SparX by Mukesh Bansal

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of ancient India's scientific and cultural legacy with Sanjay Anandaram, a visionary entrepreneur-turned-researcher. Driven by a passion to uncover the hidden treasures of India's rich heritage, Anandaram's research reveals the profound influence of ancient Indian innovations on modern mathematics, science, and philosophy. In this captivating conversation, we'll explore the pivotal moments in India's ancient scientific history, unlock the secrets of ancient Indian knowledge and philosophy, and discover the enduring impact of India's contributions on contemporary society.Resource list - Book review by David Mumford - https://www.dam.brown.edu/people/mumford/beyond/papers/2010a--PlofkerReview-AMS.pdf Mathematics in India - https://amzn.in/d/2lvk3Av The Mahavakyas - https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/sivaprakasam-study/d/doc1210740.html More about Chanakyaniti - https://chanakyaniti.in/#google_vignette Read more about the Yuktikalpataru - https://cahc.jainuniversity.ac.in/assets/ijhs/Vol11_2_5_MChaudhuri.pdf Who is Tu Youyou? - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tu-Youyou Who was Sushruta Samhita? - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11527508/ America’s Manifest Destiny - https://americanexperience.si.edu/historical-eras/expansion/pair-westward-apotheosis/ Read about the Monroe Doctrine - https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/monroe-doctrine 

ISRO has made remarkable strides in space technology, with multiple world records and milestones that prove time-and-again that ISRO is one of the leading space research institutions of the world. These achievements demonstrate ISRO's capabilities and commitment to advancing space research.And at the frontier of some of the great milestones is Dr. Somanath, former chairman of ISRO, who played a crucial role in shaping India's space program. Under his leadership, ISRO achieved numerous milestones, including the successful launch of several satellites and spacecraft. His vision and expertise have left a lasting impact on India's space research endeavors.Tune into this conversation with a visionary from India’s space program and gain some valuable insights on space exploration. Resource List - ISRO Official Website - www.isro.gov.in ISRO Missions Page - www.isro.gov.in/Mission.html ISRO Profile - www.isro.gov.in/profile.html ISRO History, Missions & Achievements - www.sriramsias.com/blog/isro-history-missions-achievements/ About Dr. Somanath - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Somanath https://pwonlyias.com/s-somanath-biography/ https://www.iafastro.org/biographie/s-somanath.html Chandrayaan-3 - https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/chandrayaan-3#propulsionmodule More about PSLV - https://www.isro.gov.in/PSLV_CON.htmlhttps://www.isro.gov.in/PSLV_Launchers.htmlhttps://www.nsilindia.co.in/pslv-productionNASA’s Scout Rocket Family - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_(rocket_family) Starship by SpaceX - https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/ More about NGLV -https://www.drishtiias.com/printpdf/isro-s-next-gen-launch-vehicle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Generation_Launch_Vehiclehttps://youtu.be/hcbpU6dtMTA?feature=shared What is a Semi-Cryogenic Engine? -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCE-200 ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission - https://www.isro.gov.in/Gaganyaan.html More about Gaganyaan’s Test Vehicle - https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/pdf/TVD1/TVD1_Brochure_new.pdf Read more about ISRO’s SpaDeX Mission - https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/jan/doc2025116486201.pdfhttps://www.isro.gov.in/mission_SpaDeX.html https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-successfully-executes-spadex-docking-experiment-india-joins-elite-club-of-nations/article69103462.eceChandrayaan-4 Mission - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan-4 https://www.isro.gov.in/UnionCabinetApprovesIndiasMission.html Aditya L1 Mission - https://www.isro.gov.in/Aditya_L1.html https://www.isro.gov.in/Aditya_L1-MissionDetails.html 

Join us as we explore the complex challenges of "wicked problems" with Guru Madhavan, renowned engineer and author of "Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World.” We uncover the fascinating story of Edwin Link, a pioneer who revolutionised aviation engineering with the invention of the first mechanical flight simulator. Guru Madhavan shares his insights on how historical and socio-cultural contexts shape engineering solutions, and highlights the critical role of systems engineering in tackling complex challenges that require a multifaceted approach.Tune in for engaging stories, expert insights, and a fresh perspective on the power of engineering to create positive change.Join us as we explore the complex challenges of "wicked problems" with Guru Madhavan, renowned engineer and author of "Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World.” We uncover the fascinating story of Edwin Link, a pioneer who revolutionised aviation engineering with the invention of the first mechanical flight simulator. Guru Madhavan shares his insights on how historical and socio-cultural contexts shape engineering solutions, and highlights the critical role of systems engineering in tackling complex challenges that require a multifaceted approach.Tune in for engaging stories, expert insights, and a fresh perspective on the power of engineering to create positive change.Resource List - Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World, Book by Guru Madhavan - https://amzn.in/d/5Yx6Rxs Applied Minds - How Engineers Think, Book by Guru Madhavan - https://amzn.in/d/5GMOzNn What are Wicked Problems? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_problem https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/wicked-problem/about/What-is-a-wicked-problem https://www.resonanceglobal.com/blog/the-characteristics-of-wicked-problems#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20the%20term%20'wicked,certainly%20a%20'wicked%20problem'. About Edwin Link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Albert_Link https://www.simulationinformation.com/hall-of-fame/members/edwin-albert-link/More about the Link’s ‘Link Trainer’ - https://www.nasflmuseum.com/link-trainer.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Trainer https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196852/link-trainer/https://rastek.com/the-worlds-first-commercially-built-flight-simulator-the-link-trainer-blue-box/More about Chaplin Airlines - https://www.islapedia.com/index.php?title=Chaplin_Airlines,_Santa_Catalina_Island https://www.laalmanac.com/transport/tr707.php#google_vignette Read about Philosophy and Engineering - https://hbr.org/2024/04/why-engineers-should-study-philosophyhttps://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/144214599.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269921583_Philosophy_of_Engineering_What_It_Is_and_Why_It_Matters Read more about the Great Molasses Flood - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Floodhttps://www.history.com/news/great-molasses-flood-science

