The Aditi Govitrikar Show

Can a normal health checkup miss cancer? Which symptoms should you get checked? And how do you know whether surgery is the right choice?

Dr P. Jagannath, a cancer surgeon with over 40 years of experience, joins Dr Aditi Govitrikar to answer the questions families face when cancer becomes a possibility or a diagnosis. He explains why people delay getting symptoms checked, why a routine health package can give false reassurance, and why more treatment is not always better.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Warning signs such as a lump, unusual bleeding, unexplained weight loss and a persistent cough
• How to support someone with cancer without overwhelming them
• When the risks of surgery may outweigh its benefits
• What to ask a doctor before agreeing to treatment

And, What is the one question Dr Jagannath wishes more patients would ask their doctor? Watch the conversation to find out.

How Women Reach the Top 1% is not only about working harder. Padma Shri and former SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya explains why talented women are still overlooked, what keeps them out of the C-suite and boardroom, and which career rules help women rise into leadership.

In this candid conversation with Dr. Aditi Govitrikar, Arundhati shares why women should accept opportunities before they feel completely ready, how to build a reputation that rises above workplace gender bias, and why career breaks can quietly remove capable women from the leadership pipeline. She also explains why organisations may hire large numbers of women at the entry level, yet lose most of them before they reach senior leadership.

This episode explores:

• How to become visible without pulling others down
• Why your best performer may not be ready to lead
• How emotional intelligence creates better leaders
• What women need to do to enter the C-suite and boardroom
• How to manage career growth, family responsibilities and health
• The personal cost of reaching the top 1%

Watch until the end to hear Arundhati’s advice for every woman building a career, and what she wants the next woman leading one of India’s largest institutions never to fight for again. Subscribe to The Aditi Govitrikar Show for honest conversations about ambition, leadership, identity and reinvention.

What do you do when you believe in something, but everyone around you says it won’t work? Hanuman Ansh producer Anupriya Nagar joins Dr. Aditi Govitrikar to discuss Neem Karoli Baba, faith, rejection and the work behind her first film.

Anupriya shares how researching Steve Jobs introduced her to Neem Karoli Baba, why she invested her savings in Hanuman Ansh, and how she kept promoting the film when its early theatrical response was disappointing. She reflects on seeking spiritual guidance while taking responsibility for the decisions within her control.

The conversation explores spirituality beyond rituals, handling rejection, trusting your instincts and staying open to other perspectives. Anupriya also shares her daily practice of Hanuman Chalisa, why she makes time away from screens, and what seva and gratitude means in everyday life.

Subscribe to The Aditi Govitrikar Show for more conversations about health, identity, ambition and modern Indian life. What helps you keep going when things don’t go your way? Share your thoughts in the comments.

How do you return to work after a 10-year career break—and rebuild your confidence, identity and sense of purpose? In this episode of The Aditi Govitrikar Show, Shilpa Bhagat opens up about stepping away from her banking career, becoming a mother through IVF and eventually finding the courage to start again.

Shilpa explains that her career break was not completely planned. After being bedridden during pregnancy and giving birth to twins, she spent years focusing on motherhood and supporting her son’s competitive chess journey. Although she valued those years, she also struggled with self-doubt, compared herself with former classmates and repeatedly wondered, “What am I worth?” and “When will I shine?”

The conversation explores why financial security is different from financial independence—and why a woman may still want meaningful work even when she does not need the money. Shilpa shares how she continued learning during her years at home, gained valuable business knowledge through conversations with her husband, participated in Mrs India World, trained in image consulting and eventually helped build Fitistan into a million-strong fitness community.

In this episode:

• How to return to work after a long career break
• Why motherhood can affect a woman’s identity and confidence
• The difference between financial security and financial independence
• Why confidence comes after taking action—not before it
• How to start small through volunteering, internships or upskilling
• What Shilpa learnt about business during her years at home
• How mothers can support their children without abandoning their own ambition
• Why a career gap does not mean your skills or potential have disappeared
• How Shilpa moved from banking and motherhood to entrepreneurship
• Practical advice for women who want to restart their careers

Whether you are returning to work after motherhood, struggling with a long career gap or wondering if it is too late to begin again, this conversation offers an honest look at fear, ambition, purpose and rebuilding your professional identity.

Subscribe to The Aditi Govitrikar Show for more meaningful conversations about identity, relationships, health, personal growth and reinvention.

Why don’t Indians get “glass skin” as easily as Korean skincare promises? Top dermatologist Dr. Malavika Kohli explains how Indian skin differs, why pigmentation behaves differently, and what actually works for healthier, glowing skin.

In this conversation, Dr. Kohli breaks down Indian skincare from the basics to advanced anti-ageing. She explains why Indian skin tends to be thicker, oilier and more pigmented, how Korean skincare translates to Indian skin, when to start retinol, how collagen changes with age, and why sunscreen is one of the most important steps in preventing pigmentation and premature ageing.

The episode also covers acne and acne scars, dark circles, under-eye puffiness, sensitive and combination skin, pregnancy skincare, menopause and skin ageing, hard water, home remedies, LED masks, toners, snail mucin, moisturisers and how to build a simple skincare routine without overloading your skin.

Whether you are dealing with pigmentation, acne, ageing, dull skin or simply trying to understand which skincare products actually matter, this conversation offers a dermatologist-led guide to caring for Indian skin at every age.

Subscribe to The Aditi Govitrikar Show for more expert conversations on health, beauty, ageing and wellbeing.

If you’re considering IVF, choosing a fertility clinic or trying to understand IVF success rates, this conversation breaks down what you should know before starting treatment.

