that was something, a story of transformation. So that is so you know, I believe the power of storytelling and that connected everybody, even his own people, were not aware. The employees were not aware. They were just sort of working like robos, putting in their number of hours, doing their work, not going beyond their call of duty to actually see what was happening to the effects, the efforts of their activities. This was something which we brought out in all their corporate brochures, in all the marketing that they were doing, in all the marketing collaterals that worked wonders. We had lots of inquiries for people who wanted to support them in many ways. We had an interview of the girl, and it was something which was very we added a human angle. So like I said, storytelling humanizes the entire concept, and that is something which connects people. So, yes, it's very   Michael Hingson ** 38:42 interesting. Did he learn to tell stories after that?   Shabnam Asthana ** 38:46 I believe so, because he was so he was really taken aback. And he said, Wow, I never really thought about it. And you told me, You changed my perspective. You made me see it differently. And if I were to say we got a good retainership After that, because he was very happy and my contract was renewed. So that was something which sort of affected the contract too well.   Speaker 1 ** 39:19 The reality is that when you tell a story, it is telling stories is something that most everyone can truly relate to, and when you tell a story that someone listens to or hears and reacts to it,   Michael Hingson ** 39:40 there's nothing better than that, and it's really important that that kind of thing happens. So I'm really glad to hear that you like storytelling. I think it is so important that we have that   39:51 absolutely,   Michael Hingson ** 39:54 yeah, it's so important to be able to do that. Well, you've told us a little bit. About inclusion and diversity and so on in India and in other countries. Do you think it's changing, both in India and in other countries? And how is it changing?   Shabnam Asthana ** 40:15 It is changing. If you go back to the 90s to the present day, you will see that people have become I think it has a lot to do with travel. It has a lot to do with interaction. So people are interacting with each other. I speak to you, you speak to me, you tell me something about you, and I say, Hey, is that worth listening to? Yes, it is. And I try and change my mindset. I become more receptive. I try and tell you my viewpoint. You listen to me. You hear me out. So I have seen companies that have moved beyond check boxes of how many women, how many people with disabilities they've, you know, inducted in the employment stream, in their jobs, and it's become more of the CEOs or the top management asking their people, how many voices have we listened to? How many decisions have been made by these people whom we have taken in. You know, how have we evolved as a company? So that has made me see in boardrooms, in various meetings, that the top management is also very aware of what kind of decisions, what policies, are being framed with people as a diverse group. And it's not funneled or restricted to just the top few. It trickles down and it goes to the people they've hired from diverse groups, and it becomes like a voice of the company. So I have seen that changing, and I have seen that diversion is now diversity sort of is moving more towards the corporate DNA. So it is not a demand anymore. It's not a checkbox. It's more as if it is flowing in naturally, and people are more aware of it. So that's what I've seen.   Michael Hingson ** 42:32 It's a mindset, it is, and people are starting to adopt that. How is it changing in India? You said that in India there's a lot more diversity. But you said inclusion isn't so much there.   Shabnam Asthana ** 42:46 Yes, it is in see in India, it was globally, I saw that diversion was backed by policies, and there was a certain framework which had a set of rules. It had a set of code of conduct. But in India, it was more based on individual goodwill. So we had people, if the CEO or the top management was pro diversity, it would happen automatically, because the ones at the junior level had no choice. They had to naturally comply. But here now in India, it's become more organized, more structured, and people, there are departments now which look into issues of diversity and inclusion, and they try and make the organization work towards that. So they are big companies. They are small companies in India, all are trying to absorb this in the corporate DNA, like I said. So people are conscious. And there are conscious. There are seminars which are happening. People are being spoken to. There is workplace, you know sensitization that follows. People talk about it, people discuss it, and there is a lot of exchange of dialog which happens. So people talk, people learn, people adapt   Michael Hingson ** 44:15 well. So you you work for the Swedish company, for you said, like, 12 years, and then what did you   Shabnam Asthana ** 44:25 do after that? I moved on to, you know, start my own company, which was empowered solutions. That's my brain child, and it's a communications PR and communications company, and I, sort of, I'm the founder director for that the Empowered solutions is my company now, and we are completed. It was set up in 2005 October.   Michael Hingson ** 44:50 2005 what? What made you decide to leave the bigger corporate world and take on all of the challenges of entrepreneur? Leadership and starting your own company, because that certainly is a major change.   