U n' I with Rashmi Shetty

Its Season 3 episode & of the human Library podcast " U n' I with Rashmi Shetty". Our guest today is Nirav Panchmatia - a AMFI Registered Mutual Funds Distributor (MFD), Financial Trainer & Coach & TV Personality & now a Podcaster...he is a Chartered Accountant (CA) & MBA (Finance) from NMIMS, Mumbai. He has also done Executive Development Programs from India’s premier b-schools like ISB Hyderabad, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore & IIM Indore...etc. Nirav is also a certificate holder on “Advance Financial Goal Planning” from “American Academy of Financial Management”. Nirav is the Founder CEO of AUM Financials that manages & has till date distributed Mutual funds worth more than Rs. 350 Crores to 1,100+ Families spread across more than 27 cities in India & NRI Clients in more than 18 countries abroad. Nirav is a leading Financial Coach & much sought after speaker having conducted Investment training programs across India. The Warren Buffet of Nagpur is also called“Warren Buffett of Vidarbha” as he has conducted more than 125 Trainings pan India on his favorite Topic “Investment Secrets of Warren Buffett”... Nirav has met his Guru Warren Buffett more than twice and continues to be inspired by him. Nirav has recently turned a Podcaster & has Podcasted MDs, CEOs & Chairman of the leading Mutual Fund Companies of India & other financial experts ; The Podcast goes by the name of AUM Finance podcast & is available on Youtube, Apple Podcast & Spotify...... Listen in as Nirav Shares his inspirational journey, the power of resilience, What women need to be more financially literate  and the inspiration from our epics especially Draupadi.

Our guest today is Smt. T.K. Anuradha, a distinguished scientist and a retired Director, SATCOM Programme, ISRO HQ. Amongst the many roles at ISRO she : Lead the Satellite based communication programme for Planning, policy implementations, Orbital Spectral asset management. [2018-2020]  Lead Geo Platform Satellite programmes of ISRO as Programme Director. [2016-2018], consisting of Communication, Navigation and Earth Observation satellites.  Lead the teams as Project Director for the successful realization and launch of GSAT-12 (2011), GSAT-10 (2012) as the First Woman Project Director from ISRO Satellite Centre. Some of the awards she received were: Honourary Doctorate by Akkamahadevi University, Vijayapura – 2018  “Woman achiever in Aerospace” - 2019 by Aero India  “ISRO Performance Excellence Award” – 2019 She has publications In a many national and International forums. Listen in as Anuradha Ma’am carries her accolades so lightly, shares her journey with ISRO  with a childlike  Enthusiasm, clearly showing us where passion can lead us.

It's season 3 Episode 5 of our Human Library podcast , "U n' I with Rashmi Shetty." Our guest today is Apurva Purohit- an Indian Businesswoman with over three decades of experience in the corporate world where she has built and scaled up a diverse set of businesses and overseen their transformation from traditional forms to new age conglomerates. Apurva has recently launched Aazol Ventures Pvt Ltd, a social impact company which connects women self-help groups and micro entrepreneurs making traditional and local food products with consumers looking to source wholesome and healthy food items. She is also an Independent director at Marico Ltd, LTI Mindtree Ltd, L&T Technology services Ltd and Navin Fluorine International Ltd. Apurva has been a leading voice in the Indian business landscape advocating gender diversity and works with organisations and leaders to improve this critical imperative. She is the author of the two national bestselling books “Lady, You’re not a Man” – the Adventures of a Woman at Work and Lady, You’re the Boss!Over the years, Apurva has won multiple business awards and has been named as one of the Most Powerful Women in Business as per the India Today Group and Fortune India over several years.  She was amongst LinkedIn’s Top Voices and YourStory’s Top 10 digital Influencers and won the Distinguished Alumni award from her alma mater IIM Bangalore in 2022. Apurva holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and completed her PGDM from IIM- Bangalore. She was a state- level hockey player and played for Tamil Nadu State and Tamil Nadu University.

