UNSETTLING: Recent Episodes
Amrita Sukumar
UNSETTLING is a podcast that brings forth the stories of people who are following their passion and creating a niche for themselves in society. It brings to light the ongoing struggles of people in finding their passion and following it despite the friction that they receive from society if they refuse to follow the timeline and guidelines that they have set for you on how you should function.
Episode 22 is a conversation with Swati Prasad. Swati is an Indian classical dancer who specializes in Odissi. She has also learned Contemporary and Ballet. She is also trained in Kalaripayattu. She believes that the grass is greener on the other side because someone has put in an effort to provide it the nourishment that it needs.
Talking points: 1. Finding her calling for Odissi 2. Learning the dance form from a traditional Gurukul 3. Language of dance: How different elements come together to narrate a story 4. Dance and mythology: The connection of classical dance forms with mythology 5. Dance and teaching: Imparting knowledge and experience to the next generation 6. Kalaripayattu: Moving inwards through movement
Dr. Sonali Kulkarni is a dentist who has been practicing for the past 20 years. She completed BDS from Government Dental College and Hospital Mumbai in 1996. She is a member of Indian Dental Association. She is someone who loves interacting with people and makes sure that her doctor patient relations transcend the boundaries of the clinic and makes them a part of her family.
Some of the topics that were covered in the conversation: 1. The journey so far 2. Experience required before starting your own practice 3. How to maintain oral hygiene 4. Some of the dental procedures and at what level of decay are they performed 5. About her team 6. Busting a few myths like: a) You need to go to the dentist only when your teeth hurt b) Flossing can cause gap between the teeth c) If I brush my teeth 5 times a day instead of 2, I will never have to visit a dentist d) Only eating sweets causes cavities e) Children don’t have to brush their milk teeth because they will fall off anyway 7. Post-Covid preventive measures that she has been taking for the safety of the patients and her staff 8. Message for someone who is planning to pursue BDS
Episode 20 is a conversation with Deane De Menezes about her campaign, "Red is the new green". She has come a long way since starting this campaign. Not only did she educate men, women, and children alike about menstruation and menstrual hygiene, she set an example for everyone to break the taboo around menstruation and menstrual hygiene and talk about it freely. She has been awarded the "Queen's Youth Leaders Award" and has also been featured in the "Forbes 30 under 30". I hope through this episode, we are able to answer a few questions.
For you to be able to connect the dots, here are a few points that we covered during the episode: 1. Her journey: THe genesis story of the campaign "Red is the new Green." and the journey so far. 2. Educating people: Talking about menstruation and menstrual hygiene to people young and old. 3. Effect of the taboo around menstruation on the mental and physical health of the women 4. Disposal of menstrual waste: The amount of plastic generated per use and how to properly dispose of it. 5. Are menstrual cups and tampons safe? 6. The initiative "Pass on the pad" to bridge the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged. You can do your bit by contributing on this link: http://bit.ly/PassOnThePad 7. Busting a few myths that you wonderful people generously shared with me. Deane had some interesting answers to those!
Episode 19 is a conversation with Aishwarya Vivek about her life, the decisions that she took, and her journey to becoming a wife, a mother, and a soft skills trainer. Each and every choice that she made has been detrimental in bringing her closer to her goals. We spoke about arranged marriages, the concept of the one, how research helped her a lot with her journey to motherhood and life in general, and finally making her passion into her profession. Not only the external factors, but we also touched upon how our psyche has changed over a period of time and how the pursuit of perfection is a futile dream. I hope this conversation brings light to anyone who is asking these questions to themselves. I don't know if we have all the answers but this episode can definitely make sure that you don't feel alone.
Episode 18 is a conversation with Namita Joshi who is the founder of Aatman Graphology. What is Graphology? Graphology is commonly known as handwriting analysis, which helps decipher your underlying psyche based on your handwriting. Aatman began in 2011 as a hobby activity on weekends, but it soon became a contagious and overpowering passion for all those involved. This had a snowball effect which in turn led to a growing community of graphologists, trained rigorously in an autonomous and customized knowledge base and skill set influenced by international best practices. The founder Namita Joshi is a Psychology graduate, with a Masters in Education & Democracy (2008), UK, and a Masters in Public Policy (2016). She has been a passionate student of Graphology since 2002 and has earned international experience in the subject through her memberships and networks with the British Institute of Graphologists and the British Psychological Society (BPS). Her specialization in democratic practices within education has kept her engaged with other networks such as the International Democratic Education Network (IDEN), UK, and the Social Pedagogy Development Network (SPDN), UK.