Shabnam Asthana ** 45:04 It is I was in the top management. I had a set job, I had the name, the recognition, everything that comes with that. But somehow there was still that kind of, I would say, curiosity, to experiment and to try on newer things. And I am a person who gets a little bored of stagnation, and I had almost reached the height of my career in these companies, and there was nothing more I could do unless I bought over those companies and sort of, you know, became the president and the chairman, which I would I could not do. So I said, Why don't I sort of diversify and take all this learning that I have, all the goodwill that I've earned over the years with the people that have been my clients, with my colleagues, with the people I've met in my business conferences. Why don't I take all this and try and set up something on of my own where I am at liberty to do whatever I want to do without the time pressure, you know, without a pressure of morning meetings and you know, things which have to be a nine to five kind of a role here, I do agree that it is a 24 by seven job that I'm doing at present, because I'm always available. And, you know, I believe that accessibility is very important if you have to be successful, you can't sort of close off and say, no, no, I'm, you know, if somebody needs you, you can't say, Okay, I'm just closing my door and my office. So that was the the, you know, the excitement of experimenting once again and seeing, of course, entrepreneurship is something which is very exciting, and that was something which I wanted to experiment and try and see how I could change that. And, you know, get it into my career. And, you know, get off the normal nine to five job. So that's what I did. I wanted to experiment.   Michael Hingson ** 47:21 So tell me a little bit more about if you would what your company does and how you serve clients and so on. And where are your clients?   Shabnam Asthana ** 47:29 Okay, so basically, it is a PR and communications company, and we have clients now globally. I have primarily in India, because that is where my office is. But I do have clients in Europe, in us, in Canada, where I am currently. And yes, it is more about public relations and communications, and that's what we do. So it's essentially a diversification of I have also taken on writing as part of one of my services. So I do a lot of book writing. I take on people who want to be either who want to tell a story, and who don't have either the time or the expertise. I write for them. I ghost right for them. We also do events. So we have done a couple of events globally, not on a very large scale, but yes, we do have. So it's events, it's public relations, it's communications, it's training, and it's writing.   Michael Hingson ** 48:39 So that's it, right? Well, so you have written one book. Are you looking at doing any more books? By any chance?   Shabnam Asthana ** 48:49 Now I have ghost written about 16 books. So they're all ghost written and under a contract where I don't disclose the names of the books. But yes, I've authored three books, and the first one was romancing your career, a very interesting and fascinating book. That was my first book, and later on, I went on to do two biographies, and yes, I'm doing a couple more correctly, where they are being authored by me. So I'm writing the biographies.   Michael Hingson ** 49:26 So today, in all the work that that you're, that you're doing, do you, do you get involved with many international projects?   Shabnam Asthana ** 49:39 Yes, not many, but yes, we are doing a slow and steady progress there. And we do, I do, keep getting a lot of inquiries. And I must say that I have got a couple of inquiries recently which are very interesting. And I. Working on those. Maybe it's a little premature to tell you that, but yes, there is one big project that has come my way, and we're planning to expand from there. Well.   Michael Hingson ** 50:12 So you have experienced a lot of different countries and so on, and India is certainly becoming more of an economic and a world power in the in terms of what all is happening. Do you think that that the attitudes of India and the way India deals with inclusion and so on is making a difference, and Will that continue to happen?   Shabnam Asthana ** 50:43 Well, Michael, it will, because we are moving out of our country, and we have, you know, taken spots in so many other countries. So if we want to be included, it's high time we practice the same. So we have to welcome other cultures. We have to welcome other nationalities if we hope to be welcomed in other countries as well. So that is something which has really influenced the thinking of people, because we can't be rigid. We can't be, you know, thinking in our own way. And say, Well, let's not do it, because we have to welcome other countries if we have to work and move out of India. So yes, Michael, I will say that very hard. It's very heartening to note that it is changing, and it will continue to do so. In fact, you know, India is moving from being seen as an outsourced to something which people sort of welcome with open arms. But then, yes, things are changing. There are things which are happening which may limit the movement of people, or it may increase the flow of people. But then, well, we have to adopt, adapt and move on.   Michael Hingson ** 52:04 Yeah, well, there's always going to be some of that which makes which makes sense. Yes. What kind of advice would you give to someone, especially young professionals, women and others who are different? What advice would you give to someone who may feel excluded or undervalued in their careers.   Shabnam Asthana ** 52:25 The best thing that I would like to say is that if you hear a no, don't let it bog you down, because be sure that tomorrow you will hear a better yes, it will be something that is shaping the way for your future. So you must not let any naysayers or any projects that fail bog you down just because you're a woman or because you're different or anybody you know. You have to show your courage, you have to be resilient, and you have to lean on your inner strengths. The best magic, the you know, time tried and tested formula, which I would advocate, is leaning on your inner strengths. All of us have a lot of strengths, believe you me, we may not know it, but all of us have a lot of strengths. So when you see a situation that is not to your liking, just lean on your inner strengths. Take a deep breath and say today's no will be a yes tomorrow, and that is the courage that you must move ahead with anybody, irrespective of whether you are a woman or you are any person who is stepping into the corporate world. Just value yourself. Always Be confident. Wear the confidence. And that's the best accessory that you would have.   Michael Hingson ** 54:03 How would you define unstoppable mindset?   