On a Journey

The district of Bhiwani in Haryana is called ‘mini Cuba’ owing to the number of boxers and wrestlers who come out of the region. Why is that though? Why Bhiwani. Vikas Krishnan says his people take up boxing so they get a job, when the soil isn’t fertile, children learn to fight for their livelihood.

In this episode, Boxer Vikas Krishnan speaks to us about his journey from a village in Haryana to now his 3rd time at the Olympics at Tokyo in July 2021.

Back in childhood, every little fight could be solved with a friendly (or not) game of panja. When we think of combat sports, at least in India, arm wrestling is probably the most popular one. Here’s Parvin Dabas, actor from the Khosla ka Ghosla fame, and Founder of the Pro Panja League who’s re-popularising the sport to reach the masses.

In this episode, Parvin talks about his journey from being an actor to launching a sports league, the MMA scene in the country, and the future of combat sports with arm wrestling.

Have you been one of those who compare Indian Olympic performances with those of countries like China, the US, and Russia? Do you talk about how we could do just as well if a developing country like India had better facilities? Here’s Manisha Malhota, Head of Sports Excellence & Scouting at JSW Sports, who’s changing this conversation by leading an institute that grooms athletes to get the medals we’ve all been waiting for.

In this episode, Manisha talks about building the Inspire Institute of Sports, the future of Olympic sports in India, and the preparedness of Indian athletes for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

You’re watching motorsports and one car zooms past the rest, you’re rooting for the driver but who do you think is behind the wheel? One of the most powerful takeaways you’ll get from this episode is that the car sees no gender and the story of Mira Erda, Red Bull Athlete and India’s foremost female Formula 4 racer, is a testimony to that.

In this episode, Mira talks about beginning her professional career at the age of 9 and winning over men twice her age to carve a track that’s all her own.

In this 2 part episode, Vineet chats with Dipali Goenka - CEO and Joint MD of the Welspun group about Welspun’s effort in promoting women athletes through the Welspun Foundation. Vineet is also joined by Suvarna Raj - India’s premier para athlete and Shivani Charak, a leading sports climber from India, about their journey and the importance of education and empowerment needed to support sportswomen in the country.

In this 2 part episode, Vineet chats with Dipali Goenka - CEO and Joint MD of the Welspun group about Welspun’s effort in promoting women athletes through the Welspun Foundation. Vineet is also joined by Suvarna Raj - India’s premier para athlete and Shivani Charak, a leading sports climber from India, about their journey and the importance of education and empowerment needed to support sportswomen in the country.

From bunking school to watch a cricket match on cable TV to watching it online at your own convenience, sports broadcasting has come a long way. As the access and consumption of sports becomes deeper, there's a platform that takes the experience a step further, FanCode, which has created a holistic platform that personalises the sporting experience with interactive live streaming, in-depth live commentary, fastest interactive live scores, and fantasy sports data and statistics -  not just for cricket but for football, basketball, football, and rugby.

In this episode, Prasana Krishnan, Co-founder of FanCode, talks about the journey of sports broadcasting in the country and its future with new sports leagues for the Indian audience.

It was in 2000 when Imtiaz Anees went to compete at the Olympics in the equestrian category and for 20 years India didn’t see any more qualifiers. Until 2020, when 27-year-old Fouaad Mirza qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the third Indian to have qualified for the prestigious international event. With a double medal at the Asian Games and an Arjuna Award, Fouaad’s story is as interesting as it gets.

In this episode, Fouaad talks about his life with the horses, his journey towards becoming an Olympian, and the future of the sport in India.

Think back to your school days, did you have a basketball court? Most likely, you did. Most of us have played the sport at least a couple of times but the only champions from India who have made it to an NBA professional season are Satnam Singh, Amjyot Singh, Palpreet Singh, and Princepal Singh. As the global phenomenon of basketball takes over on a global level, Scott Levy, Executive VP and Managing Director at NBA Asia has it in his hands to make the most of the talent in the continent.

In this episode, Scott speaks about his journey of setting up a base for the game in Asia and the efforts the federation is making to nurture the game in India, from cities to the grassroots level.

What do wrestler Geeta Phogat, boxer MC Mary Kom, and basketball player Satnam Singh have in common? Their sporting prowess and origin from the grassroots of Indian towns and villages. With the diversity that India breathes, sports as a category will only grow when sports education reaches all corners of the country. That is exactly what Neelam Babardesai, Head of Sports at Tata Trusts, has been doing for many years.

In this episode, Neelam talks about creating a structured sporting curriculum that works across India and its impact on the players that will come out of the next generation in India.

Beyond the skill and entertainment of the sport, tennis brings with itself a rich culture and history. Rohan Bopanna is one of the notable tennis players representing this culture internationally on behalf of India today. With the grand slam that he's brought to the country, Rohan is also contributing to the sport with the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy.

In this episode, Rohan talks about his journey of becoming an international tennis player and what it'll take to produce more successful sportspeople from India.