My guest today is an Indian film musician, flautist and a well recognised stage artist , producer and music conductor. A perfect guest for this women’s day special  Ashwini Koushik - a popular flautist from Bengaluru. Some of the highlights of her illustrious career are: ● Recorded for over 180 film tracks and background scores in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu ● 3000 + live shows as a flautist with almost all the leading artists from the South Indian cinema industry ● Lead flautist in Zee Tamil Sa Re Ga Ma Pa; Sun TV’s Sun Singer; ETV Kannada’s Edhe Thumbi Haduvenu; Star Jalsa on Star Bangla; Udaya Super Singer on Udaya TV; Haadu Karnataka on Colours Kannada Consolidated views of over 50 million on YouTube Ashwini Koushik’s debut orchestral stage production titled Ilaiyaraaja - An Insight in 2019 was a sold out event and went viral on YouTube garnering more views than the original tracks. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja invited Ashwini Koushik to record in his new studio for his projects after watching her perform. Ashwini Koushik’s Ilaiyaraaja live shows have gone on to become a flagship show running to packed houses. Featuring a rich variety of musicians in a large orchestral setting with most of the Maestro’s original musicians. The show sees Ashwini performing some of the most iconic compositions of Ilaiyaraaja from his film tracks, non-film albums and background scores while conducting the orchestra and narrating the show. Ashwini has the distinction of performing with most of the leading musicians in the South Indian film industry on stage as well as in recording studios. Among the musician fraternity, she is most recognised as the ‘perfectionist who comes fully prepared’ and as the only artist who has a ready script bank of over 8000 tracks across genres, languages, eras and composers. She has performed across the country playing Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and has a constant fan following. Among show organisers, she has the reputation of attracting crowds with her presence, earning her reputation as a crowd puller. Writing perfect notations of full original scores, Ashwini is widely recognised and appreciated by musicians as a musically strict and capable conductor. She has the distinction of having conducted a wide range of artists including orchestras featuring the original musicians of RD Burman from Mumbai and Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu, to musicians from the state of Kerala deep down South and everyone in between. She has the necessary experience to handle rookie musicians as well as established and highly experienced artists from across the country. She is a very well liked conductor and a coordinator among all musicians. With the beginning of her new venture, The Content Company, Ashwini hopes to be a successful content producer producing high quality music featuring new sounds and collaborating with new and established musicians. This early stage venture is in partnership with her serial entrepreneur husband Koushik Varaghur. Ashwini Koushik is primarily based in Bangalore but divides a small portion of her time in Chennai. CO-ORDINATES: Instagram: @ashwini.koushikofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashwinitheflutist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashwinikoushik Email: fascinatingflute@gmail.com

Dr. Prathima N Kini is an experienced and versatile medical professional from Bangalore. She holds an undergraduate medical degree from Kasturba Medical college, Mangalore and completed her post graduation in Pathology from Bangalore Medical College. She is Board certified in Lifestyle Medicine by the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine and is also a trained child and adult counsellor. She is married to Dr. Naveen Kini who is a practising Pediatrician in North Bangalore. They have a son, who is an engineer and a daughter, who is an industrial Designer. She balances her career with a passion for fitness, travel and culinary experimentation. She possesses an ardent desire to share knowledge and promote a healthier lifestyle in people and the world. Listen in as Dr. Prathima shares how we can all lead a more mindful life to be healthy, in turn making a difference to the Universe & the planet.

Our guest today is Joseph Babu , who serves as the dynamic CMO and growth driver at Riafy Technologies, one of the world's largest AI app studios based in Kochi, India. Riafy has amassed over 75 million global users across 23 languages. He is skilled at strategically positioning brands and accelerating viral growth through disruptive zero-marketing tactics. Joseph pioneered Riafy’s viral acquisition strategy which organically garnered millions of users without any advertisement spending. An esteemed thought leader in marketing innovation, Joseph was awarded TiE Kerala’s Best Entrepreneur 2021. He is a sought-after speaker on digital transformation, culture building, and purpose-led business. Joseph played an instrumental role in Riafy’s meteoric rise, growing their flagship cooking app Cookbook Recipes into India’s number one in its category. He led Riafy to become India's sole premium partner for Google Cloud's Generative AI. With experience visiting numerous countries across 5 continents, Joseph brings a global perspective. He is passionate about leveraging partnerships and technology to uplift people worldwide. Joseph believes in creating win-win relationships and close-knit teams. Fueled by curiosity to drive change, Joseph is often found exploring diverse cultures on international expeditions. He is envisioning the next decade steering Riafy’s AI systems to assist people and society. Joseph aspires to inspire future leaders in purpose-driven business. Currently, he is spearheading Riafy's highly advanced Generative AI platform R10 to revolutionize enterprise AI adoption.

