The Secret Sauce

Mukul Deora
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The Secret Sauce Podcast - a thought-provoking show that decodes the science and systems behind better health, performance, and decision-making. Hosted by Oscar-nominated filmmaker and entrepreneur Mukul Deora, it cuts through the noise with depth, intelligence, and conversations that make you think differently. Tune in every Thursday for world-class conversations that sharpen how you think, live, and lead.

  1. 4H AGO

    This Mindset Creates Massive Wealth | Umang Papneja | Mukul Deora | EP 13

    When wealth grows, how should your mindset change? In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, we sit down with Umang Papneja, CEO of Julius Baer, to unpack how India’s ultra-rich think about money - not just how they make it, but how they protect, allocate, and compound it across decades. From sudden liquidity events to multi-generational planning, this conversation reveals the discipline behind serious capital. We explore the three-bucket framework (safety, growth, business capital), why concentration builds wealth but diversification protects it, and why patience - not momentum - is the real edge in investing. The episode also breaks down key investing principles in simple terms: how compounding truly works over decades, why exceptional returns require sustained EPS growth and PE re-rating, and how debt only enhances returns when ROE exceeds the borrowing cost. We also examine tax efficiency, risk management, and what truly differentiates a consultant-style wealth manager from a product seller. He explains: • The three-bucket allocation strategy used by large portfolios • Why sudden wealth often leads to poor decisions • Why patience is the most consistent wealth-building trait • How compounding transforms outcomes over decades • What EPS and PE really mean in simple terms • Why valuation matters more than hype • When debt amplifies returns - and when it destroys wealth • Why ultra-rich investors rarely panic during downturns • The difference between wealth creation and wealth preservation • Why tax efficiency quietly drives long-term compounding • The red flags to watch for in a wealth manager • Why the best advisors act as consultants, not product pushers This episode is a practical masterclass in capital allocation and long-term thinking. If you want to understand how disciplined investors build wealth that survives cycles and compounds across generations, this conversation is essential viewing.

    1h 11m

  2. FEB 12

    The Real Reason Women Are Burnt Out | Dr. Aditi Govitrikar | Mukul Deora | EP 12

    Why are modern women feeling more exhausted than ever before? In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, Dr. Aditi Govitrikar breaks down the real reasons behind burnout, guilt, and emotional overwhelm in today’s fast-paced world - and offers practical ways to navigate it. Dr. Aditi is a Havard trained psychologist, who brings together professional training and real-life insight to explain the invisible pressures shaping women’s lives. She explores how expanding responsibilities at home and work quietly drain mental energy, how social media intensifies expectations, and why guilt has become such a constant companion. The conversation also dives deep into relationships - why communication breaks down, how unmet expectations create distance, and how understanding love languages can transform marriages and families. Instead of quick fixes, she reframes wellbeing as energy management, better communication, and healthier boundaries. She explains: • Why many women feel mentally and emotionally drained • How invisible labour affects daily energy levels • The 'energy pot' framework for managing life • Why guilt and worry become unproductive habits • Why saying no feels so difficult • How love languages shape relationships and emotional connection • Why misunderstanding a partner’s needs creates conflict • Why domestic effort often goes unseen • The impact of social media on confidence and self-image • How midlife changes affect mood and identity • Practical ways to prevent burnout and reset emotionally This conversation is a grounded, practical guide to understanding modern life, relationships, and mental wellbeing. If you want clearer insight into managing stress, improving communication with your partner, and finding balance in a demanding world, this episode is essential viewing.

    1h 13m

  3. FEB 5

    Ex-HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh: It failed miserably. And we lost money. We didn't pay dividends for two years. | Mr. Deepak Parekh | Mukul Deora | E11

    How do you actually build India’s biggest financial institution from scratch? In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, legendary business leader DEEPAK PAREKH reveals how patience, integrity, employee ownership, and long-term thinking created one of India’s most trusted organisations. Mr. Parekh is the former Chairman of HDFC and a pioneer of India’s housing finance industry. Over four decades, he helped transform a small five-person setup into a financial institution that shaped India’s middle class, redefined housing finance, and set new standards for corporate governance. He explains: • Why integrity matters more than aggressive growth • How empowering employees creates lasting institutions • The leadership habits that build trust over decades • Why IPOs are milestones, not real measures of success • The right way to think about real estate and home ownership • How housing finance changed India’s middle-class future • What separates companies from true institutions • Why patience beats shortcuts in business This conversation is a masterclass on institution building, leadership, and long-term decision-making. If you want to understand what it really takes to create businesses that last generations, this episode is essential viewing.

