Raj Shamani

Hi, I’m Raj.

​Some people meditate for peace, I ask questions. 
Basically, my work is to meet the smartest people and get into their minds. Not literally. 

I talk to them to learn from their expertise, their choices, and their life. And I take my viewers along for the ride.

For me, figuring out money, business, health, relationships, and life was so confusing in the beginning, and I’m sure so many others face the same problem. 

But it gets a little bit easier when you have the right people sharing their lessons (and occasional disasters).

When I’m not doing that, I’m hanging out with my dog, Crypto, who, unlike the real crypto, never disappoints me. 

Stick around to find out more about my experiences while doing all this.

Founder

Do you rely on your mood to be productive at work?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Founder & Host @ Figuring Out | Building Cüraa by YFL Home | Bestselling Author, Build Don’t Talk

About 10 years ago, I went outside the country for the first time. 

And like all Indian mothers, my mom was like, I’m packing food, take it. 

I said no, of course. Naive confidence. 
“I’ll get food there. Don’t worry.”

She packed mithi koki in my bag anyway. Without telling me. 
(koki is a sindhi sweet flatbread)

I was in Vienna, a small town in Austria in Europe.  And as an Indian vegetarian, I could not find any vegetarian restaurant that would match my budget. 

For 2 days, I struggled a lot with food.  And I called my mom and started ranting about it.

My mom just said check that bag. 
It’s an understatement to say I was on cloud nine. 

Since then, every time I’ve stepped out of the country, koki has come with me. A piece of home that travels with me.

We have reached the point where my mom makes gluten-free, protein-rich koki now. 

I’ve been travelling for work for the past month. Still not done.

I was eating koki today in yet another hotel room, and I realised how moms just know things.  

She knows what you’ll need before you even know you’re going to need it. And somehow, even after all these years, she keeps being right.

#rajshamani #figuringout

What do you do to keep yourself from getting bored of doing the same work every day?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Do you think people glamorise the effort needed to succeed more than they should?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

How do you deal with your competition?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

How do you judge someone's self-worth?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

What is one small habit that has helped you improve?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

“You should have these 10 hobbies”

Bullsh*t. 

In January every year, people get this urge to change their lives completely. 

Start working out, try a new sport, get into a side hustle, so on. 

Which is absolutely fair. 
Humans see the new year as a new beginning. 

But one thing that I see is people forcing themselves to have hobbies. 

“I need something apart from work.”
“I can’t just sit at home.”
“I need something interesting to talk about.”

If you genuinely like doing something, that’s a hobby.
If it helps you reset, even better.

But if you are doing it just because “everyone should have a hobby”, that’s just you trying to fit in.

It’s okay if work is your thing right now.
It’s okay if your weekends are for rest.
It’s okay if you only like one thing.

Filling every hour just to feel “productive” doesn’t make life better.
It just makes you more tired.

Try new stuff, yes.
But don’t pressure yourself into hobbies just to look more acceptable.

#rajshamani #figuringout

Do you think doing too many things kills focus?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Do you feel people waste a lot of time waiting to "feel ready"?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Do you think you might be addicted to your phone?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Do you feel that your confidence relies on others validating your decisions?

Tell me in the comments!

#rajshamani #figuringout

Imagine putting an AI on a test on national television.

Not in a lab.
Not in a scripted demo.
On national television in front of millions.

Blue Machines, an Indian voice AI company, did an hour-long primetime debate with Arnab Goswami.

What made it impressive is that Nirmit Parikh took a massive risk most founders avoid:

He put his product out on national television in an unscripted format under pressure.

And the only way you do that is if you’re backing it with actual engineering.

I even did a podcast with Nirmit a year ago, and I am not surprised by how much support this whole debate is getting. 

The debate was about showing what products built on the foundation of deep tech and core infrastructure look like.

This was a statement about how AI should be tested, in the real world, with real stress and real accountability.

This product can turn out to be a game-changer for enterprises and India.

#rajshamani #figuringout

India is the diabetes capital of the world.

And most people who are heading there don’t even know it yet.

Because it doesn’t start with sugar.

It starts with insulin resistance.

A silent metabolic breakdown where your body slowly stops responding to insulin properly long before diabetes ever shows up on a report.

In this episode, Karan Sarin, author of Sick Nation, explains why India is facing a metabolic epidemic.

He breaks down:

– Why BMI is a useless marker
– Why “thin” people can still be fat inside 
– Why Indians store fat faster than others
– Why PCOS is often metabolic, not just hormonal
– How erectile dysfunction can be an early warning sign
– And why dementia might be the next big crisis linked to insulin resistance

He also talks about how your body doesn’t actually need carbohydrates.

But our entire diet is built on them.

And once metabolism is damaged, even fruit isn’t automatically “healthy.”

Link to the full conversation is in the comments.

