𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀: 𝗥𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗵𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗶 (𝗖𝗧𝗦𝟴𝗘𝟮)

Rakesh Godhwani, founder of the School of Meaningful Experiences (SoME), shares his journey from corporate roles at Wipro, Intel, and Qualcomm to a fulfilling career in teaching and writing.

Tune in for insights on career reinvention and pursuing your true calling.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:

𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁: Transitioned from corporate roles in product marketing, sales, and business development to follow his passion for teaching and writing, living "a million times better" despite earning less.

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 (𝗦𝗼𝗠𝗘): Offers programs on confidence, communication, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and competence for professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀: Adjunct Faculty of Communication at IIM Bangalore and Ahmedabad University; has taught at IIM Trichy, IIM Udaipur, IIM Vizag, IIIT Bengaluru, and Indian Institute of Science; delivers corporate training for ISRO, HPCL, Deloitte, Tata, and others.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱: Published four books, including Public Speaking Kaleidoscope (Business Expert Press, 2017) and What to Say and When to Shut Up! (Penguin Random House, 2014; Marathi translation, 2017).

𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 Guides students and professionals through career doubts with stories from IIM Bangalore alumni, including Malavika Harita, Apurva Purohit, and Arun Balakrishnan.

𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Runs Effective Business Communication on EdX/IIMBx and Conversations with Rakesh on YouTube, with his IIMB Vista 2018 talk garnering over 1.8 million views.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Volunteers as a counsellor at Vishwas Society for Mental Health in Bangalore.

Education: NIT Karnataka (BE Computers, 1997), IIM Bangalore (PGSEM, 2004), Cardiff Metropolitan University (PhD, 2018).

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻?

Rakesh offers practical advice on overcoming career fears, taking risks, and finding purpose—ideal for students, professionals, or anyone seeking a meaningful path.

Listen now and subscribe for more inspiring stories! #CourageTalks #CareerReinvention

🚀 Exciting Launch: Courage Talks Season 8, Episode 1 – Featuring Hari V. Krishnan! 🚀

Kicking off Season 8 with a powerhouse conversation that's all about bold leadership, digital transformation, and building sustainable futures.

Join me as I sit down with Hari V. Krishnan, the visionary former CEO and Managing Director of PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Asia's leading proptech company, which he steered through a landmark NYSE public listing and acquisition by EQT Private Capital Asia.

After a decade of transformative impact, Hari stepped down in January 2025 to start his own venture, Genie Health

Hari is a seasoned technologist and digital transformation leader with over 20 years of experience scaling businesses across Asia and the US—from startups to global giants.

He built LinkedIn's Asia Pacific presence from the ground up as its first regional hire, drove innovation at Cisco and Yahoo!, and has advised Singapore's Future Economy Council on real estate evolution and skills development.

A TEDx speaker and passionate advocate for sustainable urban living, Hari also mentors young innovators as an advisor to the University of Colorado's College of Engineering, a judge for MIT Tech Review’s TR35 Asia, and an active investor in fast-growing startups.

Armed with an MBA from INSEAD and an MS in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado, Hari's journey blends technical prowess, strategic insight, and a commitment to inclusive growth.

We dive into his definition of courage, early influences, scaling triumphs, and what's next in his dynamic career. Don't miss this inspiring episode—perfect for leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing bold change!

🎙️📺 Watch/Listen now on [Your Platform Links: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, etc.]

What’s one courageous decision from Hari’s story that resonates with you?

Drop it in the comments!

👇#CourageTalks #Season8 #HariVKrishnan #PropTech #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #SustainableCities #entrepreneurship

Lathika Pai, a visionary leader redefining tech, entrepreneurship, and social impact with unwavering courage.

From scaling startups to championing women founders, Lathika’s 20+ year journey is packed with bold moves and inspiring stories.

Here’s why you can’t miss this episode:

• Serial Entrepreneur: Co-founded B2K Corp, scaling it to 600 employees before its sale, and launched JobSkills, training 12,700 individuals, including Tibetan refugees and Indian Army veterans.

• Microsoft Innovator: As Country Head for VC and PE Partnerships, she spearheaded the “Highway to a 100 Unicorns” across 16 countries and Project Amplify with Accenture to empower impact-driven startups.

• Empowering Women: Founded SonderConnect, supporting 120 female founders across eight countries to raise over $100M, and serves as a CXXO board member to drive gender inclusion.

• AI and Empathy Advocate: Leads initiatives like the AI Board Room Series, promoting Generative AI for startups while emphasising kindness in leadership.

Tune in to hear Lathika share how courage fueled her to overcome challenges, advocate for inclusive tech, and shape the global startup ecosystem.

Don’t miss this inspiring story of resilience and impact!

#CourageTalks #LathikaPai #WomenInTech #StartupEcosystem #Microsoft #SonderConnect #Season7

🌟 Join us for an Inspiring Episode of Courage Talks with Sankari Sudhar! 🌟

Thrilled to announce the next guest on Courage Talks: Sankari Sudhar, the visionary Founder & CEO of Overqualified Housewives!

