Courage Talks

Living Proof That Age Is Not a Limit

In this episode of Courage Talks, I talk with Trishul Cherns, the legendary Canadian ultramarathoner who continues to redefine what's possible in endurance sports.

Now 68 (born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1957), Trishul has built one of the most extraordinary careers in ultrarunning history—spanning nearly 50 years since his first ultra in 1978.

Major Achievements & Background

• Completed his 400th ultramarathon in November 2025 at the NYC Trail Mix 50K in Staten Island, N.Y.—a staggering milestone that includes 217 road races, 50 on track, and 133 on trails.
• Previously reached his 300th ultra in 2021 and has accumulated tens of thousands of racing miles (over 73,000 km reported in earlier records), with some single events stretching to 1,000+ miles.
• Holds more than 110 Canadian national ultrarunning records, many in multi-day events, including standout performances like 221 miles in 48 hours and 538 miles in six days.
• A pioneer in multi-day ultramarathons, he has completed the iconic Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-mile race three times, averaging ~61 miles per day on concrete loops amid extreme heat and minimal sleep.
• President of the Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU), where he organizes world championships to preserve and grow this niche discipline.
• Assistant race director for the Great New York 100 Mile Running Exposition, an urban adventure showcasing New York City's boroughs.
• A certified massage therapist for decades, Trishul credits his knowledge of biomechanics, recovery techniques, and a disciplined vegan diet (anti-inflammatory and recovery-focused) for his durability—most recently winning a 48-hour ultra at age 66 while beating runners decades younger.
• Deeply spiritual, he moved to New York in 1977 to study meditation with Sri Chinmoy, who gave him his name "Trishul" (meaning "ignorance-piercing trident"). He views running as a manifestation of spiritual practice, drawing parallels to Shaolin priests using kung fu.

Episode HighlightsIn this heartfelt conversation, Trishul opens up about:

• His spiritual journey: How meditation and inner peace fuel resilience during grueling races, helping him stay present amid hallucinations, foot swelling, and sleep deprivation.
• The touching story of Dharma, the dog who spontaneously joined him for 100 miles during the 1988 Sri Chinmoy 1,300-mile race and became his beloved companion—plus a profound tale from the Mahabharata that ties into the deeper meaning of "Dharma" in his life.
• The power of a plant-based diet in reducing inflammation and enabling fast recovery, allowing him to compete at elite levels well into his late 60s.
• Lessons from racing legends like Yiannis Kouros and Ted Corbitt, and how he balances physical training with mental fortitude and spiritual stillness.
• His unwavering message: "Age is not a limit"—he still feels 30 inside, aims for 500+ ultras in the coming years (and dreams of 1,000 lifetime), and encourages everyone to "go for the stars" no matter their age.

Trishul's story is a masterclass in courage, self-transcendence, longevity, and living with purpose.

Whether you're an athlete, someone navigating life's challenges, or simply seeking inspiration to push beyond perceived limits, this episode reminds us that true endurance comes from within.

🌟 Courage Talks Season 9 | Episode 1 is LIVE! 🌟

From a corporate desk at Infosys to becoming the man who brought IRONMAN to India — this is a story of raw courage, relentless grit, and chasing the impossible.

Meet Deepak Raj —

• 28-time IRONMAN finisher• 3× IRONMAN World Championship representative (Kona, Utah, Nice)• The only Indian with 7 years of Gold Status in the All World IRONMAN Age Group rankings• Founder & CEO of YOSKA | Race Director of IRONMAN 70.3 Goa | Country Head – HYROX India• Coach to 1,000+ athletes worldwide

In this powerful conversation, Deepak opens up about:

→ The terrifying moment he quit a stable 14-year IT career to follow his passion→ The battles (mental & logistical) to convince the world to bring IRONMAN to Indian soil→ What it really feels like in the final brutal miles of a 3.8 km swim + 180 km bike + 42.2 km run→ How courage looks different every single day — on the race course and in life

If you’ve ever dreamed of rewriting your story, hitting your limits, or turning “impossible” into “done”… this episode is for you.

