Pilot

Introduction to the podcast.

Rema Rajeshwari, IPS Officer, State of Telangana

Rema Rajeshwari, a dynamic and passionate IPS officer, is known for her groundbreaking initiatives in education, gender sensitisation, child marriage and trafficking, sexual harassment, fake news, and more. The first female Indian Police Service Officer from Munnar, she uses storytelling as an effective tool to connect with the community. Tune in to her stories on tackling fake news to maintaining communal harmony, managing during a pandemic lockdown, and what keeps her going as a woman in a largely man's world.

Ritu David, Founder, The Data Duck

is a Kenya born Data Scientist who predicted data-driven trends long before it became vogue. A firm believer in the power and influence of Data Science, she has led change in rural areas of Kenya and India, and also helped troops in Afghanistan make data-based decisions in the field, as a member of Australia's Defence Intelligence Organisation. Just a couple of fascinating stories about Ritu’s journey. Tune in for more!

Anna Chandy, Mental Health Therapist / Coach / Trainer

Anna Chandy is the woman responsible for helping Deepika Padukone successfully overcome clinical depression, and also went on to lead Deepika’s foundation, Live Love Laugh as Chairperson. Anna has over 25 years’ experience in the mental health domain as a therapist, coach, speaker and trainer. While her work has won many laurels, her own life is an account of overcoming trauma to emerge as a strong, courageous person. In this episode, she shares her story, her influences, and why de-stigmatizing mental health remains critical.

Archana Goenka, Educator

a veteran in the education industry is widely acclaimed for upholding the stellar reputation of the CP Goenka Group of Schools for over 24 years. Her in-depth understanding of the Indian education system and innovative vision ensured she successfully leads and manages a group of 7 high schools and 9 pre-schools throughout her career. On this episode, Archana speaks about her inspirations and struggles whilst throwing light on how the education sector is transforming in India.

Swati Pandey, Postmaster General, Mumbai Region

An Indian Postal Service Officer, Swati Pandey is currently serving as Postmaster General of the Mumbai Region. Her illustrious and dare we say, adventurous career unfolds where initially she fearless served the Naxalite areas in Maharashtra, was a Director of Administration at the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), dabbled in amateur filmmaking and won many accolades for her work in Films Division. Her special contribution to DAE led her to become the only officer on deputation ever, to be awarded the Homi Bhabha medal.

Tune in to listen to her story of overcoming tremendous hardships to achieve success.

Annie Dubé, Consul General of Canada in Mumbai

Annie Dubé, is a Canadian diplomat with an exceptional approach towards strengthening ties between two countries. She has served in several positions in Mumbai, South Korea, and Switzerland. During the span of a remarkable career, she has worked in wide ranging divisions which include the EU Commercial Relations and Advocacy Division, Aerospace, Automotive, Defense and Information, Communications Technologies Practices Division, Office of the Deputy Minister for International Trade and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Tune in as she shares what it takes to be a leader as a woman, how to give your best in times of adversity, her experiences in India, and her distinct take on love and family.

Lt Commander Rajeshwari Kori, Former Indian Naval Officer

Rajeshwari Kori a former Indian Naval Officer, is the first Indian woman in the Asian subcontinent to be posted on board a naval warship. She is currently working with the Maharashtra Government as Deputy Controller of Civil Defense in Raigad. During her career, she was honored with the Kargil Yudh medal, Operation Parakram medal, and the Yashswini award by the Indian Ministry of Defense.

Tune in to Rajeshwari’s experiences from her incredible and insightful journey, as she talks about what is it like for a woman to thrive in a largely man's world.

Merlin D'Souza, Indian Composer & Pianist

Popularly known as the female A.R. Rahman, Merlin D’Souza despite her humble beginnings, never let the music fade away. This prodigy pianist found her heaven in music in her childhood, before turning into a professional musician who perfected whatever she could lay her hands on across the musical spectrum – be it singing, composing, producing, or playing an instrument. We chat with the woman behind 'You Are My Sonia' about her journey and inspirations.

Kalpana Viswanath, Co-founder & CEO, Safetipin

Kalpana Viswanath, has attempted to address the hot button problem of women’s safety in India by co-founding Safetipin, a mobile app that crowdsources data to ensure the safe movement of urban women. She has previously served as director at Jagori, a well-known feminist organization and as senior advisor on gender issues for United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat). Since her time as a student of sociology, Kalpana continues to play an integral role in women empowerment in India. Tune in as we chat about what initially motivated her and what keeps her going to solve deep-rooted social evils in our country.

Rozelle Mero, Social Entrepreneur & MD, The People Channel

A proud Naga, and an eternal optimist, Rozelle Mero is a Social Entrepreneur, Interior Designer, and Managing Director at The People Channel. She grew up in the Northeast and has worked in many countries before finding her true calling back home which led to her starting The People Channel, a Human Resource Development agency through which she has impacted lives of many youngsters from the Northeast. A proud member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, this is her story.

Poonam Beniwal, National Boxing Champion

Former National Champion (gold medalist), Poonam Beniwal, grew up in Hisar, Haryana in a middle-class family. She was inspired and trained by her father, a boxing coach himself. A decorated sports person for most of her career, Poonam also happens to be a Chevening Scholar with an MSc in Sports Business Management from Sheffield Hallam University England. Currently a High-Performance Manager at Sports Authority of India, Poonam believes boxing has taught her how to grow in life. Tune into her fascinating story.

Neeti Goel, Restauranteur & Social Activist

Born into an industrialist family, Neeti Goel is a Chartered Accountant with the mind of an entrepreneur. Her burning desire to make her own mark saw her turning away the temptation of getting into her family business to start her own restaurant. She successfully runs 4 restaurants in Mumbai namely Keiba, Madras Diaries, Ostaad, and Nom Nom. More recently she has been actively aiding those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Get inspired by her journey.

Dr Rashmi Tiwari, Founder & Director, Aahan Tribal Foundation

Dr. Rashmi Tiwari developed resilience to life’s challenges very early on. She completed her Ph.D. in Economics, to start her professional career with a World Bank project. She built a rich career of 15 years at prominent organisations including the Associated Chambers of Commerce (ASSOCHAM) and the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in India. Determined to make a change, she founded the Aahan Tribal Development Foundation, relentlessly working to help tribal women lead more fulfilling lives. Tune into her inspiring story.

Nidhi Goyal, Disability & Gender Rights Activist

Nidhi Goyal had a normal childhood until life threw her a curveball when she was diagnosed with an irreversible eye disorder in her teenage years. However, she turned this setback into an opportunity in deciding to work for people with disabilities. Since then, there’s been no looking back. She has contributed extensively to numerous national and global human rights organizations. Among her many achievements, she has been appointed as UN Women Executive Director’s Civil Society Advisory Group. Tune in to her extraordinary journey.