Podcast
The xMonks Drive
Hosted by Gaurav Arora · HI
What if wisdom had a voice and it sounded like this
Welcome to The xMonks Drive with Gaurav Arora, where soulful conversations meet real-world insight. Hosted by Master Certified Coach and founder of xMonks Gaurav Arora, this weekly podcast brings together a rare mix of CEOs, monks, psychologists, spiritual masters, doctors, and changemakers.
Together, they explore what it truly means to lead with purpose, live with clarity, and grow from the inside out.
From mindfulness and emotional mastery to conscious leadership, healing, entrepreneurship, and legacy, these episodes are more than interviews. They are invitations to shift your perspective and awaken your potential.
If you are done with surface-level talk and crave depth, truth, and transformation, you are in the right place.
New episodes drop weekly on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify along with short, powerful clips to fuel your daily journey.
Come curious. Leave clearer.
31episodes
Episodes
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The Honest Warning Every Working Indian Needs to Hear in 2026 | Prashant Puri
2w ago00:49:39Tap to summarizeAI is already replacing jobs. Most people are completely unprepared.In this episode, Gaurav Arora sits down with Prashant Puri — Founder and CEO of AdLift, one of India's leading digital marketing and AI agencies — for the most important career conversation of 2026.Prashant has run SEO, digital marketing, and AI strategy for PayPal, HP, Myntra, and some of the world's biggest brands. He built AdLift from 5 people to 200 and exited for ₹50 crore. He is also the creator of Tesseract, an AI-powered marketing intelligence platform that is changing how brands think about search in the AI era.In this episode he names the AI tools beyond ChatGPT that are already replacing jobs, explains why knowing only ChatGPT in 2026 is not enough, and gives a step by step breakdown of what to learn right now to stay ahead.He also explains why Google is losing — 60% of searches now end without a single click — what the zero click era means for your career and business, why India has 180 million AI users but not a single homegrown AI company, and why most learn AI and earn lakhs courses are Ponzi schemes.What You Will Learn:- Which jobs AI will replace first in 2026- The best AI tools to learn beyond ChatGPT — Runway, Kimi, Claude, N8N, MidJourney and more- How to use AI agents to automate your work and run tasks 24/7- Why Google is dying and what is replacing it- How to start learning AI from scratch as a complete beginner- Why India is the biggest AI user in the world but hasn't monetized it- The difference between someone AI replaces and someone AI makes unstoppable- How Prashant Puri built a ₹50 crore company from a 2 out of 5 performance reviewChapters:00:00 Will AI Take Your Job00:20 Meet Prashant Puri01:35 AI Tools Beyond ChatGPT02:40 Ocean Of AI Use Cases03:47 Marketing Creatives And Automation06:33 AI For Learning And Email08:44 Jobs And The New Marketer10:31 Why Degrees Still Matter12:29 Making Money With AI16:17 Avoiding AI Course Scams19:00 First Steps For Beginners20:13 Brand Visibility And SEO Basics21:45 AdLift PayPal Pitch Story24:04 Can AI Identify Problems25:19 Stop Being Lazy With AI25:33 Google vs LLM Search Shift26:59 GEO and Consideration Funnel28:58 From Searching to Asking29:39 Zero Click Era Explained30:56 Expertise Beats Fake AI33:12 Start Small and Compound34:32 AI as an Equalizer37:56 Tracking LLM Visibility Tool41:57 Tech Convenience vs Connection43:55 India Monetization and Ads45:54 Building Indian AI Models48:07 One Truth About AI FutureAbout Prashant Puri: Prashant Puri is the Founder and CEO of AdLift, one of India's leading digital marketing and AI agencies. With over 15 years of experience in SEO, paid media, and AI-driven marketing, he has worked with global brands including PayPal, HP, and Myntra. He is also the creator of Tesseract, an AI-powered marketing intelligence platform built for the zero click era.About Gaurav Arora: Gaurav Arora is one of India's most respected podcast hosts, known for deep and honest conversations with leading voices in business, entrepreneurship, technology, and personal growth.🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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No One Has Life Figured Out. Your Brain Was Never Designed To | Dr. Sid Warrier
