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- Entertainment
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Rhea Chakraborty wins an award for Best Mental Health Podcast, says 'I was looking for a safe space to...'
Actress Rhea Chakraborty after winning an award for Best Mental Health Podcast for Chapter 2 shared her experience saying, 'I was looking for a safe space to share my feelings.' read more Podmasters 2025, India's premier podcasting conclave and awards, concluded on June 20, 2025, in Mumbai with an overwhelming success, drawing an unprecedented gathering of digital creators, industry leaders, and prominent Bollywood personalities. Hosted by HT Smartcast and Fever Live, the event truly underscored the meteoric rise of podcasting as a mainstream cultural phenomenon in India. The conclave featured insightful discussions, engaging masterclasses, and dynamic fireside chats with leading podcasters and media experts, encouraging collaboration and innovation within the burgeoning Indian audio industry. This was followed by a star-studded awards ceremony, a glitzy gala that honoured creators across over 30 diverse categories, recognizing their outstanding achievements and contributions to the podcasting landscape. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A highlight of Podmasters 2025 was the significant presence of renowned digital creators and beloved Bollywood actors, adding unparalleled glamour and gravitas to the event. Attendees included were Rhea Chakraborty, Prajakta Koli, Gauhar Khan, Karishma Tanna, Debina Banerjee amongst others. Actress Rhea Chakraborty after winning an award for Best Mental Health Podcast for Chapter 2 shared her experience saying, 'I was looking for a safe space to share my feelings. I could not find anyone safe enough to interview with given my life circumstances, so I thought why don't I just create one of my people feel like this is a place where you can be yourself, which is why I started the podcast.' Actress Karishma Tanna appreciated after winning Best Podcast Celebrating Regional Roots for The Karishma Tanna Podcast. She said, 'Thank you, Podmasters, for this lovely honour. This podcast was born out of a simple idea: to celebrate our origins. As a proud Gujarati, it was heartwarming to hear my fellow Gujarati celebrities discuss their roots, culture, and upbringing. I wanted to do something different, and I'm proud of what I have accomplished.'
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Insights on Leadership, Barriers, and Gender Equity: A Discussion
HT Smartcast met Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council for an insightful discussion around Women's Day. Alison spoke to RJ Sarthak about her journey, the need to foster inclusion in workplace policies and the benefits of gender balanced leadership mix Women leaders are reshaping industries, redefining power dynamics, challenging status quo, and driving meaningful change in workplaces worldwide. Yet, challenges persist, riddled with systemic barriers, unconscious bias, and lack of representation at the highest levels. Achieving true gender parity demands more than just policies. It requires unwavering commitment, structural change, and a cultural shift in how leadership is perceived. In a recent episode of HT Smartcast, titled 'Empowering Women in Leadership,' Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India at British Council, shared her powerful journey, insights, and strategies to elevate women in leadership roles. Reflecting on her 27-year career across 14 countries, Alison spoke about how diverse experiences have shaped her leadership style—giving her a potent combination of global awareness, insights from working in the field with beneficiaries and stakeholders, adaptability, empathy and increasingly playing an active role in mentoring the next generation of leaders. While progress has been made on gender equity, she acknowledged the persistent structural barriers and lack of mentorship that hinder women's advancement. She stressed the importance of strong policies, leadership training, and mentorship programmes designed to support women at every stage of their careers. A significant challenge discussed was the gender gap in STEM fields. Alison pointed out a stark reality—while many young women pursue science education, far fewer continue into STEM careers. She also touched upon the British Council's Gender Advancing Transforming Institutions Project (GATI), that works to transcend systemic barriers to foster an inclusive environment for women in STEM. This collaborative project with the Government of India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the UK's Advance HE, is working to develop a comprehensive gender equality framework for research and higher education institutions across India. Alison touched upon another topic that she is passionate about: the critical role that women play in sustainability and climate action. As the leader of the Climate Connection programme, she has seen first-hand the spirited drive led by young people. She highlighted that there is great need for women in climate leadership roles, as they are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet often excluded from decision-making processes. Discussing the challenges that women face at workplaces, Alison reflected on the gender biases and challenges she encountered in her journey and how she tackled them. While workplace policies are evolving, behaviour change and shifting societal mindsets remain essential to true progress. On workplace inclusion, Alison discussed the importance of gender-balanced hiring policies. While achieving a 50-50 workforce gender mix is a positive step, she believes real transformation lies in cultivating an environment where women are valued and encouraged. This includes implementing flexible work arrangements, ensuring pay equity, and creating leadership development programmes tailored to women's needs. The podcast concluded with Alison expressing optimism about the future of women in leadership roles. She envisions a world where gender equity is not just an ambition, but a reality woven into the fabric of organisations and societies. As parting advice, she called upon all leaders to take collective action as allies in dismantling barriers and creating meaningful opportunities for women. 'It's really about being an ally and providing that support, advice and encouragement in whatever way you can,' she summed up. For more information about the British Council's initiatives in India, please visit Note to readers: This article is part of HT's paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently. Want to get your story featured as above? click here!