Dimple Parmar, someone who knows firsthand what it's like to face cancer up close. She chose love and married her husband even when she knew he had only 6 months left. Though she lost him to the disease, that tough experience gave her a new purpose. Dimple is the founder of cancer care startup ZenOnco.io and NGO Love Heals Cancer. These are not just organizations; they are her way of filling the gaps she saw when dealing with cancer herself. She wants to help as many people as possible live better and longer when facing this disease. Educated at IIM Calcutta and certified in Integrative Oncology from Arizona State University, Dimple is all about mixing compassion with knowledge & technology. Through her startup, ZenOnco.io, she supports patients with Value-Based Integrative Oncology Care to improve their quality of life, leading to better clinical outcomes and extending lives. It is inspiring how she has turned personal loss into a mission to help others. She's all about making life better for those dealing with cancer. Her goal is clear, her mission is important, and she's committed to making a real difference.

There are some people you meet once who leave a deep impact on you. The man who conceived the idea of a common number all over India for emergency Ambulance service -108 is one such. I heard him speak a decade ago & have been inspired by his story. Ever since I started this podcast, it has been a dream to have Dr. Sudhakar Varanasi as my guest. Today is therefore a special episode. Dr. Sudhakar had his education at IIT, Kharagpur (1969-74) and obtained a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. After 17 years at IISc, he moved to the corporate world and joined the IT wave in India in 1991. He was a founding director of Tiger Software and then moved to Satyam Computer Services as a part of senior management. One of his major achievements in the social sector is the designing of the 108 emergency medical services. He started EMRI (Emergency Management Research Institute) in 2005 which pioneered large-scale deployment of emergency services for the first time in India under a public-private-partnership model.  He then moved to the CEO position at CoOptions Technologies to set up a state-wide ICT platform across Andhra Pradesh to reach 3 million farmers in villages to bring about financial inclusion. He was also chief mentor at Emergent Institute and CEO at Namma Bengaluru Foundation, Bangalore. He currently mentors many individuals and organizations and challenges them to take on large social causes using innovation, technology, and the spirit of entrepreneurship. His fields of interest are: education, healthcare and financial inclusion. Listen in as Dr. Sudhakar Varanasi shares amazing nuggets of life with a tinge of his trademark humor. A conversation where we cover his journey, the shifts, contentment & joy.

Akanksshaa is a Mindset and well-being Coach who helps individuals & organizations align purpose, rewire the mind, raise vibration, and enrich well-being to live a life of abundance and freedom. After her only son Arnav crossed over in 2020, her spiritual awakening helped her connect with and seek guidance from higher realms and dimensions. Her son has become her angel/ spirit guide. She wrote and published a book “The Untold Legend: Rise of A Mother” in thirty days with guidance from him and higher beings that she connects with. Her book has become a no. 1 bestseller in special education and ranked as a bestseller in well-being, education, biology, and journals categories. She has founded a non-profit Arnav Memorial Foundation, in his memory, with a mission to enrich health and well-being and expand consciousness through holistic education and science research interventions. Akanksshaa has extensive diverse experience, in coaching/ training/ mentoring/ leading/ strategic planning/ program management & innovation (includes 20+ of corporate experience in IT & Finance areas). She has received several awards in the corporate world. She has done an MBA from one of the top B schools in India. She is currently pursuing PhD in Education Psychology. She combines neuroscience, positive psychology, and spirituality-based eclectic techniques in her programs. She believes in an intuitive, meaningful, playful yet structured approach. She has been a corporate facilitator for senior leaders. She has coached senior / exec corporate leaders in her exclusive coaching programs. She has created special online courses for teens and young adults with inspiration from her son. She has thousands of students across all ages in her several online programs. Listen in as Akanksshaa shares her journey of leading her life with purpose.