3w ago00:41:49Tap to summarizeNobody actually knows what they're doing. Not your boss. Not your parents. Not the most successful person in your office.This is not a self-help video. This is the science of why you are the way you are.Dr. Siddharth Warrier, neurologist, author, and one of India's most important voices on the science of the brain, joins Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive for a conversation that will change the way you understand yourself, your relationships, your habits, and your mind.We cover why your brain never actually grew up, what cheap dopamine is silently doing to your focus and your mood, why social media is the most perfectly engineered addiction in human history, why movement is the most underrated mental health tool available to you, how the brains of high performers and wealthy people actually work, why Indian men shut down emotionally and what that costs them, why your childhood is still making decisions for you, and why the one thing every human being on earth is secretly doing (faking it) is not a character flaw. It is just neuroscience.If you have ever felt anxious for no clear reason, addicted to your phone, stuck in patterns you can't explain, disconnected from the people you love, or quietly convinced that everyone else has figured out something you haven't, this episode is for you.They haven't. And Dr. Sid Warrier explains exactly why.---What you will learn in this episode:— Why the adult brain is still fundamentally a child's brain and what that means for your daily life— The neuroscience of cheap dopamine and why your brain will always choose the easiest reward— Why social media is the most addictive substance ever created and what it is doing to an entire generation— How movement and physical activity directly regulate emotion, anxiety, and decision-making— Why knowledge and wealth compound the same way and what that means for high performance— The real reason Indian men struggle to express emotion and how that shapes their relationships— Why your childhood environment is still running your adult nervous system— How to use awareness to break the automatic cycle between emotion and reaction— What the brains of the most successful people in the world actually have in common---Timestamps:00:00 Adults Are Scared Too01:42 Talk Therapy Basics03:03 Name It To Tame It04:12 Movement Regulates Emotions06:07 Dopamine And Decisions06:52 Samay Raina And Authenticity09:43 Comedy As A Symphony10:55 Brain Floors And Responses14:38 Gamification And Problem Solving16:22 Gamification Mindset16:31 Male Female Brain Differences17:15 Hormones Emotions Reality Check19:50 Father Son Chemistry21:28 Why Alpha Movies Sell24:33 Art Versus Real Life26:44 Raising Kids Safely28:28 Safety And Curiosity Plan29:43 Rich Brain Myth32:04 Social Media Cheap Dopamine35:05 Men And Therapy Stigma37:03 Building Emotional Awareness39:55 Expressing Anger Lessons41:29 Closing Thanks---About Dr. Siddharth Warrier:Dr. Siddharth Warrier is a neurologist, author, and one of India's leading communicators on brain science and mental health. Known for making complex neuroscience accessible and relevant to everyday life, he has spoken to millions across platforms about the brain, behaviour, emotional regulation, and the science of the mind. Follow him on Instagram @thesidwarrier.🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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How Black Money is Destroying India's Schools, Roads & Economy | Abhishek Bali
4w ago00:59:01Tap to summarizeWhat if 45% of India's entire economy is black money? The ED has filed nearly 6,000 money laundering cases in 10 years and secured just 15 convictions. Digital arrest scams have stolen over ₹120 crore from ordinary Indians. And elections may be the single largest consumer of black money in this country.In this episode of xMonks Drive, Gaurav Arora sits down with Abhishek Bali — CEO & Co-Founder of ZIGRAM and one of India's foremost experts on financial crime, money laundering, and regulatory technology — for one of the most wide-ranging and honest conversations ever had on this subject on an Indian podcast.From