Episode 17 is a conversation with the founders of GET BEYOND LIMITS. Ishan Sharma and Salwat Hamrah and their love for travel came together to form this travel company. It has been six years since they started it and they believe that they have evolved as people and also as a company since it’s genesis. They both believe in the phrase GET BEYOND LIMITS and that is quite evident in their travelogue called “SPEED BREAKERS”, in which they traverse a span of about 6607 km on a bike for 25 days, just to attend a friend’s wedding!!
Since they didn’t have a mentor when they started out, they have made sure that they impart their knowledge in the form of a compilation of stories that talk about their struggles and how they overcame them. I hope it helps someone who is just starting out and is worried about being UNSETTLED.
Episode 16 is a conversation with Niranjan Parandkar about his journey of finding his calling for writing. He is a self-trained writer and he believes that the best way to learn anything is to just jump into it. He is also a professor and he loves to impart his knowledge to the younger generation.
A few talking points that might interest you: 1. The journey so far: His journey from copywriting to writing for web series and now writing a script for a feature film 2. Character writing- things that he keeps in mind while writing about a particular character 3. The connection between emotion and writing 4. Scope of writing full time: Is it necessary to have a Plan B in mind while pursuing this 5. The most challenging scene he ever had to write 6. How to deal with writer’s block 7. The difference in the writing style for web series and feature films 8. Approaching producers with your script and the selling points to keep in mind.
Episode 15 is a conversation with Sharib Hashmi. He discovered his love for acting very early in life but was hesitant to pursue it because he thought he didn't fit the bill to be one. But he finally got out of his shell and decided to pursue acting full time! Even though he had full support from his family, he had to struggle a lot to land his first role in Jab tak hai Jaan and Filmistaan. When he did find a breakthrough, there was no turning back. He has worked in movies and web series and now he is a name that no one can forget. He is a sweet and kind gentleman who will go out of the way to make you feel like you are a part of his family and I had a blast interacting with him in this episode. I am appalled by his patience at my inquisitiveness.
Episode 14 is a conversation with Shivam Mantri, Neha Kabra, and Shefali Kataria. They felt that their city was missing a place where people could come together, interact, share ideas, or just spend some time together over a cup of coffee. That is how 3 Brick Lane Cafe was born. Thankfully their families were on board and the journey from the ideation to the execution didn't take long. Within a short span of time the cafe came to be known for its extraordinary experimental dishes and also for the various artists that come there to perform. The three founders themselves are huge goofballs of energy and I'm sure they add to the ambiance by just being present there.
Episode 13 is a conversation with Vikram Sridhar. He is a storyteller by profession What does a storyteller do you may ask? He delves deep into history, finds folklore that has been forgotten, and narrates them in a way that engages his audience. Is it only for children? No, his stories are for young and old alike. Does he write his own stories? Well....to find that out, you will have to listen to the entire episode, wouldn't you?
Episode 12 is a conversation with Swapnil Harkanth. He is the co-founder of the firm Alpha Obs. They specialize in creating custom made software for their clients. Swapnil knew from a very young age that he wanted to be closer to his family and that he wanted to create job opportunities for engineers in his town. He is a self-made man and has reached this stage of his life after a lot of struggle. But he says that struggle is a part of life and if your family is close to you then you can face any adversity that is thrown your way.
Episode 11 is a conversation with Mimansa Ojha. She discovered her love for yoga when she was a child and was inspired by her grandmother who used to perform this art even at an older age. During her travels to Europe, she conducted workshops showcasing an amalgamation of dance and yoga which were a hit. That is when she decided to start her own Dance School called Mimansa Mudra. She has been teaching Dance Yoga for some time now and the response has been wonderful.
Episode 10 is a conversation with Vandana Dugar. She is a homemaker, a mother, a theatre enthusiast and she also has her own startup called HIORGGANIKS. We talk about her personal journey, her discovery of theater, and the hurdles that she had to face to get her startup off the ground and also to sustain it for three years. It is now becoming a well-known brand known to every woman in every household.