In keeping with the Divine Feminine celebrations and breast cancer awareness month, our guest this week is the inspirational Heena Saini. Heena is a versatile and effervescent leader with global expertise and a passion for creating impact through collaborative and coaching leadership. A double MBA with Operations and Project Management specialization & and graduated in March 2022 from Cornell in Executive Management, she brings forth 21+ years of steadfast experience in IT program management, operations management, and people management. She has effectually orchestrated multiple global service transition projects with cross-functional and diverse culture teams. Catapulted several business process standardization initiatives for strategic alignment, which resulted in $2M in cost savings. Catering to the role of Senior Principal Program Manager, Advanced Customer Services with Oracle India Pvt. Ltd. In a constant endeavor to mentor & coach budding professionals, she has impacted 1500+ lives as a pro-bono effort by sharing wisdom pearls of her collective professional & life experience. Being a Certified International Career Coach, Heena is driven to transform the lives of students & promising professionals who are eager to upskill themselves and bring forth a promising change in the ecosystem. A breast cancer warrior, she was recently featured in TOI & Biocon’s “Stories of Hope”. She is an active contributor to the cancer awareness cause and works with multiple recognized platforms, hospitals, and support networks to make a difference in the lives of those battling this dreaded C. Had passionately led the Cancer Support Network (CSN, India Region) CSR at Cisco, to be the first one established in India in Feb 2020 and has amplified the awareness to 2500+ lives. An ardent collaborator for women empowerment via "Corporate Diva", a flagship program on transforming women professionals into women leaders. She moderated a global summit in 2021 for Corporate Diva, which was a collaboration of 21 speakers from 12 different countries, the summit was aimed at transforming women professionals into women Leaders, by focusing on topics imperative for their professional growth. Heena is an active public speaker. She was a dynamic toastmaster. She has been : Awarded as “Women of Substance” in the “Women Changemaker” Category by WSN Network by “She Inspires Magazine & Hypedge Media & Events” • Awarded as “Women of the Future” by All India Women Achievers Award (AIWAA-2022) organized by Twell Magazine, India's largest Women Empowerment Program. • Awarded as “Emerging Women Leader in Skill Development” by International Inspirational Women Awards (IIWA-2022) organized by GISR Foundation, in April 2022 • Facilitated by Karnataka Cancer Society, during the address to Bangalore's one of the infamous colleges final year students (250+) in August 2019 on cancer awareness. Listen in as Heena shares her battle and how she is thriving in the world today as an inspiration to everyone she meets.

Our guest today is Mukesh - the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Menterra. Through the Menterra Social Impact Fund, he invests in social enterprises that are harnessing the power of technology to impact India, by improving the quality of farming, healthcare, and education.   Mukesh has 20+ years of experience in start-up investing, impact investing, private equity, investment banking and finance domains. Mukesh is a Chartered Accountant and a CFA Charterholder. He has been a member of the capital sub-committee of the Impact Investors Council, India. He is also a member of the PoleStar Award Jury which is focused on celebrating excellence in journalism and social impact.   Earlier, he was the Chief Investment Officer at Villgro, India’s oldest and foremost social enterprise incubator. He has advised the board and management of several companies. He has served as the non-executive director on the board of Biosense Technologies, Omix Labs, Adiuvo Diagnostics and Concept Learning. In his very first fund, Mukesh raised investments from a diverse set of marquee investors such as the Government of India, U.S.-based foundations, corporate investors, family offices and HNIs.   At Villgro, Mukesh was an integral part of the idea to scale the journey of several entrepreneurs. This experience convinced him that the passive investing model focused on only deal-making combined with the invest-divest movement is not an ideal approach to solving big social problems. He used these insights to build a holistic fund-incubator platform with a conveyor belt approach to provide patient funding combined with intense post-investment operating support.   Mukesh believes that non-linear outcomes are more likely to be achieved through big, game-changing ideas that leverage the latest science and technology. He is focused on using the power of technology to solve the most pressing developmental challenges. Mukesh has co-founded this platform. He has attracted a stellar network of advisors and the best impact-oriented talent. He is now working on scaling this model to generate market-level returns and sectoral impact.   Listen in as Mukesh shares his inspirational journey from a small town in Gujarat to the investor he is today.

Our guest today is the inspirational Sanjay Deshpande who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor at the age of 29. A massive grand mal seizure landed him in the emergency room on the day he landed on Harvard University's campus to start his Master's program in September 2021. The same week, he flew back to India to get a 7-hour-long brain surgery. It's been almost two years since and he's tumor-free. He is passionate about mental health, queer rights, and cancer advocacy. He loves to dance and has recently started writing poetry. He hopes to publish a memoir someday and travel the world before he kicks the bucket. He led the effort to conceptualize, manage, write, and publish his first book 'Don't Ask Me How I'm Doing' with several other contributors to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by South Asian and Indian Young Adult Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Caregivers. He hopes this book will help hundreds if not thousands, of others who have to deal with an insidious disease like cancer when they are at the peak of their lives and careers. Sanjay consults as a learning designer, workshop facilitator, and trained coach with several Edtech startups from across the country. His book is available in all leading bookstores. This is the link to order it on Amazon. https://www.amazon.in/Dont-Ask-How-Doing-everything/dp/8195259049/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1696535097&refinements=p_27%3ASanjay+Deshpande&s=books&sr=1-2e He is back at Harvard today to finish his Master's program surprising everyone around him including his doctor! Listen in as Sanjay shares his journey with all honesty in this conversation completely vulnerable & pragmatic.