the Nirav Modi PNB scandal to Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher collapse, from hawala networks to digital arrest scams targeting your parents — Abhishek breaks down exactly how black money moves, who it hurts, and what is being built to stop it.What we cover in this episode:🔴 How Nirav Modi fooled a nationalized bank for years using a single branch in Mumbai🔴 Why Vijay Mallya's money is sitting in London and will never come back to India🔴 How the three stages of money laundering — placement, layering, integration — work in real life🔴 Why 45% of India's GDP may be black money — and what that really means for you🔴 How money laundering is destroying India's schools, roads, and public services🔴 Why elections are the single largest consumer of black money in India — and how it moves🔴 How NGOs are used as fronts for terror financing and money laundering🔴 The fake currency that flowed into Kashmir and how it funded ground-level violence🔴 Why online gaming apps became money laundering vehicles before India banned them🔴 How the 'Ghar Baithe Hazaaron Kamao' WhatsApp scam is actually a money laundering operation🔴 Why digital arrest scams always target older, vulnerable people — and the chilling logic behind it🔴 What Aadhaar, GST, and demonetisation actually did to black money🔴 How ZIGRAM's technology screens millions of transactions every day to catch financial crime🔴 Is India winning or losing the fight against money laundering?About Abhishek BaliAbhishek Bali is the CEO & Co-Founder of ZIGRAM, India's leading RegTech company building financial crime compliance technology for banks, fintechs, and financial institutions across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.🌐 zigram.tech🔗 linkedin.com/in/abhishekbali85Chapters:00:00 Nirav Modi Scam Intro01:40 SWIFT Loophole Explained02:58 LOUs And Inside Collusion04:16 How The Fraud Was Caught05:35 Vijay Mallya Comparison08:51 Money Stuck Overseas11:11 Three Stages Of Laundering14:08 Everyday Laundering Examples15:24 How Big Is Black Economy17:27 Victims And Elections Link20:27 Election Spending Reality23:35 Donations And Legal Loopholes27:32 NGOs Trusts And FCRA Risks32:09 Terror Funding Cash Flows33:17 Fake Cash to White Money33:45 Inflation and Currency Damage34:44 Gaming Apps Laundering Loopholes38:26 Bans Push Ops Offshore39:24 Mule Accounts Explained42:09 Digital Arrest Scam Tactics47:42 Aadhaar GST Demonetization Impact51:37 Demonetization Pros and Cons53:35 How ZIGRAM Fights AML57:10 Is India Winning58:16 Balancing Control and Freedom58:39 Closing Thanks and TakeawaysDisclaimer: All views expressed in this episode are personal opinions based on publicly available information and professional experience. Nothing in this episode constitutes lega🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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How young Indians are buying BMW in their 20s | BMW India CEO | Hardeep Singh Brar
Apr 2900:44:00Tap to summarizeWhat if your dream car wasn't as far away as you thought?In this episode, Gaurav Arora sits down with Hardeep Singh Brar, CEO of BMW India and the man who built Kia India from scratch into one of the fastest growing car brands in the country, for a conversation that goes far beyond cars.From being part of the team that bet ₹1 billion on Kia before a single car was sold, to now leading the most iconic luxury car brand in India, Hardeep opens up about the failures nobody talks about, the mindset shifts that changed everything, and why India's relationship with money, ambition and luxury is changing faster than anyone expected.Whether you're thinking about buying your first car, your dream car, or just want to understand where India's economy is really headed, this one's for you.In this episode:- How Kia went from zero to 6% market share in under 4 years- Why Indians under 30 are buying BMWs and not feeling guilty about it- The real cost of owning a BMW in India in 2025- How to own a BMW for ₹25,000 EMI- EV vs petrol: BMW CEO settles it once and for all- The truth about EV range, charging infrastructure and residual value in India- What BMW's 21% EV penetration means for India's car market- Leadership lessons from Maruti to Kia to BMW- Why Hardeep says "you cannot chase numbers by chasing numbers"- The one quote that