On Episode 94 of #LearningStories, I chat with Ajay Kamalakaran. He is an independent journalist and writer with a special interest in Russia and the Soviet Union. He has lived in Russia and the US and is now based in Mumbai. Ajay if the author of four books including: 'Globetrotting for Love and Other Stories from Sakhalin Island' (2017), 'A Week in the Life of Svitlana' (2019), 'Colombo: Port of Call' (2026). His articles regularly appear on Russia Beyond, Manorama Online, Scroll and other publications. You can find Ajay on Goodreads.

Show Chapters

(00:02) - Podcast Introduction

(00:20) - Guest Background

(02:50) - Stories from your Childhood

(03:40) - "I was born here in Bombay"

(03:50) - "When I was quite young we moved to the US"

(05:00) - My love for basketball and the New York Yankees

(08:20) - What did you study at university?

(09:40) - "I first wanted to be a lawyer"

(10:00) - "You could chose between Science, Arts and Commerce in India"

(10:50) - "I always enjoyed writing as a student"

(11:30) - "I was told writing is a hobby and not a profession

(11:40) - "I studied banking and finances for my masters"

(12:10) - "I did not want to live my father's dream"

(12:30) - "I wanted t interact with people from different parts of the world"

(13:00) - "I decided to take the plunge and do journalism full time"

(13:40) - How did you acquire the skills and knowledge to become a journalist/writer?

(15:20) - Why did you want to move away from big cities?

(15:30) - What motivated you to learn Russia and move to the Russian Far East?

(16:00) - "There was an oil boom in Sakhalin Island and lots of expat families moved there"

(16:50) - "I started working for an English language newspaper

(17:30) - "I was also freelancing for the wire services"

(17:50) - "I edited that English newspaper in Sakhalin Island for four years"

(18:40) - "In America, I was the Indian Kid. In India, I was the American Kid"

(19:40) - The cultural, social and political history of Sakhalin Island

(28:00) - What was your experience as a journalist and editor in Sakhalin Island for 4 years?

(32:00) - "There would be months where the only space I spoke English was at work"

(33:40) - Why did you chose to write fiction to talk about your experience in Sakhalin Island?

(35:00) - The experience of working on a translation of my book into Russian

(37:20) - What was your experience working on your second work of fiction?

(43:15) - The challenges of writing fiction

(44:15) - Why writing is always a work in progress?

(46:00) - "Colombo is a home away from home for me"

(47:20) - Why did you want to write a book about Colombo

(48:30) - "I started reading about famous people that lived and travelled to Colombo"

(50:40) - What is the timeline you explore in your book about Colombo?

(54:00) - Exploring the golden era of steamships and ocean travel in this book

(57:00) - The elements of Malayali culture in Colombo

(58:10) - The idea of slow travel(58:30) - "It is about being where you are completely"

(59:40) - "I believe I am a traveller and rarely a tourist anywhere

(1:00:15) - Book and Film Recommendations

(1:03:30) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Ajay's Author Website - https://www.ajaykamalakaran.com/

Book Recommendation 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54906247-the-amur-river?ref=nav_sb_ss_5_13

Book Recommendation 2 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52319117-upon-a-sleepless-isle?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19

Film Recommendation - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071411/

Show Description#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of #learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable #skills and #knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 93 of #LearningStories, I chat with Varun Gwalani. He is an author and teacher. He is a 7 time published author whose books span a variety of genres and stories. He has been teaching English and Creative Writing for nearly a decade now. He mentors young authors. He is a mental health advocate who has a TEDx talk on OCD. Finally he runs interactive murder mystery games that have been popular across the country. In this conversation we chat about his creative process and his advice for budding young authors in India. You can find Varun on Goodreads, Amazon and Instagram.

Show Chapters

(00:02) - Podcast Introduction

(00:20) - Guest Background

(02:10) - "I was the one always reading a book"

(02:20) - "There was a sense of loneliness growing up"

(02:40) - "Writing became an outlet for my emotions"

(02:50) - When was the first time your writing was recognized?