#rajshamani #figuringout

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ISB Co'24 | Independent Consultant

About me in one line- I help raise funds to create social impact.

You can block some time using the link, would love to see you on the other side- https://topmate.io/bhagyashree_lodha13

I also host a podcast where we invite industry leaders- 

YouTube- https://youtube.com/@bhagyashreelodhaa?si=kAzlpuK0bXWt5gA-

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4CblVN6KCXOjAzw7noPUQs?

Bhagyashree Lodha

Sumit Chauhan breaks down the concept of "Brand-Led CSR," shares actionable advice for NGOs on how to pitch effectively, and discusses the critical balance between scaling impact and maintaining depth.

Whether you are a social work professional, an NGO founder looking for funding, or someone aspiring to build a career in CSR, this conversation is packed with a lot of insights.

What we discussed:

--Brand-Led CSR: Why corporates fund what they fund.

--The Funding Pitch: Common mistakes NGOs make and how to stand out.

--Scale vs. Depth: Why chasing numbers can sometimes hurt the actual impact.

--Career Advice: The top skills required to succeed as a CSR professional.

--Mphasis Initiatives: Tech-enabled social mobility and environmental sustainability.

The episode is now live on YouTube & Spotify, link in the comment

What I do- I help organizations in fundraising

The podcast with Sumit Chauhan, CSR Head Mphasis, is now live

Watch the full episode on YouTube & Spotify

Link is in the comments

Let me know your thoughts

Top 5 of 25

Being featured in the Top 5 of Top 25 (2025) on Topmate under Unique 
Expertise is a moment of quiet pride.

This recognition isn’t about rankings.

It’s about trust from founders, NGO leaders, and social sector professionals who believed that fundraising doesn’t have to be guesswork, jargon-heavy, or driven by desperation.

Over the years, my work has stayed focused on one thing:

👉 helping organisations think clearly about funding, not chase it blindly.

Thank you to everyone who booked sessions, asked hard questions, challenged assumptions, and implemented what we discussed. 

Your progress is the real reward.

If you’re an NGO, social enterprise, or institution looking to:
• build a realistic fundraising strategy
• engage CSR more effectively
• move from ad-hoc grants to predictable funding

I help organizations raise funds in a structured, credible, and sustainable way.
Onwards. 

If you want to book a call, link in the comment

Dear Hyderabad 

I’ll be facilitating this 2-day in-person workshop on Fundraising Strategies at Bala Vikasa - Center For Social And Responsible Business 

The sessions are designed for social enterprises, early-stage startups, and NGOs looking to build realistic, stage-appropriate fundraising strategies across grants, CSR, impact investors, and more.

If fundraising feels overwhelming or fragmented, this workshop will focus on clarity, readiness, and practical tools you can immediately apply.

📍 Bala Vikasa CSRB Campus, Hyderabad
🗓 29–30 January 2026

Bala Vikasa - Center For Social And Responsible Business

View company: Bala Vikasa - Center For Social And Responsible Business

📢 Registrations Open

Fundraising Strategies Workshop
Bala Vikasa CSRB is organizing a 2-day in-person workshop on “Fundraising Strategies for Social Enterprises, Early-Stage Startups, and NGOs”

📅 Dates: 29th & 30th January 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Venue: Bala Vikasa CSRB Campus, Ghatkesar, Hyderabad

👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxw_EXkB

 ⏳ Limited seats available

For any queries, please contact us at 
anil@balavikasa.org (9603861851) & shamini@balavikasa.org (6304621534)

Shoury Reddy Singareddy Sunitha Reddy Rahul Bhardwaj Mogili Vijender Moses John Paul Roy Anil Battini Shamini Ganna Janani Mohan Saadhika Naidu VVS Ramakrishna Bhagyashree Lodha Parvathy A Manoj Kumar Bada Ghar Wala Annie Vijaya Dr. Raveena Kousar

#socialentrepreneurship #socialimpact #startups #fundraising #fundraisingstrategies #NGOs #ruralentrepreneurs

List of CSR that support disability related initiatives

Tata Consultancy Services - India (TCS)

Infosys

Microsoft India

Wipro

IBM India

Accenture in India India

HDFC Bank

Google India

Mphasis

PS- I also host a podcast where we invite leaders from social impact space
Link is in the comments

Fundraising at scale is increasingly happening in places we didn’t traditionally associate with philanthropy.

In one of his recent posts, Arjun Vaidya mentioned how sport is no longer a niche market in India, sharing what he saw at the Get Fit Expo while collecting his half-marathon bib ahead of the Tata Mumbai Marathon.

That same scale is now clearly visible on the philanthropy side.

The Tata Mumbai Marathon has evolved into one of the country’s largest fundraising platforms:

-- ₹72.39 crore raised in 2024 for social causes

-- ₹53+ crore raised in 2025, supporting hundreds of NGOs across sectors

These are not incidental outcomes.

