Podcast · Learning

Courage Talks

by Hetal Sonpal · English · Learning

Inspired by my father's acts of courage in his biography, ⁠Against All Odds⁠, I am inviting guests on my first-ever podcast to talk about their experience with courage. Hear from them about their stories of courage and moments in their personal and professional life that brought out the best in the

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 4 min
Latest: 11 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

11 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

Wake Up to Die Again - Courage Talks S15E4 - Scott Lackey

𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 🎙️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 | 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟱𝗘𝟰 Scott Lackey’s life has been marked by what he calls “lightning strikes”, those sudden, forceful moments that strip away certainty and force a deeper reckoning. He served eight years in the U.S. Army, including tours during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He built inventions out of necessity in the desert, later patented products that attracted millions in funding, only to lose control of what he created. He acquired and grew multiple businesses through the 2008 economic crisis, then sold them. He trained for and finished an…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S15 · E3 · 4 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 27 min
Courage Talks S15E3 Jeremy Howard
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟱𝗘𝟯 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲. This week’s guest is Jeremy Howard, an endurance coach with 20+ years of experience who has guided athletes from youth swimming all the way to Ultraman World Championships, Olympic Trials, and professional triathlon. Jeremy holds degrees in English and History from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Education from Sacred Heart University. His athletes include Ultraman World champions, Ironman and 70.3 World Championship qualifiers, and pioneers such as the first Indian-born athlete to finish the Ultraman World Championships and one of only four people…
S15 · E2 · 26 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Courage Talks S15E2 Luke Mathews
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟱𝗘𝟮 | 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 Luke Mathews was once called the “Boy Wonder” of triathlon. Humble, positive, ridiculously fast. Multiple Kona qualifications. Podiums. The kind of athlete who made the hard look easy. Then in 2017, on a flight back from visiting family in Zambia, everything changed. 𝘈 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦-𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴. • Three major surgeries in Nairobi. • Half his large intestine was removed. • His spleen was removed. • His body weight dropped from 75 kg to 64 kg. Doctors later told him that without his fitness level, he would have come back in a coffin. In this…
S15 · E1 · 20 Sep 2026 · 52 min
Climb Mount Everest in 9hrs 55 mins? - Tyler Andrews
𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗯 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟵 𝗵𝗿𝘀 𝟱𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀?? 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟱𝗘𝟭 is Here!!! This episode features Tyler Andrews, a La Sportiva athlete, founder of the Chaski Foundation, and one of the most complete endurance athletes of his generation. From a high school kid running 18:30 for 5K to standing on the summit of the world’s highest mountain in record time, Ty’s path has been anything but linear. After years of road racing, Olympic Trials qualifications, a World Championship silver medal, and a US 50-mile national title, he turned to mountaineering and began rewriting the record books. 𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀…
S14 · E6 · 13 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Courage Talks S14E6 - Vineet Buch
🎙️ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟰𝗘𝟲 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! This one is really special. Among all his achievements, what's special about the guest is that he is my senior from school, and I have fond memories of him, especially since he was also the school captain, among many other achievements. I’m thrilled to share this powerful conversation with Vineet Buch, Partner at Firebolt Ventures, former Product Director at Google (Shopping & Play), and co-founder of Like.com (acquired by Google). 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: • Secured All-India Rank 1 in the IIT-JEE • Studied Computer Science at IIT Kanpur…
S14 · E5 · 6 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Courage Talks S14E5 Ninad Vengurlekar
🚀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟰𝗘𝟱 𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗿, builder of products that reached millions of Indians on feature phones long before smartphones became common. Founder who was told he was “an ideas guy who would fail as an entrepreneur”, and still walked away from a stable career to prove otherwise. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀, 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: • The quiet courage of leaving a secure path when everyone warned him he would fail • Building English Seekho and Sparsh, some of the earliest mobile learning products in India that generated millions of paid subscriptions on basic…
S14 · E4 · 30 Aug 2026 · 58 min
Courage Talks S14E4 Nitin Gupta
🎙️ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟰𝗘𝟰 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! In this powerful episode, I talk with Nitin Gupta, Global CEO and ED, STEER World, a leader whose journey is pure grit, resilience, and courage. • 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘰𝘯𝘦-𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘖𝘊𝘓 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘢 (𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯)... • 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘒𝘙𝘌𝘊 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘬𝘢𝘭... • 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘋𝘈 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥... • 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘛 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨... • 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴... • 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴,…