(03:40) - How did you develop the habit of reading as a student?

(05:00) - What was your experience studying English Literature at university?

(05:15) - On choosing to study the arts

(05:45) - Why I found literature fascinating?

(06:20) - "I like understanding how the human mind works"

(07:10) - "We are one story in the book of humanity and we are all of it"

(07:15) - "We are all different but we are all also connected"

(09:00) - What was your experience publishing your first book in India?

(10:20) - Why writers need to be critical about their work?

(10:40) - "So much of writing is about rewriting your work"

(12:00) - How do you decide what story idea to convert into a novel?

(13:50) - The story behind my second novel

(16:00) - "You should write what is meaningful to you and what matters to you"

(17:00) - What is your relationship to the characters in your stories?

(18:40) - "If I am not emotionally invested in my character than my readers won't be"

(19:20) - "Writing needs to interest me"

(19:40) - How writers create stories as architects and gardeners?

(20:10) - My creative process as a writer

(21:00) - The skills of a writer

(21:10) - "I taught in a school for 2 years"

(21:30) - Writing a story for teenagers and young adults

(22:17) - Writing a story set during the pandemic

(23:45) - How do your personal biases and experiences come into your stories?

(26:00) - "Writers must listen non jugdementally and approach stories with sensitivity"

(26:40) - Writing a story set inside a cult

(28:00) - The role of sensitivity reader and beta readers

(28:30) - Writing about difficult and challenging topics

(29:40) - The role and responsibility of the reader

(30:22) - Are the author's opinions the same as the character's opinions?

(31:22) - How author's market their books today in India?

(32:32) - Responding to reader feedback as an author

(33:52) - The reality of being an author of English fiction in India

(34:00) - Why people are reading more?

(35:10) - The challenges of marketing and selling your book in India

(36:00) - Can artists find a balance between business and creativity?

(37:20) - The process of creating murder mystery games for general audiences

(40:00) - What was your experience teaching English and Creative Writing?

(42:40) - How does a writer read? Who are your favourite writers?

(46:40) - Closing Notes and Connecting with Varun

Show Links

Varun on Linktree - https://linktr.ee/varung

Varun on Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7307603.Varun_Gwalani

Varun on Amazon - https://www.amazon.in/stores/Varun-Gwalani/author/

Varun on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/authorvarungwalani/

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of #learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable #skills and #knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 92 of the #LearningStories podcast I chat with Purvi Vora. She has a P.hD. in Science Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She has worked in the education sector for close to a two decades. She started her career teaching science and media literacy in an inner city school in Manhattan. She moved to India in 2007 and joined the Akanksha Foundation as a school leader for charter school in Mumbai. She later worked at the American School of Bombay as the Community and Social Responsibility coordinator supporting K-12 teachers at the school in implementing service projects. She also taught science in 7th grade at the school. With her business partner, Sangita Kapadia, Purvi setup Reniscience Education LLP a coutique education consulting firm and think tank born out of a desire to promote learning that is empowering, joyful and relevant to the 21st century learner. You can find Purvi on Linkedin and learn about their work and impact at reniscienceeducation.com.

Show Chapters

(00:05) - Podcast Introduction

(00:40) - Guest Background

(02:50) - Stories from your childhood

(03:00) - "I'm a Mumbai girl"

(03:10) - "I went to girls school in Prabhadevi"

(03:30) - "There were 60 students in each class"

(03:40) - "School was all about friends and not learning

(04:00) - Memories of my teachers

(05:10) - Getting into trouble at school

(06:10) - Learning and exposure at home

(06:30) - "I grew up in a very open minded home"

(06:45) - "I had lots of friends and lived in a large society

(08:00) - Love for reading and books

(08:50) - What kinds of free play do you remember engaging with as a student?