They reflect how sport has moved beyond being just a commercial or engagement platform.

Sport today is:
== not niche for profits

== and no longer niche for philanthropy either

For those of us working in the social sector and fundraising, this is an important shift to recognise.

Large, public, participatory platforms are now central to how capital for impact is being mobilised.

#Fundraising #Philanthropy #SocialSector #CSR #TataMumbaiMarathon

5 Fundraising Skills that will change how you raise funds in 2026:- 


1. Research That Digs Deeper


2.  Skills That Solve Problems


3.  Stories That Move People


4.  Understanding What Makes Donors Happy


5.  Smart Negotiation Top fundraisers create win-wins


Which of these skills are you working on?

CSR budgets don’t close in March. Reputations do.

By the last quarter of the financial year, most CSR leaders are not asking:

-- Who has the most innovative idea?

They’re asking:

- Who will help us close the year cleanly?

This is why funding at FY close consistently flows to “safe hands.”

Safe hands are organisations that:

- Have delivered before
- Understand compliance and reporting expectations
- Don’t create last-minute surprises

In Jan–Mar, uncertainty is the biggest risk.

 And risk is what CSR teams are actively managing.

This is also why new NGOs struggle during this window, not because they lack impact, but because they lack institutional familiarity.

At FY close:
- Long discovery cycles are compressed
- Due diligence is selective, not exhaustive
- Trust substitutes for time
- Credibility becomes a shortcut.

== A strong reputation can do in weeks

== What a fresh proposal may not achieve in months.

This is often misunderstood as conservatism.

 In reality, it’s operational discipline.

At FY close, CSR is less about innovation and more about risk management.

The highest annual allocation so far


The Gates Foundation has announced a record $9 billion budget for 2026, its highest annual allocation so far.

At the same time, it plans to gradually reduce up to 500 staff roles over the next five years, as part of a long-term plan to cap operating costs and focus more resources on grants.

What does this mean in simple terms?

• The foundation is increasing funding for global health, women’s health, vaccines, polio eradication, AI for public systems, and U.S. education

• Annual operating expenses (staff, travel, administration) will be limited to ~14% of the total budget

• Larger grants will be made selectively, especially in areas facing setbacks like rising child mortality

• Teams working on HIV, TB, and global health are shifting closer to the regions they serve, including Africa and India

• This aligns with the foundation’s earlier decision to spend down $200B and close by 2045

The leadership has described the next two decades as the foundation’s most impactful phase, with sharper focus, fewer layers, and bigger bets.

For anyone working in the development, CSR, or philanthropy ecosystem, this is a useful reminder:

-- Budgets, staffing, geography, and grantmaking strategy are deeply connected, and large funders are actively redesigning how they operate for the long term.

Worth paying attention to.

Thank you Mr. Bill Gates for doing what you are doing for the community

Source: NDTV

What actually moves funds in Jan–Mar (and what doesn’t)

After working on multiple fundraises, one pattern is clear:

== Jan–Mar funding decisions are rarely emotional.

== They are operational, reputational, and timing-driven.

Here’s what that looks like on the ground.

What funders have usually already decided by December

- Core renewals with trusted partners

- Strategic commitments aligned to annual CSR plans

- NGOs they are not funding this year

By January, most doors are already labelled even if they aren’t closed.

What can still move in Jan–Mar

- Top-ups to existing or known partners

- Compliance or utilisation-linked allocations

- Organisations with strong credibility, clean documentation, and quick absorption capacity

== At this stage, funders optimise for low friction and low risk.

Their first cohort was house full and this cohort closes on 27th Jan

An NGO helping other NGOs to digitise their ground work flow so that it's easy to track their impact and keep their ground team digitally equipped.

Free access to Avni's robust platform to launch a real, working digital pilot that elevates program monitoring, field data, and reporting.

Kudos to Arjun Khandelwal and his team for the great work on launching this initiative

More details in the comment

🚀 Avni Launchpad — Cohort 2 is here!

After an encouraging first cohort, we’re excited to announce  𝐀𝐯𝐧𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐩𝐚𝐝 – 𝐂𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 2 🎉

A cohort program for organisations looking to digitise a core program and strengthen it for scale.

Avni Launchpad supports teams in moving from intent to implementation — helping them set up, pilot, and refine digital workflows that actually work on the ground.

This cohort is ideal for organisations that want to:
◆Digitise program data in a structured way
◆Improve visibility, follow-ups, and reporting
◆Prepare own digital systems for long-term scale

📅 Key Dates:
◆Jan 27, 2026: Applications close
◆Mar 12–13, 2026: 2-day in-person workshop (New Delhi)

Learn more about Cohort 2 👉
https://lnkd.in/gYaJ9WyS

#Avni #AvniLaunchpad #Cohort2 #TechForGood #Digitisation #SocialImpact #NGOTech

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The Battle

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