Welcome to the “Other Interesting Talks, etc.” section. The title “Other Interesting Talks, etc.” is a translation from Esperanto of “Aliaj Interesaj Prelegoj, ktp.“, or, “AIP, ktp.“, in short.
This section is meant to be a place where ideas come from off the beaten path, but are still thought-provoking and fresh.
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đ Curated Talks
1. { Communication Technologies and their Impact : A Perspective Out of Africa | Mr. Peter Adeyi @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2025 ]
Speaker: Mr. Peter Adeyi
Summary: Peter Adeyiâs talk explores the paradox of digital technology, which connects people globally but often leaves them emotionally disconnected and lonely. How can we navigate the digital world of the Internet while preserving authentic human connection? He emphasizes that while platforms like social media facilitate instant communication, they can also lead to isolation, anxiety, and superficial interactions. For more on this, watch the full Prelego (trans. : “Talk”) on Youtube.
đ Watch on YouTube
2. { The Holocaust and the Hindua-Genocidaro (the Hindu Genocides) | Mr. Anand Manikutty @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2025 ]
Speaker: Mr. Anand Manikutty
Summary: In this first talk of the Fulmo Talk Series, Mr. Anand Manikutty explores the concept of the Hindua Genocidaro âa term from Esperanto meaning a series of genocidesâdrawing parallels between the Holocaust and centuries of violence against Hindus in South Asia. He critiques the framing of the Holocaust as the âgreatest evilâ in history, arguing that other atrocities, including those against Hindus, deserve equal recognition. The talk introduces the constructed language Sansperanto as a linguistic tool to preserve historical truth and sets the stage for a deeper discussion on the Hindu genocides in part two.
In Part Two of the Prelego (trans. : “Talk”) on the Hindu Genocides, the speaker, Mr. Anand Manikutty, introduces Sansperanto, a hybrid of Sanskrit and Esperanto, to make cultural expression clearer and easier for speakers of Indian languages. He discusses the term “La Hindua Genocidaro”, framing centuries of invasions, forced conversions, and temple destructions as genocides against Hindus, and calls for truthful remembrance through projects and respectful discourse. Finally, he presents La Gxoja Historio (“Joyful” History), a new framework for looking at South Asian History, which, of course, includes Tamil History and the History of South India. He introduces it as a new kadro (Esperanto for “framework”) arguing that Hindu practices like yoga and meditation were happiness-enhancing activities, and their suppression during invasions represents a profound historical loss.
Please note that the audio has some issues because of some technical issues with video editing, which, incidentally, was done by an individual from Pakistan.
đ Watch on YouTube
3. { A Tale of Two Cities | Mr. Budhaditya Chakraborty @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2025 ]
Speaker: Dr. Budhaditya Chakraborty
Summary: In this informative talk, accomplished heart surgeon Dr. Budhaditya Chakraborty reflects on his journey from elite institutions like AIIMS and Mayo Clinic to his current work in Jaipur. Comparing the infrastructure, training, and ethics of healthcare systems in India and the U.S., he reveals how structural gaps in India affect both doctors and patients. He also explores the contrast between metros like Delhi and Tier-II cities like Jaipur, where government health schemes dominate but often underfund real innovation. The talk is both a critique and a call to action: that healthcare must be seen not just as a right, but as a focused investment. For anyone interested in the future of healthcare in India, this video is well worth watching.
đ Watch on YouTube
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4. { The Spirit of Cricket | Mr. Achyutha Ram Marri @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2026 ]
Speaker: Mr. Achyutha Ram Marri
Summary: In this engaging talk from the Fulmo Talk Series, technology leader Achitra Ram introduces the global world of cricket to an American audience, blending personal nostalgia with clear, beginner-friendly explanations. He mentions the sportâs three major formatsâfrom the long, strategic Test matches to the fast-paced T20 gamesâand shows how cricketâs mix of strategy, skill, and emotion has captivated billions. Through memories and reflections, he illustrates how cricket becomes a shared cultural experience that unites families, communities, and nations. The host later extends the discussion by addressing recent unsportsmanlike incidents and proposing a creative, dignified response through a logo contest to reaffirm the spirit of cricket. Ultimately, the talk presents cricket as more than a sport: a cultural bridge, a source of joy, and a tradition worth preserving.