Neha Motwani — founder of Luma Fertility and someone who personally went through six IUIs, six IVF cycles and seven embryo transfers — joins Dr Aditi Govitrikar to discuss the realities of fertility treatment, from the questions patients often don’t know to ask to the emotional and financial uncertainty that can come with IVF.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How to understand IVF success rate claims — and what numbers may actually mean
• What to ask an IVF clinic before choosing one
• Why the doctor, embryologist, lab quality and care team all matter
• IVF costs, pricing transparency and hidden expenses
• Egg freezing and when women may want to start thinking about fertility preservation
• Male infertility and why both partners should be evaluated
• Nutrition, mental health and emotional support during IVF
• How fertility treatment can affect work, relationships, intimacy and everyday life
• Neha’s own fertility journey and why it led her to build Luma Fertility

Whether you are preparing for IVF, comparing fertility clinics, considering egg freezing or simply trying to understand fertility treatment better, this episode gives you practical questions to take into your next conversation with your doctor or clinic.

Subscribe to The Aditi Govitrikar Show for more conversations around health, relationships, identity and the decisions that shape our lives.

Former India cricketer Salil Ankola opens up about alcohol addiction, mental health, losing his cricket career, and rebuilding his life.

In this deeply personal conversation with Dr. Aditi Govitrikar, Salil shares his journey from making his India debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar to being forced to leave cricket, moving into acting, struggling with alcoholism, going through rehab, and eventually returning to cricket as a selector.

He speaks candidly about how alcohol became a form of escape, the warning signs he ignored, blackouts, repeated attempts at recovery, and the role his wife Ria played in helping him rebuild his life. He also explains why addiction is often misunderstood, why denial is so powerful, and why recognising that you need help is the first major step toward recovery.

The episode also explores identity, failure, second chances, resilience, pressure in Indian cricket, his return as a selector, and his more recent mental health struggles.

In this episode:

• Salil Ankola’s India debut alongside Sachin Tendulkar
• Losing cricket and struggling with identity
• Alcohol addiction and rehab
• His recovery journey
• Returning to Indian cricket as a selector
• Mental health, anxiety and asking for help
• Lessons on resilience, pressure and second chances

Watch till the end for Salil Ankola’s message to anyone struggling with addiction, mental health or a difficult phase in life.

What does it take to turn a passion that was once dismissed as a hobby into a lasting career?

Dancer, choreographer and television personality Terence Lewis shares his journey from growing up as the youngest of eight children to becoming one of India’s most recognised names in dance.

He recalls cleaning a studio to earn dance lessons, accidentally becoming a teacher and watching his first dance-class business fail. He explains how fitness training, Evita, Lagaan, international training and Dance India Dance became unexpected turning points in his career.

Terence discusses why persistence often matters more than talent, why winning a reality show is only the beginning and what performers must do once the attention fades. He also shares why discipline, professionalism, business skills and the willingness to keep learning are essential for building a sustainable career.

He opens up about learning Hindi after facing criticism, maintaining his fitness at 51 and finally pursuing acting after putting that dream aside for years.

The conversation also explores relationships, solitude, self-reliance, faith and spirituality. Terence reflects on understanding his triggers, confronting his blind spots and becoming more curious about people instead of immediately judging them.

Watch till the end for an honest conversation about failure, reinvention and why there is no single blueprint for life.

What if your difficulty with reading is not about intelligence, but about how your attention has been trained?

Reading coach and author Reeta Gupta explains why reading can feel difficult in a world designed around endless scrolling, instant stimulation and passive content consumption. She compares reading to physical exercise, showing why the brain must be trained before books begin to feel calming, enjoyable and effortless.

The conversation explores how reading strengthens focus, imagination, emotional vocabulary and independent thinking. Reeta explains the difference between temporary information and lasting knowledge, how digital content can encourage passive consumption, and why fiction can help us become more comfortable with ambiguity and perspectives different from our own.

She also discusses whether physical books are better than audiobooks and e-readers, how to remember and apply what you read, when it is okay to leave a book unfinished, and why biographies can become a form of self-mentoring.

For parents, Reeta shares practical ways to raise readers without forcing children to read. She explains why books must be visible at home, why children should choose what interests them, and why parents must model the habits they want their children to develop.

Watch till the end for a practical conversation on rebuilding your reading habit, protecting your attention and using books to reconnect with parts of yourself that everyday life may have pushed aside.

What if the reason you keep repeating the same patterns has less to do with willpower and more to do with what your brain has learned over the years?

Coach Saloni Suri talks about why change feels so difficult even when we know exactly what we need to do. From childhood conditioning and negative self-talk to learned helplessness and emotional habits, she explores how our environment, experiences and inner voice can shape the way we think, behave and see ourselves.

The conversation covers neuroplasticity, rewiring your brain, affirmations and why they need action, manifestation, journaling, meditation, gratitude, self-confidence and building habits that create change. Saloni also discusses parenting, how parents can unknowingly pass fear and expectations onto children, why overparenting can weaken independence, and the importance of allowing children to make mistakes, experience boredom and discover who they are.

Watch till the end for a practical conversation on breaking old patterns, rebuilding self-worth, changing your inner story and why it is never too late to start a new chapter.

The conversation covers:

• Why your brain keeps repeating old patterns
• How childhood programming can influence adult behaviour
• Why affirmations alone may not create change
• How habits and routines can help you rewire your thinking
• What learned helplessness looks like
• How parenting can build or weaken independence
• Why children need space to make mistakes and experience boredom
• How to rebuild self-confidence and self-worth
• Why it is never too late to change direction or begin again
• If you have ever wondered why you keep doing things you know are not helping you, this episode offers a deeper look at the patterns underneath your behaviour and what it can take to start changing them.