#CourageTalks #IRONMAN #TriathlonIndia #Endurance #NeverGiveUp #AgainstAllOdds #DeepakRaj #YOSKA #HYROXIndia

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟴𝗘𝟳: 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗶 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗻

In this powerful episode, we have Ravi Venkatesan, a visionary business leader, author, and social entrepreneur whose career exemplifies bold decision-making and transformative courage.

𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗶'𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:

  • Building Microsoft India into the company's second-largest global hub (2004–2011),

  • Leading the turnaround at Cummins India,

  • Steering Infosys through turbulent times as Co-Chairman, and

  • orchestrating a remarkable revival as Chairman of Bank of Baroda.

An IIT Bombay and Harvard Business School alumnus, he is also the bestselling author of amazing books:

• 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙤𝙨: 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙖,

• 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙

• 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙘𝙠 𝘿𝙤 𝙄 𝘿𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚?,

These books blend sharp insights on leadership, innovation, and navigating uncertainty.

Today, as founder of the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) and Chairman of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Ravi channels his courage into addressing some of the world's most significant challenges – from job creation to the energy transition.

Join us as Ravi shares raw, unfiltered stories of courage: the risks he took against conventional advice, the leadership lessons from high-stakes turnarounds, and why true courage isn't the absence of fear – but acting boldly in spite of it.

Whether you're leading a family business, scaling a venture, or charting your own path in turbulent times, this conversation will inspire you to embrace change, innovate fearlessly, and lead with purpose.

Hari TN – From Steel Factories to Deep-Tech Unicorns

Meet Hari TN, the man who's spent over two decades in the trenches of India's startup ecosystem – scaling teams, navigating exits, and turning complex challenges into clear, actionable insights.

An IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta alumnus, Hari started his journey at Tata Steel for nearly 15 years, moving from engineering roles to HR during a massive restructuring crisis. But the slow pace of a corporate giant pushed him to leap into the high-octane world of startups in 2002.

From scaling Daksh's workforce from 2,000 to 25,000 before its IBM acquisition, to leadership roles at Virtusa (NASDAQ listing), Amba Research, TaxiForSure, and seven transformative years as CHRO at BigBasket (which found its home in the Tata fold) – Hari has been part of five startups across diverse sectors, each ending in successful exits, including three unicorns.

A prolific author of seven category-leading books like From Pony to Unicorn, Sailing Through a Storm, and Saying No to Jugaad, Hari demystifies scaling with counter-intuitive wisdom that creates real 'aha' moments.

Today, as Executive Chairman of STEER World – a deep-tech powerhouse in materials transformation and advanced manufacturing – he's laser-focused on building a world-class group, steering innovations in pharmaceuticals, polymers, food, and biorefining, with a bold vision to take it public by 2028.

In this raw, thought-provoking episode, Hari opens up about:

• The courage to leave Tata Steel's stability for the startup chaos – and the "kick" that kept him addicted to high-growth journeys.
• Navigating mergers, acquisitions, and cultural minefields in hyper-scaling companies.
• Tough calls on enforcing values when top performers bend the rules.
• Connecting dots across engineering, HR, strategy, and deep-tech with uncluttered curiosity.
• Lessons on founder evolution, sustainable scaling, and why broad thinking trumps narrow specialization.
• His mission at STEER World and the unique hurdles of deep-tech vs. consumer startups.

If you've ever wondered what it takes to build organisations that last, spot patterns others miss, or make bold leaps that redefine careers – this conversation is pure gold.

Listen now on your favourite platform. What was your biggest 'courage moment' in your journey? Share in the comments!

#CourageTalks #StartupLessons #DeepTech #ScalingStartups #HariTN #Entrepreneurship #Leadership

Few Industry leaders in India have built a truly global, technology-led manufacturing company from a Tier-2 city.

All this while staying rooted in values, long-term thinking, and a people-first culture. Dr. Jairam Varadaraj is one of them.

As Managing Director of ELGi Equipments Limited (founded in 1960, now present in 120+ countries with 400+ products), Jairam represents the finest of third-generation Indian entrepreneurship.

From navigating India’s 1991 liberalisation and painful divestments in the 90s to now leading one of the world’s most respected air compressor brands (including the game-changing oil-free AB Series), his journey is of patient, principled scale.