Shabnam Asthana ** 54:08 Unstoppable mindset is not something which is something which rises beyond limitations. And by limitations, I don't mean only individual limitations. It may be the limitations of the other people. Let that not define your limitation. Your the term unstoppable, to me, is a term which shows resilience. It shows something where you can fumble. It's very natural to fumble, to stumble, to fall down, to face challenges, to face, you know, rejections. It's very normal, but unstoppable is. Being able to get up again with greater strength, with a better mindset, more courageously, and more importantly, with an open heart, which says, Yes, I will do it. You cannot say you cannot. You know, sort of put me down in any way. My courage is there, my inner strength is there. I am unstoppable in that sense.   Michael Hingson ** 55:28 I think the most important thing that you just said is that you have to do it with an open heart. I think everyone should do that you may learn that your idea may not be the best solution, and it might be the best solution, but you won't know that until you truly have an open heart and an open mind.   Shabnam Asthana ** 55:46 Truly, yes, absolutely, an open heart, I would say, is really, really key. It's very, very important.   Michael Hingson ** 55:56 What keeps you motivated as you continue to advocate for adverse diversity and inclusion and equity and so on.   Shabnam Asthana ** 56:04 What keeps me motivated? Michael, are many things, but then what i If I could just zero down on a couple of them, I would say that what keeps me motivated is the trust that people had in me, and, you know, to give me certain jobs, roles, the trust that they had to sort of say, okay, you can do it. And then I did it. And the people, what keeps me motivated is something also very nice, which somebody came up to me at a recent conference in Germany, and they said, you know, the reason why I didn't give up is because of you. That is me, because I motivated them to do something, and that was your motivation for me, I was like, Okay, if I can motivate you, I too can stay motivated for a long, long time to come. And that's something which I do. I try to inspire and I try to inspire myself as well in the process.   Michael Hingson ** 57:07 Well, if you could leave everyone who is involved in hearing this podcast and so on today, if you could leave them with one powerful message about embracing diversity and so on. What would that message be?   Shabnam Asthana ** 57:23 Well, that message would be that whatever is happening today, if you feel that there is even a little bit of acceptability, that is because somebody else has worked towards it, so now it is your chance to give it back to society, to keep working, to keep opening doors for people, for a better tomorrow, for a more inclusive tomorrow. And diversity doesn't and inclusivity doesn't happen overnight. You have to work towards it. There is a it's the whole process, and you have to work towards it relentlessly. Continue working. Somebody else has worked. They have pushed you forward. They have done a whole lot of things. Now it's your turn to do your bit and ensure that the people who are coming after you come to a better tomorrow, a more inclusive tomorrow.   Michael Hingson ** 58:27 It also, by definition, means that we need to learn how to work with each other and support and help each other,   Shabnam Asthana ** 58:34 of course. And empathy. Empathy is the key, empathy, sensitivity, all that.   Michael Hingson ** 58:41 So if people would like to reach out to you, maybe use your company services or talk with you. How can they do that?   Shabnam Asthana ** 58:48 They could contact me. You can write to me at my email id, which is Shabnam, S, H, A, B n, a m, at empowered solutions, my company name, E, M, P, O, W, E, R, E, D, S, o, l, U, T, I O, N, S, dot, I n, that's my name. The emails will reach me. That's an inbox which you know I'm monitoring myself, and be sure that you will receive a reply. I'd love to hear from people, and I love to communicate. I love to write back. So very welcome.   Michael Hingson ** 59:30 And I would ask, just sort of on principle, if anyone reaches out to Shabnam, who has heard this podcast, please mention that, just so that she knows where you where you discovered her, and I think that would be a good thing to do. Well, I want to thank you for being here. I think this has been absolutely wonderful. I think we've learned a lot I have and I value the insights that you bring. So I hope that other people will take the. Those same insights away, there's there's a lot to learn here, and there's a lot to gain from this. So I want to thank you again for being here, and maybe we'll have to do this again in the future.   Shabnam Asthana ** 1:00:12 I'd love to do that. And Michael, I'd like to thank you for hosting this wonderful, wonderful show. I have seen your episodes. They are brilliant, and it's really nice. I was so looking forward to this. It's been an absolute pleasure to interact with you, and I hope that we'll be doing more of this in the near future.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:35 Well, we'll have to explore that, and I want to thank all of you who are out there watching and listening. I want to thank you for being here. We appreciate you very much. Wherever you're listening or watching. Please give us a five star review. We value that very highly. We really would appreciate you saying good things about us. A five star review is always a wonderful thing. I'd like to hear from you as well. I'd like to hear what your thoughts are about this podcast. Feel free to email me at Michael M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to hear from you. Love to hear your thoughts. We value them, and we take all the comments that we get from people very much to heart. So we appreciate you doing that. And if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on our podcast, who you think ought to be a guest, let us know. Introduce us. Shabnam, that's also true for you, please. If you know anyone who ought to be a guest, we'd love to meet people and have them come on the podcast and also help us show how we're all more unstoppable than we think we are, or we thought we were. So once again, though, I want to thank you for being here. Shabnam, this has been wonderful. Thank you very much.   Shabnam Asthana ** 1:01:51 Thank you, Michael, thank you to all the listeners.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:01:59 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

