Network Capital

In this episode, we explore the complex intersection of climate change, environmental conservation, and human rights with environmental lawyer and legal scholar Arpitha Kodiveri. While nations of the Global North focus on emissions trading and alternative energy sources, communities in the Global South—especially forest-dwelling communities in India—face life-and-death decisions about natural resource use.

Kodiveri, who has worked closely with these communities, shares stories of how they endure the dual threats of aggressive mining and conservation pressures. Yet, amid these challenges, hope emerges through their innovative approaches to forest law, co-governance, and a deep commitment to care and repair. Tune in for a deep dive into how these traditional owners are driving change and reshaping the future of forest governance.

Should popular media always seek to have storylines and characters with different ethnicities, religious backgrounds, and sexualities?

In this episode, Dhruva and Utkarsh debate whether the growing focus on diversity has gone too far. They explore how diversity of ideas, origin, conviction, and orientation make the world a more vibrant and interesting place, but question whether mandating it furthers the cause it aims to champion. Is the push for diversity diluting authenticity by prioritizing representation over accuracy? Tune in as they tackle the fine line between authentic representation and tokenism, offering insights into identity, intention, and the complex dynamics of inclusion in today's society.

They also examine the tension between the need for inclusion and the potential for performative gestures, where representation becomes a symbol rather than a meaningful shift. Is there a way to balance these goals without sacrificing authenticity or depth? Join the conversation to explore these questions, as they navigate the fine line between promoting diversity and preserving genuine representation in an increasingly polarized world.

Ashoka University, India’s top liberal arts university, charges over a million rupees per year in tuition - three times the yearly income of the average Indian. Williams College, one of America’s best-known liberal arts colleges, charges 68,000 dollars per year - more than the average yearly income in the US. 

Despite its cost, the popularity of the liberal arts system is growing. Many new universities across the world - such as Krea in India or Ashesi in Ghana- are using the liberal arts model of requiring students to take classes across STEM, social sciences and the humanities and giving them time to decide on their majors. Even universities that require students to pick a major before joining, are increasingly encouraging them to gain skills in other fields. 

What role does liberal arts play in the future of education? Should students be required to take classes in a variety of disciplines, or be allowed to focus on the fields they like? And how practical is it to expand the liberal arts model to millions of students across the world? Utkarsh and Dhruva draw on their experiences at universities such as Harvard, Oxford, Ashoka and INSEAD to debate the value of the liberal arts. 

385,000 children are born every day, around the world. Should we be contributing to that? Welcome to a new episode of Arguable, where we dig into the heart of controversial debates and ask the questions others shy away from.

Is it ethical to have a child in today's world? Do they truly consent to being born? And when it comes down to it, is life filled with more joy or pain? As we ponder these questions, we explore what it really means to bring a new human into existence and how that decision transforms your life.

We'll discuss the differences in how parenthood affects women and men and what we can do to change those dynamics. We'll also consider the environmental and economic footprint of having children and debate the morality of having your own child versus adopting.

And, of course, we can't forget about politics and billionaires! We'll dig into US vice presidential candidate JD Vance's controversial comments on "childless cat ladies" and the audacious claim of Telegram's billionaire founder of having fathered 100 children.

Join us as we wade through the ethical quagmire of parenthood, gender roles, and societal expectations, and try to find a bit of clarity in the chaos.

Unicorns! Edtech! Startup bros! Welcome to a new episode of Arguable, where we dive into the world of venture capital and startups and try to separate hype from truth.

Seven of the world’s eight most highly-valued public companies were once venture capital-based tech startups. Venture capital and technology are eating the world. But what is VC, really? How does it work, and how does it make decisions about which startups to invest in?

As we celebrate billion-dollar startups and as venture capitalists become media gurus and pundits, it’s time to take a step back and ask some difficult questions. Has the growth of venture capital been good for entrepreneurship and innovation? What are the drawbacks and limitations of venture capital? And what kinds of tech entrepreneurship could we imagine beyond venture capital?

Bringing together experience from academia, investment and building businesses of their own, Utkarsh and Dhruva try to understand the future of innovation and startups in India and beyond.

Building Your Category of One with Ex-KKR India CEO Sanjay Nayar

Points discussed in the podcast

1. Mental models for shaping the early stages of your career

2. Decision frameworks for making big career transitions

3. Frameworks for investments, the new world order, and India's role in shaping it

4. Insights on work-life integration, family, and a being supportive partner

Welcome to the third episode of "Arguable," where we, Utkarsh and Dhruva, dive into the changing nature and value of work as we know it.

We kick things off by dusting off John Maynard Keynes' crystal ball from 1930. Remember when he boldly predicted we'd all be living the 15-hour workweek dream by now? Spoiler alert: we're not. But why? We'll unpack this economic plot twist and why we're still chained to our desks instead of sipping piña coladas on the beach.

Fast forward to today, and we're staring down the barrel of a Goldman Sachs report that's got everyone's circuits frying. Three hundred million jobs potentially replaced by AI? That's not just a new industrial revolution; it's a whole new economic dimension!

The four most dangerous words used by pundits are, ‘This time it's different.’ We follow their cue and explore whether this time it really is different. We're not just talking about machines taking over assembly lines. We're talking about AI potentially writing your next novel, diagnosing your illnesses, or even arguing your court cases. Is this the dawn of a utopian future or the prelude to a jobless dystopia?

We navigate the choppy waters between techno-optimism and techno-skepticism, exploring why we should be both thrilled and terrified about our silicon-powered future. Will AI be our loyal sidekick, freeing us up for more creative pursuits? Or will it be the ultimate job thief, leaving us all twiddling our thumbs?

Voltaire once said, "Work saves us from three great evils: boredom, vice, and need." Would we still work if AI-induced productivity made work unnecessary? There are reasons to believe we would. That’s why we go into the Universal Basic Income debate.

Tune in and tell us what you think.

Mentioned:

1. Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren: John Maynard Keynes

2. The US labor market is automating and becoming more flexible: Goldman Sachs

3. Can This Country Show Europe How to Compete Again?: The New York Times

4. Passion Economy and the Side Hustle Revolution: Utkarsh Amitabh

In this podcast, we discussed Vishal’s new book on the politics of education in India. Education offers a lot of promises, it is considered an engine for social and economic mobility, it promises a path to development, to empowerment, to jobs. But what happens when some of these promises are not upheld?

We deep dive into some chapters of Vishal’s book and he explains what ‘more’ is there to education and how deeply caste, class and gender are tied to this

Welcome to the second episode of "Arguable," where Dhruva Bhat and Utkarsh Amitabh engage in a discussion about the role of universities in political discourse. Between them, Dhruva and Utkarsh have studied at some of India and the world's top universities: Harvard, Oxford, Wharton, INSEAD and Ashoka. They bring their experience in education to the question: should universities take political stances, or should they remain neutral?

In this podcast, we talk about the history of protest and political statements at universities, the growing distrust in higher education globally, and the benefits of a bottom-up versus a top-down approach to political discourse. Along the way, we explore the challenges of addressing diversity and inclusion in higher education, debating how universities can balance the need for fairness in admissions with the goal of fostering a diverse academic environment. What does this mean for the future of higher education and its role in society? And how should universities navigate the fine line between political engagement and neutrality? Tune in to this episode of "Arguable" to find out.