(11:00) - Experience in high school and college

(12:40) - What were the first books you loved reading as a young person?

(16:40) - Helping my son become a reader as a parent in Mumbai

(19:00) - Learning in high school

(19:30) - "I loved geography and did not like commerce

(20:00) - "I studied Science in Grade 11 and 12"

(20:10) - What subject did you study in university as an undergraduate student and why?

(21:10) - "I always wanted to teach and decided to go abroad for studies"

(21:30) - What subject did you study in university as a graduate student and why?

(22:00) - Why did you decide to pursue a P.hD. in Science Education?

(22:40) - "Biology is my favourite science and Evolution is my favourite topic"

(24:00) - The two best classes I ever took were...

(25:00) - Experience studying microbiology at Rutgers University for 3 years?

(26:00) - What was the topic of your microbiology master's thesis?(27:00) - What was your experience pursuing a P.hD. in Education for 5 years?

(32:00) - What was your experience teaching in classrooms in New York?

(34:00) - What were the findings of your P.hD. thesis?

(40:00) - Experience as a school leader at a charter school in Mumbai for 4 years

(45:00) - Learning from other teachers and school leaders

(46:00) - Tapping into the funds of knowledge in the community

(51:00) - The mistakes I made as a school leader

(51:50) - What was your experience working at a private school in Mumbai?

(1:01:00) - Why did you decide to start an education consulting firm?

(1:02:40) - Our first clients and projects as education entrepreneurs in India

(1:06:00) - What is City as Lab (project based learning program in India?)

(1:10:40) - Learning as a parent

(1:13:40) - Goals as an educator and entrepreneur for the coming ten years

(1:16:00) - Book Recommendations

(1:19:00) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Purvi on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/purvi-vora-76690a20/

Reniscience Education Website - https://reniscienceeducation.com/about/

City as Lab Website - https://cityaslabindia.org/what-is-cal/

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 91 of the #LearningStories podcast we chat with Gopal MS. He is an advertising professional and photographer. His online project is called 'Mumbai Paused', and it documents Mumbai's streets and life through photography, shared across online platforms and social media using his phone and camera. Before 2009, he documented the streets of Bangalore on a blog called 'Which Main? What Cross?'. His project is driven by a daily habit where he walks the streets, takes public transport, and sometimes visit interesting corners of the city to shoot pictures of whatever catches his eye. He then posts them on Instagram with relevant hashtags. He also features them on his blog and creates photo essays on Substack to place the images in larger contexts. Additionally he makes digital zines and photo books available online. You can find him on Instagram, Blogger and Substack.

Show Chapters

(00:05) - Podcast Introduction

(00:30) - Guest Background

(02:40) - Childhood Stories

(02:55) - "I'm originally from Bangalore"

(03:20) - "My father had a public sector job"

(03:25) - "My mother was a housewife"

(03:45) - "Bangalore was very cosmopolitan"

(04:00) - What was your relationship to books as a student?

(04:50) - Why did you love listening to the radio?

(05:40) - Why did you love reading magazines as a student?

(06:30) - "Everybody was supposed to become an engineer"

(07:30) - What was it like growing up in Bengaluru in the 1980s and 1990s?

(08:45) - On spending time outdoors

(09:00) - What were your favourite television shows?

(09:50) - "I learned Hindi by watching a lot of Doordarshan"

(10:50) - "During a test match all of Bengaluru came to a stand still"

(12:50) - The economic realities of India

(17:00) - What were the most popular advertisements in the 80s and 90s?

(17:50) - "There were lots of jingles in advertisements"

(19:20) - "I also used to collect and cutout ads a lot"

(19:40) - "Print Ads influenced me"

(20:50) - What killed advertising?

(21:40) - The story of Campa Cola

(23:00) - Where does the money go in advertising agencies today?

(24:00) - What did you study in college and university?

