Learning by Proxy with Vivek Srinivasan

Hosted by Vivek Srinivasan

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Oct 2025

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About the show

My podcast, just like my blog is about demystifying and simplifying complex things but pulling many threads together. If you are curious and love to learn about the world around you, you will love this podcast! www.learningbyproxy.com

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60 recent

October 10, 202541 min

Bringing Technology to Watershed Management

I had the opportunity to speak with Mr Crispino Lobo about the genesis of his work and the things that are being done at WOTR today. I got a crash course on watershed management in about 20 minutes. If you know nothing about the management of water as a resource in a rural landscape, this would be well worth listening to in and of itself. Further, I chatted about the use of technology and how it is changing the manner in which interventions are rolled out in rural India today. I learnt a lot in the process. Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

May 16, 202523 min

Upcycling Food

Oat Milk has become quite popular today. Have you wondered what happens to the oats after the milk has been extracted? Yousef ate bread with grains left after making beer. This got him started on a quest to upcycle food. This journey has culminated in the launch of B-Sides . The journey has been long, spanning 4 years, and in this time, he has run several experiments to arrive at the Crunch Puffs that the company is currently retailing. Tune in to listen to his journey and also learn more about upcycling itself. Also, you can use the coupon code ‘Vivek20’ to get a 20% discount on all products available on B-Sides . The product is currently only available in the US. Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

March 14, 202537 min

Solar Transition

Damian Miller has been building Orb Energy in India for almost 2 decades now. His journey has been a unique example of sheer determination to make a change in this landscape. In this candid conversation, he shares his journey from the early days of Orb Energy to the place that they have reached today. The challenges that they have encountered along the way and the dynamics that they are witnessing now! I thoroughly enjoyed this recording! Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

January 17, 202522 min

Recycling Electronics

Recycling is often brought up as a panacea to the global climate challenge. What really goes into the business and how challenging it is to scale a business of this nature is hard for most of us to fathom. I had the privilege of speaking with Mr Prassann Daphal, CEO of RecycleKaro which is one of the biggest recycling companies in India. It was an illuminating conversation about the genesis of their business as well as the evolution of recycling in India. The company is currently focused on recycling the vast hoards of electronic waste that gets generated. Do listen in! Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

January 3, 202523 min

Climate at the Intersection

I had a delightful conversation with Dr. Harini Nagendra who is the Director for the School of Climate Change and Sustainability at the Azim Premji University. We covered a lot of ground in this conversation, starting from her background in ecology, her work that got her more involved in the area of sustainability and the work that she is currently pursuing at the Azim Premji University. I am also sharing the links to her books here - The Bangalore Detective Club Series , Nature in the City , Cities and Canopies , Shades of Blue Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

December 13, 202418 min

A YC Founder's Pivot to Sustainability

I had the privilege of speaking with Anu who has lived many lives. She went from completing her masters in Civil Systems Engineering at Berkley to founding NextDrop which was backed by YC. Along the NextDrop journey, she made a pivot towards working in the area of sustainability. She has worked in the area of urban water for over a decade, and it was great talking to her about this journey and her work. Anu writes a newsletter on climate, which you can subscribe here . Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

November 1, 202430 min

Regenerating Forests

I had the opportunity to speak with Sheeba Sen from Hasten Regeneration about her work in the area of forest regeneration. To describe the conversation as illuminating would be an understatement. Sheeba has been helping communities restore forests for over a decade now and she brings a whole host of sharp insights gleaned over this period. The work she is doing today might be paradigm-defining. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with her, I am sure you would enjoy listening to it. If you want to reach out to Sheeba, you can ping her at sheeba@hastenregeneration.org Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

October 4, 202427 min

Guiding Climate Warriors

Last week I was able to spend some time with Dr. Philip Ellis who is a distinguished practitioner-scholar and a fellow in democratic civic engagement at the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Netter Center and Graduate School of Education and a visiting scholar at Anant National University. We spoke about how he engaged with entrepreneurs and students helping them craft plans to fight climate change and focus on sustainability. It was an incredibly interesting conversation, do listen in. Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

August 30, 202426 min

Turning Sewage Water into Drinking Water

In this podcast, I speak with Vikas from Boson Whitewater who is working towards making every home and industry reclaim their wastewater and turn it into potable water. His journey began when he returned from the UK to India hoping to make a difference. Such a long and intriguing journey through which he has discovered how to turn cleaning other people’s refuse into a business. Thoroughly enjoyed speaking with him. Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com

June 28, 202422 min

Conserving River with Data

I sat down with one of the founders of Paani.Earth, Madhuri Mandava to talk about the work that they are doing and why it matters. What I learnt blew my mind. In 20 minutes, Madhuri took me through her journey to make data about rivers more accessible and how it plays a crucial role in decision making whether in courts or policy. You can access the data they have painstakingly put together about the rivers around Bangalore at this link . Paani.Earth is an 80G certified NGO, if you want to support them in any way, you can get in touch with them at paaniearth@gmail.com or connect@paani.earth. Source of assets used - Intro Music You can also follow the podcast on Apple Podcast , Spotify , Amazon Music , Audible , and Podbean This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.learningbyproxy.com