defines how he leads and livesChapters:00:00 Kia vs BMW Challenge00:23 Luxury Buyers Mindset01:16 Kia Launch Breakthrough03:22 BMW Experience Bar05:10 Handling Tough Customers07:12 Trust Based Selling09:24 New India YOLO Shift13:04 Hard Lessons Learned15:44 Identity Beyond Titles17:27 Kia India Growth Playbook22:53 Execution Culture Shift24:15 Managing Alignment Globally25:18 Stop Chasing Numbers26:18 Showroom Need Analysis27:48 Never Underestimate Buyers29:03 Value Meets Premium31:51 Hidden Needs Vision33:47 Brand Pulls Premium35:12 India EV Inflection38:42 Product Beats Infrastructure40:09 Leadership Pull Strategy41:36 Legacy And Dream CarAbout Hardeep Singh Brar:Hardeep Singh Brar is the CEO of BMW India. He previously served as the Managing Director of Kia India, where he led the brand from its India launch to becoming one of the country's fastest growing automobile companies. He has also held leadership roles at Maruti Suzuki, Nissan India and Great Wall Motors.#BMWIndia #HardeepSinghBrar #BMWIndiaCEO #KiaIndia #LuxuryCars #EVIndia #ElectricVehiclesIndia #IndianCarMarket #BMWElectric #CarBuyingIndia #LeadershipIndia #GauravArora #PodcastIndia #BusinessPodcastIndia #IndiaGrowthStory🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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Listen to This Before You Drop Your Child to School Tomorrow
Apr 2701:21:44Tap to summarize⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of bullying and child loss. Please watch with care.🤍 This content is for awareness & support only.Arvey was 17 years old. Before he died, he left a note that said: "The school has ki**ed me, Mamma." His mother, Aarti Malhotra, read those words and made a decision. She would not be silent. Not for one day.In this episode, Aarti sits down with Gaurav Arora and shares everything: the bullying that started small and escalated into physical and emotional violation, the school that covered it up, the threats on her life, the POCSO case she is still fighting in court, and how a mother who lost everything became Internet ki Mummy, a safe space for millions of children across India who have no one else to turn to.If you are a parent, a teacher, or a student, this episode will change the way you see the world around you.🎙️ In This Episode:- Arvey's final note, and the teacher and school authorities he named in it- How classmates physically and emotionally violated Arvey and threatened him into silence- How the school was informed, did nothing, and why they are now facing a POCSO case in court- Arvey's dyslexia, his denied scribe, and the exam room that broke him- The exact warning signs in children that parents and teachers miss every day- What to do in the first 48 hours if your child tells you they are being bullied- The camera and lights Arvey bought to become an influencer, that Aarti now uses to save other kids- How a reel about Arvey reached 35 million views and gave birth to Internet ki Mummy- Aarti's message to every child who feels alone right now⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 A Tragic Loss00:48 Meet the Mother01:46 Remembering Arvey's Talents03:59 Teacher and Influencer Life08:15 Early Anxiety Signs12:08 Bullying at School13:06 Fighting the System16:37 Dyslexia and Neglect18:10 The Letter Afterward19:06 Living With Grief28:34 Turning Pain Into Purpose38:11 Rising Youth Suicide Crisis40:23 Consent and Boundaries Talk43:02 What Parents Must Notice45:21 First 48 Hours Support47:31 Create Safe Space49:41 Escalate School Complaints51:27 Know Laws and Rights54:32 Parenting Against Bullying59:24 Police and Court Reality01:03:59 Document Everything01:12:30 Helplines and Media Allies01:16:15 Internet Ki Mummy Mission01:18:08 Advice and Closing Message🔴 If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out:- iCall: 9152987821- Vandrevala Foundation Helpline: 1860-2662-345 (24/7)- AASRA: 9820466627📲 Follow Internet ki Mummy — Aarti Malhotra:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/internetkimummy/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KsU2HfA1w/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@internetkimummy💬 Know a parent, teacher or student who needs to hear this? Tag them or share this video. Every share could save a life.🔔 Subscribe to the Gaurav Arora Podcast for more real, unfiltered conversations that matter.#InternetKiMummy #AartiMalhotra #JusticeForArvey #SchoolBullying #BullyingInIndia #POCSOAwareness #ChildSafetyIndia #MentalHealthIndia #SuicidePrevention #GauravArora #GauravAroraPodcast #IndianPodcast #RealStory #ParentingIndia #ChildAbuse🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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Aryan Khan, Aarushi Talwar & MJ Akbar | India's Top Lawyer Finally Speaks
