The middle Road

Hello Everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. I'm Nishant Malhotra, the Solo Founder & CEO of Middle Road OPC Pvt Ltd – The middle Road platform, which focuses on upskilling in the social impact sector. While my startup is a for-profit organization, The middle Road is deeply committed to driving sustainable social impact on a global scale. Learn more at www.themiddleroad.org. Now, I'm excited to introduce the inaugural Kusum Social Impact Awards from The middle Road. 

----more----First and foremost, I'm thrilled to announce that The Center for Theory of Change is sponsoring the Kusum Social Impact Awards. This partnership marks a significant milestone in my organization’s journey, and I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Helene Clark for her generous support. Dr. Helene was a podcast guest and discussed the Theory of Change framework, as well as promoted her organization's theory of change online course through advertising on The middle Road. These awards are a remarkable initiative, and it's an honor to be associated with The Center for Theory of Change for these awards.

The middle Road warmly welcomes nominations from diverse individuals and entities worldwide for this prestigious award. The goal is to cast a wide net, ensuring that this recognition reflects the global tapestry of individuals and initiatives making a difference. Anyone can apply for this award if they can showcase how their work is enabling social change and impact within society. While I prefer applicants from the international development sector, this award provides an excellent opportunity to articulate the importance of your work and why you deserve to be a winner. The middle Road will award a nominal amount total of $70 to the winner/s. In the case of multiple winners, the prize money (likely transfer through PayPal for international winner/s) will be divided equally among them. The winner/s will be interviewed and featured in videos and podcasts, which will be shared globally through my startup's social media channels, community groups, and newsletter. This offers a fantastic opportunity for global outreach, as the podcasts are uploaded on platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, etc. My startup has various social media followers in excess of 2400.

While I appreciate the contributions of experienced professionals in the global development sector, it's important to note that this award is inclusive and open to all fields and professions. The middle Road enthusiastically encourages nominations from various sectors, including corporate, entrepreneurial, and humanitarian realms. I wholeheartedly invite artists representing various themes to apply, recognizing that art, culture, and well-being are at the core of our startup's ethos. Nominees have the opportunity to showcase how their work catalyzes social change and has a universal impact. This can manifest through efforts to uplift underprivileged segments of society or by contributing to humanitarian causes. Individuals who breathe life into the world of creativity are equally encouraged to participate. To apply for the award, please use the link mention in the read.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed to determine the final winner/s for this award. Thank you once again for watching this video, and I urge you to apply and become part of a community dedicated to enhancing society's well-being.

Welcome to The middle Road podcast where Nishant Malhotra your host dives deep into the stories and experiences of individuals who are shaping a brighter future through their work in impact investing and social innovation. I'm your host, Nishant Malhotra, and today, I have a remarkable guest whose journey

Get ready for an inspiring and eye-opening conversation that promises to unveil the true essence of impact investing in Africa.

Check out The middle Road cart here. 

Apply for The middle Road Kusum Social Impact Awards here. 

Kindly refer to the report for more details. For this report GIIN’s research team rigorously screened and analysed data from over 3,000 public and private market asset owners and managers screening is based on their criteria. However, only 2 percent of the impact investing AUM is allocated to Middle East and North Africa and 1percent to the sub-Saharan Africa. 1 This is to share a holistic perspective on the present state of impact investing in Africa.

Howdid this build your interest and your approach for impact investing sector?

Welcome to "The Middle Road" podcast with Mrinal Kapadia. "The Middle Road" is a thought leader upskilling platform within the social impact sector that blends media with edtech to promote affordable quality higher education.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am Nishant Malhotra, your host for The Middle Road podcast, and today I am delighted to have Mrinal Kapadia with us. Mrinal is a connoisseur of art and history with a particular interest in chronicling the history of Mumbai. He is an alumnus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, US where he studied and researched various aspects of Indian art and history, and nearly completed a minor degree in classical European archaeology.

After a short stint as a business management consultant, he is now involved across different business verticals, including film production. In 2020, he formalized his interest in history by founding the India Visual Art Archive, a collection of antique art and images that endeavors to link visuals through history and vice-versa. Through independent research, the archive is currently focused on colonial works from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency.