Amitabh Kant, a prominent bureaucrat and former CEO of NITI Aayog, shares his insights on India's impressive leadership during the G20 Summit. He discusses the challenges of navigating geopolitics, including the Russia-Ukraine war, to enhance global cooperation. Kant also highlights his efforts in promoting tourism and startups through campaigns like 'Incredible India.' Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of youth empowerment, innovation, and India’s potential in the AI revolution, as the country aims for a $30 trillion economy.

What drew Shrinivas Kulkarni to physics? What's the current state of astrophysics and its future prospects? What major reforms need to be implemented to boost India’s progress in astrophysics? For the latest episode of SparX, we are joined by Shrinivas Kulkarni, a renowned Indian-American astronomer. Mr. Kulkarni has made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of the universe. His notable career milestones include the discovery of the first millisecond pulsar and the identification of the optical counterpart of a gamma-ray burst. Kulkarni's work has earned him numerous accolades, with a recent addition of the 2024 Shaw Prize in Astronomy to the list. Resource List -  About Shrinivas R. Kulkarni - https://sites.astro.caltech.edu/~srk/  The Discovery of the First Millisecond Pulsar: Personal Recollections by Shrinivas Kulkarni - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384500207_THE_DISCOVERY_OF_THE_FIRST_MILLISECOND_PULSAR_PERSONAL_RECOLLECTIONS About the Millisecond Pulsar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millisecond_pulsar#:~:text=The%20first%20millisecond%20pulsar%2C%20PSR,200%20that%20have%20been%20discovered.  What is a Beaming Fraction? - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Beaming-fraction-as-a-function-of-the-mass-of-the-neutron-star-in-NGC-300-ULX1-The_fig2_353920284  More about Brown Dwarf - https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question62.html 

We are joined by author and science journalist, Anil Ananthaswamy. Anil Ananthaswamy's "Through Two Doors at Once" looks at the mysteries of quantum mechanics, revealing its profound impact on our understanding of reality. Through his book, Ananthaswamy sheds light on the strange implications of quantum mechanics, from superposition to entanglement. By examining the latest experiments and theories, here’s another insightful episode that offers a fascinating glimpse into the quantum world and its potential to transform our understanding of the universe.

Anil Ananthaswamy is a renowned science writer and journalist who has written extensively on various scientific topics. In his latest book "Why Machines Learn", Anil explores the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and machine learning. He reveals the intricate mechanisms and complex algorithms that underlie these cutting-edge technologies. Join us for a fascinating conversation with science writer Anil Ananthaswamy as he shares insights from his book and sheds light on the rapidly evolving field of AI. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how these machines work at a basic mathematics level. Resource List - Why Machines Learn, book by Anil Ananthaswamy - https://amzn.in/d/bmirU45 Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence - https://home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth What is the Perceptron artificial neural network? - https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-perceptron-the-simplest-artificial-neural-network/ Read about the McCulloch-Pitts Artificial Neuron - https://towardsdatascience.com/mcculloch-pitts-model-5fdf65ac5dd1 Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 - https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2024/press-release/ What is the Hopfield Neural Network? - https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/hopfield-neural-network/ Read about Backpropagation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpropagation “Learning representations by back-propagating errors”, paper by Geoffrey Hinton, David Rumelhart and Ronald Williams - https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0 AlexNet by Geoffery Hinton and team - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlexNet What is ImageNet? - https://www.image-net.org/about.php ‘Attention Is All You Need’, transformer architecture paper - https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2017/file/3f5ee243547dee91fbd053c1c4a845aa-Paper.pdf What are Neural Scaling Laws? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_scaling_law NeuroAI - https://neuro-ai.com/ About SparX by Mukesh Bansal SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth. We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us. In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career. This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you. Follow us on Instagram: / sparxbymukeshbansal Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com

