The Ropana Podcast

We all grow up hearing certain health rules at home, about what’s good for our ears, what causes a sore throat, or how we should take care of our nose. Over time, these ideas become everyday habits that most of us rarely question. But how many of these beliefs are actually supported by medical science? In Episode 1 of Hidden Science of Everyday Health: ENT Perspectives, we explore the fascinating...

Success looks exciting from the outside—big milestones, big ambitions, and the feeling that you’re finally “making it.” But what happens behind the scenes? In this episode, I sit down with Aditi Sinha, co-founder of Locale.ai and author of Things I Learned While Falling Apart, to talk about something we don’t discuss enough—the quiet loneliness that can come with ambition and success. We get into...

The final chapter of our Dark Triad series tackles the most misunderstood trait of them all: psychopathy . When people hear the word, they often imagine violence or crime. But psychopathy isn’t always loud or chaotic. Sometimes it’s much quieter, an absence of fear, a lack of guilt, and a striking emotional detachment that changes how someone experiences consequences, relationships, and risk. In t...

In this episode of the Ropana Podcast, Dr. Mohita joins me as we explore Machiavellianism, the quieter, more strategic dimension of the Dark Triad. When we call someone Machiavellian, what are we really describing? Intelligence? Manipulation? Long-term strategy? Or a personality shaped around control? We examine what psychology and neuroscience say about Machiavellian traits, including how early u...

What if the traits we casually label as “toxic” are actually deeply studied psychological patterns? In this episode of the Dark Triad series , we take a sharp, research-grounded look at narcissism, beyond stereotypes, beyond social media language. We explore how it shows up, how it impacts relationships, and why understanding patterns matters more than blaming people. If this conversation stayed w...

What if autism isn’t something to be fixed, but something that quietly reveals how the human brain processes the world? In this episode of the Mind Wiring series, I sit down with Dr. Mohita Srivastava, neuroscientist and founder of the Cognitome Program, to unpack autism beyond labels, stereotypes, or surface-level narratives. We talk about brain wiring, sensory overload, empathy, masking, late di...

Ever wondered what’s really happening in the ADHD brain? Forget the stereotypes of laziness or chaos, ADHD isn’t about “not trying hard enough.” In this episode, Dr. Mohita Shrivastava takes us on a fascinating journey inside the ADHD mind, breaking down why starting tasks can feel impossible, why deadlines suddenly turn the brain “on,” and why emotions hit harder than you’d expect. We explore: Ho...

Ever been told your thyroid reports are normal … but you don’t feel normal at all? Low energy. Mood swings. Brain fog. Weight that just won’t budge. Feeling wired one day and completely drained the next. And somehow, it all gets brushed off as “stress” or “just life.” In Episode 3 of the Lifestyle Fix Series , I’m joined by Dr. Gagandeep to talk about the thyroid, not the textbook version, but the...

In Episode 2 of Lifestyle Fix , a special 6-episode health series by the Ropana Podcast in collaboration with Redial Clinic , I, Shreya, sit down with Dr. Gagandeep to unpack everything we think we know about blood pressure, and gently challenge it. From high BP without symptoms to low BP that’s casually ignored , from daily home monitoring anxiety to salt myths, stimulants, hormones, sleep, stres...

The Lifestyle Fix Series is a 6-episode deep dive into what modern life is doing to the body, long before disease appears on a report . Episode 1 opens with an uncomfortable question: What if your blood sugar is normal… but your metabolism isn’t? In this conversation, Dr. Gagandeep Singh challenges how diabetes is usually detected and discussed. We unpack why HbA1c and fasting sugar can stay “norm...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Neha Dwivedi , a doctor and founder of Birthwise , to talk about the parts of pregnancy and postpartum that we rarely address, even though every woman goes through them. I ask her the questions we usually whisper: Why is there so much pressure to be “ready”? Why does motherhood start feeling like a checklist long before the baby arrives? And why does postpartum...

Healing isn’t always a straight line, and I think that’s what makes it so real. In this final episode of the Mental Health Mini-Series: Science, Emotions & Real Healing, I’m exploring what happens after the breakdown, the unpredictable, beautifully non-linear path of recovery. Throughout this series, we’ve talked about how anxiety hides behind strength, how emotions live in the body, and how t...