S14 · E3 · 24 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Courage Talks S14E3 - Dr Niranjan Seshadri
I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Niranjan Seshadri, MD, JD — a rare blend of interventional cardiologist, healthcare entrepreneur, legal expert, and thought leader at the intersection of medicine, AI, and human empathy. He's trained at the Cleveland Clinic and Harvard Medical School, with a JD from Georgetown and an LL.M. from UC Berkeley specialising in AI and Technology Law. Dr. Seshadri is Co-Founder & CEO of HelixaHealth.ai and Nectara.ai. He is also co-author of the upcoming book “Lead with Empathy” alongside negotiation legend Chris Voss, and author of Himalayan Tsunami. In…
S14 · E2 · 17 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Courage Talks S14E2 - Heidi Neck
𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟰 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁. Heidi Neck is one of the most recognised names in entrepreneurship education in the world. She holds the Jeffry Timmons Chair at Babson College, is the Academic Director of the Babson Academy, and has spent decades reshaping how entrepreneurship is taught globally. She founded the Babson Collaborative, a membership organisation for universities seeking to build their entrepreneurship capability. She has led the Price-Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators since 2008 (which I had the opportunity…
S14 · E1 · 9 Aug 2026 · 53 min
Courage Talks S14E1 - Vikram Mohan
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟰, 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗻 Vikram is the Chairman of Pricol Group and Managing Director of Pricol Limited, a second-generation leader who has steered the Group into a diversified enterprise with revenues close to ₹5,000 crores and a team of over 9,000 people. With more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, he has founded and scaled over ten companies across automotive technology, precision engineering, defence & railway applications, industrial packaging, logistics, travel, real estate, and hospitality. Since taking the helm at Pricol Limited in 2011, he…
S13 · E6 · 2 Aug 2026 · 56 min
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟯𝗘𝟲 Kaamya Karthikeyan
Meet Kaamya Karthikeyan, an 18-year-old mountaineering prodigy, polar explorer, TED speaker, and living proof that age is no barrier to extraordinary courage. At just 17, she became the youngest female in the world to complete the Seven Summits Challenge, standing on the highest peak of every continent, including Everest and Vinson Massif in Antarctica. On 27 December 2025, she skied to the South Pole, becoming the youngest Indian and second-youngest female in the world to do so. 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 “𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁” 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀: • Youngest Indian girl to summit Everest from the Nepal side (16)…
S13 · E5 · 25 Jul 2026 · 8 min
Courage Talks S13E5 - Varun Sawant
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟯𝗘𝟱 — 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 Diagnosed with Autism at just two-and-a-half, Varun spent his early years navigating therapies and finding his voice. Today, he is a man of few words, but his actions speak volumes. From pursuing his first dream of becoming a chef and building Varun’s Bake n Flake, to discovering the transformative power of long-distance running in 2016, Varun has consistently redefined what is possible. 𝙄𝙣 2020, 𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝘼𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙣. Since then, he has taken on some of India’s toughest endurance…
S13 · E4 · 19 Jul 2026 · 26 min
Courage Talks S13E4 Vishwanath Karthikey
🎙️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 | 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟯𝗘𝟰 At just 16, Padakanti Vishwanath Karthikey from Hyderabad became the youngest Indian and the second youngest in the world to complete the legendary Seven Summits Challenge: summiting the highest peak on every continent, including Mount Everest on 27 May 2025. From his first glacier trek at age 11 to standing on top of the world while balancing school, this young mountaineer’s story is a masterclass in courage, discipline, curiosity, and what’s possible when you refuse to let age or doubt define your limits. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗸…
S13 · E1 · 12 Jul 2026 · 42 min
Courage Talks S13E3 Jahnavi Dangeti
🚀 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟯𝗘𝟯 – 𝗝𝗮𝗵𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗔 & 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 – 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘂𝘁! 🌌 What does it take for a young woman from a small town in Andhra Pradesh to train like an astronaut at NASA facilities, become the first Indian to complete AEXA’s International Air & Space Program, and set her sights on being among the first Indians on Mars? Meet Jahnavi Dangeti – Analog Astronaut, Scientist-Astronaut Candidate, advanced scuba diver, TEDx speaker, and unstoppable STEM force. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲, 𝗝𝗮𝗵𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: • Becoming the first…
S13 · E1 · 4 Jul 2026 · 47 min
Courage Talks S13E2 Anshuman Jhingran
