Ep 17: Hari Baskaran, 77, active ageing ambassador: ‘You have to invite joy’

Ep 17: Hari Baskaran, 77, active ageing ambassador: ‘You have to invite joy’

When Hari Baskaran chose to formally retire at 64, he hit the “ground running”, taking up cycling and trekking. At 70, he cycled 3000 km from Chennai to Delhi in 58 days. However, it was at 75 that the active ageing ambassador was asked to slow down by his doctor, which put him on a fresh path of self-discovery, which he calls an “inflexion in the mid-70s”.  Listen in as the author of Battling On to Vibrancy@80 talks to Gen Seasoned’s Anuradha Varma, touching upon thoughts of mortality; taking inspiration from his happy-go-lucky teenage grandson, who has cerebral palsy; the power of community; his love for Chat GPT and, of course, his excitement as he prepares for the upcoming Bengaluru 10K [https://mysamay.in/public/event/info/caca3aec-f5b8-4135-bfe5-8d2e0cc60830%3Fcmeta%3DGAyonZxM1o] running challenge. Follow Hari Baskaran on: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/haribaskaran/]  His book: Battling On To Vibrancy@80 [https://www.amazon.in/Battling-Vibrancy-80-Discovering-Seventies-ebook/dp/B0GDGG4843/] Timestamps: 04:10 On turning 60, getting into cycling and trekking 11:25 Life changes at 75, dealing with death of loved ones 17:23 Battling health issues and facing mortality 19:30 An inflexion at 75; the frailty index 23:00 Staying mentally strong; internal triggers 27:50 How grief changes as you age 32:20 Finding purpose again - the three stages 36:20 It’s about participation, not performance 40:27 The power of community 43:34 On his spiritual practice 47:40 Overcoming his bad phase 51:25 Having fun in senior groups; pre-retirement life 58:20 Balancing family time post-retirement 01:03:27 On his grandson, a happy child with cerebral palsy 01:6:15 Inviting joy into our lives 01:09:06 Journalling, writing a blog and then his book 01:12:30 A fan of Chat GPT 01:18:20 The Bangalore 10K Challenge To get in touch, email genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 16: Longevity scientist Dr Sophia Pathai: India has ‘Blue Zones’ too

In this episode, Dr. Sophia Pathai, British-Indian physician scientist and co-author of The Longevity Code, decodes biological ageing, from epigenetic clocks that can predict your health trajectory, to organs that age at different speeds.  She talks to Gen Seasoned’s Anuradha Varma on the gut-muscle-mind connection, why walking and fidgeting matter as much as the gym, the truth about GLP-1 drugs, and what the Blue Zones can teach us — including what India is getting right. Listen in to understand longevity science without the jargon! About Dr Sophia Pathai:Dr Sophia Pathai is a British-Indian medical doctor with a PhD in the biology of ageing. Trained at University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, her research was among the first to identify biological markers of accelerated ageing in diverse populations. She has led global medical teams at companies including AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson, and most recently helped advance longevity innovation in the Gulf. The Longevity Code is her first book—blending cutting-edge science with real-world insight to show how we can build resilience, improve healthspan, and live not just longer, but better. Follow Dr Sophia Pathai on: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-pathai/] | Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/drsophiapathai/] The book: The Longevity Code: Science, Strategies and Secrets to Living Better and Longer [https://www.amazon.in/Longevity-Code-Science-Strategies-Secrets/dp/0143478621], by Sophia Pathai with Olympic coach Pullela Gopichand: https://www.amazon.in/Longevity-Code-Science-Strategies-Secrets/dp/0143478621 [https://www.amazon.in/Longevity-Code-Science-Strategies-Secrets/dp/0143478621]  Timestamps: 02:00 About the book04:45 Biological age vs chronological age 10:10 Ageing clocks; don’t use Indian data 13:45 Need Indian context to data 16:37 The Blue Zone, living a longer and healthier life 18:10 India’s blue zones – Karnataka and Kerala 21:10 The hallmarks of ageing are dynamic 23:27 Vivek Oberoi endorsing autophagy; gut-mind connection 28:26 Why joy is important, owning the moment 36:07 Hormesis, good stress, and NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis - walking, standing, fidgeting) 42:16 GLP-1RAs for longevity , the drug of the decade 46:24 Approach GLP with caution and context 49:00 The future of longevity science To get in touch, email genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 15: Navneet Gupta, Service GTD: Solving the eldercare challenge for NRIs