William Dalrymple's "The Anarchy" is a historical account of the rise of the East India Company in India. The book explores how the EIC's ruthless pursuit of power and wealth led to the downfall of the Mughal Empire. In this episode, William shares some interesting stories about the East India Company with some lesser known facts about this corporation that grew powerful. Tune in for a wonderful episode on Indian and British history. Resource List - The Company Quartet, by William Dalrymple - https://amzn.in/d/eiBRXBy William Dalrymple Website - https://williamdalrymple.com/ Mongol Invasions of India - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasions_of_India Read more about the Red Dragon ship - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dragon_(1595) Charles II and Catherine of Braganza - https://thehistorypress.co.uk/article/charles-ii-and-catherine-of-braganza-a-loveless-marriage/ Read more about the First Carnatic War - https://www.pw.live/exams/ssc/first-carnatic-war/ Who were the Jagat Seths? - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/meet-jagat-seths-an-indian-family-so-rich-they-lent-money-to-the-british/articleshow/102916190.cms?from=mdr Read more about the Battle of Plassey - https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Plassey Read more about the Battle of Buxar - https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Buxar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Buxar https://pure.jgu.edu.in/id/eprint/6264/1/thedailystar.net-The%20battle%20of%20plassey%20A%20Tale%20of%20Triumph%20and%20Betrayal.pdf What are Sepoys? - https://www.worldhistory.org/Sepoy/ About SparX by Mukesh Bansal SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth. We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us. In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career. This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you. Follow us on Instagram: / sparxbymukeshbansal Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com

There is so much of India’s rich heritage and past that is yet to be discovered. But we have great historians like William Dalrymple who spend years researching on India’s history to bring us the most interesting and captivating stories about the country. In today’s episode, William Dalrymple discusses the stories and contents from his book "The Golden Road" which explores India's 1,500-year history as a hub of cultural and intellectual exchange. Resource List - William Dalrymple Website - https://williamdalrymple.com/ Empire Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/0sBh58hSTReUQiK4axYUVx?si=388684fdbe8f49a5 The Rest is History Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7Cvsbcjhtur7nplC148TWy?si=09f97df360c1418e What are frescoes? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresco More about the Silk Road - https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/silk-road/ Who was Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_von_Richthofen#:~:text=Ferdinand%20Freiherr%20von%20Richthofen%20 The travels of Marco Polo - https://silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Travels_of_Marco_Polo Read about the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea - https://www.worldhistory.org/Periplus_of_the_Erythraean_Sea/ What is the Muziris Papyrus? - https://historicalleys.blogspot.com/2010/06/introducing-muziris-papyrus.html Read about the Suvarnabhumi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi What is the Mes Aynak - https://archeologie.culture.gouv.fr/afghanistan/en/a-propos/ainak Who was Xuanzang? - https://asiasociety.org/xuanzang-monk-who-brought-buddhism-east https://artsandculture.google.com/story/travels-of-xuanzang-629-645-ce-xuanzang-memorial-nava-nalanda-mahavihara/9gVR3GyICUOmKg?hl=en China’s only female empress, Wu Zetian - https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-first-and-only-woman-emperor-of-china/PQWR-NRltC6QFA?hl=en More about Angkor Wat - https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668/ What was the Islamic Golden Age? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age Al-Khwarizmi’s book on Algebra - https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666184/ What is the Fibonacci sequence? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_sequence

Manu S. Pillai returns to SparX for another fascinating episode on history to give us a sneak peek into his latest book– "Gods, Guns and Missionaries". It shows us how how colonialism, religion, and identity have interacted in India over the past many years. Through 15 essays, Pillai shows how European missionaries and colonial powers changed Hinduism and its modern forms, revealing a more complex history than often told. The book also explores how these historical forces still shape Indian politics and society today. Resource List -  Gods, Guns, and Missionaries - Book by Manu S. Pillai https://amzn.in/d/6njkWSc  H-Pop - Book by Kunal Purohit https://amzn.in/d/26KnoHw  What is Protestantism? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism  What was the Protestant Reformation https://www.britannica.com/event/Reformation  Read more about Francis Xavier https://www.jesuits.global/saint-blessed/saint-francis-xavier/  Read more about Roberto de Nobili https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_de_Nobili  Read about Thomas Munro’s donation to Tirupati temple https://vocal.media/fyi/soldier-to-governor-of-madras-thomas-munro-who-captured-the-hearts-of-the-people  Read about Rous Peter’s donation to Meenakshi temple https://indroyc.com/2024/04/12/unveiling-the-legends-of-madurai-the-tale-of-peter-pandian/#:~:text=In%20a%20gesture%20of%20gratitude,to%20adorn%20her%20celestial%20feet.  Charles Wilkins translating the Gita https://www.mvnadkarni.com/files/Introduction%20to%20Charles%20Wilkins%20Gita.pdf  About SparX by Mukesh Bansal  SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth.   We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.   In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career.   This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you.  Follow us on Instagram:      / sparxbymukeshbansal   Website: https://www.sparxbymukeshbansal.com You can also listen to SparX on all audio platforms Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com