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5. { Improwised Technologies – Empowering Developers, Accelerating Delivery | Mr. Shailesh Davara @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2026 ]
Speaker: Mr. Shailesh Davara
Summary: In this interesting Fulmo Talk, Shailesh Davra, CEO and co-founder of Improvised Technologies, shares how his company helps SaaS businesses scale efficiently through platform engineering. He explains how automation, open-source tools, and developer self-service can make infrastructure more reliable, secure, and cost-effective. Drawing on over 17 years of experience, he illustrates how empowering developers with autonomy leads to innovation and agility. His talk highlights the human side of technologyâefficiency with simplicity, and creativity supported by sound engineering.
đ Watch on YouTube
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6. { Education and Careers Abroad | Mr. Hari Raghavachari @ Fulmo }
[ FULMO TALK SERIES 2026 ]
Speaker: Mr. Hari Raghavachari
Summary: In this deeply practical Fulmo Talk, Hari Raghavachari reflects on the realities of pursuing education and careers abroad in a rapidly changing global economy. He challenges young professionals to look beyond degrees and destinations, urging them instead to understand the context â the technological, economic, and cultural forces shaping the future of work. Highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence, he explains why success in the next decade will depend not just on academic credentials, but on adaptability, foresight, and future-ready skills. For more on this, watch the full Prelego (trans.: âTalkâ) on YouTube.
đ Watch on YouTube
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More Interesting Talks
[ Stephanie Harrison ]
The following talk â although also not technically part of the Fulmo Talk Series â is worth watching. Itâs certainly one you may want to make time for.
In her Google Talk, Stephanie Harrison, the founder of The New Happy, challenges the conventional wisdom around happinessâwhat she labels âOld Happy.â That model, she explains, grew out of cultural forces like capitalism and individualism, which link happiness to personal success, possessions, and status. The trouble? Many people dutifully pursue these goals, only to discover they feel emptier, not fuller.
Her alternativeâThe New Happyâflips the script. Instead of chasing external achievements, she argues that fulfillment comes from recognizing and sharing your own unique strengths, then using them to improve the lives of others. True happiness, in this view, is less about self-congratulation and more about co-creation: building joy that ripples outward through kindness, community, and shared purpose.
Harrison underscores that happiness isnât a private trophy to hoard, but a collective state we create together. Even small, everyday acts of generosity can spark a chain reactionâlifting you up while simultaneously brightening someone elseâs day.
Itâs an inspiring reminder that weâre not meant to âgo it alone.â By choosing connection over competition, we move closer to a kind of happiness that sustains both the self and the wider world.
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[ Neil Pasricha ]
This isnât part of the Fulmo Talk Series either, but itâs another one worth watching.
In his talk on The Happiness Equation, Neil Pasricha dismantles the standard formula most of us live by: work hard â achieve success â then youâll be happy. He calls this the âold equation,â and he points out its fundamental flaw: the goalpost for success is always moving. Each time we achieve something, the definition of success shifts just beyond our reach, keeping happiness deferred.
Pasricha flips the formula: be happy first â then youâll be more successful â and achieve more naturally. Drawing on research in positive psychology, he argues that cultivating happiness isnât the reward at the end of the journey but the fuel that powers it.
To make this shift practical, he offers three âsecretsâ for rewiring your mind toward happiness:
- Do less: Pare back the unnecessary and focus on what truly matters.
- Do it now: Stop postponing joy for a future that may never arrive.
- Be you: Drop the mask of comparison and lean into authenticity.
The elegance of his message lies in its simplicity: happiness isnât something we earn after proving ourselves. Itâs a choice, a practice, and a starting point. By prioritizing it now, we not only live more fulfilling lives but also unlock the energy and clarity to create, connect, and contribute at our best.
