In the season premiere of Trending Echoes, host Elyazia Al Hosani sits down with Dr. Samir Saran, President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and one of India’s most influential thinkers in global policy, technology, and diplomacy.

This episode goes beyond headlines and geopolitics to explore something deeper — how individuals and institutions can move from simply navigating change to driving it with vision, conviction, and purpose.

Dr. Saran reflects on his multidisciplinary journey — from engineering to media and sustainability — revealing how curiosity and courage shaped his approach to leadership. He also opens a personal window into his world: late-night reflections, lessons learned from global dialogues, and how think tanks must evolve to stay relevant in a media-saturated, fast-paced world.

Together, Elyazia and Dr. Saran unpack questions that define our times:

How is technology reshaping the human identity?

Is authenticity disappearing in the digital age?

Can think tanks remain meaningful in an era of influencers?

What does leadership mean when disruption is constant?

How can dialogue and empathy rebuild trust in divided societies?

Their exchange spans the intersections of technology, ethics, leadership, and humanity, offering both intellectual depth and emotional resonance.

Dr. Saran presents a compelling vision for the future of diplomacy — one grounded in conversation rather than confrontation, and in building bridges rather than walls. He reminds us that the world’s most complex challenges will not be solved by algorithms or politics alone, but by human connection and collective wisdom.

This episode of Trending Echoes is more than a conversation — it’s a reflection on what it means to be human in a rapidly transforming world, and how each of us can find the courage to shape the change we wish to see.

Tune in for a dialogue that challenges assumptions, stirs curiosity, and inspires leadership with purpose.