As a former NRI, Navneet Gupta, Founder CEO, Service GTD knows only too well the stress of managing eldercare back home in India, negotiating across continents and time zones. Here, he talks to Gen Seasoned founder Anuradha Varma on providing eldercare services for NRIs by onboarding trusted supply partners, and handholding families through the process long after the booking happens, much as a relationship manager would at a banking institution. Navneet also touches upon evolving care needs, including the need for care at home services such as dialysis and dental care, besides “elderproofing” homes to prevent falls, etc. Listen in! About Service GTD: Service GTD was started in 2025 as a service marketplace platform designed to simplify the experience for the global NRI community to discover and access high-quality services and lifestyle solutions. The team interviewed over 120 NRI families before finalising eldercare as their focus/GTM category. They now offer care services across 45+ cities in India. Follow on: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/navneetservicegtd/] | Website [https://linktr.ee/ServiceGTD_Contact] Support: +91 90357 54090 (India)  Timestamps: 03:06 Starting Service GTD; challenges of NRIs taking care of family in India 06:24 Addressing the trust deficit between service providers and families in eldercare 08:00 His experience of caregiving as an ex-NRI 11:22 His research in eldercare 14:15 Focussing on trusted supply partners 17:05 What people need; the booking process 21:55 Taking on an advisory role as in the finance industry 23:25 What NRI families need 28:27 Tech as a differentiator in agetech 30:10 Some challenges faced by clients 34:00 Taking time to research partnerships 36:23 Learnings for the eldercare industry 39:12 Plans for other services 41:34 Elders are looking for social engagement To get in touch, email genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 14: Siddharth Kothari: At 19, he runs the Happy Folks Club for seniors

After his 12th Boards, Siddharth Kothari decided to put together an event for senior citizens. That has now grown into the Happy Folks Club, a youth-led social enterprise with over 1400 active members in Bengaluru, and soon to launch in Chennai. The team, the 19-year-old founder & MD tells Gen Seasoned’s Anuradha Varma, comprises youngsters aged 16 to 22 years, with over 650 internships and 220 events organised since its inception in May 2024.  Listen in as he talks about bridging the generation gap, familiarising seniors with Gen Z lingo, running the Suvidha helpline and the Dosti service, where seniors can book a walking buddy, companion for teatime, tech coach, and more. The young entrepreneur and BBA student, who believes in the power of delegation and having systems in place, also talks about plans for his future and the aim to impact one lakh senior citizens. Call the Happy Folks Suvidha helpline: +91 80504 54886 Follow: Website [http://www.happyfolksclub.com] | LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthmkothari/] | Instagram [http://www.instagram.com/happyfolksclub/] Timestamps: 01:12 About Happy Folks Club, run entirely by the youth 02:50 The Swatantra School – seven Sundays, seven skills 04:56 Team ranges from 16 to 22 06:58 How Happy Folks Club started 09:10 Age group of seniors involved 11:43 What the generation gap looks like 13:00 Teaching seniors Gen Z lingo 14:30 “Hamaare zamane mein”; then and now 17:08 Organisational structure of Happy Folks Club; quality assurance 19:00 Started as a group of 10 friends 21:50 The Suvidha helpline 25:00 The Dosti service - walking buddies, teatime companions, etc 29:00 Profile of seniors, what they’re looking for 30:00 Siddharth’s aim to be portfolio entrepreneur; time for hobbies 32:50 Services for brands 34:43 Scope for agetech 36:25 Aim to impact one lakh senior citizens through Happy Folks Club  To get in touch, email genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 13: Dr. Saigita Chitturu: TISS Diploma in Gerontology is creating ‘agepreneurs’

As we aim to live longer and better, there is immense scope for “agepreneurs” or “elderpreneurs”. Dr Saigita Chitturu, Assistant Professor,Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai talks to Gen Seasoned host Anuradha Varma about the one-year Diploma in Gerontology via its Centre for Lifelong Learning, focussing on interdisciplinary care for the elderly.  Open to adults over 25, with special consideration for those over 55, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of ageing, blending perspectives from sociology, psychology, anthropology, social work, education, and economics.  Listen in as she talks about the diverse group of learners, including 80-year-olds, the need for sensitivity as we transition into the senior years, avenues post-retirement, and celebrating ageing. She also talks about the immense scope of the silver economy, which can cater to healthcare, disability, companionships, second marriages, infrastructure, community living, AI training, financial literacy, and more. Follow Dr Saigita Chitturu: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/saigita-chitturu-49959a241/]  Check out: TISS Diploma in Gerontology [https://admissions.tiss.ac.in/view/10/admissions/stp-admissions/diploma-in-gerontology/]  Timestamps: 02:00 About TISS and the diploma in Gerontology 05:47 Debunk notion that adults can’t learn 06;40 Students up to 80 years of age; every batch has a student over 60 and below 80 08:43 We discuss changes during adolescence but not not what happens after 50 11:35 What the course covers 14:03 Mandatory field work component in the course 16:46 Longevity conversations in focus 17:55 Ageing needs a lifespan approach 19:41 Feminisation of ageing 22:45 Socialisation is important for seniors 24:53 “What do I do now?” Learning to accept ageing 27:26 Course is helpful for entrepreneurs 29:32 Scope in gerontology - healthcare to AI training and financial literacy   32:34 Contribute in society to do away with loneliness 34:40 Policy implementation 36:00 Graduates of the course Get in touch at genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.