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Manoj is the Founder of Social Alpha, a unique initiative to strengthen the Science and Technology start-up ecosystem in India with a focus on “lab to market” enablement to support mission driven entrepreneurs. He is also a senior advisor to Tata Trusts and leads their engagement with research and development institutions globally. In this podcast Manoj talks to us about why Social Alpha has created a distinct uniqueness in supporting social start-ups and what all went behind making that happen. He is candid in telling us how he changed as a person once he started working with social start-ups and shares some fine success stories and also his advice to first time entrepreneurs. As s Senior Adviser to Tata Trusts, he opens up to tell us how charity and philanthropy differ from building institutions and what he thinks is the most important lesson he learnt from Mr. Ratan Tata.
Small Big Wins started in middle of 2020. The primary objective has been to talk to people who are not so famous or known but have done exceptional work. Most of these conversations are with people who have done some real solid social good, while also holding up their selflessness. Their wins in their own words. You be the judge, whether Small or Big.
Coming to my latest conversations with Swami Atmananda Saraswati ji, I would first share in a few words my own journey of searching the higher. This started somewhere in 2012, from reading, listening to Osho, then spending months at Isha Foundation Ashram doing everything in the book there, listening to some globally “famous” masters, I ended up at home. Home meaning our own timeless Indian scriptures – Bhagwad Gita, RamCharit Manas, Upanishads, which reveal that, where only a few blessed revel. I learnt about Adi Shankaracharya and his contribution to Sanatan Dharma. Hearing discourses from different masters, once I came across a discourse on “Atma Bodha” by Swami Atmanada Saraswati. When I tried to google him, I could not find anything. Somehow deep down the searches, I found some co-ordinates to reach him. This resulted in increased interactions and my knowledge seeking got a definite direction. If at all, these conversations would be valuable and known, it would be for Swami Atmananda Saraswati.
It is my great fortune to bring “Who is My Charioteer” to the audiences. For someone Small like me this is a Big win! The Part 1 of this series is titled “Fundamental Understanding about Life”. You will find these conversations starting Episode 59. Just search for “Who is My Charioteer” in the title.