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[ Angela Duckworth ]
This isnât a Fulmo Talk Series session either, but Angela Duckworthâs Grit session, part of the Talks @ Google series, offers a fascinating expansion of her ideas and is also worth watching.
In this session, Angela Duckworth explores how grit is reinforced by culture and identity. Drawing on examples from West Point, Google, and Finland, she shows that shared rituals, language, and values can make perseverance more natural. The Finnish concept of sisuârepresenting determination in the face of difficultyâillustrates how a collective identity can encourage individuals to push through challenges. Similarly, strong organizational or team cultures, whether in sports or corporations, provide a framework that helps people sustain effort and commitment.
She also stresses the importance of directing grit toward meaningful goals. Many people, especially after school, struggle to find pursuits worthy of sustained effort. Duckworth advises reflecting on early interests and aligning them with personal values to discover passions that are both compelling and purposeful. Quitting strategically, she argues, is sometimes necessary; stepping away from unfulfilling paths allows individuals to invest their energy where perseverance will have the greatest impact.
Finally, Duckworth highlights how grit develops over time through practice, feedback, and virtuous cycles of achievement. Role models like parents, teachers, and mentors can guide development, but personal effort is crucial. She notes that grit often overlaps with obsession: deep focus and enjoyment of oneâs work fuel remarkable outcomes. While underdog experiences can amplify determination, anyone can cultivate grit by committing to meaningful goals, persevering through setbacks, and continuously refining their efforts.
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The YAHOO Section: Yet Another Handpicked Offering of Originals
The following talk â although also not technically part of the Fulmo Talk Series â is under preparation. Weâve included it here because it has a distinctly humorous flavour. Pulling off a truly funny talk is harder than it looks â it demands substantially more preparation and finesse.
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[ Anand Manikutty ]
{ Wendy Doniger vs. Anand Manikutty: The 10-Year Debate Saga (Spoiler: I Win) | Anand Manikutty @ Fulmo }
Speaker: Anand Manikutty
Summary:
Anand Manikuttyâs talk reflects on a decade-long intellectual engagement with Wendy Doniger, exploring the challenges faced by those whose lived experiences are often marginalized in academic debates. With a Talk featuring a rather humorous title, he emphasizes Gxoja, or joy. He also emphasizes the need for mental, emotional, and spiritual resilience, advocating for tools like humor, mindfulness, and Vipassana meditation to protect oneself in a digital world marked by stress and dislocation. The talk also critiques the power dynamics in academia, where influential scholars can shape narratives that sometimes overlook or diminish alternative perspectives. Ultimately, Anand calls for greater awareness and self-protection in navigating these uneven terrains of knowledge and power. This critique has been sent to Wendy Doniger herself and she has not replied back to say that she has found any problems with it.
It is surprisingly easy for academics, even those with significant influence and public-oriented responsibilities, to put forth controversial opinions while skillfully dodging their critics. Within academia, a conformity bias often encourages the acceptance of these dominant views without sufficient scrutiny, leading many to hold on to beliefs that may be flawed or incomplete. This dynamic creates a form of Grupopensaro (or Extended Groupthink), where dissenting perspectives are marginalized, and incorrect ideasâsuch as the unquestioned superiority of vegetarian or vegan diets, the supposed Granda Sagxeco (or, Great Wisdom) of closing down schools during Covid or the supposed incontrovertible patterns in climate change dataâbecome widely accepted. This critique also has the distinction of having been brought to the attention of senior members, including a cofounder, of the Hindu American Foundation.