Our guest today is Bhavana Issar -  the Founder & CEO of a social venture Caregiver Saathi (http://caregiversaathi.co.in), which is a hi-tech and hi-touch platform that supports family caregivers through a care navigation system that aims to ease access to resources like advice, information, community, professional services, and learning tools. She consults with organizations to build Caregiver-friendly and Compassionate Workplaces that are resilient and innovative.  After her corporate stint as an HR leader in large companies, she is an Organization consultant in the areas of Change, Leadership Development, and Organization Building. She is a Fellow and facilitator in Process Work with Sumedhas Academy for Human Context, Gestalt OD Practitioner. She's been a faculty at institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, Udaipur, XLRI, SP Jain Institute of Management, and NMIMSetc. She is a passionate person with diverse interests like poetry, crocheting, and hi-tech gadgets. As a multi-potential-ate, she most identifies as a feminist, a storyteller, and an activist who believes in the possibilities of human potential.   Her story was included in the book by bestselling author Rashmi Bansal - Touch the Sky: Stories of women across India who are changing their destiny. She is a motorcyclist and believes motorcycling has helped her push the boundaries of the body and mind. She supports women motorcyclists to realize their dreams. She expresses through poetry and believes humor powers resilience. She's a bewildered parent to a strong-willed teenager and a moody pet, currently residing in Mumbai with her spouse who often complains that she's a bully.

It’s 131 Episodes of the human library audio podcast “U n’ I with Rashmi Shetty”& I feel completely grateful. All the storytellers willingly shared their story & today are good friends. One thing we all have in common is we are all connected to the “#voiceinme” Today is the 25th episode in Season 2. These are the video extracts of the 131 episodes: https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast/ https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast-2022/ https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast-2023/  Our guest today is Dr. Arti Datta the founding Artistic Director of Mudra Dance Studio, Muttontown, NY, and the President of The Mudra Foundation: Art for a Cause. Dr. Arti Datta is the founding Artistic Director of Mudra Dance Studio, Muttontown, NY, and the President of The Mudra Foundation: Art for a Cause. Dr. Arti Datta was initiated into Bharatanatyam early in her childhood in India. An alumnus of Kalasadan, one of the premier cultural institutes in Mumbai, India, was the disciple of the late Guru Shri Mani who trained her in the rigorous Vazhuvoor tradition. Dr. Datta continued her education in dance at the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, London, UK. She has performed extensively in India, the U.K., and the United States. Dr. Arti Datta is a clinical scientist by profession and has conducted her post-doctoral cancer research at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, U.K., and at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Dr. Arti Datta has successfully choreographed and directed several multi-media productions including Shiv-O-Hum, Leela – The Play of Krishna, Yatra – A Journey of Indian Dance, part of the Joseph G Astman International Concert series at the Hofstra University, NY, Devi: An Ode to Mother Goddess, Arpan – An Offering, a benefit for the victims of the Japan tsunami disaster, WATER: The Flow of the Divine, a fundraiser for the Sankara Eye Foundation, and AANGIKAM - a tribute to the victims of the Nepal earthquake. NAVARASA: The Essence of the Nine Emotions as a benefit for the Guide Dog Foundation, JEEVAN TARANG: The Rhythms of Life benefitting CRY America, MARGAM: The Path for Hewlett House, and most recently PREKSHA: A Meditation in Dance supporting Long Island Crisis Center was staged in May this year. On the 10th Anniversary of the dance school, as a way of integrating her passion for dance with a desire to give back, she founded the nonprofit The Mudra Foundation: Art for a Cause. (www.TheMudraFoundation.org) Dr. Datta was recognized by the India Association of Long Island (IALI) as one of the most influential people in the Indian American Community in NY and has been felicitated on numerous occasions for her contribution to the arts in the US. Dr. Arti Datta serves on the board of the Long Island Arts Alliance and volunteers her time at New York Cares. She continues to teach dance at the Mudra Dance Studio, Muttontown.  Listen in as Dr. Arti shares her journey from the logical world of Science to the creative world of Dance.