(25:00) - "I wanted to study History"

(25:10) - "I took up Science in junior college"

(25:10) - "I studied hotel management at the under graduate level"

(27:00) - "I was lost for several years and the Internet saved me"

(27:10) - What was your first blog and online project?

(28:00) - Why did you move to Mumbai to become a copywriter?

(31:50) - Training to become an advertising professional and photographer

(34:00) - The stories behind your photography projects

(34:20) - Learning photography within an ad agency

(35:00) - "I came to Bombay from Bangalore in 2000"

(35:10) - Early days in advertising in Mumbai

(36:50) - "My wife gifted me a digital camera in the mid 2000s"

(37:50) - "I used to shoot pictures on the way to work"

(39:00) - "I started posting Mumbai Paused photos on Instagram in 2011"

(40:10) - On finding your voice as a photographer

(41:10) - "Clicking photos became a habit"

(42:10) - "I loved gathering and recording information"

(45:10) - "My photographs are about ordinary and daily things

(51:00) - Talking about Gopal's Photographs

(1:09:15) - Book Recommendation

(1:10:15) - Podcast Recommendation

(1:11:00) - Film Recommendation

(1:12:00) - Photographer Recommendations

(1:17:00) - Go Hallu Hallu Project Story

(1:21:00) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Mumbai Paused on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mumbaipaused/

Mumbai Paused on Substack - https://mumbaipaused.substack.com/archive

Mumbai Paused - https://mumbaipaused.blogspot.com/

Which Main? What Cross? - https://mainsandcrosses.blogspot.com/

Photo Credit

Island Hopping, 2011, Gopal MS

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 90 of the #LearningStories podcast we chat with Prachi Gohil. Prachi is a technology consultant by profession and a humanist at heart. Born and brought up in Mumbai, she has lived in New York City, Seattle, Raleigh, Bengaluru and Pune. A self-taught writer, an avid reader and a budding patron of the arts, she believes creativity is deeply embedded in the human consciousness. She hosts silent readings at Fictionary Bandra and curates art crawls for creative communities in Mumbai. She’s been working on the manuscript for her debut non-fiction book, “To Wonderland”, a collection of essays, poems and short stories delving into the identity of a young woman navigating the modern world of interconnected digital and analog experiences. You can find her on Instagram, Linkedin and Substack.

Show Chapters

(00:05) - Podcast Introduction

(00:30) - Guest Background

(01:20) - On her debut non fiction book

(01:55) - Stories from your childhood

(02:00) - "Mumbai is my favourite city"

(02:45) - "I have a sister who is an architect"

(02:50) - "There was not too much social media back in the day"

(03:10) - "We had a lot of free time in the afternoons after school"

(04:50) - On my family environment

(05:40) - "I expressed my creativity through words"

(06:00) - On making space for creativity and free play

(07:50) - Growing up around readers and languages at home

(08:50) - "We always had books which were age appropriate at home"

(09:30) - "We were told stories in English, Marathi and Gujarati"

(10:20) - Books I loved from a young age

(18:00) - Studying Engineering and Marketing as a university student

(18:10) - "Teenage years are always a really rough time"

(18:30) - "I liked Mathematics and the Pure Sciences"

(19:20) - "Programming has an element of creativity"

(19:40) - My experience as an engineering student for 4+ years

(20:50) - "I got to learn programming and a lot of it was self taught

(21:00) - "Classroom education was not as exciting for me"

(21:30) - Exploring jobs and internships after my undergraduate degree

(22:25) - Starting a creative consultancy business after college

(23:00) - My first internship experience

(23:20) - "My non-paid internship turned into a full time advertising job opportunity"

(24:00) - Why I was curious about digital marketing?

