Conversations Amplified

What does it take to run the infrastructure that millions of people depend on every single day? In this episode of Conversations Amplified, I sit down with Mallik Rao, one of the key leaders behind Germany’s telecommunications backbone. From managing large-scale networks to navigating the future of 5G and AI, Mallik shares what it really means to operate at massive scale. We go beyond telecom—and dive into systems thinking, leadership under pressure, and how technology is shaping the future of everything around us. What we cover in this episode: What a CTO actually does at a national scale Lessons from managing complex, mission-critical systems The reality behind 5G and evolution of 6G How AI is transforming telecom and infrastructure Decision-making under pressure and leading high-performance teams The difference between startup thinking vs enterprise thinking Advice for young professionals in tech Why you should watch this: If you're: Building in tech or AI Curious about how large-scale systems work Interested in leadership and decision-making at the highest level This episode will give you practical insights you won’t hear in typical startup conversations. #Podcast #Technology #AI #5G #Telecom #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #FutureOfTech #ConversationsAmplified

In this episode I talk to Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of Prism. We delve deeper into the rebranding to Prism, challenges faced, why acquire vs build another brand abroad and the thinking behind the M&A process. Ritesh also highlights his vision for Prism and the road ahead.

In this episode, I had the absolute honour of sitting down with Subroto Bagchi, co-founder of Mindtree and former Chairman of the Odisha Skill Development Authority. What started with a simple email turned into one of the most insightful conversations of my journey so far — recorded at his residence. Over the course of just over an hour, we explored a wide range of topics, including: The future of skill development in India and Mr Bagchi's work in Odisha Lessons in humility and grounded leadership Building institutions that outlast individuals Access to information and how it can break boundaries Preparing for the India of the future Mr. Bagchi’s wisdom and humility made this conversation a true eye-opener, and I hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me.

In this episode, I talk to mental health professional and an ICF certified coach, Mrs Lakshmi Acharya. She holds a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology, currently heads the Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Azim Premji University and is a consultant to various large corporates. We talk about what mental health is, how individuals can start becoming more self aware, can mental health be Inherited and also about actionable steps to improve your mental health.

In this conversation, I talk to a former three-star General of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Arjun Ray. Under his command, the Indian Army started operation Sadbhavana to bring peace to the Valley of Ladakh and twenty four years later, his choice of choosing education over guns has resulted in lasting peace throughout Ladakh. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for his outstanding contributions to the Indian Army. In his second calling, he now runs the Indus trust that was one of the pioneers of international education in India. Under his leadership, the Indus International School, Bangalore was ranked the number one international school in India. He is also the author of three books, the most recent one titled 'Peace is Everybody's Business- A Strategy for Conflict Prevention'. Throughout the conversation, we cover everything right from his military days, how wars can be won and the future of education.

On today's show, we have someone who I’ve had the privilege of being able to call a mentor, friend and most importantly, a guiding force throughout my relatively short career. With over three decades of executive experience, he rose from the ranks of a manager at Maruti Suzuki to the CEO & MD of Greaves Cotton, handling business volumes of over 1600 crores and directly managing over 150+ employees during his time there. In his own words, turning around companies and ensuring their profitability is his passion and something he does for a living. Listen in to find out more about growth, leadership and the key to continued growth and success