When I look back at how these 130 Episodes of the human library podcast “U n’ I with Rashmi Shetty” unfolded, I feel completely grateful. Many of the storytellers willingly shared their story & today are good friends. These are the video extracts of the 130 episodes: https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast/ https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast-2022/ https://coachrashmishetty.com/podcast-2023/     “The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.” In this quote by Dan Rather, I can confidently replace a teacher with a mentor & it will still make sense to you. Today on the eve of teachers’ day, we have a special episode. A conversation between mentor & mentee that has all elements of trust, respect, friendship & partnership. On the eve of Teachers Day, we bring to you the beautiful story of CA Arun and Dr. Vivek who from being a mentor to CA Arun has become a friend over the period of years and they have been actioning multiple projects together now. It is a wonderful example of how a good mentor builds up the mentee and helps them become the best version of themselves. Dr. Vivek started working at age 17 while studying, filled data forms door to door and exceeded his target, and learned true sales and marketing, as he had to convince security guards, receptionists -and gatekeepers of apartment and corporate offices to allow him in. He filled forms for soft drink concrete companies, financial, insurance companies, tyre companies. Those solid life lessons in the marketplace in the 'real world' for 5 years during the summer holidays, Diwali, and Christmas honed his skills to apply to Lawrence & Mayo as a team player. A shock interview at the age of 31 years with a journalist, taught him to pre-pone Retirement Plans to the NOW and start multi-tasking in giving back to society and mentoring people. CA Arun Vaz is a Chartered Accountant by profession and deal maker by passion. With his solution-providing ability, he has been able to do a lot of work with some of the major corporates and has a presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, and Dubai. He has a team of 370 people and believes in empowering people to become Chartered Accountants. He along with Dr. Vivek G Mendonsa who is the General Secretary of the Federation of Indo-Israeli Chambers of Commerce is leading over 50 entrepreneurs, businesswomen & men to Israel from the end of October 2023 to the first week of November 2023.

Learning Matters is a seven-year-old ed-tech organisation based in Bengaluru. They implement their Artificial intelligence-based solution-Tara - in schools and colleges to improve the communicative English proficiency of students and teachers. They were recognized by India AI and NASSCOM for their significant contribution to India's AI ecosystem by being included in their compendium "75 at 75" which showcases 75 Indian companies doing innovative work using AI last year. https://www.aninews.in/news/business/business/learning-matters-announces-star-educator-awards-2023-celebrating-exceptional-educators-and-transformative-educational-institutions-worldwide20230817162451 Our guest today is  Saraswathy Ramamoorthy, one of the co-founders of Learning Matters. An early childhood education (ECCE) expert, she has worked in various facets of the education domain as an educator and educationist. Her core expertise is in designing and developing educational curricula and programs, teaching children, training teachers, as well as creating digital education products and programs. As co-founder of Learning Matters, she takes care of marketing. Listen in as she shares what Learning Matters does and explains the buzz around the 3rd edition of the  Star Educator award, they are hosting. To nominate yourself or anyone you know click: https://learningmatters.ai/star-educator-awards/

Our guest today is Ashok Kamath- an alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT Bombay). He was formerly the Managing Director of the Indian operations of Analog Devices, a major global semiconductor company. Ashok attributes a large part of his success to the fact that he was privileged enough to receive a quality education from a young age. The well-balanced foundational education he received gave him strong mathematical ability and enabled him to get into great universities and excel further. However, he saw that this opportunity to access quality education for younger grades in school was not available for a majority of children in the country. During his time at IIT, Ashok’s education was made more affordable for him because the Government of India would subsidize the cost of training each student through the program. Ashok always saw this as a badge of honor and investment from his country. So, in 2004, Ashok left his corporate career to pay back the ‘debt of honor’ he felt towards his country by empowering millions of children in the country that are denied the opportunities that he received. He immersed himself in solving the complex problems of the education sector in India and developed the idea of GKA in 2012, envisioning this model to function at a population scale. Since 2004, Ashok has not drawn a salary from Akshara Foundation. And with a small team of 35, he is transforming learning for over 3 million children in India. The Ganitha Kalika Andolana (GKA) model, Akshara Foundation’s flagship initiative is aimed at revolutionizing math learning for grades 1 to 5 in government schools and is built around this core idea. GKA is a unique 360-degree model consisting of a comprehensive combination of interventions targeting multiple stakeholders at both the demand and supply side of the foundational education system including the state system, teachers, and the community. In April 2019, he was conferred the prestigious Namma Bengaluru Award for exemplary work in education. His alma mater, IIT-Bombay, presented him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2013 for his various initiatives and contributions to the field of child education.  Listen in as Ashok Kamath shares this meaningful journey with The Akshara Foundation & the impact it is creating.