🚀From a small village in Tamil Nadu to a trailblazing entrepreneur, Sankari’s journey is a testament to resilience and reinvention.

A B.Tech graduate from MIT Chennai, she thrived as a software engineer in top IT firms for 8 years before taking a career break in 2020 to embrace motherhood.

Facing post-partum challenges, societal biases, and the “motherhood tax,” she refused to let her skills and ambitions be sidelined. Inspired by the untapped potential of millions of skilled women, Sankari launched Overqualified Housewives on August 15, 2022—a platform empowering women to return to work with flexible, meaningful opportunities.

Her impact?

Phenomenal:

✅ Over 34,000 women registered from across India, including Tier 2 and 3 cities.

✅ Helped 6,000+ women secure jobs with salaries from ₹8,000 to ₹80,000/month.

✅ Partnered with 600+ companies to offer roles in content, design, marketing, HR, and more.

✅ Upskilled thousands through sessions on communication and employability.

A TEDx speaker at TEDxSIST (Feb 2025), Sankari shared her insights on “Resilience: Exploring the Human Experience,” inspiring audiences with her story of turning personal challenges into a movement for women’s financial independence.

Featured on CNN-News18, YourStory, Rediff, and more, she’s breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes about women who take career breaks.

Incubated by NSRCEL at IIM Bangalore, Sankari’s bootstrapped venture broke even in just three months and continues to grow, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where women uplift each other.

Her mission? To ensure every woman can reclaim her career, confidence, and purpose—no matter the odds.Tune in to hear Sankari’s story of courage, innovation, and impact on Courage Talks!

🎙️ She’ll share how she turned setbacks into stepping stones and why empowering “overqualified housewives” is her passion.💬

What’s your take? How can we support women returning to the workforce? Share your thoughts below!

#CourageTalks #WomenEmpowerment #Entrepreneurship #OverqualifiedHousewives #Resilience #WomenInLeadership #Podcast

Courage Talks S7E4: Safira Halani - Running Towards Resilience

Join us for an inspiring episode of Courage Talks S7E4, where we dive into the incredible journey of Safira Halani, a Toronto-based fitness leader, actress, and community builder who embodies courage through her transformative fitness journey.

From overcoming personal struggles with weight, peaking at over 200 lbs before 2018, Safira discovered strength training and running during the challenges of COVID, turning adversity into empowerment.

As a proud representative of Team Canada, Safira qualified for the 2025 Global Encounters Jubilee Games in Dubai, securing first place in the 1500m and 800m at the national qualifiers.

She’s also made her mark in competitive fitness, placing 11th in her age group at Canada’s first-ever Hyrox in Toronto and clinching 2nd overall at Turf Wars Toronto in 2024.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Safira leads Toronto’s Midnight Runners, a vibrant run club where she fosters community through music-driven runs and innovative exercise challenges, including a viral Bollywood-inspired Ankh Maare workout adopted by chapters worldwide.

As a key figure at City Shred, Safira helps orchestrate Canada’s largest fitness events, connecting thousands with top trainers and wellness brands.

Her Instagram presence radiates positivity, inspiring others with her story of resilience and community-building.

Tune in to hear how Safira’s courage fuels her mission to uplift others, one step, one rep, and one connection at a time. 🌟 #CourageTalks #SafiraHalani #RunWithPurpose

🎉 Thrilled to announce our next Courage Talks (S7E3) guest – the phenomenal Chitra Singh, Founder & Chief Mentor at SalesWomentoring, India's only exclusive sales community for women! 🚀

With 27 years of leading high-performance sales teams at powerhouse banks like Kotak and ICICI, Chitra has transformed from sales leader to sales revolution catalyst. She's mentored over 1,000 women, helping them not just break barriers, but rebuild the sales landscape entirely. 💪

🌟 Her impact is undeniable:

• HerRising Award 2023 winner for Women in Sales, Marketing & Content
• Featured among 23 Extraordinary People Living Inspiring Lives by Guiding Voice
• Only Indian recognized in Sales Collective's "Women in Sales to Follow 2024"
• 3x LinkedIn Top Voice & host of the acclaimed Unstoppable Women In Sales podcast

From her signature Negotiating for Impact masterclasses to LinkedIn for Sales Visibility programs, Chitra doesn't just teach sales—she reshapes how we think about customer relationships and data-driven growth.

Her work with industry giants like Kimberly Clark, KPMG, Dr Reddy's, and TVS Motor proves her methodologies drive real results. 🌍

What makes this episode special? Chitra will share how she's building a movement that's changing the face of sales in India, one woman at a time.

Expect actionable insights on courage, leadership, and creating lasting impact in traditionally male-dominated spaces.

🎤Don't miss this powerful conversation about turning challenges into catalysts for change!