Apr 2701:02:34Tap to summarizeWhat really happened in the Aryan Khan drug case? What does India's legal system get wrong about the Aarushi Talwar murder? And what was it like defending MJ Akbar during the height of the MeToo movement in India?Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra, one of India's most respected lawyers with over four decades at the bar, sits down with Gaurav Arora for a rare, unfiltered conversation about India's most high-profile criminal cases, the failures of the justice system, and what it truly takes to fight for the truth in a courtroom.From bail inequality and judicial accountability to media trials, false accusations, and the rights of victims, this is the conversation India's legal community doesn't have in public.In this episode:- The truth about the Aryan Khan case and what the courts got wrong about bail- Inside the Aarushi Talwar case, and why social media convicted the family before the court did- MJ Akbar, MeToo, and the weapon of social media against the falsely accused- Why India talks about judicial delays but never judicial accountability- How money and power tilt the scales in the Temple of Justice- What to do if you are falsely accused: a step by step breakdown- The difference between an FIR, investigation and charge sheet explained simply- Why India's conviction rate in rape cases is only 28%, and what that actually meansTimestamps:00:00 Bail And Unequal Justice02:57 Why Bail Gets Denied03:40 Delays And Judge Accountability05:51 Prosecution Withholding Evidence09:11 Police Flaws And Disclosure Duty11:39 Money Power And Senior Counsel15:57 Media Trials And Court Pressure17:50 MeToo And Defamation Dilemmas23:42 Social Media Verdicts Vs Truth30:08 Reforming High Profile Cases32:05 Forensics For Every Case32:46 Delayed Allegations And Jail Time33:48 Cases That Haunt A Lawyer37:30 Court Overload And Conscience39:28 Accused Reputation And Jail Realities44:07 Redacting Names And Compensation46:07 If You Are Falsely Accused49:51 What Victims Should Do51:48 FIR To Chargesheet Explained56:41 Scientific Investigation And Police Power01:00:34 How Justice Changes With AgeGuest: Senior Advocate Geeta LuthraHost: Gaurav AroraTags: Aryan Khan case, Aarushi Talwar case, MJ Akbar MeToo, Indian judiciary, Indian criminal law, false accusation India, judicial accountability India, India legal system, senior advocate India, Geeta Luthra, Gaurav Arora, Indian podcast, law podcast India, bail in India, media trial India, FIR India explained, POCSO cases India, Indian courts, justice in India, MeToo India, criminal defense India, Indian lawyer interview🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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Major General Neeraj Bali Explains What Nobody On TV Will Tell You
Apr 800:58:22Tap to summarizeA ceasefire was announced. Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv two hours later. A retired Major General called every bit of this.In this episode, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Major General Neeraj Bali (Retired), one of India's most respected strategic and military minds, for a deeply informed breakdown of the Israel-US war on Iran: what caused it, what's really driving it, and where it's heading.From the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the JCPOA, from the 12-Day War of June 2025 to the bombing of Iran on 28th February 2026, General Bali connects every dot. He explains why the US-Israel strategy was built on a fatal assumption, why Iran will not fold the way anyone planned, and why the Strait of Hormuz — not nuclear weapons — is the real centre of gravity in this war.He also breaks down what this war means for India, for your fuel prices, for your food, and for the shifting balance of global power between the US, China, Russia, NATO, and the Gulf states.This is not a news panel. This is military intelligence meets strategic clarity — in plain English.