Our guest today is Tara Kini who has trained intensively in Hindustani classical music, from the late Shri Narayan Rao Patwardhan, Smt. Mira Khirwadkar Deshpande, and the late Pandit Rama Rao V. Naik. She is currently learning from Vidushi Lalith J Rao, and from Padmashree Gundecha Brothers. Tara is the founder director of a music collective called Sunaad that has presented over ninety shows that demystify classical music. Inspired by Padma Bhushan Sri M, Sunaad has presented several shows on four major Upanishads, weaving together Dhrupad, dance, yoga, and storytelling. Tara has conceptualized and directed all these shows. Tara Kini is an independent consultant in Education and Music and works with several reputed institutions in Bangalore, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Ahmedabad, developing curriculum, and training teachers and trainers. Tara is an advisor to the Shankar Mahadevan Music Academy. Tara received The Senior Research Fellowship from the Sangeet Natak Academi, in 2017. Listen in as Tara shares her fascinating journey of the beautiful blend of music & theatre.

Our guest today is the founder of "A Little Dream," a Bangalore-based non-profit, working with underprivileged children is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. The organization started off as an initiative of former IT professional Reena Chowdhury the founder and Managing trustee Over the past decade ALD has reached out to orphanages and children's homes and touched the lives of 8500 children. What keeps ALD pulsating is its dynamic volunteers - young IT ‘techies’ of the city have been an integral part of ALD’s diverse activities. It was during her corporate years, she felt lacunae in her life, a need to do something for others -  to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate children. She used her artistic skills and reached out to children in orphanages, children's homes, and slums in Bangalore. Thus was born A Little Dream. A Little Dream has over the years been working with children on several projects be it for children in Cancer hospital wards, those suffering from Thalassemia, Diabetes, and HIV-positive kids.& also regularly holds Dental camps for children in orphanages and slums. Listen in as   Reena shares her journey, her fearlessness, the ability to walk alone on the Road not Taken, with commitment and empathy & her genuine desire to help people in distress.   Reena’s  Personal Links  My Linkedin page: linkedin.com/in/reenachowdhury2008  My Instagram handle: instagram.com/reenachowdhury My FB page:  facebook.com/reena.chowdhury My Twitter handle:  twitter.com/reenachowdhury   A Little Dream (ALD)Links  ALD Instagram handle: instagram.com/alittledreamindia  ALD FB page: facebook.com/ALDcamps  ALD FB group:  facebook.com/groups/ALittleDreamCamps Youtube channel: youtube.com/@alittledream6500 Email id : littledream2010@gmail.com

Dr. Nandini Mundkur is one of India's renowned developmental paediatricians,  who has done pioneering work in the field of early detection & intervention services for developmental disorders for the last four decades. She practiced as a general paediatrician during her early career while pursuing with a keen interest in the field of developmental studies is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (FAACP and DM). She spearheaded the awareness-building and creation of early intervention tools in the field of developmental paediatrics in India.⁠ She founded the Centre for CHild Development and Disabilities in the year 2006. The center has been treating children with a wide range of developmental problems in areas of physical, mental, language, and learning abilities, from birth to adolescence. The center also runs a school that practices early intervention services for children. She has designed & released multiple initiatives to support her work & house these teams. As a director at the Sackhumvit Trust, she has undertaken a program "Learn Math with Fun" via satellite for children across rural Karnataka(India). Dr. Nandini Mundkur co-founded Totsguide a comprehensive online self-educated portal aimed to cater to the vision of helping every child with disabilities to attain a better future. Dr. Nandini Mundkur has focussed her career on ensuring children with developmental disabilities have access to the best possible support & care. Listen in as she shares her Journey, her dreams & the impact!