On Episode 75 of #LearningStories we chat with Saqib Ahmad. He is from Lucknow, and is a working professional who considers himself to be a big time ‘Generalist’, balancing multiple passions—from dancing and cooking to fitness, sports, and gaming—throughout his life. He works as a manager at an insurance company in his day job. However, his love for books eventually took center stage, especially after launching his Instagram book review account, saqib_bookstafied. As his community grew, he gained recognition as a thoughtful critic, and their encouragement inspired him to write a story of his own. Saqib credits the completion of this book to them, marking the beginning of his journey as an author. His book is titled, 'Heartbreak - The Weight of One Goodbye'. You can find Saqib's reviews on Instagram at @saqib_bookstafied and purchase his book on Amazon.

On Episode 74 of #LearningStories we chat with Minaz Ansari. She is an architect, urban researcher, academic and writer. She is a keen traveller, art and history nerd, book and nature lover, and an incurable optimist. She is currently a professor at the Rizvi College of Architecture in Mumbai, India. She received her Bachelor in Architecture from Pune University and a Masters in Architecture (Urban Design) from the University of Mumbai. She is the author of 'Nesting in Nature', a monograph of an architect, 'Paani Party' a picture storybook and soon to be released 'The Heritage Handbook: A Walk Through Mumbai Suburbs'. She writes personal essays on her Substack newsletter titled, Spread Love, Only Love. You can find her on Instagram @minazansari , Substack- www.minazansari.substack.com, Facebook and LinkedIn.

On Episode 73 of #LearningStories we chat with Neha Garg. Neha is a communications strategist, podcast host, and founder of several heartfelt initiatives that blend purpose with creativity and care. With a strong background in advocacy, sustainability, and storytelling, she brings a deeply personal and grounded approach to everything she does—whether it's leading meaningful conversations on her podcast Parenthoot with Neha, building brand and communication units for impact sector organizations through her consulting services, or coaching professionals to align their work and identity through her leadership programs. Neha’s work is shaped by her belief in slow living, fairness, and emotional honesty. A mother to a spirited toddler and four beloved rescue dogs, she lives in Faridabad and finds her rhythm in composting, growing her own food, writing, and dreaming up kinder systems. At her core, Neha is always seeking joy in the everyday and meaning in the mess, while helping others do the same. You can find her on Youtube, Linkedin and Instagram.

On Episode 72 of #LearningStories we chat with Karthik. He has been writing poems, essays and stories since he was a in primary school growing up in Bengaluru. As a teenager, the allure of living the ‘good life’ got him to pursue Engineering and then Management. He worked at Warner Bros. India in Marketing and Distribution of films for nearly ten years before quitting the job and leaving Mumbai city. He returned to Bengaluru and enrolled into Azim Premji University for an MA in Education. For two years, he engaged with questions on equity, children’s wellbeing and the role of literature in classrooms. On graduating, he joined Gubbachi Learning Community – a Bangalore-based NGO that is working towards providing quality education to out-of-school children. Since 2023, Karthik has been writing the ‘Reading This World’ newsletter on Substack where he writes personal essays, social commentaries, short fiction, poems and also, personal essays as a response to films – the kind of writing he is now known for. You can find him on Substack.

On Episode 71 of #LearningStories we chat with Suverchala Kashyap. She is a seasoned educator, journalist and storyteller. Her training and educational qualifications include a M.Sc. Honours, B.Ed., M.Ed. and a Diploma in Journalism among other certifications. She began her career as a teacher at a residential boarding school and as a journalist for the Indian Express. She then spent 12 years as the founder principal of a school in Vadodara where she also taught Science and English. In 2013 she founded Intelliscape Edventures through which she conducted training programs in several countries. In 2019 she wore the entrepreneurial hat again and founder Parivartan: SK's Transformational Hub which is an educational consultancy focusing on changing the lives of students, parents and teachers. In addition to this she has written and published 4 books as an author and has won national recognition for her work in education. Today she is here to share her story and a talk about a few things she has learned and observed along the way. You can find her on Linkedin and Instagram.

On Episode 70 of #LeaningStories, we chat with Mansi Shah. She is the founder of Happy Feet Home Foundation. Founded in August 2014, this is a paediatric palliative care centre that offers free-of-cost emotional, psycho-social, educational/ vocational and nutritional support. To make this possible, they work closely with Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital, popularly known as Sion Hospital, to provide day-care services that enable the mental, nutritional, medical, educational, vocational and spiritual well-being of children under palliative care. Their services include a day care centre, a hospital outreach program, a community outreach program and a home care program. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

On Episode 69 of #LearningStories we chat with Mukta Naik on making cities lovable and livable. ‬Mukta is a Gurgaon based researcher who investigates urban informality, housing and migration. She makes meaning of her multi faceted life through her writing practice which she holds dear to her heart. She trained as an architect and urban planner. Her work experience spans research, policy, advisory, advocacy and participatory design. She has worked with diverse stakeholders and taught in university programs. You can find her on websites like LinkedIn and Academia. She publishes her writing at, 'Rambling in the City' on Substack.

On Episode 68 of #LearningStories we chat with Professor M.S. Rao. He is a leadership coach, researcher and writer who is considered the Father of Soft Leadership. He is the founder of MSR Leadership Consultants. He has 42 years of experience in this space. During this time he published 54 books, 1000 articles and 300+ research papers. Previously he served in the Indian Air Force in the lowest rank of corporeal for 12 years. Post this he pursued a career as an educator, researcher and writer. He loved learning and studied hard to acquire qualifications like a B.Sc., M.A., M.B.A. He completed his Ph.D from 2007 to 2011. He brings a strategic eye and long-range vision given his multifaceted professional experience. He is passionate about serving and making a difference in the lives of others. He started a non profit called, 'Vision 2030' to train a new generation of leaders through leadership education and publications. He has reached 50,000 students up to now. You can find him on Linkedin and Youtube. You can find posts and updates about his work on the blog - https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/.