🎯 WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:- Why the US-Israel strategy was based on the Venezuela model — and why it failed- The JCPOA, Trump tearing it up, and the chain of events that made this war inevitable- Why Iran is not a quick rollover — the IRGC, the deep state, and the pride of an ancient civilisation- The off-ramp that was deliberately missed- What Israel's real goals are — and why they go far beyond stopping Iran's nuclear programme- Why maximum force doesn't always yield maximum results- What "winning" actually means in an asymmetric war- The Strait of Hormuz — why it's the only metric that matters- China, Russia, NATO, and the GCC — who's actually winning this war- India's strategic autonomy — why we're one of the smartest players on the board- The real cost of this war — $33 billion spent, an E-3 AWACS cut in two, and boots on the ground next- Where the troops will go — three military scenarios nobody else is talking about- Best case, worst case, and what's most likely to happen next⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 War Stakes Overview01:24 Misread Iran Rollover03:43 Asymmetric Economic Warfare04:48 Origins Since 197905:56 JCPOA And Trump Exit08:44 Bombing And Talks Collapse10:20 Was War Avoidable12:29 Internal Unrest Miscalculation15:50 Shifting Goals No Endgame19:27 Center Of Gravity22:27 Existential Trap Lesson23:51 What Winning Means26:57 Hormuz Strategic Blindspot28:27 Netanyahu Motives Debate29:59 Power Blocs Watching War30:33 China Strategy And Energy32:13 Russia Windfall From Oil32:54 NATO Future In Doubt33:59 GCC Caught In Middle35:33 GCC Aftermath And Iran Ties36:37 India Strategic Autonomy39:49 War Impact On Daily Life43:32 Who Pays The War Bill47:42 US Troop Deployment Options50:12 US Israel Goals Diverge52:03 Best Worst Case Scenarios55:15 Why US Wants Off Ramp57:49 Closing Thoughts And Thanks🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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India’s Top Neurologist on Brain Hacking, Parkinson’s & Why You Feel Lazy & Unmotivated
Apr 200:48:34Tap to summarizeIndia's top neurologist Dr. Neha Pandita sits down with Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive, and she has something to say about Deepinder Goyal's Temple device.When the founder of Zomato started wearing a brain-monitoring device on his temple to track blood flow and slow ageing, the internet had opinions. But what does an actual movement disorder specialist think? Dr. Pandita's reaction was simple: she laughed. Not because the idea is stupid, but because one artery cannot tell you everything happening inside your brain, and the science isn't there yet.But that's just where this conversation starts.Dr. Neha Pandita is one of India's leading neurologists and movement disorder specialists. She has spent over two decades studying the brain, and she herself was diagnosed with writer's dystonia during her MBBS finals, the very disorder she now treats in others. She saved a passenger's life mid-flight with a newborn in her arms. She has watched a Parkinson's patient sing again after years of silence. And she grew up as a Kashmiri Pandit refugee, starting from zero in Himachal Pradesh.In this episode she breaks down everything you thought you knew about your brain, and most of it is wrong.What you'll learn:— Why heartbreak has nothing to do with your heart— What actually causes laziness, lack of motivation, and brain fog— The truth about Deepinder Goyal's Temple brain device— What Parkinson's disease really looks like inside a family— How deep brain stimulation works, and the sound doctors listen for inside the brain— Whether psychedelics can actually heal trauma— The myth of the male vs female brain— What memory loss really means, and when to see a neurologist— Why a 95-year-old survives when a 40-year-old doesn't— How close we actually are to curing Alzheimer's and Parkinson'sTimestamps00:00 Brain Hacking Hype01:31 Temple Wearable Explained01:51 Why Evidence Matters03:17 Temporal Artery Oversimplified03:57 Tech Claims vs Mental Health06:01 Neurology Basics and Mislabels08:11 Warning Signs to Watch11:05 Motivation Stress Sleep Link13:19 New Discoveries