#CourageTalks #WomenInSales #SalesLeadership #ChitraSingh #SalesWomentoring #WomenEmpowerment #SalesStrategy

Courage Talks S7E2: Asmitaa Aggaarwal’s Bold Journey in Fashion & Journalism

🎙️ Fresh Episode Drop! Dive into Courage Talks Season 7, Episode 2, featuring the trailblazing Asmitaa Aggaarwal, an award-winning journalist with 32 years of redefining fashion and lifestyle storytelling.

From her early days at The Times of India to editing powerhouses like Hindustan Times (HT City), India Today, and the iconic French couture magazine L’Officiel, Asmitaa has left an indelible mark on India’s media landscape.

In this episode, she opens up about the courage behind her bold moves: launching India’s first indigenous bridal magazine, Bridal Asia, with a unique aesthetic vision; relaunching the historic Patriot newspaper; and setting up influential fashion blogs for Koovs and the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI).

Hear about her daring 2004 stint at India TV, transitioning from print to television, and how she navigated challenges to interview stars like Harbhajan Singh.

As a mentor, Asmitaa has shaped future editors at Pearl Academy for 14 years and launched NIFT Delhi’s creative writing course, earning her a 2021 mentoring award and a 2022 “Best Style Writer” honor.

Now, she’s captivating the Middle Eastern diaspora with her work at NRI Focus and contributing to Khaleej Times, all while reflecting on her 13-year weekly fashion column for Dainik Bhaskar and co-authoring Chrysalis, launched at Jaipur Literature Festival. Tune in to discover how Asmitaa’s fearless creativity and resilience continue to inspire!

🔊 Listen now to this captivating story of courage.

#CourageTalks #FashionJournalism #LifestyleMedia #PodcastLaunch #Season7 #InspiringStories

Courage Talks S7E1 - Sonal Bahl
🚀 Kicking off Courage Talks Season 7 with a powerhouse!
Join us for S7E1 featuring Sonal Bahl, the world-renowned Career Strategist who left a high-flying HR career at Fortune 100 giants like GE and PwC to launch SuperCharge.
From Belgium, Sonal empowers senior and mid-level executives globally to land dream jobs, nail promotions, and master career pivots.
With an INSEAD MBA, fluency in four languages, and a LinkedIn Top Voice 2024 title, she’s transforming lives through her chart-topping podcast, How I Got Hired Podcast, a YouTube channel boasting 150,000 followers (and a Silver Play Button!), and accessible digital courses.
Sonal believes a fulfilling career is everyone’s birthright, not just the elite.
Tune in to hear her bold journey and grab practical tips to supercharge your career!

Vineet Agarwal is the Founder and CEO of T10 Sports, one of the fastest-growing sportswear and athleisure brands in India.

Under his leadership, T10 Sports has become a prominent player in India's sports and athleisure wear, having a presence in 20 + countries in Retail, Teamwear, sportswear and schools.

They are also associated with major sporting properties in India like the Indian Premier League, India Super League and some of the Major Running and triathlon properties in India like Tata Steel World 25k, Tata Ultra, Hyderabad Marathon, Ironman GOA and many more.

Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Agarwal is an accomplished endurance athlete. His athletic achievements include completing Ironman and Ultra Ironman triathlons and ultra-distance trail runs spanning 160 km, 220 km, and 338 km.

He has also served as a pacer in events like the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, where he guided runners in the 1.50-hour and 2:00-hour pacing groups.

Agarwal's educational background includes studies at St. Xavier's High School, Loyola Hall, and H.L. College of Commerce in Ahmedabad.

🎙️ Welcome back to Season 6 of Courage Talks — the podcast where we celebrate stories of grit, transformation, and the relentless human spirit. I’m your host, and today’s episode — Episode 5 — features one of the most inspiring endurance athletes India has ever produced.

Gaurav Makkar isn’t just an Ironman — he’s a phenomenon.

He has completed 12 Ironman races across the world — from South Africa to Israel to Vietnam. He is the first and only Indian to have conquered the EPIC5 Challenge — five Ironman-distance triathlons in five days, across five Hawaiian islands. If that wasn't enough, he has also represented India’s at the Ultraman World Championship, one of the toughest ultra-endurance races on the planet.

What sets Gaurav apart isn’t just his finish times — though those are jaw-dropping too. A sub-3:30 marathoner, a podium finisher in multiple triathlons, and a Limca Book of Records honoree, he once completed an Ironman race just three days after a bike crash left him with a broken nose and 42 stitches. Pain, clearly, does not intimidate him — it fuels him.

From the blistering heat of the Desert 500 ultra-cycling race to the treacherous open waters of the Goa Swimathon, Gaurav has consistently pushed the limits of mind, body, and spirit. He’s not just chasing medals — he’s chasing mastery.

In a world obsessed with shortcuts, here’s a man who’s chosen the long, hard road — again and again.

This conversation is not just about endurance sport. It’s about resilience, mindset, and the audacity to dream beyond pain.

Let’s welcome the one and only — Gaurav Makkar — to Courage Talks.