🌊 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟯𝗘𝟮 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! Meet Anshuman Jhingran, one of India’s most extraordinary young athletes and an open-water swimming prodigy who is rewriting what’s possible. Born in Delhi and raised in Mumbai, Anshuman went from being a national-level pool swimmer (bronze medalist & Singapore Nationals competitor) to conquering some of the world’s most dangerous channels. A cycling accident during lockdown that left him with a broken hand and multiple surgeries became the unexpected catalyst for his ultra-endurance journey. • At just 18, he became the Youngest Person in the World to swim…
S13 · E1 · 27 Jun 2026 · 46 min
Courage Talks S13E1 - Renee Noronha
🎙️ Courage Talks S13E1 - Young Achiever’s Special is NOW LIVE! In this powerful opening episode of Season 13, I sat down with Renee Noronha, the 20-year-old endurance athlete who has become the Youngest Indian Female to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, and is on a mission to become the youngest woman in the world to finish an IRONMAN on all six continents. From training 8 hours a day as an elite artistic gymnast to switching gears at 16 with zero swimming or cycling background… to crossing the finish line in New Zealand at just 18 and hearing “You are an Ironman”, Renee’s…
S12 · E6 · 20 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Courage Talks S12E6 Munish Jauhar
🚀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Munish Jauhar, a powerhouse entrepreneur, prolific angel investor, ultra-runner, and one of the most thoughtful leaders I know. Munish is the Founder & CEO of GrayCell Technologies, an award-winning digital agency, and through GrayCell Ventures, he has invested in 120+ startups. Former Chair of NASSCOM Chandigarh & Punjab, Past President of TiE Chandigarh, and a man who brings the same discipline and depth to ultra-running as he does to building businesses. 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼: • The heartbreak of…
S12 · E5 · 13 Jun 2026 · 54 min
Courage Talks S12E5 Kim Levinsky
🎙️ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟮 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟱 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! From college athlete (basketball & softball) to ultrarunner, race director, and mental health advocate, this episode is a powerful reminder that the trails can heal, connect, and transform us. Meet Kim Levinsky Founder & Trail Party Director of Sassquad Trail Running (New Jersey) | Ultrarunner | FKT Holder Kim turned her love for running into a mission: building an inclusive, welcoming trail community where everyone, regardless of pace, background, or experience, feels they belong. Her journey includes: Founding Sassquad Trail Running in 2018…
S12 · E4 · 7 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 32 min
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟰 Dr Rajat Chauhan
What if the man who has run 150+ marathons over 40 years also happens to be one of India’s leading Sports & Exercise Medicine doctors, and has spent his life proving that running doesn’t destroy your knees, it actually heals and strengthens you? 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 Dr Rajat Chauhan — 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗿𝗮-𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲. A true pioneer who brings a rare 360-degree perspective: • 40 years as a competitive runner with 150+ marathons • Founder & Race Director of La Ultra – The High, coaching athletes for the insane 555 km category in Ladakh’s extreme…
S12 · E3 · 31 May 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟯 - 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻
Very excited to share that Lisa Smith-Batchen, one of the most accomplished and inspiring ultrarunners in the world, is the guest on the latest episode of Courage Talks! 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆: • First American woman to win the Marathon des Sables, a gruelling 150-mile, multi-stage race across the Sahara Desert • Two-time winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon (135 miles through Death Valley in extreme heat) • The only person to complete the Badwater Quad, 584 miles • The first and only person to run 50 miles in all 50 states in just 62 days as part of her…
S12 · E2 · 24 May 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
Courage Talks S12E2 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗼
From surviving a stroke at 26 and a crushed foot at 45… to becoming a 17-time HURT 100 finisher and one of the toughest race directors in the Mid-Atlantic. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘀, Veteran Ultramarathoner, Race Director, Stay-at-Home Dad turned Trail Running Legend, and Founder of Athletic Equation & WV Trail Fest. Born into a family of refugees from the Greek and Armenian Genocides, Alex grew up as an expat kid in the Middle East. He left home at 14 for boarding school, built a career in Chemical Engineering with the Marine Corps, then made one of the bravest pivots of all, becoming a…
S12 · E1 · 16 May 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟮𝗘𝟭: Mihika Wahi Gupta
Mihika is the founder of Mission Healthy with Mihika, a women-focused fitness academy, an ultra-marathon runner, and a hybrid athlete. She describes her younger self as a "jack of all sports, master of none", someone who simply loved to move. Like many women, life gradually pulled her away from fitness: marriage, children, work, and the weight of daily responsibilities. But the spark never truly faded. She returned through yoga, then running, and has since completed some of India's most demanding endurance races: • 50 km Malnad ultra-marathon, • 56 km trail run, • 210 km intercity run from…
S11 · E6 · 9 May 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Courage Talks S11E6 Devi Mani
Most mental health platforms in India are built for the West and shipped here. Devi built Skooc because she believed India deserved something that understood its silences, its pressures, and its culture. With a background spanning GE, IBM, Target, and HP, she brings a rare combination of enterprise rigour and genuine clinical thinking to one of the most underfunded spaces in the country. Skooc is a full-stack behavioural intelligence and change system that works with schools, colleges, and corporates. At its core is an AI-powered system that triages every conversation in real time, deploys…