Curable Disorders16:18 Deep Brain Stimulation Story18:50 Inside Awake DBS Surgery22:26 Neuroplasticity and Stimulation Limits23:55 Psychedelics Reality Check25:20 Brain Beyond Final Frontier26:48 In-Flight Medical Emergency31:10 Living With Writer Dystonia34:28 Why Neurology Felt Right38:49 Parkinson’s Patient Breakthrough44:09 Near-Death Pregnancy Complication46:55 Science Faith and Letting Go48:15 Closing Gratitude and TakeawaysAbout Dr. Neha Pandita Dr. Neha Pandita is a neurologist and movement disorder specialist based in India. She specialises in Parkinson's disease, dystonia, deep brain stimulation, and neurodegenerative disorders. She completed her MBBS, DNB, DM Neurology, and a fellowship in movement disorders, and has been practising for over fifteen years.Keywords: Deepinder Goyal Temple device, brain hacking India, neurologist reacts, Dr Neha Pandita, xMonks Drive, Gaurav Arora podcast, neurology India, Parkinson's disease India, deep brain stimulation explained, writer's dystonia, brain health tips, movement disorder specialist India, Zomato founder brain device, how the brain works, dopamine serotonin explained, Alzheimer's India, brain myths debunked, Indian podcast, motivation and the brain, Kashmiri Pandit story, Indian neurologist, DBS surgery explained, psychedelics and the brain, neuroplasticity explained, best Indian podcast 2025🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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The Malayali Bahu, 6 Languages & Everything She Won't Post Online | Satshya Tharien
Mar 1800:45:15Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a Malayali content creator marries into a Punjabi family, builds a following of 1.4 million across languages, shaves her head in Cambodia, and still can't say nahi nahi nahi properly?Satshya Tharien — journalist, strategist, 2x TEDx speaker and one of India's most distinctive voices online — sits down with executive coach Gaurav Arora for one of the most honest, funny and wide-ranging conversations we've had on xMonks Drive.From accidentally saying a bad word on camera in front of millions, to navigating a Punjabi sasural as a South Indian bahu, to why she will never put her daughter on the internet no matter how much it would boost her numbers — Satshya holds nothing back.They talk about what it really takes to build something by yourself, why feedback breaks you before it makes you, how language connects people at the heart and not just the head, and what becoming a mother does to the way you see yourself.This one will make you laugh, make you think, and maybe make you call your parents and speak to them in your mother tongue for once.In this episode:- How Satshya accidentally went viral teaching Hindi hacks during lockdown- Building discipline as a solo content creator with no team and no safety net- The Malayali-Punjabi culture clash nobody warned her about- Why she shaved her head in Cambodia and what it taught her about identity- The 6:30 AM lipstick comment that changed how she uses social media- Why she refuses to put her daughter online even though she knows it would blow up her numbers- What children of content creators are now saying about their childhoods- Regretting not speaking your mother tongue and trying to fix it for your daughter- The difference between feedback and noise — and how to stop internalising both- What language you think in when you're under pressure- What's next for Satshya beyond content creationChapters:00:00 Episode Trailer00:50 Handling Trolls Online01:21 Shaving Head Story01:49 Accidental Creator Journey03:55 Learning How To Learn04:23 Growing Up Multilingual05:21 Hindi Out Of Necessity07:06 Languages Build Connection08:36 Punjabi Malayalam Marriage11:39 Wedding Culture Differences14:48 Becoming A Parent17:32 Motherhood Identity Shift20:09 Passing Languages To Kids21:38 Roots And Belonging22:46 Mother Tongue Regrets25:01 Why Native Languages Matter25:41 Thinking in Emotions27:20 Content Mistakes and Laughs28:09 Chaat Masala Mispronunciation29:27 Shaving Head Identity Test30:36 Freedom From the Gaze33:25 Journalist to Creator Shift33:56 Discipline and Feedback Loops36:28 Comfort on Camera39:04 What Stays Off Reels41:36 Authenticity Boundaries43:56 Handling Hate Comments45:05 Closing ThanksKeywords: Satshya