If you believe in going back to basics and using natural skin products instead of going for the ones filled with chemicals then you should definitely connect with her on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiorgganiks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiorganiks/
Website: http://www.hiorgganiks.com/
Episode 9 we have a conversation about the kind of Passive income sources that are available in the market that can be followed. Piyush Agarwal has been a fellow unsettler for the past two years now. He quit his job to follow his passion. But before he did that he had his passive income sources in place. He built his online presence by writing blogs on relevant and trending topics, he conducts theatre workshops to bring people closer together and also help them face their fear of the stage, he has his own podcast called Kahaani Jaani Anjani, which is one of the few podcasts out there in Hindi.
What do you do when you have multiple passions? You follow them all!!
Episode 6 is a conversation with Trupti Khamkar where we talk about her stint in theatre, movies and her journey to becoming a household name.
Trupti Khamkar is an actress who has done her masters in theatre, has done 101 one-act plays and 41 full length plays, has worked in web series and has been doing stand-up comedy, she is the one who gave us the tagline, Hatt Nahi Pahije! She has also worked in Tumhari Sulu, A series called Hum, tum and them, a stint in Beecham house and has also done a Marathi Movie called Smile Please.
She is also a voice-over artist, has her own podcast called Gol Gappas which is the first Marathi Audio podcast. She also has her own YouTube channel where she talks about the problems that are faced by young girls in a fun upbeat way with the help of stories from her own life.
This woman is a huge ball of energy and I had a blast recording this podcast. She is unabashedly herself and that is what brings life to anything that she touches.
You can connect with her on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actortrupti/?hl=en
Send her something more than just a hi and she will definitely respond to you
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/16truptik
Check out her talk called Mulgi Shikli Pragati Zhali
For more such stories stay tuned to UNSETTLING
And if you feel that you or your friend have a story to share then connect with me on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amritasukumar/?hl=en
Gmail: podcast.unsettling.as@gmail.com
You can also subscribe to the podcast on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bNKjgoGMKFMJ4xtNZUY4A
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsettling/id1498796817?uo=4
Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/unsettling
Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xM2I5MzkyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==
Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ih2yewxg
RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/unsettling-GqPYV1
Whoever created the first cake should be lauded. Because they gave us something more than food for the belly but rather an expression of celebration. It is something we can't live without as kids and it is the only thing that we cheat with as adults. A magical creation that is brought to life by a Baker.
Episode 8 of UNSETTLING is a conversation with a Baker Azharuddin Khadri. In this episode, we talk about his journey from becoming a chef to a baker, the complications that he faced while setting up his Bakery called Daisy Dozen by AK. He is a compelling orator and his part of the Toastmasters International Club as well where he mesmerizes people with his gift of the gab.
To get updates on his creation, follow his page:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisydozenbyak/?hl=en
He keeps posting various recipes on his stories as well!!
For more such stories stay tuned to UNSETTLING A
nd if you feel that you or your friend have a story to share then connect with me on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amritasukumar/?hl=en
Gmail: podcast.unsettling.as@gmail.com
You can also subscribe to the podcast on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bNKjgoGMKFMJ4xtNZUY4A
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsettling/id1498796817?uo=4
Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/unsettling
Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xM2I5MzkyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==
Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ih2yewxg
RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/unsettling-GqPYV1
A photographer is a person who can make time stand still. He captures each moment of our lives in a frame that we can revisit and relive over and over again. A baby's smile, the bride's tears, the fruit vendors toil, and the old man's peace after he has lived his life to the fullest; all these priceless moments are what he lives for. He is the beholder of all the things of beauty that surround us and he is our window to the entire world.
Episode 1 of UNSETTLING brings to you the journey of one such photographer, who has forged his own niche in the world. He talks about his life as a photographer and about the pitfalls and hurdles that he had to encounter to reach the position that he is in today. He also talks about the key to becoming a good photographer and his passion for photography. Lastly, he leaves us with a message that is an inspiration to all the fellow photographers out there who are trying to find a footing in this field.
He has directed many short films and has also covered the band ONE DIRECTION perform live!
For more such stories, stay tuned to UNSETTLING.