(Mental Health Mini-Series | The Ropana Podcast x Cognitome Program) Ever felt your heart race before a conversation, your chest tighten after bad news, or your stomach churn with worry, even when your mind insists you’re fine? That’s not overreacting. That’s your nervous system remembering. In this deeply grounding and eye-opening episode, I sit down once again with Dr. Mohita Shrivastava , neuro...

(Mental Health Mini-Series | The Ropana Podcast x Cognitome Program) What happens when the world sees you as calm, capable, and composed, but your mind never stops running? That’s the paradox of high-functioning anxiety, and in this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Mohita Shrivastava helps us understand what’s really happening beneath that surface of control. We unravel how the brain sustains high perf...

(Mental Health Mini-Series | The Ropana Podcast x Cognitome Program) We’ve all heard the phrase “good vibes only,” but have you ever stopped to ask if there’s real science behind it? In this first episode of The Mental Health Mini-Series : Science, Emotions & Real Healing, I sit down with cognitive neuroscientist and mental health expert Dr Mohita Shrivastava to decode the fascinating neurosci...

I sat down with Dr. Mohita Srivastava , neuroscientist, writer, and Founder of The Cognitome Program , to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: What is happening to our brain in the age of distraction, and can ancient wisdom still save it? In this episode, we don’t shy away from the tough stuff. Together we ask: Are notifications, multitasking, and dopamine hits silently lowering o...

Dr. (Maj) Namita Subhash joins me on this episode of The Ropana Podcast to unravel the real science of aging, beyond creams, serums, and Instagram filters. Together, we dive deep into cellular damage, oxidative stress, telomeres, and lifestyle habits that quietly decide how fast we age, long before wrinkles show up in the mirror. But it’s not just about the science. I also got Dr. Namita to spill...

Happy 79th Independence Day, India! Celebrate your freedom by taking charge of your health. I sat down with Dr. Gagandeep Singh, founder of Redial Clinic, to challenge everything we think we know about chronic illness. In a world where managing diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, PCOS, and Obesity is the norm, Dr. Singh has helped over 1,000 people reverse these conditions through science...

AI isn’t coming; it’s already here. In this episode of The Ropana Podcast, I am joined by Dr. Arjun Rajagopalan, senior surgeon, medical educator, and visionary healthcare leader, to explore the silent revolution that has blindsided much of Indian medicine. Together, we confront: The AI challenge most doctors never anticipated, and why it matters now more than ever How Artificial Intelligence and...

We forget things every day: a name, a date, a reason we entered the room. But what if that forgetfulness was more than just a momentary lapse? What if it were the early whisper of a disease that slowly erodes identity, relationships, and memory itself? In this profound and necessary episode of the Ropana Podcast , I sit down with acclaimed neurologist and public health specialist Dr. Alejandra Gue...

They say Gen Z is soft. I say we’re silently suffering. In this episode of the Ropana Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Naga Bodapati, a brilliant psychiatrist who works closely with children, teens, and young adults, to dig deep into the mental health crisis we don’t talk about enough. Let’s be honest: We show up, get good grades, and we post happy stories. But inside? So many of us are spiraling. So...

I sat down with Dr. Vishal Rao , a renowned cancer surgeon and the visionary behind the Aum Voice Prosthesis, a device that’s changing the lives of throat cancer survivors across India. Have you ever imagined what it’s like to survive cancer… but wake up unable to speak again? No words, no name, no way to say “I’m here.” Just silence. In this powerful episode of the Ropana Podcast , we dive deep i...

Can your gut really impact your mental health? In this episode, we dive into the science behind the gut-brain axis, the powerful communication system linking your digestive health with your mood, memory, and mental clarity. Joined by integrative nutritionist Karishma , we explore how gut microbiota, inflammation, serotonin production, and the vagus nerve all contribute to mental well-being. From a...

I had a conversation with Vishnu Pellakuru, a seasoned expert in health insurance with experience at industry leaders like Uber and Acko. Vishnu has a front-row seat to how health insurance works in India and, more importantly, where it fails millions of families during their most vulnerable moments. In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable truths behind health insurance policies that many of...

We often hear the phrase work-life balance , but let’s be honest, how often does that balance actually exist? In this episode of the Ropana Podcast , I sit down with Dr. Tanuja Kaushal to talk about something far more realistic and sustainable: Work-Life Integration . Dr. Tanuja is the Director of SoulAcespace Mental Health Services , a clinical psychologist, researcher, and speaker with over 10 y...