One of the biggest celebrity influencers of India, Kareena Kapoor, had very vocally stayed away from Instagram, until she dropped her official page earlier last year on the platform as the official ambassador of Puma. Virat Kohli, arguably the biggest sports influencer of the country, launched a sportswear brand, One8, with Puma. Sunil Chhetri, Mary Kom, Mumbai City FC - sports and brand associations go hand in hand.

In this episode, Abhishek Ganguly, MD Puma India, talks about the relevance of brand associations in the sporting world and his journey of making Puma the #1 sports brand in India.

It’s the 90s. You’ve been waiting for the cricket match to start, tuning the television to Doordarshan, praying that the electricity doesn’t go out. The match begins and there it is, a voice that stands out of the roaring cheer for the pull that Sachin just hit on the shot ball -  “That’s a big hit!”. That’s Charu Sharma for you, iconic, irreplaceable, unmatched.

This episode talks about his journey of making a space for himself in the world of sports, elevating the cricket experience with his voice, and his entrepreneurial journey as the Founder of the Pro Kabaddi League.

The life of a creator is made in the choices they make on their journey. The little battles they champion on their ride from the gully to the pitch, from the slip to the slam dunk, from the wheelchair to the race track, and from knock-outs to chicken dinner.

There’s a teenager who battled cancer to climb every mountain there is, an entrepreneur who cracked the code to monetise a mid-series ad spot, and a gamer who showed the world that the web was just as good a space for you to be a gamechanger.

From the market field to the sports rink, here’s our tribute to the players, to the coaches, the sponsors, the advertisers, the leaders, the viewers, the gamers, and the champions who make the world of sports the biggest community there is in the world.

Let’s get to know their stories. Presenting, The Sports Edit, the second season of On a journey with WeWork.

Where organisations around the world work towards making workplaces inclusive and equal, there is still much to be done to help more women make it to global leadership positions. Ragini Das and Anand Sinha, Founders at the Leap.Club have created network exclusively for women, where their ambitions are supported and they are coached to get ahead in their careers.

In this episode, we talk to Ragini and Anand about their journey of understanding the specific needs of women professionals, and creating a network that uplifts all.

While the world perceives Italian leather as being the best quality, Nappa Dori is changing the narrative by popularising goods made of fine Indian leather. From being a student at NIFT to being a global fashion entrepreneur, Gautam Sinha, Founder and Creative Director of Nappa Dori, shows the world the importance of chasing your calling.

In this episode, we talk about Gautum’s journey of becoming an entrepreneur, finding the right aesthetic for a global audience, and taking Indian craftsmanship to the world.

For the advantage that India has in the cultivation and usage of the Hemp crop, it has largely perceived Hemp with a stigma of being the source of the intoxicating cannabis. The Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) is working to change this narrative with its line of textiles and food products that give a renewed livelihood to farmers and a sustainable lifestyle to their consumers.

In this episode, we speak to Chirag Tekchandaney, Co-founder of BOHECO, about leading a shift in the perception of Hemp, the science behind hemp cultivation, and the future of the industry.

Riyaaz found that the entertainment industry in India was centred around socialisation and food, and he made the big move to open up India’s first homegrown cafe, Mocha. From one restaurant in Mumbai to now some of the biggest cafe chains in India, like SOCIAL, Smoke House Deli, Ishaara, and Prithvi Cafe, Riyaaz has defined the culture of contemporary India with his dining experiences.

In this episode, we’re talking to Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD of Impressario Handmade Restaurants about his journey of establishing 59 restaurants across 15 cities in India, each with a unique identity of its own.

Pernia Qureshi started her career with global fashion publications across New York and Delhi and quickly made her own unique identity in the global fashion industry with her store, Pernia’s Pop Up Shop. From India’s first luxury e-commerce website to now leading in the sustainable and organic sector with Gur Organics, Pernia has cracked the code to finding your creative calling and staying ahead of the crowd.

In this episode, we’re talking to Pernia Qureshi about being a fashion entrepreneur, her love for the Kuchipudi dance form, and finding a creative balance as a businessperson.

Anand Virmani’s entrepreneurial journey has taken him from a corporate consulting job to becoming India’s first craft gin maker. Where most people in the country were interested whiskey, wine, and rum, Anand tapped a real gap in the market to create come a London dry gin, ‘Greater Than’, and then a Himalayan dry gin, ‘Hapusa’.

In this episode, we’re talking to Anand about grabbing onto an idea, starting up in the alco-bev industry, and finding the right gin recipe for the Indian consumer.

Amuleek Singh Bijral, CEO and Co-founder of Chai Point is one of the biggest game-changers of the recent times. With one of the biggest tea cafe chains in the country, Chai Point has changed the way India consumes tea.

In this episode, Vineet Singh, Head of Marketing at WeWork India, talks to Amuleek about taking Indians from a ‘chai tapri’ to a tea cafe with his journey of conceptualising and innovating to make Chai Point what it is today.

This is our tribute to The Journey. The journey of an idea that becomes an experience. The journey of an experience that transforms us. And the journey of each one of us who becomes a game changer. 

Let’s take you on a journey with the world’s most inspiring creators. Presenting, ‘On a journey’, a podcast series created by WeWork.