#DamaniTalks

Some conversations teach you. Some transform you. My talk with Nand Kishore Chaudhary (NKC-ji) wasn’t about business - it was about consciousness. He reminded me that leadership isn’t about control, but about connection. Since that day, I’ve rethought everything - from creation to consciousness to what success really means. Watch this episode of #DamaniTalks - it’s one of those that stays with you...

What does it take to spot India’s startup wave a decade before it arrived, back the country’s earliest unicorns, and then pivot to building a climate-tech fund for the next generation? In this episode of #DamaniTalks , in conversation with Sandeep Singhal, one of the true OGs of venture capital in India. From a small-town upbringing in Kanpur to Stanford in the 1980s, to McKinsey in New York, and...

What does it take to go from selling carpets in Jaipur to becoming the first Asian Chair of TiE Global and now raising a $20M venture fund? In Episode 74 of #DamaniTalks , we are in conversation with Mahavir Pratap Sharma - an ecosystem builder, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and now GP at Swishin Ventures. From his mother’s pioneering carpet business in the 1970s, to six years in America bu...

What does it take to build India’s pioneering impact-investing platform from a ₹5,000 bank balance, a cold email, and sheer conviction? In Episode 73 of #DamaniTalks , we delve deep into the 'Aavishkaar' story with Founder & Vice Chairman, Vineet Rai - from launching Intellecap and backing India’s earliest microfinance pioneers to buying a troubled NBFC with his own money and turning i...

Ram Kewalramani, Co-Founder and Managing Director of CredAble, has reimagined how working capital flows through India’s supply chains. With a career that spans investment banking, logistics, and now fintech innovation, Ram has quietly built one of India’s leading enterprise-focused lending platforms disbursing over ₹20,000 crore in working capital to thousands of businesses. From creating embedded...

In Episode 71 of  #DamaniTalks , Anirudh A. Damani is in conversation with  Sandeep Murthy , Founding Partner at  Lightbox , and one of the earliest champions of long-term, product-first startups in India. From his formative years under Barry Diller to funding Cleartrip and shaping India’s consumer internet story, Sandeep reflects on 25 years of backing bold ideas before they were cool - and stayi...

What does it take to build a ₹1,200 crore empire from a 1-bedroom home, no formal business training, and a handful of door-to-door sales? In Episode 70 of #DamaniTalks, we go behind the scenes of one of India’s most iconic personal care journeys with Manish Chhabra, Executive Chairman of HRIPL, makers of Super Vasmol, Streax & Streax Professional. At 19, Manish was pulled off a moving train wi...

Sanjay Swamy, Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, is one of the earliest believers in India’s startup ecosystem and someone who’s helped shape it from the ground up. From helping build AADHAAR, co-founding ZipDial, and backing iconic startups through Prime Venture Partners, Sanjay’s journey is anything but conventional. His lens on trust, timing, and doing more with less has quietly influe...

What happens when your startup loses 97% of its revenue overnight—and you still don’t shut down? Bhavin Patel, Co-founder & CEO of  LendenClub , returns to #DamaniTalks. But this time, it's not a victory lap. It’s a story of near-collapse and the bold reinvention that followed. After scaling to ₹1,000+ Cr in monthly disbursements, LendenClub ran headfirst into regulatory reforms that wiped...

In this episode of #DamaniTalks, we speak with Simran Singh who is the Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at RNFI. It is one of India’s fastest-growing fintech companies which is now listed with a ₹700 Cr+ market cap. They didn’t raise VC money. They didn’t chase headlines. They just got to work. In his first-ever podcast appearance, Simran shares how RNFI was built into a profitable public com...

What does it take to build a category-defining D2C brand, scale it profitably, and execute a multi-crore exit in India’s evolving startup ecosystem? Deep Bajaj, Founder of Sirona, joins #DamaniTalks to share his journey of pioneering India’s first female urination device (Peebuddy) and disrupting female hygiene with capital-efficient growth. In this episode, Deep reveals how he took upon a 'taboo'...

What does it take to build a ₹5,500 crore venture fund with a uniquely Indian approach using a model inspired by Ivy League endowments? Vikram Gupta , Founder & Managing Partner of IvyCap Ventures , who shares his incredible journey on #DamaniTalks— from launching multiple startups to leading one of India’s largest homegrown VC firms. In this episode, Vikram breaks down the ABCs of investing....