S11 · E5 · 1 May 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟭𝗘𝟱: Gopika Kapoor
Gopika Kapoor is a bestselling author, neurodiversity advocate, autism consultant, and one of India’s most compassionate voices on parenting, inclusion, and acceptance. Gopika’s journey is deeply personal and courageous.From beginning her career as a journalist, to navigating her son Vir’s autism diagnosis in 2008, to transforming pain into purpose by supporting hundreds of families, she has turned one family’s challenge into a movement of hope and dignity. She spent over a decade at Ummeed Child Development Centre as a therapist, trainer, and mentor, working closely with 400+ families and…
S11 · E4 · 24 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
Courage Talks S11E4 - Pooja Sharma Goyal
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟭𝗘𝟰: Pooja Sharma Goyal, Founding CEO of The Udaiti Foundation, serial entrepreneur, and one of India's leading voices on women's economic empowerment. Pooja's journey is anything but linear. From building and shutting down a Bay Area startup during the dot-com crash, to pursuing her MBA at INSEAD as a deliberate reframe (not a reset), to returning to India in 2007, not for a job, but for family, and turning that vulnerability into Intellitots, later acquired by KLAY. She…
S11 · E3 · 18 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Courage Talks S11E3 Prof Ashish Kaul
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟭, 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟯 - 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗞𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! Excited to host Prof. Ashish Kaul, Professor of Marketing & Digital Marketing, Brand Engineer, Strategist, Coach, Writer, Speaker, and passionate Mountaineer. With nearly 30 years of rich corporate experience, Prof. Kaul has shaped brands and strategies at some of the finest organizations including FCB, Lowe Lintas, McCann Erickson, Nielsen, Bharti Airtel, ICICI, Eicher, and Royal Enfield. He has led marketing and strategy functions across B2B & B2C categories and has also served as a Fractional CMO for an FMCG company.…
S11 · E2 · 11 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
Courage Talks S11E2 Ashiish V Patil
🎙️ 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝟭𝟭𝗘𝟮 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗩 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹 This episode features a powerhouse conversation with Ashiish V. Patil, a celebrated storyteller and creative mind in Media & Entertainment. With 30+ years of experience, Ashiish has shaped culture through bold, heart-touching stories that make people feel, laugh, cry, think, and act. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆: • 𝗘𝘅-𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗧𝗩 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 – Rebooted youth culture with blockbuster shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla, Bakra, and MTV Music Awards • 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀, 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝗷 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺𝘀. Worked with superstars like…
S11 · E1 · 3 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 21 min
Courage Talks S11E1- Dhurv Agarwalla
🚀 Courage Talks Season 11 Episode 1 is now LIVE! Excited to kick off Season 11 with Dhruv Agarwalla, Co-founder & former Group CEO of REA India (Housing.com, Makaan.com & PropTiger.com).In this powerful conversation, Dhruv shares the real courage behind building and scaling one of India’s biggest prop-tech empires. Here’s what you can expect: The bold calls that shaped a category leader Navigating massive market shifts and tough decisions Leadership lessons from 14 years at the helm The lonely side of building at scale — and what it really takes If you’re an entrepreneur, founder, or leader…
S10 · E6 · 27 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Courage Talks S10E6 - Aarathi Swaminathan
🎙️ Courage Talks Season 10 Episode 6 is Aarathi Swaminathan She quit a 13-year corporate fashion design career to chase an Olympic dream she once thought was lost… and became the 1st Vegan Female IRONMAN of India . Meet Aarathi Swaminathan IRONMAN Certified Coach | Deputy Race Director – IRONMAN India & IRONKIDS India | Athlete Services Director – HYROX India & YOSKA Technology Solutions From a silver & bronze medalist in state & national track & field to transforming from 85+ kg (junk food era) to a lean, strong 60 kg endurance athlete, Aarathi’s journey has been amazing. Her remarkable…
S10 · E5 · 21 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Courage Talks S10E5 - Gaurav Pant
🎙️ Courage Talks Season 10 Episode 5 From leading high-stakes operations at one of the world’s most respected education organisations to conquering some of India’s toughest ultras, this episode is pure proof that leadership and endurance are the same game . Meet Gaurav Pant Senior Director – India Operations, Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) | Ex-Citibank & Fullerton India | Certified Marathon Coach (REVO₂LUTION / ISSA) In 2014, inspired by Mumbai’s running culture and the Tata Mumbai Marathon, Gaurav started running as simple “ME TIME”. What began as fitness quietly became his…

About Courage Talks

Courage Talks is a English learning podcast from Hetal Sonpal. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Hetal Sonpal
Language: English
Category: Learning
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 4 min
Latest episode: 11 Oct 2026
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Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1702303750
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