In this Talk, Anand Manikutty introduces an entirely new critique, called the EnmiksiÄo critiqueââenmiksiÄoâ meaning âinterferenceââof Wendy Donigerâs work and that of other academics who apply Freudian psychology to analyze Hindu mythological figures. (One striking example is an academicâs claim that Ganeshaâs tusk symbolizes a limp phallus.) What differentiates this critique is that it is the first critique that is a critique of the work of these academics that is not from an emic perspective. It is purely academic, and, indeed, based on science. The EnmiksiÄo critique argues that when such interpretations do not clarify that they represent fringe perspectives within Hinduism, they cause âinterferenceâ by preventing millions of Hindus from engaging freely in spiritual practices aimed at increasing personal happiness without harming others. It uses ideas from a new Philosophy developed, called La Gxoja Filozofio, which is meant to be a rival philosophy to ancient philosophies such as Stoicism and Epicureanism, as well as modern philosophies such as Existentialism. This serious and well-intentioned critique exposes how such academic narratives create barriers to authentic spiritual engagement and the achievement of happiness for many Hindus.
[ Filmeto estos afiĆita ] [ This lecture video is being prepared by the Esperanto and ConLang Society of South India ]
[ Video to be posted ] [ Filmeton preparas la ESSh ]
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[ Tia Graham ]
This one isnât part of the Fulmo Talk Series either, but itâs another talk worth your time.
In this heartfelt and practical talk on the choice of happiness, Tia Graham challenges the common belief that happy people are simply born that way or stumble into the right circumstances. She starts with her own story: watching her father lose himself through a painful divorce, then consciously reclaim joy by doing things that energized him. That childhood lesson â that happiness is something you do, not something you wait for â ended up shaping her entire life.
But the talk isnât about being cheerful all the time. Graham reframes happiness as a life with more positive than pain, one grounded in meaning, purpose, and a diversity of rich experiences. She points to global research: most people are disengaged at work, stressed, sleep-deprived, and wired with a built-in negativity bias. In other words, the world isnât designed to make happiness easy â so we have to be intentional.
Her framework centers on four evidence-backed choices:
- Spend time with people you love: Strong relationships predict both happiness and long-term health.
- Get real sleep: Seven to nine hours is non-negotiable for emotional stability and cognitive performance.
- Move often: Regular physical activity boosts mood, reduces stress, and sharpens thinking â even 15 minutes counts.
- Do meaningful work: If you canât change jobs, make your current work matter by helping others.
Around these, she adds nature, meditation, volunteering, and journaling as additional ways to lift your set point.
The message is deceptively simple: happiness takes both a will and a way. By choosing to spend more time on the things that genuinely light us up, we not only become happier â we become more productive, more successful, and better equipped to care for the people who depend on us.
Itâs not about meeting societyâs expectations. Itâs about intentionally building a life that feels good to live.
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[ Jessica Weiss ]
This one isnât part of the Fulmo Talk Series either, but it fits perfectly in the YAHOO section â practical, research-based, and easy to apply.
Jessica Weissâs core message is simple: happiness is built through small, intentional habits. While genetics matters, about half of our happiness comes from what we choose to do every day.
Here are her four key habits:
- Friends are magic.
Strong relationships are the most reliable predictor of well-being. Even brief, genuine connection reduces stress and lifts mood. - Keep a Joy Journal.
Write down three things that brought joy and why. This rewires attention away from negativity and strengthens positive experiences. - Live in âday-tight compartments.â
Stay aware of the future, but handle life one contained day at a time. This prevents overwhelm and keeps you focused on whatâs actionable. - Make work meaningful.
Work becomes energizing when you use your strengths, help someone, and track small wins. Meaning drives sustainable motivation.
The essence: happiness isnât accidental â itâs practiced through a handful of consistent, doable habits.
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Why Watch These?
Because sometimes, the most unexpected talks leave the biggest impact.
These videos expand the Fulmo Talk Seriesâ mission: to spark curiosity, joy, and connection in every corner of the Internet.
⥠Click. Watch. Learn.
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đ€ In Association
This Talk Series is presented in association with the Esperanto and ConLang Society of South India.
đŁïžBelow is a short message from the Society â which believes that language can be a tool for peace, clarity, and joy.
“The Esperanto and ConLang Society of South India is dedicated to exploring the power of constructed languages to foster understanding across cultures. We support initiatives like the Fulmo Talk Series that highlight curiosity, creativity, and meaningful communication. Whether you’re a linguist, a coder, or just curious â there’s space here for your voice.”
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TalkSeries.Org 