Mrinal's passion for exploring the rich cultural heritage of Mumbai has led him to undertake several projects and initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting the city's history. Through his extensive knowledge and research, he has developed a deep understanding of Mumbai's evolution, from its early days as a fishing village to its present-day status as one of India's most vibrant and dynamic cities.

Today's chat is to understand Mrinal's interest in art, culture, and heritage as both a hobby and work. We'll start with his academic learning at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he took a minor in history and how it fostered his work as a researcher and collector of historical collectibles. We'll also discuss the areas of global history that inspired him to take up history, archaeology, and culture as a keen aspect of his work.

Check out the Online Courses on The middle Road here.

As a resident of Mumbai, Mrinal grew up in the city and is a keen connoisseur of its art and history. He has been researching this topic for many years and has conducted sessions on the British and Portuguese maritime connection with Mumbai, we explore the British and Portuguese maritime connections with Mumbai, tracing the city's history from a fledgling village to Bombaim and finally to Mumbai. Mrinal delves into the significant events and developments that have shaped Mumbai's history, including the story behind the iconic Chowpatty in Marine Drive. Learn more about the origins of the word "Mumbai."

In terms of his professional career, Mrinal plans to continue his work as a researcher and collector of history. He encourages others to develop their hobbies into the highpoint of their lives. He also shares an "aha moment" that brings a smile.

Check Cart here.                                                                                                                                                                                                                Image: Chowpatty  

Thank you, Mrinal, for sharing your time and insights with us. Art and history are some of my favorite topics, and it's always good to be connected to one's roots. To learn more about Mr. Kapadia's work, check out his newspaper articles. 

"The Middle Road -www.themiddleroad.org" website, where you can find publications, articles, online courses, podcasts, and more. A lot of material is free, so register and access the free material, including many online courses. You can also buy a monthly subscription plan, purchase a couple of stand-alone courses, and advertise on "The Middle Road

The post was revised after initial publication. 

This is the full episode of the conversation of Dr Ed Cohen. Combines both episodes 34 and 33 as listed on The middle Road website - The middle Road podcast link here. 

Correction; Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in 1 January, 1863 not 1862. In the episode Nishant mentioned 1862. Kindly note the correction. 

In episode 2, Dr. Ed Cohen discusses the economics of medicine with a focus on multiple frameworks for healing. The discussion is on various facets of healing, significant healing counsel therapy of Ed, chat about Ed's recent book On Learning to Heal or What Medicine Doesn’t Know. An interesting note on Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer on animal magnetism, the origins of single-blind test i.e., the first blind experiment conducted to investigate the claims of mesmerism and field effect. One of the research papers cited is listed below. Nishant highlights the positive attitude of Americans toward many aspects of healing and the Aha question. 

Correction: Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in 1863 not 1862. Nishant mentioned by mistake 1862, its corrected. 

It's important to listen to episode 1 of Nishant Malhotra’s discussion with Dr. Ed Cohen and then listen to this podcast.

Dr. Ed Cohen website ✓ Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies |

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The middle Road is a thought leader platform enabling social change and impact. The startup blends Media with EdTech to promote and upskill the audience through publications, articles, online courses, podcasts, and videos across various topics example Economics & Development Economics, Finance & Sustainable Finance, Impact Evaluation & Statistics, etc. The mantra of the company is to spread affordable quality higher education. 

Check out The middle Road. 

Check out The middle Road podcast section for a detailed read with embed video podcast of the full episode here. 

Nishant Malhotra fireside chat with Dr. Ed Cohen. This podcast has two episodes. In the first episode with Dr. Ed, Nishant discusses his struggle and triumph over Crohn’s illness. Ed discusses the self-awareness he developed due to the ailment, his role model especially Michel Foucault, who influenced his thinking. In this first riveting episode, understand Modern Thought and its practical implications. 

Foucault’s wisdom according to Dr Ed Cohen “what’s the point of writing a book if you are the same person when you finished writing the book and when you started writing the book.”

Dr. Ed Cohen, is a Professor at Rutgers University and a Psychagogue at Healing Counsel, a therapeutic practice for healing. An accomplished author, Ed’s recent book On Learning to Heal or What Medicine Doesn’t Know talks draws on fifty years of living with Crohn’s to consider how Western medicine’s turn from an “art of healing” toward a “science of medicine” deeply affects both medical practitioners and their patients. Ed has a Ph.D. from the Stanford University in Modern Thought, A.B. summa cum laude, and Honors from English and Mathematics, Georgetown University. 

