Being a Leader — In Conversation with Dr Tathagat Varma Hosted by Raghavendra Mithare, PCC What does it mean to lead from the inside out, when the world around you is in constant flux? In this reflective conversation, Dr Tathagat Varma traces a journey shaped by continents crossed, disciplines bridged, and a remarkable expedition to Antarctica.

Together, we explore how formative experiences, from childhood curiosity to confronting the edges of the known world, quietly build the foundations of who we become as leaders. The conversation moves through the terrain of resilience, decision-making under uncertainty, purposeful growth, and the inner compass that keeps us anchored when external certainty runs out. Dr Varma's stories carry something rare: the kind of wisdom that is lived, not borrowed. Life doesn't just happen to leaders. It shapes them. The question is whether we are paying attention.

I learned a great deal in this conversation. One phrase in particular stayed with me: "Deserve before you desire." Simple, but it reframes everything about how we show up as leaders. We also explored what it means to lead from not-knowing, holding ambiguity not as a weakness but as an invitation to stay curious and stay honest. A thoughtful conversation for leaders, professionals, and anyone on the journey of understanding how life, in all its complexity, shapes the people we are becoming.

I hope you enjoy it.

In the previous episode, we explored living in the present moment.

In this episode, we turn our attention to something different: life.

Life is the story we carry with us. It includes our work, relationships, responsibilities, ambitions and disappointments.

Over time, these experiences can slowly reduce our enthusiasm for life. But what if life could be understood in a completely different way?

In this episode, we introduce a powerful idea: life is a game.

Understanding this perspective can completely change the way we approach challenges, setbacks and opportunities.

Welcome to the first episode of The Bystander series: Life, Living and Winning the Game.

In this episode, we explore a simple but powerful idea: living happens only in the present moment.

Most of us spend our time thinking about life, analysing it, judging it, or worrying about the future. But living is something very different. It is the direct experience of what is happening right now.

Through this reflection, we explore why certainty about living cannot come from thinking or beliefs, but only from direct experience.

This episode invites you to pause, observe, and reconnect with the simplicity of the present moment.