We're kicking off the new season of #DamaniTalks with a bang, featuring Ashish Tulsian , the founder of Posist, now Restoworks ! From selling SMS services while sitting on a horse at his wedding to bootstrapping a global SaaS company, Ashish’s journey is nothing short of legendary. This episode is packed with insights on scaling without VC funding, the art of enterprise sales, pricing strategi...

In this scintillating Season Finale of #DamaniTalks , we are joined by Pearl Agarwal, Founder and Managing Director of Eximius Ventures , one of India’s leading pre-seed venture capital funds. From her upbringing in Odisha, shaped by entrepreneurial parents, to launching Eximius Ventures, Pearl’s journey is both inspiring and multifaceted. Pearl shares her unique story of resilience, lessons learn...

In this special Diwali episode of #DamaniTalks, we’re joined by Arjun Vaidya , the founder of Dr. Vaidya’s and partner at V3 Ventures, who has redefined India’s Ayurveda industry for the modern age. Arjun’s journey started with a 150-year-old family legacy in Ayurveda, which he transformed into a digital-first D2C brand that captivated consumers worldwide. From his family’s Mumbai-based dispensary...

In this compelling episode of #DamaniTalks , we sit down with Archana Jahagirdar , a visionary leader in India's venture capital ecosystem. Archana shares her remarkable journey from journalism to venture capital, where she has not only navigated but also thrived in a space that has been traditionally male-dominated. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Rukam Capital , Archana offers deep insigh...

In this episode of #DamaniTalks , we sit down with Kshitij Saxena , founder of AutoNinja and now General Partner at Relentless VC , a venture fund specializing in SaaS and B2B marketplace startups. Kshitij's journey is packed with insights, from starting his entrepreneurial journey with a gaming startup to creating AutoNinja —a CRM tool for car dealerships, which was later acquired by ICICI Lombar...

In this episode of #DamaniTalks , we chat with Aditya Singh , co-founder of BookMyForex and managing partner at All-In Capital. Aditya shares his journey from building India’s first online forex marketplace to transitioning into venture capital, offering insights for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Growing up in a traditional banking family, Aditya launched BookMyForex, revolutionizing how fore...

In this enlightening episode of #DamaniTalks, we explore the incredible journey of Deepak Daftari, a self-made millionaire in India’s almost unknown domain name industry. Starting with humble beginnings, Deepak shares how he faced multiple rejections after studying in Australia—including being denied a U.S. visa twice—only to rise above the challenges and launch eSiksha, one of India’s first onlin...

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐢, the dynamic Founding Partner at 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐕𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, who has been instrumental in shaping India's venture capital and venture debt landscape. Tarana's journey from her beginnings in India to a thriving career on Wall Street and her subsequent return to India, becoming a pivotal figure in India’s startup ecosystem, is a testament to her exper...

Welcome to episode 56 of #DamaniTalks! In this episode, I engage in a captivating discussion with Srikanth A.V., the founder of Neo Wealth Partners, who has witnessed the remarkable transformation of India’s economy from a GDP per capita of $300 to nearly $3000. Join us as Srikanth shares his extensive experience and insights into the evolution of wealth management in India over the past few decad...

In this captivating episode of #DamaniTalks, I have the privilege of sitting down with Rahul Veerwal, the visionary CEO and founder of GetWork. GetWork, India’s premier fresher hiring platform, is a testament to Rahul's unique journey. It connects talent from tier 2, 3, and 4 cities with top companies, a feat that was once unimaginable. Rahul shares the remarkable story of building GetWork, th...

Welcome to Episode 54 of Damani Talks! Dive into an enlightening conversation with Abhishek Agarwal, Managing Partner at RockStud Capital, as we explore his journey from 2006 in the UK to becoming a trailblazer in the venture capital space. In this Episode: Early Career Challenges: Learn about Abhishek's initial struggles and his experience of losing 10 lakh rupees in a single day. Resilience...

🌟 Out Now: #Damanitalks Ep. 53 with Mohit Gulati, managing partner at ITI Growth Ventures! 🌍 Mohit spills the beans on his life's rollercoaster ride 🎢 - from challenging norms to conquering the finance world 💼. Every minute is packed with raw, unscripted stories 📖 and hard-earned wisdom 🦉 that'll leave you inspired and motivated. Catch this electrifying episode on YouTube, Spotify, A...

🚀 Welcome to an extraordinary journey in this latest episode of #DamaniTalks . We're honored to host Akshay Chaturvedi, the visionary CEO of LeverageEdu. In this episode, we delve deep into his life story, uncovering the motivations, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped his remarkable career. 📈 From his formative years at #KPMG to becoming a trailblazer in global education, Akshay's...