(24:30) - My gap year and exploring freelance writing

(25:00) - Pursuing graduate studies at NYU in integrated marketing

(25:50) - Experience living and studying in New York City

(27:00) - Creativity in the arts and sciences

(29:30) - Balancing work and hobbies as a working professional

(31:50) - "On Sundays, I started a ritual of writing a blog"

(32:10) - "I maintained a blog called, 'Simply Prachi' for a long time"

(32:30) - Writing to understand my different identities, relationships and life experiences

(34:20) - Experience living and working in Seattle

(36:00) - Growing up in the age of social media

(37:00) - How Instagram and Twitter has changed over time?

(38:00) - How technology shaped my relationships?

(40:00) - "I have recorded these experiences over time in my blog and letters"

(42:50) - Moving back to India and living in different cities

(43:00) - Technology and the illusion of connection

(44:00) - Living in Bengaluru and Pune during the digital revolution in India

(45:20) - How technology can impact your dating life?

(48:30) - How technology helps you as a reader?

(51:00) - How technology helps you as a writer?

(57:00) - On nurturing book and art communities in Mumbai

(1:02:10) - Book Recommendation

(1:03:30) - Film Recommendation

(1:04:30) - Art Recommendation

(1:05:30) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Prachi's Website - https://www.prachigohil.com/

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 89 of the #LearningStories podcast we chat with Uday Khambadkone. He was born and raised in Mumbai. He discovered his passion for photography while pursuing an Engineering degree in the United States. An accidental encounter with a dark room course in Irving, Texas sparked a journey that has led to more than two decades in documenting cultures and social causes around the world. You can find him on Substack and Linkedin.

Show Chapters

(00:05) - Podcast Introduction

(00:30) - Guest Background

(02:25) - Stories from your childhood

(02:35) - "I had a younger brother"

(02:45) - "Both my parents used to go to work"

(03:10) - "We spent a lot of time in my grandmother's place"

(03:45) - What was your relationship with your brother?

(04:20) - The cabinet incident at home

(05:00) - What do you remember of your school days?

(05:40) - "I was not a very studious student"

(05:50) - "I did not enjoy history and geography"

(06:00) - "I liked math and science"

(06:17) - "I also enjoyed baking"

(07:00) - What kind of books do you like reading now?

(08:00) - My 8th grade math teacher

(08:40) - Breaking down radios at home with my brother

(10:00) - What were your memories of studying engineering as a student?

(10:20) - "I always like to try different things to solve problems"

(11:00) - The experience of writing and submitting an academic paper

(12:45) - Experience as a graduate student in the US

(14:00) - The transition from digital signal processing to telecommunication

(15:20) - What were your early years as an engineer in the US like for you?

(16:30) - The positive and negative aspects of moving to a new country

(17:30) - "I went with a very open mind"

(18:00) - "I did not experience too much discrimination"

(21:40) - The many narratives and stories of a place

(22:55) - What was your experience learning photography at a community college?

(23:45) - "I took photography classes in that community college for 6+ years"

(24:50) - "In the US, lots of working professionals do courses at community colleges"

(25:30) - Who were your first photography teachers?

(27:20) - How did you work with your community college to create photography courses?

(28:00) - The difference between learning to be an engineer and a photographer

(29:00) - "I never looked at photography as a professional endeavor"

(30:00) - Why photography was not a viable career option?

(31:00) - "I was using my job to fund my love for photography"

(32:00) - How did social media change photography?

(32:40) - "Instagram is quite limiting as a platform"

(33:10) - Why do photographers need to study the work of other photographers?

(34:10) - Advice for newer generation of photographers

(37:35) - How to find your voice as a photographer?

(37:55) - Stories behind the Photography Project in Ecuador

(42:10) - Stories behind the Photography Project in Mexico

(43:10) - Stories behind the Photography Project in Bosnia

(45:00) - How your lived experience influences your photography?

(46:30) - How we remember the stories of our life?

(47:10) - How we present our lives on social media?

(48:00) - Researching the people in my photos

(50:20) - Stories behind capturing photos of a mother

(53:35) - The value of family photographs

(1:00:15) - Why print photographs and the dangers of digital photos?