Tharien, xMonks Drive, Gaurav Arora, Indian content creator, multilingual India, South Indian in Delhi, Malayali Punjabi marriage, two states India, Indian podcast, Hindi learning, mother tongue India, regional languages India, content creation India, Instagram creator India, solo content creator, parenting online safety, children social media India, Indian women creators, identity crisis India, going viral India, TEDx India, executive coaching India, personal growth podcast India, Indian podcast Hindi, best Indian podcasts 2025, culture clash India, north south India marriage, Indian millennial podcast🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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Climbed Everest at 19. Betrayed at the 7th Summit. | Women's Day Special | Krushnaa Patil
Mar 601:14:50Tap to summarizeShe climbed Everest at 19 with no money, no permit, and no plan B. Krushnaa Patil is the youngest Indian woman to summit Mount Everest and one of only two Indians to attempt the Seven Summits — the seven highest peaks on seven continents. In this Women's Day Special episode of The xMonks Drive Podcast with Gaurav Arora, Krushnaa Patil shares her full story for the first time.From growing up trekking the Himalayas with her family to training as a classical dancer, from faking jaundice to sneak into a mountaineering course to fighting the Indian government, Bollywood celebrities, and a hostile expedition team just to raise ₹30 lakh for Everest — this is one of the most extraordinary journeys ever told on this podcast.Krushnaa Patil summited Everest on May 21, 2009 as part of the Eco Everest Expedition, becoming the youngest Indian woman to do so. She then completed the Seven Summits by climbing the highest peaks in Antarctica, South America, Europe, and Australia. But when she arrived at Denali — also known as Mount McKinley — in Alaska for her 7th and final summit, she was stopped 400 metres from the top and told she was the weakest member of the team. What happened next is a story of racism in mountaineering that she has never fully spoken about publicly.This episode covers:- Growing up in Pune and the Himalayas- Classical dance, yoga, Bharatanatyam and Kalari Payattu- NIM — the National Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi- The Vice-Principal who told her to go to Bollywood- The Satopanth expedition and how she fought to be on it- The letter from a friend that destroyed her plan to climb Everest with NIM- Raising ₹30 lakh with zero connections — from Vilasrao Deshmukh to Aamir Khan- Her father's secret loan and how Saraswat Bank waived it after her Everest summit- The death of a Sherpa during the Eco Everest Expedition 2009- Climbing buddy Henry's breakdown at Camp Two on Everest- The lightning storm on summit night that echoed the 1996 Everest tragedy- Standing in the shadow of Everest at the South Summit- What Krushnaa Patil felt at the top of the world — shoonya- The racism in mountaineering she faced at Denali Mount McKinley- Why she considers the Seven Summits done and dusted anyway- What it really takes to climb Everest as a young Indian woman with no resourcesTimestamps:00:00 Everest First Impressions00:25 Setbacks And Doubts01:43 Rihanna And Big Dreams03:28 First Peaks And Destiny06:53 Getting On Satopanth11:04 Sickness And Team Role17:33 Betrayal Letter Fallout21:23 Raising Everest Funds26:54 Father Loan Twist36:40 Everest Summit Strategy38:50 Altitude Body Basics39:29 Death At Base Camp40:57 Buddy System Setup42:53 Henry Altitude Crisis45:35 Eco Everest And Spirits46:38 Oxygen And Summit Night48:45 Lightning And Ridge Lights53:34 South Summit Sunrise56:39 Summit Mindset Shift01:01:41 Descent Risks And Bodies01:04:26 Denali Summit Denied01:11:06 Racism Aftermath ClosingIf this episode moved you, please like, share and subscribe. Drop a comment below telling us what part of Krushnaa Patil's story hit you the hardest. And if you're watching this around Women's Day — share it with every woman in your life who needs to hear this story.🔗 Connect with us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrvInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrvSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334Website: https://xmonks.com
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