Sushasan | The Podcast
The founder of a governance consulting firm interviews senior Indian civil servants about the mechanics of the state and public administration.
This is an interview show focused on the "how" of Indian public administration. It brings in serving or retired high-level bureaucrats (IAS, IRAS, etc.) to explain the structure, challenges, and successes of their respective domains, from tourism development in a state to the inner workings of the national railways.
“Its primary distinction is its focus on the "nuts and bolts" of bureaucracy. Unlike political commentary, it features the practitioners themselves explaining the systems they operate, offering a ground-level, apolitical view of the state's machinery.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Gaurav Goel, Founder and CEO of the governance consulting firm Samagra, Sushasan features in-depth conversations with the policymakers and bureaucrats who run the Indian state. The podcast unpacks the operational realities, structural challenges, and strategic initiatives within various government departments, framed by the goal of understanding India's journey to its centenary in 2047.
Credentials & credits
- Founder & CEO, Samagra
- MBA, IIM Calcutta
- Dual Degree, Computer Science & Engineering, IIT Delhi
- Former Management Consultant, McKinsey & Company
- BusinessWorld '40 Under 40' Changemaker
Other ventures
- Samagra | Transforming Governance
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01The Untold Cambodia–Kurukshetra StoryJun 27, 2026 · 38s
- 02"I Never Went To Any Politician For Any Favour" - IAS Anil SwarupJun 24, 2026 · 30s
- 03UPSC to Indian Railways: Training, Promotions & Reality of an IRAS Officer FromJun 23, 2026 · 9 min
- 04Visiting Rashtrapati Bhavan Is Now Easier Than EverJun 20, 2026 · 26s
- 05Amrit Abhijat, IAS: The Strategy Behind UP’s New Tourism CircuitsJun 8, 2026 · 7 min
- 06Can Education Save a Community? An IAS Officer Speaks OutMay 29, 2026 · 7 min
- 07How Free & Fair Elections Are Conducted in IndiaMay 24, 2026 · 6 min
- 08What Income Tax Officers Actually Do | Real Behind The ScenesMay 15, 2026 · 7 min
Notable episodes
- 01Amrit Abhijat, IAS: The Strategy Behind UP’s New Tourism Circuits
Provides a detailed case study of a state-led economic development strategy, outlining plans to boost tourism's contribution to a targeted $1 trillion economy.
- 02Can Education Save a Community? An IAS Officer Speaks Out
A powerful account of a successful community-driven initiative ('Shiksha Chaupals') that brought over 21,000 out-of-school children back into the education system.
- 03UPSC to Indian Railways: Training, Promotions & Reality of an IRAS Officer
Offers a clear breakdown of the organizational structure, training, and career path within one of India's largest and most complex organizations, the Indian Railways.
What you'll be asked on this show
Goel typically opens with a broad, strategic question about the guest's domain, such as their vision for a sector or the primary challenges they faced. He allows guests to speak at length, providing detailed overviews without interruption, often referring to a note card. He then probes further by asking for structural details ("Can you explain the various divisions?") or personal reflections ("What was your experience like?"). He frequently summarizes a guest's points to confirm his understanding, guiding the conversation as an exploration rather than a confrontational interview.
Host Gaurav Goel acts as a knowledgeable guide, asking broad, open-ended questions to frame a topic before drilling down into specifics. The conversations, a professional mix of Hindi and English, center on systems and processes, often followed by questions about the guest's personal experiences within that system.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
5 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
future
1- Q.01
“How do you see your sector expanding and what is the vision for it?”
This is a common opening question to elicit the guest's high-level strategy and future plans for their domain.
origin
1- Q.01
“What were the major challenges and reasons for [a specific problem]?”
The host asks this to establish the core problem the guest was tasked with solving, setting the context for their initiatives.
process
2- Q.01
“Can you explain the structure of your organization?”
A recurring question used to map out the institutional framework and jurisdictional hierarchy for the listener.
- Q.02
“Are there touchpoints like mid-career training to keep officers updated?”
This question explores the mechanisms for continuous professional development within the Indian civil services.
personal
1- Q.01
“What was your personal experience like during [a specific event or training]?”
After discussing systemic issues, the host often pivots to the guest's personal anecdotes to add a human dimension.
Signature segments
- · Focus on "India@100"
- · Interviews with senior bureaucrats
- · Deep dives into specific government departments
- · Mix of Hindi and English
- · Tagline: "Governance Behind-the-Scenes"
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show exclusively books high-ranking, experienced Indian civil servants, including active and retired officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS), and Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
- Vineet Dwivedion UPSC to Indian Railways: Training, Promotions & Reality of an IRAS Officer From
- Amrit Abhijat, IASon Amrit Abhijat, IAS: The Strategy Behind UP’s New Tourism Circuits
- Anil Swarup, IASon "I Never Went To Any Politician For Any Favour" - IAS Anil Swarup
- Inderjeet Singh, IASon How Free & Fair Elections Are Conducted in India
- Kavinder Singh Negi, IRSon What Income Tax Officers Actually Do | Real Behind The Scenes
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is produced by Samagra, the host's own governance consulting firm, and serves as a content platform to build authority and thought leadership in the public policy and governance space. No external sponsors were identified.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
People also ask
- Who is the host of Sushasan?
- The podcast is hosted by Gaurav Goel, the Founder and CEO of Samagra, a mission-driven governance consulting firm.
- What does 'Sushasan' mean?
- 'Sushasan' is a Hindi word that translates to 'Good Governance'.
- What is the podcast about?
- It features interviews with senior Indian civil servants about the inner workings of government, public administration, and policy implementation.
- Who are the typical guests on the show?
- Guests are typically high-ranking, experienced bureaucrats from services like the IAS, IRAS, and IRS who discuss their work in detail.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, based on recent activity, the podcast releases new episodes and clips regularly.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Sushasan is available on YouTube and other podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Sushasan | The Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [02]Sushasan - Samagra Governancesamagragovernance.in
- [03]Gaurav Goel, alumnus of IIM Calcuttaiimcal.ac.in
- [04]Gaurav Goel - Profile - Ideas for Indiaideasforindia.in
- [05]Samagra | Transforming Governancesamagragovernance.in
- [06]Unpacking Governance Consulting in India with Samagra CEO Gaurav Goelyoutube.com
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