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/.

On Episode 67 of #LearningStories we chat with Ash Tooray. ‬Ash is a life coach and youth justice practitioner. She has 20 years of experience working in Youth Justice utilizing trauma based approaches to assist the healing and betterment of young people. She got a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology from Middlesex University after completing her A Levels in Psychology, Sociology and Communication Studies. She specializes in coaching adults, families and individuals with visible and non visible disabilities. She started 2RaysHope, a non-profit organisation to support those in need in India and the U.K. Through 2RaysHope she has worked with organizations like Kranti, and Happy Feet Home. You can find her on Linkedin and Instagram.

On Episode 66 of #LearningStories we chat with Sarthak Dev on writing, sports and music. Sarthak is a writer and music composer. In a previous life he was a software engineer, though not a very good one. He writes a substack called, 'Lines on the Grass' about sports, music, books and more. He also sporadically puts out some of his music on either Youtube or Instagram depending on how his coffee tasted that morning.

On Episode 65 of #LearningStories we chat with Abhishek Singh on writing. Abhishek is a product manager and writer. He was born and raised in Ghaziabad. He followed the sacred Indian life path of school, then engineering and then MBA. Thankfully somewhere along the way he also stumbled upon writing. He has been writing for over 10 years, sometimes regularly, sometimes like a surprise cameo in a sitcom. But since joining Substack in August 2024 he has been more consistent by sharing humorous pieces that make people chuckle, nod and occasionally short laugh. His newsletter 'anotherblog' captures light hearted, non productive and gluten free thoughts on just about everything life throws at him. You can find Abhishek on Instagram, Linkedin and Substack.

On Episode 64 of #LearningStories we chat with Rohit Kumar about his journey as an educator in India. Rohit is the CEO at Apnishala Foundation. Transitioning from being a software engineer with Tata Consultancy Services, Rohit holds a double master's in education and software systems. However he believes his most important learning came from working with students and teachers at the Akanksha Foundation, American School of Bombay and the Apnishala Foundation. He is an educator with 18+ years of experience in various learning environments. Currently he leads Strategy, Social Emotional Learning design and Organizational Development and Advancement at Apnishala. Rohit also consults with the SEED project (USA), co-facilitating diversity workshops for educators, leaders and organisations in India and USA. In the recent past, Rohit has published on themes such as organisational wellbeing, fundraising, SEL and Mental Health on forums such as India Development Review (IDR), ILSS-web and Teacher Plus. You can find Rohit on Linkedin and Instagram.

On Episode 63 of #LearningStories we chat with Shilpi J. Chawla about her journey as an author and writer in India. Shilpi's body of work comprises of non fiction books in the self help and parenting genres. She has also released sets of well being oriented deck of cards inspired by her travels. He strength lies in listening to people's journeys, picking up cues and helping them make better sense of it. She has been exploring healing modalities like Reiki, Hypnosis, EFT, Vipassana, Art of Living, Angel Therapy and Buddhism. She is inspired by the teachings of Joe Dispenza and Louise H. Hay. Through 'Well Being Whispers', she wants to help people discover their truths through published products, workshops and a supportive community. You can find her on Instagram and Amazon.

On Episode 62 of #LearningStories we chat with Amin Sheikh about his journey from the streets of Mumbai to becoming a social entrepreneur and writer. He is the founder of the Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe in Mumbai, India. He was born in Bombay in 1980. He was only five years old when he ran away from home as he could not take the beating of his stepfather and the eight to ten hours work shifts in a streetside tea shop. He learnt to survive on the streets of Bombay by begging, polishing shoes, singing and eating out of the garbage. He survived many threats, abuses and bad treatments and lived this way for three years. He was then rescued by the team from the Snehasadan Orphanage that gave him a home and place to grow. He wrote a book about his journey and then used the proceeds from the sales of the book and his talks to open a library- café in Mumbai where all the boys and girls employed are youngsters at the risk of social exclusion, coming from slums or orphanages. He wants to help the Street children and youngsters from the Streets of Mumbai to avoid social exclusión and to help them achieve a worthy and happy life. You can learn about his story at https://www.iambecauseofyou.com.