Hello Dr. Ed Cohen, thank you for joining The middle Road platform.

Nishant: First, Ed lets first understand the term Psychagogue. I loved the way you have described the term in your LinkedIn profile. How is psychagogue different from pedagogy?

Second episode covers the topic of healing and much more. 

# Note: There is a correction, I read through one of his book and few research papers. During the introduction I mentioned books, the statement is corrected.

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Nishant Malhotra

Hello this is Nishant Malhotra, Solo Founder of The middle Road, a thought leader platform enabling social change and impact. The startup promotes, educates and provides upskilling within the social impact sector through publications, online courses, podcasts and videos. Check out www.themiddleroad.org to subscribe and buy a couple of stand-alone courses. 

Listen to an engaging conversation with students of Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED) club from Vellore Institute of Technology, India. The conversation is on student led activities that accelerate social entrepreneurship and impact.  

Today Nishant chats with students from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India, a leading academic institute in India. Its engineering college ranks among the best in India. Nishant had judged an event for Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED). The discussion with members of CSED is about their journey as part of this club. Founded in 2010, the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED) is a student-led organization based at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.

The discussion is on CSED activities with a focus on social entrepreneurship. 

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Nishant Malhotra is the Solo Founder of The middle Road platform a thought leader online learning platform enabling social change and impact globally. The startup fuses Media and Edtech to spread affordable education through comprehensive publications, articles, online courses, podcasts and much more. Refer to the site here.

 Podcast Questions from The middle Road

Nishant Malhotra is the Solo Founder of The middle Road platform a thought leader online learning platform enabling social change and impact globally. The startup fuses Media and Edtech to spread affordable education through comprehensive publications, articles, online courses, podcasts and much more. Refer to the site here.

Nishant Malhotra’s Discussion with Surabhi Yadav, Sajhe Sapne, Founder & CEO The middle Road, a thought leadership and online learning platform enabling social change and impact

In this episode from The middle Road, I chat primarily with Surabhi Yadav, Founder & CEO of Sajhe Sapne, a nonprofit that’s empowering rural women through quality education and catalysing livelihood for the underserved section of the society.

Q). Hello, Surabhi I thank you for chatting with me about your work. You have had a tremendous journey both personally and professionally. You went to IIT, Delhi, one of the best engineering colleges in India for your under and a post-graduate degree in engineering. You also did a master's in development practice from the University of California, Berkeley, US. Today as Founder & CEO of Sajhe Sapne, your organization is empowering rural women in India through quality education. An overwhelming majority of India’s rural population works in the unorganized sector. Kindly share your journey highlighting the motivation in setting up your nonprofit.

Q). You have a flagship program in Management and Rural Development where you train, skill, and provide jobs to rural women between the age of 18-24 years. Please speak about this ground-breaking residential program that is enabling social change and impact within the Indian ecosystem. Q). Surabhi - 65 percent of the Indian population resides in the rural area with a literacy rate of 73.5 percent as of 2021. 1

However, the quality of education is not good. The Indian government has initiatives example Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Digital Initiatives that facilitate education for women. How do you think these policies are bettering your organization's mission and vision? What are the qualitative insights you would like to share that you encounter in your effort to educate rural women? Describe roadblocks and impediments and the steps you take to overcome these challenges. 

For full list of questions, refer to The middle Road podcast section 

Listen to Nishant Malhotra's chat with Bhargav Sri Prakash.  

A brief about Bhargav Sri Prakash.  

Bhargav is an alum of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is passionate about using technology to solve complex problems governing society. He is the recipient of the world’s first digital vaccine patent. He is the Founder & CEO of Friendslearn, a biotech and medical technology company and pioneer of neuropsychology-based digital vaccines to prevent lifestyle diseases. He has worked in collaborative roles in research with leading global research and think tank institutes.

Refer to the questions below.

Nishant Malhotra: Bhargav thanks for joining The middle Road for an informative conversation with regards to your work at Friendslearn. You received the patent for the world’s first digital vaccine. The digital vaccine uses technology to nudge people towards positive behaviour using a tool called neurocognitive training. Tell the audience about this wonderful invention.

• The vaccine was developed as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s digital vaccine project. Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded the grant for the digital vaccine project. Share the journey that brought you to the Carnegie Mellon University project.