(1:01:20) - How loved ones capture your photos?

(1:04:20) - The photographers legacy collective

(1:07:00) - Learning from street photographers you admire

(1:11:00) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Uday's Website - https://udaykhambadkone.com/

'Chalo Chalo Click' Substack Newsletter - https://chaloclickclick.substack.com/about

Uday on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/udaykhambadkone/

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century. Each guest profiled here has a unique story to share about how they acquired a set of valuable skills and knowledge in a creative and innovative manner.

On Episode 88 of the #LearningStories podcast we chat with Shruti Sah. She is an entrepreneur, documentary film maker, branding professional, community builder and baker. She completed an undergraduate degree in English Literature at Delhi University, followed by a graduate degree in Mass Communication at Christ University. She then spent eight years in the corporate world as a branding, PR and communication professional. During this time she also started building and working on projects that brought people together around food, books and public spaces. Theses projects include the Third Base Bakery, Bookmark Dating App and Pint of View Club. Apart from these projects she co-founded, Cubbon Reads and steered the silent reading movement across the globe with 120+ chapters in 70+ cities. She also works independently as a documentary film maker. In this episode we spoke about her professional journey and stories from her childhood and college years that shaped her thinking over time. You can find her on Instagram and Linkedin.

Show Chapters

(00:05) - Podcast Introduction

(00:30) - Guest Background

(01:10) - Stories from your childhood

(01:15) - "I was quite a rebel kid"

(02:00) - "Me and my sister learned Bharatnatyam from a young age"

(04:00) - How did you develop a passion for baking from a young age?

(06:10) - What made you chose English Literature as a college major?

(09:10) - What was your experience studying Mass Communication at Christ University?

(11:10) - Taking a career break to explore other projects and interests

(12:00) - How did you learn documentary film making from scratch as an adult?

(13:00) - How did you grandfather influence and shape your thinking?

(16:00) - My first childhood business project of selling toffees

(18:20) - How did your parents influence and shape your thinking?

(20:20) - My childhood friends and nurturing those bonds

(21:20) - "Allahabad was a very small town and everyone knew everyone then"

(22:00) - Memories of Early Life in Allahabad

(27:10) - What was your experience studying English Literature at Delhi University?

(28:10) - "Allahabad and Delhi are very different cities"

(29:10) - On college friendships

(31:10) - "English Literature does not offer you a clear career path"

(32:10) - What extra curricular activities were you involved in at Delhi University?

(34:10) - What books do you remember reading and studying at university?

(38:10) - What was your experience in the corporate world for eight years?

(39:10) - "I knew I get bored and could not do the same thing for long"

(40:10) - "I worked at Edelman in Gurgaon for three years

(41:10) - What was your experience working in a Public Relations roles for 3 years?

(43:10) - What was your experience working as a Brand Strategist at LBB?

(47:00) - What was your experience working as brand manager for 3 years?

(48:00) - "I had a lot of work life balance and explored other projects during this time"

(50:00) - What is the story behind Cubbon Reads?

(54:50) - Why did people from other cities want to recreate Cubbon Reads?

(55:50) - The power of silent reading communities

(58:20) - "Bringing people together brings me so much joy"

(58:40) - The story behind my home bakery project

(59:15) - The story behind the Bookmark Dating App

(59:35) - "I love talking to people and meeting new people

(1:02:40) - Documentary Film Recommendations

(1:09:30) - Book Recommendation

(1:11:30) - Closing Notes

Show Links

Shruti on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrutisah/

Shruti on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shrutisah/

Third Base Bakery - https://www.instagram.com/thirdbase.bakery/

Cubbon Reads - https://www.instagram.com/cubbonreads/

Pint of View - https://www.instagram.com/pintofview.club/

Bookmark App - https://www.instagram.com/bookmarkappco/

Show Description

#LearningStories is an audio and video show where we interview a diverse set of learners from the 21st century.