And if you would like to see the magic that he has woven through his lens then here is a link to his channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo5tLQsQ02ErrY_fV5bdvTQ
And his instagram page: @riot_purist
If you have any such stories that you would like to share, please leave a comment below or look me up on
Instagram: @amritasukumar
Stand-up comedy is a part and parcel of our lives. Our morning routine is incomplete without a dose of laughter from our favourite comics.
Episode 4 is a conversation of Paul Rupen who talks about the struggles of being a stand-up comic. Rupen Paul is a South Indian who did not do engineering, not because he was too cool to follow the crowd but mainly because he did not get enough marks. His jokes can find him making fun of the absurdities and oddities of life as experienced by people growing in a middle-class home. He is the winner of the 2014 Comedy Open Mic organized by Big Mic and has performed shows across the country. He considers himself a funny yet grumpy man who has quit his job to pursue a career in making people laugh at his failures.
For more funny content follow him at
Instagram: @paulrupen
Spotify: The Right Room https://open.spotify.com/show/0VDaTNY0Sfy3f2OeFrdylU?si=CYU-GPg3QtS3fhVREINiHw
Medium: https://medium.com/@paulrupen
For more such stories stay tuned to UNSETTLING
And if you feel that you or your friend have a story to share then connect with me on
Instagram: @amritasukumar
Gmail: podcast.unsettling.as@gmail.com Y
ou can also subscribe to the podcast on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bNKjgoGMKFMJ4xtNZUY4A
Apple podcasts : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unsettling/id1498796817?uo=4
Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/unsettling
Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xM2I5MzkyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==
Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ih2yewxg RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/unsettling-GqPYV1
Learning a language is a tedious task. Remember how we were scored for all the essay questions during our school days?
And how we used to be penalized if we spoke in our Mother Tongue during school hours. I used to be scared of my teachers. But because of them, I am able to speak a language that was foreign to me, with ease.
Episode 3 is a conversation with Anaya Mundley about her journey of learning German. The research that went into choosing the right academy, her leap of faith into the unknown and the scope that learning a foreign language offers.
Unsettling brings to you stories of individuals who have redefined the definition of settled and are following a path that they have created for themselves.
What do I do after engineering? Is masters the answer? If yes, which field do I choose to do the masters in? All these questions and more are answered in this episode of the podcast.
In Episode 2 I am talking to a childhood friend and together we have discussed the pros and cons of the education system, what are the factors that are to be kept in mind before opting for higher studies. The scope and job opportunities that are available in this sector.
The flats, the bungalows the apartments that you live in. Your workplace, your parks and the cafes that you go on dates in. The gyms where you workout, the dance classes where you sweat out, all the spaces around you that are man-made are designed by an Architect.
Episode 6 of UNSETTLING is a conversation with an Architect Akshaya Mestry. She talks about her journey of setting up her own practice, the struggles of convincing a client, and the struggles she had to face to just find a footing in this ever-competitive world are some of our conversation topics. It's been two years since she set up her own firm and since then has worked on various Commercial and Residential projects. One of her projects Wok this Way has been featured in a lot of design magazines like The Design Collective, The Architect's Diary and Design Essentia Magazine.
To browse through all the spaces that she has designed, follow her on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studiomestry/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiomestry/
UNSETTLING is a podcast that brings forth the stories of people who are following their passion and creating a niche for themselves in society. It brings to light the ongoing struggles of people in finding their passion and following it despite the friction that they receive from society if they refuse to follow the timeline and guidelines that they have set for you on how you should function.
The climate is changing day by day. The mindless use of resources available and our refusal to clean up the mess behind us has caused damage to the climate that might just be irrevocable if we don't take steps to mend our ways soon.
Episode 5 is a conversation with Pooja Tendulkar, who is an environmentalist and has provided environment-friendly water treatment solutions. She stumbled upon Duckweed that helps in cleaning up the water in a natural way. After Duckweed has extra nutrients in the water it can act as fodder for cattle as it is rich in protein.
We had a conversation on the kind of water treatment plants that her firm Lemnion Green Solutions provides. We also spoke about the kind of impact her projects have on the social front. Saras Baug is an excellent example of a social project that she has partaken in.
She also tells us what SETTLED means to her.
I am sure that this episode too will give you an insight into a different career path that also happens to be the need of the hour.
If you want to know more about Lemnion:
Website: www.lemnion.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemnion/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lemniongreensolutions/?ref=br_rs