BREAKING NEWS: WENDY & EDDIE OSEFO ARRESTED ON FRAUD CHARGERS - Aarti hops on to chat about this and we briefly touch on RHOM reunion!

Anand Mangal Karu Aarti Gujarati : Ashram Aarti

Anand Mangal Karu Aarti Gujarati : Ashram Aarti

Anand Mangal Karu Aarti Gujarati : Ashram Aarti

Anand Mangal Karu Aarti Gujarati : Ashram Aarti

Listen with ⁠Irfan⁠ (LwI)A tapestry of voices and stories, spun with careSupport LwI : a soulful creation shaped by affection, thriving on the warmth of its listeners. Your contribution helps keep this free, bringing global stories, rare sound recordings, and personal music archives to all without paywalls. I curate voices, readings from literature, and cultural studies with immense care.Through my recent initiative, Read Aloud Collective, voices from around the world are coming together in celebration of spoken word.Grateful for your love -keep listening, keep supporting!  Bank Name: State Bank Of IndiaName: SYED MOHD IRFANAccount No:32188719331Branch: State Bank of India, Vaishali Sec 4, GhaziabadIFSC–SBIN0013238UPI/Gpay ID irfan.rstv-2@oksbiSupport LwI by contributing:  ⁠https://rzp.io/rzp/Memorywala⁠PayPal ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠paypal.me/farah121116⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Your comments and feedback are welcome. Write to voiceworkshopwithirfan@gmail.com⁠Cover Calligraphy: Pramod Singh

