Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging, and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world where everyone not only belongs but thrives? You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo, and share stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect, and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show. So adjust your earbuds and settle in.

It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites. And today is episode 143 with the title, Back and Field to Boardroom. And I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Taran Kumar. Taran is a former army officer and battle survivor. He is now a leadership coach and start up mentor who inspires professionals and organisations to unlock their potential. When I asked Darren to describe his superpower, he said that it is transforming adversity into opportunity by empowering individuals to lead with purpose and resilience. Hello, Darren. Welcome to the show.

Thank you, Joanne, for inviting me to this lovely platform of yours. Pleasure is all mine.

And you're tapped everywhere in the world you are. You're in India. Is that right?

Absolutely. Nowadays, India is in the talks. And I come from a place called Ahmedabad, which happens to be the city from where our prime minister Narendra Modi comes. And it's a beautiful part of the world. You must visit once to India because that is something which should be there on your bucket list.

It is. It is. I've, ticked off Melbourne, Australia, and the south coast of Australia, and I I need to explore more of Asia. And, India is definitely up there on the list.

Yes. India is a very diverse country. We have so many languages, so many different cultures, and that's why we call our country to be a perfect example of unity in diversity.

And as a country, you've gone through a massive transformation over the last 50 or so years post colonial. And you've got a new country up, really, aren't you?

In fact, you know, every country that comes out of a colonial mindset takes time for that thing to get over. And India was no exception for that. However, our forefathers, the people, those who fought for the independence of our country, they had a grand vision about India. And they ensured that we carry out our progress through something which is so keen and that we discussed that in this diverse world, there should be a lot of inclusivity. And we started including the industrial revolution, how the factories would come up. India was once upon a time known as in our lingo, we call it as a bird, which was made of gold. And that's why Columbus, Vasco da Gama, they all came to India just to explore this beautiful country and know, and that's why we got invaded also. So it is no exception, but then when people plunder, they loot, they do not leave you in the right stage or right state.

And it takes almost couple of generations for a country to revive itself. And now we are on an upwardly mobile phase. I can assure you that, we are progressing by leaps and bounds, making our impact felt on the world and being a very peaceful nation. You will find that we have friends almost everywhere across the world.

You're the fastest growing economy in the world. Is that

Yes.

It's not. Yeah. Yeah.