An alumnus of PSG Coimbatore, George Washington University (MBA) and University of Michigan (PhD in International Business), Jairam spent years teaching in the US before returning to steer the family legacy into a modern, innovation-driven global enterprise.

What makes him truly stand apart:

• Obsession with reliability (“Always Better” isn’t just a tagline)
• Pioneering all-women production lines and ELGi Vocational Training School
• Bold global expansion while keeping manufacturing in Coimbatore
• Recent strategic move into vacuum pumps via partnership with Italian giant D.V.P. Vacuum Technology

In this powerful 90-minute conversation, Jairam opens up on:

• How to hold on to a singular “North Star” vision while staying open to new opportunities
• The evolving role of the leader as the company scales from ₹100 Cr to ₹3000 Cr+
• Why diversity, equity & inclusion are non-negotiable for building a world-class Indian company
• Lessons from 30 years across textiles, polymers, appliances and now compressed air

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, second/third-gen business leader, or just love stories of quiet courage and long-term thinking, this episode will leave you inspired.

Pushing Boundaries – From Boardrooms to Summits with Rajat Mathur

What does courage look like when you’ve survived a heart attack, summited unforgiving peaks, and led talent strategy across Asia for a global giant like Morgan Stanley?

In this powerful episode of Courage Talks, we sit down with Rajat Mathur – Senior Adviser at Morgan Stanley, former Asia Head of Talent, marathoner, mountaineer, author, and founder of the Fightback Club.

With over 30 years in finance and HR leadership – including 17+ years at Morgan Stanley and key roles at Deutsche Bank – Rajat has shaped high-performing teams across cultures. But his true test of resilience came not in the boardroom, but on the edge of life itself.

A heart attack survivor, Rajat now counsels others through recovery while running ultra-marathons, climbing mountains (3 summits and counting), and inspiring adults to reclaim their spirit of adventure.

He’s also the author of “Dear Dad” and a contributing voice in “A Wonderful Boss”, and a sought-after speaker on turning bucket-list dreams into reality.

Join us as Rajat shares:

• How extreme endurance mirrors leadership under pressure
• The mindset that fueled his physical and emotional comeback
• Practical ways to challenge limits – in career, health, and life

Courage Talks S8E4Listen. Reflect. Act.

#CourageTalks #Leadership #Resilience #Adventure #FightbackClub #MorganStanley #PersonalGrowth

  • He built factories from scratch.

  • He walked away at the peak.

  • He earned a PhD at IIM Bangalore.

  • He earned tenure in America.

  • He came back to shape India’s future.

Meet Prof. Mukesh Sud — a rare soul who spent 15 years as a first-gen entrepreneur and 15 years as a globally respected academic.

His Achievements? Let’s unpack the journey:

🔧 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 (𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟬)

  • Graduated from IIT Delhi

  • Founded multiple small-scale industries in abrasive blasting & plasma coatings

  • Bootstrapped, scaled, and successfully exited — proving grit works

📚 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱)

  • PhD, IIM Bangalore

  • Tenured Associate Professor, Dolan School of Business, Fairfield University, USA

  • Taught at Augustana College, IL

  • Returned to India to join IIM Ahmedabad (Business Policy Area)

  • Visiting Faculty, Department of Entrepreneurship, Ashoka University

🧑‍🔬 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

  • Published in FT50 journals

  • Pioneering work on:

  • → Institutional theory

  • → Paradox of embedded agency

  • → How entrepreneurs break free from societal scripts

  • Co-author of Leapfrog: Six Practices to Thrive at Work — a playbook blending street-smart entrepreneurship with academic depth

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗦𝘂𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀:

💡 The one decision that scared him most

🌏 What America taught him about India (and vice versa)

🔥 How to act with courage inside rigid systems

👨‍🏫 The advice he gives Ashoka students that he wishes he’d heard at 25

“𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 — 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺, 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.”

#𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 #𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 #𝗜𝗜𝗧𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶 #𝗜𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 #𝗜𝗜𝗠𝗔 #𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗸𝗮𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 #𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆 #𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 #𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

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