Ganesh Chaturthi Aarti : Ashram Aarti

Ganesh Chaturthi Aarti : Ashram Aarti

Ganesh Chaturthi Aarti : Ashram Aarti

Ganesh Chaturthi Aarti : Ashram Aarti

In this episode, we explore AI for entrepreneurs with expert Aarti Anand—unpacking the systems, strategies, and mindset needed to thrive in today's fast-changing digital world. If you're a founder, solopreneur, or small business owner looking to simplify your workflow, reduce manual tasks, and reclaim your time, Aarti reveals exactly how to do it.Discover how to implement AI tools for founders and CEOs, adopt an AI-first CEO mindset, and develop business systems and automation strategies that actually scale—without burning out. This episode is your blueprint for how to use AI to automate and grow your business, whether you're just starting out or stuck at a revenue ceiling.Aarti dives deep into:The mindset shift required for modern entrepreneursPractical steps to automate repetitive tasks with AI toolsDiagnosing bottlenecks before choosing techThe reality of achieving time freedom and business automationHow to use tech for lifestyle design with AI while raising a familyHer system-first approach to scaling revenue and freedom simultaneouslyThis is more than a tech conversation—it's a roadmap for creators, coaches, consultants, and founders who are ready to integrate AI, delegate smarter, and align their business with the life they actually want. You'll gain insights on delegation and automation strategies, productivity hacks using AI, and why parental entrepreneurship is more powerful than ever in the future of work with artificial intelligence.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & welcome01:00 – Aarti's story: From builder to entrepreneur02:00 – “Why walk when you can fly” – automation mindset03:30 – You're not born that way—you became that way05:00 – Designing a business around your life, not vice versa06:30 – Client pain points: Growth ceilings and overwhelm08:00 – Finding bottlenecks before choosing tools09:30 – Is it too late to start over?11:00 – Health, longevity & energy as business foundations13:00 – No salt/sugar/oil + macros & fitness habits14:30 – AI fears vs. adoption mindset16:00 – Automating the boring, freeing up team energy18:00 – Aarti's son joins her business: content systems & allowance20:00 – Advice to parents about the next generation21:30 – Where to connect with Aarti#AIforEntrepreneurs #BusinessAutomation #AIFirstCEO #AutomateToScale #TimeFreedom #DigitalEntrepreneur #LifestyleDesign #ParentPreneur #ProductivityWithAI #AIForFounders #ScaleWithAI #ModernEntrepreneur #FutureOfWork #WorkSmarterNotHarder #AartiAnandTo check out the YouTube (video podcast), visit: https://www.youtube.com/@drchrisloomdphdDisclaimer: Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  Click here to join PodMatch (the "AirBNB" of Podcasting): https://www.joinpodmatch.com/drchrisloomdphdWe couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show:CashApp- https://cash.app/$drchrisloomdphdVenmo- https://account.venmo.com/u/Chris-Loo-4Spotify- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-loo/supportBuy Me a Coffee- https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisJxClick here to purchase my books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PaQn4pFor audiobooks, visit: https://www.audible.com/author/Christopher-H-Loo-MD-PhD/B07WFKBG1FFollow our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/chL1357Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/drchrisloomdphdFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_drchrislooFollow the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NkM6US7cjsiAYTBjWGdx6?si=1da9d0a17be14d18Subscribe to our Substack newsletter: https://substack.com/@drchrisloomdphd1Subscribe to our email list: https://financial-freedom-podcast-with-dr-loo.kit.com/Thank you to all of our sponsors and advertisers that help support the show!Financial Freedom for Physicians, Copyright 2025

Drowning in admin and decision fatigue? AI expert Aarti Anand reveals how small business owners and CEOs can automate the busywork and reclaim their freedom—without sacrificing quality or connection. Learn the first three workflows to automate and finally scale your business without burnout.==========================================

