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What if the forest is speaking and we’ve simply been listening at the wrong frequency? We sit down with engineer-turned-conservationist Seema Lokhandwala, whose team built an AI system that detects infrasonic elephant rumbles to prevent deadly human–elephant encounters. The story winds from a childhood spark to field-tested tech, revealing how empathy, culture, and careful design can turn code into a life-saving early warning.

Seema pulls back the curtain on how elephants communicate: low-frequency rumbles beneath human hearing, rich with meaning when paired with body language and context. We talk about the hard parts, data scarcity, false positives in a world where trucks, planes, and wind live in the same frequency band, and the relentless need to earn community trust. She explains herd dynamics, “let’s go” rumbles, and why individual vocal signatures matter for understanding identity and intent. Along the way, we explore the ethics of anthropomorphism, acknowledging the compassion we see without forcing human motives onto wild minds.

The conversation tackles the realities on the ground: 600 humans and 100 elephants lost annually in India, families reshaping evenings around the risk of crop raids, and communities that still hold deep reverence for elephants as sacred. Seema argues that technology should be a support system, not a replacement for culture or local wisdom. We examine adaptation on all sides, elephants learning deterrents, humans changing tactics, and models retrained to stay one step ahead. Climate stress enters the frame through physiology and seasonality, with a candid look at why multi-decade datasets are essential and so rare.

Seema’s utopian vision is disarmingly simple: people sleep peacefully because an alert arrived early and a gentle deterrent quietly redirected a herd. No heroics, just fewer tragedies. She shares how she channels anxiety into persistence and why passion is built by doing the work, not waiting for a calling to appear. If you care about conservation technology, animal behavior, AI ethics, or how communities and wildlife can share a changing landscape, this is a grounded, hopeful listen.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves animals and tech, and leave a review so more curious minds can find it. Your thoughts shape future episodes; what should we listen to next?

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A single moment split his life in two: before the heart attack and after the surgery. What followed wasn’t a retreat into caution but a deliberate climb from base zero, two minutes at a time, toward a finish line he couldn’t yet see. We sit down with Dhananjay Yellurkar to unpack how a non-athlete became a seven-continent marathoner by swapping fear for disciplined patience and trading shortcuts for rituals that actually work.

We explore the early days of cardiac rehab, where trust in the body had to be earned slowly and safely. Dhananjay shares how he used heart-rate caps, weekly check-ins, and incremental mileage to rebuild confidence without recklessness. The first unsupported run at dawn, no nurses, no machines, brought fragility into focus, but community and a supportive partner kept the plan intact. Within six months, he crossed a half marathon finish line. Less than a year later, he trained methodically for the New York City Marathon with a 20-week plan, pre-dawn long runs through Mumbai heat and monsoon, and a commitment to show up at work as if the miles didn’t exist.

The conversation moves beyond running. We connect endurance training to life: focus over frenzy, consistency over novelty, depth over dabbling. Dhananjay’s simple system- sleep by ten, wake at five, mostly home-cooked food, hydration, portion control, light strength work, and four weekly runs-became a durable identity. He explains how mindset and preparation carried him through extremes like Antarctica and the Big Five Marathon, where flexibility and pacing trumped ego. We also open his 'emotional first aid box,' a small toolkit of music and pet memories that restores calm when motivation thins, and we frame recovery as trauma-informed rather than trauma-driven.

If you’re rebuilding after a setback, or just trying to create a steadier life, this story offers a blueprint: start from your real baseline, go slowly, respect the data, and let consistency do the heavy lifting. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs hope, and leave a review telling us the one habit you’ll commit to this week.

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What happens when we slow down enough to truly listen to ourselves? In our chaotic, fast-paced world, the simple act of putting pen to paper has become a revolutionary form of self-care.

Gunjan Adya, founder of Tula Journey and recipient of the Vogue Wellness Award, joins me to explore how journaling can become a gateway to deeper self-understanding. Her journey began unexpectedly when she trained as an art therapist and discovered the transformative power of creative expression. As an empty nester searching for meaning, Gunjan created beautiful journals that merge functionality with artistic design - because as she notes, "I personally do judge a book by its cover."

We delve into Tula's immersive workshops, including the meditative practice of mindful tea drinking, where participants observe brewing leaves and changing colors as a form of presence training. The conversation flows into how our relationship with our cultural roots is evolving, as many Indians rediscover the wisdom and traditions that were once dismissed in favour of Western approaches.

Perhaps the most powerful segment is our discussion about vulnerability. Gunjan shares how workshop participants physically shake when asked to write down their fears, while I explain the psychology behind this resistance - writing something makes it concrete and real. We explore how men are reconnecting with their creative expression after decades of emotional suppression, and the beautiful changes happening as more fathers engage in childcare and rediscover play.

Join us for this gentle reminder that in a world obsessed with speed, slowing down might be the most revolutionary act of self-care.

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