The Teacher. The Mentor. The Visionary.

Some people build careers. A rare few build legacies.

In this special episode of Between Us, we sit down with Dr. Mohan B. Rao—Chairman of CII WR Education Taskforce and Advisor at SIWS Group of Institutions—whose journey from industry to academia has inspired thousands across generations.

From boardrooms to classrooms, Dr. Rao has spent decades shaping young lives. But who is the man behind the resume?

What You’ll Discover in This Episode:

His early life, values, and what shaped his journey

His transition from corporate leadership at Godrej and Datamatics to transformative work in academia

Why mentorship matters now more than ever

His bold ideas for fixing the gaps in our education system

Insights on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), startups, AI, and the future of learning

Personal reflections, regrets, triumphs—and what still fuels his passion

Whether you're a student, educator, policymaker, or curious learner—this episode is a masterclass in leadership, learning, and living with purpose.

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming up

01:50 Introduction

06:24 How can we have seamless marriage between Education & Entrepreneurship

08:45 What is Mentoring and what does it involve

13:15 How to close the gap between the education and real world skills

17:34 How do we prepare today's student for AI

18:35 Key 5 impactful features of NEP 2020

23:42 Role in CII

31:08 What is your role in helping the startups driving innovation

36:00 How can Indian Knowledge System help in today's startups?

45:56 What Motivated you to leap from corporate to teaching?

47:44 His Journey (Experience working in Godrej)

01:01:12 What is his advice for young generation?

01:03:40 His Journey in Datamatics

01:05:45 Importance of Human Connections

01:14:57 Why do learn the lesson after something happens?

01:18:40 Personal Journey (Growing up years)

01:25:20 How we all are interconnected but are we closely connected with each other?

01:28:00 What is your legacy?

01:32:14 His Learnings from his working abroad

01:36:40 Rapid Fire Questions

01:41:34 Closing Remarks

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The idea of ‘Between Us’ stems from the fact that every conversation matters, especially the one that we have with ourselves. Using podcast as a medium, I am fortunate to bring folks who have made an impact in everyday lives, from diverse backgrounds, to engage in a meaningful conversation. The topics are as diverse and deeply interconnected - from climate justice to big tech to healthcare as a constitutional right to millennial expectations to gender equality and inclusiveness. I warmly welcome you to join me in this journey.

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