Send us a textIn this episode of Imperfect Marketing, Kendra chats with Aarti Anand, a software product builder turned AI automation consultant, about how small business owners can leverage AI and systems thinking to reclaim their time, energy, and freedom.Aarti shares her journey from building award-winning software to starting her own business to create more space for what matters—her kids, her aging parents, and her own time. Now she helps other founders do the same using AI and automation tools.Key Takeaways for Business Owners and Marketers

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the buzz around AI and wondering how it fits into your nonprofit's digital strategy? In this episode, I sit down with Arti Anand, an AI automation expert, to demystify the role of artificial intelligence in personalizing donor engagement and streamlining operations. Embracing AI Without Losing the Human Touch - How AI can enhance, not replace, genuine connections with donors - Strategies for maintaining authenticity while leveraging automation - The importance of transparency when implementing AI tools Practical Applications for Nonprofits - Using AI for efficient proposal generation and follow-ups - Implementing AI voice agents for improved donor communication - Leveraging ChatGPT for problem-solving and strategic planning Overcoming Implementation Challenges - Start small and iterate your AI strategy - Train AI tools effectively using your organization's unique data - Balance automation with human oversight for optimal results Addressing Common Concerns - Maintaining personalization in automated communications - Ensuring AI aligns with your nonprofit's values and mission - Communicating the benefits of AI to donors and stakeholders Whether you're AI-curious or skeptical, this conversation offers valuable insights to help you navigate the evolving landscape of nonprofit technology. Discover how embracing AI can free up your team to focus on what matters most – making a meaningful impact in your community. Want to Skip Ahead? Here are Some Key Takeaways: 03:31 AI as a Tool for Personal and Business Growth It is important to identify what brings joy and generates income, then using AI and automation to handle necessary tasks that don't fall into those categories. This approach allows for better time management and increased productivity. 11:05 Balancing Automation and Personalization There are concerns about AI and automation leading to depersonalization. Start with what works manually, then automate 80% of it. This approach saves time and increases productivity while still maintaining quality through human supervision. Pay attention to the iterative nature of implementing AI solutions in business. 18:20 Understanding AI Agents and Their Applications There are different types of automations, including linear, AI-powered, and AI agents. AI agents can be used in businesses, such as replacing receptionists for appointment booking. It's important to have proper training and data input for effective AI implementation. 24:26 Transparency and Practical Implementation of AI Transparency is so important when using AI in organizations. Communicate the use of AI to stakeholders, emphasizing its benefits. Attach AI implementation to specific outcomes that solve pain points for users. 28:10 Getting Started with AI in Business Start by describing the problem and desired outcome to ChatGPT, then consulting with multiple vendors. The importance of asking the right questions and starting with a proof of concept is important. Don't miss this opportunity to gain practical knowledge on harnessing AI to enhance your nonprofit's efficiency and donor engagement. Tune in for a conversation that could transform your approach to digital strategy and fundraising. Resources Follow Aarti on Insta and DM her FC-Pod to receive her playbook to adopt AI. Aarti Anand After years of building SaaS products, Aarti saw businesses wasting time on outdated, manual prospecting and thought, “This is broken.” With AI on the rise, she knew the answer wasn't more outreach—it was smarter automation. Now, Aarti is on a mission to help businesses ditch the grind and scale faster. No more chasing leads that go nowhere—just an AI-driven system that works while you sleep. https://www.linkedin.com/in/aartianand82/ https://www.instagram.com/aartianand82/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-click Learn more about The First Click: https://thefirstclick.net Schedule a Digital Marketing Therapy Session: https://thefirstclick.net/officehours

Aarti is back with some Potomac tea, 40-50 negative thoughts about Love Hotel, and some wise analysis of Shamea and Porsha on Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Aarti is back to talk a week of Housewives gossip and Real Housewives of Atlanta!

Aarti's back to talk a full week of Housewives and Summer House. In Atlanta, the Hot dog king is causing havoc as are the terrible nose jobs on these women. In Beverly Hills, Sutton is the mouse they won't let go of. On Summer House, Carl is so weird but Craig is sinister.

Aarti is back representing the elders of Bravo and we're breaking down the season premiere of Real Housewives of Atlanta and the weird scenes of couples saying nothing to each other on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills