The xMonks Drive

From the NEET Exam Paper Leak and student protests at Jantar Mantar to the coaching factory culture and the reality behind the resignation of hundreds of scientists from ISRO, we discussed it all with Ex-ISRO Scientist and Educator Manish Purohit.

India's education system is under immense pressure, and students are paying the price.

In this conversation, Manish Purohit (Nimbus Education | BITS Pilani | Ex-ISRO) joins Coach & Podcast Host Gaurav Arora to uncover the truth behind the NEET paper leak, the accountability of the NTA, Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Education Minister, the growing mental health crisis among s...

In this hard-hitting podcast episode with host Gaurav Arora, veteran Doordarshan news anchor and the iconic voice of Delhi Metro, Shammi Narang, breaks his silence on India's changing media landscape and rising youth discontent. From analyzing the recent NEET paper leak protests at Jantar Mantar and the emergence of movements like CJP (Cockroach Janta Party) to questioning government accountability and Gen Z student outrage, Shammi Narang provides an unfiltered insider perspective on how public frustration reached a boiling point and why these crises could have been handled through mature dialogue.
Taking a deep dive into 1984 Media vs Modern...

In this video, Akash Gupta, the co-founder of Zypp Electric, shares the real story and daily lives of delivery riders across India. Every single day, thousands of delivery partners from platforms like Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zomato work hard to bring food and groceries right to our doorstep. But behind every quick delivery is a story of intense hard work, daily struggles, and a deep dedication to supporting their families.

This podcast takes a deep dive into the reality of the gig economy, exploring how much delivery workers actually earn and the truth behind 10-minute quick commerce...

Is the Indian corporate growth engine lacking a critical execution strategy? In this deep, unfiltered conversation on the Gaurav Arora Podcast, we sit down with global corporate leader and author Satish Rao to uncover the hidden realities of scaling from humble beginnings to navigating elite multinational boardrooms.

From growing up in a classic Mumbai chawl environment with limited access to modern resources, to executing high-stakes international turnarounds in Shanghai, Satish breaks down the profound differences between the global execution mindset and typical Indian corporate structures. We dive into the harsh truths of office dynamics, why leaders often...

In this shocking episode of the Gaurav Arora Podcast, we sit down with Baldev Puri, the founder of AMX Detectives, to uncover the hidden, dark secrets of rich families, politicians, and the hidden underbelly of society. Moving far past standard marital disputes, this discussion exposes the real-life dark secret of Bollywood circles and high-society networks operating in major metros.

Baldev Puri breaks down some of his most unsettling cases, from a high-profile wife swapping case exposed by an unsuspecting daughter to the terrifying reality of the Sugar Mommy trap destroying young Indian men. We dive deep into...

What does real success look like? Bollywood actor Bijay J Anand rejected 22 Bollywood film offers at the peak of his career to pursue Kundalini Yoga and spirituality — and in this conversation with Gaurav Arora on the xMonks Drive Podcast, he explains exactly why, and what he found on the other side.

Bijay J Anand is one of India's most extraordinary voices on spirituality, wellness, and conscious living. A working Bollywood actor, international Kundalini Yoga teacher, author, art consultant, and founder of Anahata Retreats Mumbai, Bijay has taught Kundalini Yoga and chakra healing across more than 30 countries, headlined in...

Gajraj Rao — the actor who waited 25 years for Bollywood to notice him — sits down with Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive for his most honest interview yet. Best known for his National Award and Filmfare Award-winning role as Jeetendra Kaushik in Badhaai Ho, Gajraj Rao opens up about his journey from a railway colony in Rajasthan to Delhi theatre to becoming one of Hindi cinema's most loved character actors.

In this episode, Gajraj Rao talks about his early struggles before fame — working as a tailor, writing for newspapers for a few hundred rupees, and getting rejected at hundreds of aud...

On the occasion of International Yoga Day, xMonks Drive sits down with one of India's most extraordinary minds — Prof. (Dr.) Rajesh Kumar, Sanyasi Bhargava Ph.D. — Professor of Happiness & Wellbeing, Kundalini Yogi, Tantric Master, Applied Psychologist and S*xologist with over 22 years of experience across India and Europe.

In this conversation, Gaurav Arora and Prof. Rajesh Kumar explore the hidden secrets of Kundalini awakening, the real meaning of Tantra, the science of human consciousness, and why ancient Indian wisdom holds the answers to modern mental health and happiness.

This is the knowledge they never taught you...

Why are young Indians dying of cardiac arrest? Why are fit, healthy people in their 30s and 40s suddenly collapsing at the gym, at weddings, on stage, in their sleep — with no warning?

In this episode of xMonks Drive, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Dr. Avinash Verma, Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, for one of the most important conversations about heart health in India.

Dr. Avinash Verma is one of India's leading cardiac electrophysiologists with over 15 years of experience, 2,400+ device implantations, and 1,300+ radiofrequency ablations. He is th...

In this episode of xMonks Drive, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Kaamya Karthikeyan — India's youngest female Everester, world record holder, and one of the most extraordinary young athletes in the world — for a rare long-form conversation about what it really takes to push past the limits of human endurance, again and again, from the time she was seven years old.

Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest female in the world to complete the Seven Summits — climbing the highest mountain on every continent — at the age of 17. She has summited Mount Everest, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Mount Denali in North...

Alankrita Shrivastava — the writer, director, and creator behind Lipstick Under My Burkha, Bombay Begums, and Made in Heaven — sits down with Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive for one of her most in-depth conversations ever.

Alankrita Shrivastava is one of India's most fearless and acclaimed filmmakers. Her debut film Lipstick Under My Burkha was banned by the CBFC censor board before fighting its way to a theatrical release and winning awards at over 80 international film festivals including Tokyo International Film Festival and Créteil International Women's Film Festival. Her Netflix series Bombay Begums, which she creat...

AI is already replacing jobs. Most people are completely unprepared.

In this episode, Gaurav Arora sits down with Prashant Puri — Founder and CEO of AdLift, one of India's leading digital marketing and AI agencies — for the most important career conversation of 2026.

Prashant has run SEO, digital marketing, and AI strategy for PayPal, HP, Myntra, and some of the world's biggest brands. He built AdLift from 5 people to 200 and exited for ₹50 crore. He is also the creator of Tesseract, an AI-powered marketing intelligence platform that is changing how brands think about search in the AI era.

Nobody actually knows what they're doing. Not your boss. Not your parents. Not the most successful person in your office.

This is not a self-help video. This is the science of why you are the way you are.

Dr. Siddharth Warrier, neurologist, author, and one of India's most important voices on the science of the brain, joins Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive for a conversation that will change the way you understand yourself, your relationships, your habits, and your mind.

We cover why your brain never actually grew up, what cheap dopamine is...

What if 45% of India's entire economy is black money? The ED has filed nearly 6,000 money laundering cases in 10 years and secured just 15 convictions. Digital arrest scams have stolen over ₹120 crore from ordinary Indians. And elections may be the single largest consumer of black money in this country.

In this episode of xMonks Drive, Gaurav Arora sits down with Abhishek Bali — CEO & Co-Founder of ZIGRAM and one of India's foremost experts on financial crime, money laundering, and regulatory technology — for one of the most wide-ranging and honest conversations ever had on this subject on an Indian podcast.

Fr...

What if your dream car wasn't as far away as you thought?

In this episode, Gaurav Arora sits down with Hardeep Singh Brar, CEO of BMW India and the man who built Kia India from scratch into one of the fastest growing car brands in the country, for a conversation that goes far beyond cars.

From being part of the team that bet ₹1 billion on Kia before a single car was sold, to now leading the most iconic luxury car brand in India, Hardeep opens up about the failures nobody talks about, the mindset shifts th...

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of bullying and child loss. Please watch with care.
🤍 This content is for awareness & support only.

Arvey was 17 years old. Before he died, he left a note that said: "The school has ki**ed me, Mamma." His mother, Aarti Malhotra, read those words and made a decision. She would not be silent. Not for one day.

In this episode, Aarti sits down with Gaurav Arora and shares everything: the bullying that started small and escalated into physical and emotional violation, the school that covered it up, the threats on her...

What really happened in the Aryan Khan drug case? What does India's legal system get wrong about the Aarushi Talwar murder? And what was it like defending MJ Akbar during the height of the MeToo movement in India?

Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra, one of India's most respected lawyers with over four decades at the bar, sits down with Gaurav Arora for a rare, unfiltered conversation about India's most high-profile criminal cases, the failures of the justice system, and what it truly takes to fight for the truth in a courtroom.

From bail inequality and judicial...

A ceasefire was announced. Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv two hours later. A retired Major General called every bit of this.

In this episode, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Major General Neeraj Bali (Retired), one of India's most respected strategic and military minds, for a deeply informed breakdown of the Israel-US war on Iran: what caused it, what's really driving it, and where it's heading.

From the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the JCPOA, from the 12-Day War of June 2025 to the bombing of Iran on 28th February 2026, General Bali connects every dot. He explains...

India's top neurologist Dr. Neha Pandita sits down with Gaurav Arora on xMonks Drive, and she has something to say about Deepinder Goyal's Temple device.

When the founder of Zomato started wearing a brain-monitoring device on his temple to track blood flow and slow ageing, the internet had opinions. But what does an actual movement disorder specialist think? Dr. Pandita's reaction was simple: she laughed. Not because the idea is stupid, but because one artery cannot tell you everything happening inside your brain, and the science isn't there yet.

But that's just where this conversation...

What happens when a Malayali content creator marries into a Punjabi family, builds a following of 1.4 million across languages, shaves her head in Cambodia, and still can't say nahi nahi nahi properly?

Satshya Tharien — journalist, strategist, 2x TEDx speaker and one of India's most distinctive voices online — sits down with executive coach Gaurav Arora for one of the most honest, funny and wide-ranging conversations we've had on xMonks Drive.

From accidentally saying a bad word on camera in front of millions, to navigating a Punjabi sasural as a South Indian bahu, to why she will neve...

She climbed Everest at 19 with no money, no permit, and no plan B. Krushnaa Patil is the youngest Indian woman to summit Mount Everest and one of only two Indians to attempt the Seven Summits — the seven highest peaks on seven continents. In this Women's Day Special episode of The xMonks Drive Podcast with Gaurav Arora, Krushnaa Patil shares her full story for the first time.

From growing up trekking the Himalayas with her family to training as a classical dancer, from faking jaundice to sneak into a mountaineering course to fighting the Indian government, Bollywood celebrities, an...

They were earning ₹5 Lakhs a month. Two IIT degrees. Big corporate jobs. Everything society told them to want. Then they walked away — and built something most Indian couples never even try: a truly equal marriage.
In this episode of The xMonks Drive, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Bibhuti Bhushan and Vipin Yadav — the IITian couple with 224K followers — for the most honest conversation we've ever had about modern Indian marriage, feminism, and what it actually takes to break free from patriarchy.
This is not theory. This is two people living it every single day.

What We...

How to be a man in 2026?
In a world of dating apps, looksmaxxing, loneliness and confusion around modern masculinity — what does it actually mean to be a man today?

In this deep conversation, Rahul Badesra and Gaurav Arora break down the modern masculinity crisis — from confidence and discipline to male loneliness, female validation, grooming culture and the pressure men silently carry.

🔍 In This Episode We Discuss:
 • What masculinity really means in 2026
 • Why so many men feel lost and directionless
 • The male loneliness epidemic
 • Confidence vs armour — what real confidence looks like
 • Why men c...

In this episode, Mansi Narang opens up about how her breakup changed everything — even her career. Dropping this episode in the heart of Valentine’s Week, we dive into raw conversations about breakup healing, body image struggles, and how heartbreak pushed her to become one of Instagram’s most relatable creators.

💔 “My breakup made me famous.”
❤️ “Heartbreak is a cheat code.”
✨ “You’re not ‘ugly’ — you’re Indian.”

If you’re going through a breakup before Valentine’s Day or struggling with confidence, self-worth, or how you dress for your body type, this episode will hit deep — and leave you ins...

Neurologist Dr. Vinit Banga explains stress, sleep, stroke symptoms, brain health, and the effects of pollution on the brain in this powerful podcast episode with Gaurav Arora.

This episode covers:
•Stress symptoms and how chronic stress damages the brain
•Deep sleep and why sleep is essential for brain repair
•Stroke warning signs (FAST symptoms) and why minutes matter
•Brain fog, memory loss, cognitive decline, early dementia signs
•Delhi pollution / AQI effects on brain ageing and intelligence
•Migraine triggers, headaches, and dangerous neurological red flags
•Doctor-patient trust, Practo ratings, healthcare commercialization in India

He had five months of money left.

School fees. Home loan EMIs. Responsibilities.

And one decision to make.

In this deeply honest conversation, Ankur Warikoo opens up about the moments that shaped him. Not the highlight reels, but the failures, insecurities, and turning points that most people never hear about.

This isn’t a typical “success podcast.”

It’s the real story behind the person India thinks it knows.

⸻

🎙️ In This Episode, Ankur Talks About:
 • The ambition spiral that quietly consumes high-performers
 • The academic failures tha...

“UPSC is self-inflicted torture on all levels.”
In this explosive Hindi conversation, Ira Singhal (IAS) — UPSC CSE Rank 1 and the first differently-abled woman to top UPSC — breaks down the real truth of UPSC, IAS power, and the system.

On The xMonks Drive Podcast, Gaurav Arora speaks with Ira about everything aspirants and Indians want to know but rarely hear openly — from pressure, privilege, coaching culture, and attempts… to what it actually takes to become an IAS officer and survive inside the bureaucracy.

Ira doesn’t hold back. She says it straight:
✅ “Why are you in situations...

In this episode of The xMonks Drive Podcast, Gaurav Arora sits down with Vishal Bhasin — a Criminal Profiling & Forensic Psychology professional and one of India’s leading experts on Workplace Sexual Harassment (PoSH Act).

This is a raw, high-impact conversation on how workplace harassment cases actually happen, how they are investigated, how evidence is evaluated, and why power dynamics can completely change outcomes.

If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between “normal behaviour” and harassment, how cases are proven without clear proof, or what really happens inside an Internal Committee inquiry — this episode will change...

In this powerful episode of The xMonks Drive, Gaurav Arora sits down with Geetanjali Pandit — former CHRO of the India Today Group, Indian Express, and Zee Media, and bestselling author of Buddha at Work and Buddha in Love — for a deep, honest conversation on Buddhism, work stress, relationships, burnout, leadership, and modern life.

This is not a feel-good spiritual talk.
This is practical Buddhism for people dealing with pressure, toxic work cultures, emotional pain, broken relationships, and inner conflict.

Geetanjali shares her lived experiences from the corporate world, her personal struggles, and how Buddhist wisd...

In this episode of The xMonks Drive, Gurudev Sri Anish shares a rare, deeply reflective story about meeting the Dalai Lama, and what silence, presence, and inner stillness revealed in that moment.

A former CEO who walked away from the corporate world to spend a decade in deep spiritual practice in the Himalayas, Gurudev Sri Anish speaks candidly about leadership, fulfilment, and why even the most successful people often feel empty inside. Drawing from his personal journey and spiritual insights, he explores how modern ideas of success, ambition, and competition have shaped a generation and what’s mi...

In this episode, we speak with Vaidehi Subramani, child rights activist, former Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and POCSO trainer, about how child abuse cases are handled in India and how the child protection system actually works.

Drawing from decades of frontline experience, she explains what happens when a child reports abuse — from the first complaint to the system’s response — and why many cases never reach court. The conversation looks closely at child abuse within families, the role of POCSO law and juvenile justice, and the gaps that continue to put children at risk.

2026 astrology predictions in Hindi, real Vedic astrology, money, career, rashifal, remedies and the truth about fake astrologers – sab kuch is one deep podcast.

In this special episode of The xMonks Drive Podcast, host Gaurav Arora sits down with celebrity Vedic astrologer ShivaAmit Khanna to decode 2026 through real astrology, not fear-based drama.

✅ What you’ll learn in this episode:
•2026 astrology predictions for all 12 zodiac signs (money, career, direction)
•The difference between real Vedic astrology vs fake astrology on social media
•2026 rashifal explained in simple language
•Astrology remedies for 2026 success – money, work, stability, inner peace
...

In this powerful and deeply insightful conversation, we sit down with Aashita Khanna — RCI-licensed Clinical Psychologist, AASECT-trained Sex Therapist, and Founder of Kama Health India — to break down the truth about sex, intimacy, desire, anxiety, emotional safety, performance pressure, and modern relationships.

If you’ve ever struggled with low desire, sex anxiety, shame, porn pressure, relationship stress, communication issues, confidence in bed, or a disconnect with your partner, this episode will help you understand why it happens and how to move forward with clarity and confidence.

Aashita brings science-backed explanations, real therapy-room insights, and practical tools...

Ramayana is trending again — Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir is complete, and India is watching.
But beyond the politics, what ancient truths still matter today?
Gaurav Arora sits down with Srini Katta to explore what the epic really means in 2025.

In this special conversation, Gaurav Arora meets Srini Katta — AI innovator, yoga teacher, and author of Brothers in Arms: The Ramayana Retold — to unpack the Ramayana’s untold leadership lessons.

From Hanuman’s loyalty to Rama’s dharma, and from Ayodhya’s temple to your inner life, this is the Ramayana like you’ve never heard it bef...

Unlock a deeper, stronger, more powerful voice with Paran Thakur — India’s leading voice coach trusted by creators, leaders, performers and professionals. In this conversation, Paran explains real techniques, practical exercises, breathing methods and simple daily habits anyone can use to improve their voice fast.

Whether you want a deeper voice, a manlier tone, better voice modulation, or you simply want to stop sounding weak, this episode gives you everything you need to start transforming your voice in just a few minutes a day.

What you’ll learn:
– How to get a deeper voice naturall...

India’s legendary coach Bhupender Dhawan on mindset, steroids, and building 63 champions & 5 Mr. Olympia medals.

Bhupender Dhawan, India’s legendary Dronacharya Award and Hall of Fame coach, opens up about the mindset, discipline, and training philosophy that built 63 international champions and brought home 5 Mr. Olympia (Pro Powerlifting) medals for India.

In this powerful conversation with Gaurav Kapoor, Guru Ji shares lessons on mindset, steroids, natural bodybuilding, supplements, and the evolution of Indian bodybuilding from the 1990s to 2025.

Who is Bhupender Dhawan?
He’s India’s No. 1 Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Guru Ji — national coach (1994–2019), recipient of...

Two leaders. Two worlds.
Elon Musk leads with fire, speed, and relentless ambition.
Ratan Tata led with empathy, integrity, and purpose.

In this soulful episode, Gaurav Arora sits down with leadership coaches Nirupama Subramanian and Rajesh Ramakrishnan — a couple who’ve spent decades helping CEOs, founders, and changemakers balance performance with purpose and power with compassion.

Together, they explore:
⚡ How Elon’s hustle culture contrasts with Tata’s human-centred leadership.
💡 What India’s next generation of leaders can learn from both.
❤ Why kindness, clarity, and courage might just be the new definition of...

Speak English with confidence — anywhere.
In this episode of xMonks Drive, communication expert Reshu Sharma (ex-Ogilvy, Red Bull, 140k+ followers) reveals 3 simple, proven tricks to help you speak English without fear, whether it’s a job interview, meeting, or everyday conversation.

If people laugh at your English, or you’ve ever frozen mid-sentence, this conversation will change that. Learn how to think clearly, speak confidently, and express yourself — in any language.

What You’ll Learn:
 • Confidence matters more than perfect grammar.
 • How to stay calm in interviews & meetings.
 • The practice method used by great commu...

From viral vlogs to real-life battles — Shreya Sharma finally tells her side.

In this episode of xMonks Drive, Shreya Sharma, founder of Label Shreya Sharma and wife of stand-up comedian Gaurav Kapoor, opens up about love, marriage, IVF, endometriosis, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and what it really means to live life beyond the spotlight.

From meeting Gaurav Kapoor as her junior at work to navigating an emotional IVF journey and building her own sustainable fashion label, Shreya shares her truth with Gaurav Arora in an unfiltered, funny, and deeply human conversation.

🎙️ Topics covered: IVF journey, egg fre...

Tara & Adheer — founders of Nytarra — reveal the hidden truth about agarbattis, perfumes, and room fresheners in Indian homes. What are we really breathing in every day?

From agarbattis and room fresheners to perfumes and sprays, this episode exposes what most of us never question: how “clean smell” often hides VOCs, toxins, and mood-altering chemicals. They unpack the science of scent — how it connects to the limbic system, shapes how we feel, and how simple, natural swaps can protect your space without giving up the rituals you love.

What you’ll learn:
 • Why smell shapes your emotions a...