    1h 4m

  4. JAN 29

    Why Being Your Child's 'Friend' Is Actually Hurting Them | Dr Mahesh Balsekar | Mukul Deora | E10

    In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, India’s Leading Paediatrician, Dr. Mahesh Balsekar, draws on over three decades of clinical experience to explain how parenting has changed, why children’s physical and mental health challenges look so different today, and what actually helps children grow into healthy, resilient adults. From rising childhood obesity and sleep deprivation to anxiety, screen overload, and parenting pressure, this conversation breaks down how modern lifestyles are quietly shaping children’s bodies, brains, and emotional health. Dr. Balsekar explains why parenting is not about perfection, performance, or constant optimization—but about relationships, boundaries, and long-term thinking. With parents today spending more time, money, and effort than any generation before, yet feeling more anxious than ever, this episode reframes what “good parenting” really means. It explores why being a child’s best friend can backfire, how setting limits builds security, and why love and capability matter more than grades, rankings, or resumes. If you’re a parent worried about screens, sleep, diet, stress, discipline, or whether you’re doing “enough,” this episode offers clarity, perspective, and reassurance grounded in science and decades of real-world experience. Key topics covered: • How parenting challenges have shifted over the last 40 years  • Why lifestyle diseases and mental health issues are rising in children  • The difference between permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative parenting  • Why parents should be friendly-but not friends-with their children  • How sleep, diet, and screen habits shape long-term health and behavior  • Why boundaries and saying “no” help children feel secure  • The science of early brain development and the first 1000 days  • How stress, attachment, and relationships affect lifelong resilience  • What truly predicts happiness and success in adulthood

    1h 21m

  5. JAN 15

    Why Most People Use BUY NOW PAY LATER The Wrong Way! | Lizzie Chapman | Mukul Deora | E9

    Most people think India’s credit boom is a recent fintech story, but the reality runs much deeper. In this conversation, global fintech leader, Lizzie Chapman explains how India has always run on credit through informal trust networks, how digital public infrastructure like UPI radically accelerated access, and why modern banking systems are engineered to profit from consumer mistakes. She breaks down what really happens behind ‘zero-cost’ EMIs, BNPL, and credit cards, how small lapses quietly damage credit scores, and why financial harm today often shows up years later when it matters most. If you use digital payments, credit cards, or easy credit- this episode brings clarity to how the system actually works and how to navigate it without falling into long-term traps.

    1h 17m

  6. JAN 8

    Eye Surgeon Reveals the Truth About Refresh Eye Drops -- Are They Worth It? | Dr. Ritika Dalal | Mukul Deora | E8

    In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, Ophthalmologist Dr. Ritika Dalal explains how prolonged screen use is quietly reshaping eye health, why modern screen habits strain both adult and developing eyes, and how repeated exposure can shape long-term risks like chronic dry eye, digital eye strain, and early vision problems especially in children. We break down what happens when eyes are forced into hours of continuous near-focus reduced blinking, a drying tear film, overworked eye muscles, and fatigue our biology was never designed for. Dr. Dalal explains how this constant strain quietly damages the eye’s protective surface, worsens dry eye disease, and increases vulnerability to infections. The conversation also highlights a growing concern: children and young adults developing eye problems far earlier than previous generations, driven largely by lifestyle overload rather than genetics. This episode goes beyond awareness. Dr. Dalal shares practical, real-world guidance for protecting long-term eye health for adults navigating screen-heavy workdays and for parents raising children in a screen-first world. Key topics covered: • Why Refresh and similar eye drops feel good but don’t last • Why so many people become dependent on daily eye drops • How preservatives can affect the eye surface over time • What actually causes dry eyes in the screen age • How blinking, screens, pollution, and lifestyle damage the tear film • When eye drops are useful and when they are overused •Ways to protect your eyes in the long term 00:00 – Trailer 01:14 – Introduction: Why eye health is trending 02:16 – The 300% increase in dry eyes 03:37 – Why blinking less on screens causes strain 04:02 – The single biggest disaster for eye health 04:35 – Why rubbing eyes is dangerous for kids 05:31 – The 20-20-20 rule for breaks 07:04 – Long-term damage of dry eyes & the tear film 09:20 – Blue light myths vs. sleep patterns 10:47 – Impact of pollution and dust in India 12:05 – Are eye drops (Refresh) just a band-aid solution? 13:28 – Correct eye drop usage and expiration rules 14:27 – The Myopia epidemic in children 15:52 – Books vs. Kindles vs. iPads: The hierarchy of reading 18:07 – Does Eye Yoga actually work? 20:54 – Ortho-K lenses and slowing eye power progression 24:04 – Why contact lenses cause headaches 26:08 – Checklist for choosing the right contact lenses 27:59 – Dangers of sleeping in contact lenses 29:56 – Cheap vs. Expensive spectacle lenses 33:59 – How Kajal, Mascara, and Glitter damage eyes 36:07 – Three hygiene rules for makeup users 36:23 – What determines natural eye color? 37:54 – Permanent eye color change surgery 39:56 – Lasik, Smile, PRK, and Contoura explained 42:03 – Is Lasik permanent? 43:18 – Who is the right candidate for Lasik? 47:45 – Can you get Lasik twice? 48:21 – Biggest myths regarding Lasik 49:27 – Common mistakes after Lasik surgery 51:02 – Can Lasik cause vision loss? 52:26 – Top 3 questions to ask your eye surgeon 53:21 – Understanding Dry Eye Disease and treatments 56:07 – Floaters and Flashes: When to worry about your retina

    58 min

  7. 12/19/2025

    What High AQI Really Does Inside a Child's Body | Dr. Indu Khosla | Mukul Deora | E7

    Most parents worry about outdoor air pollution, but the real damage to children’s lungs often begins much earlier and much closer to home. In this conversation, pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Indu Khosla explains how polluted air especially fine particles like PM2.5 affects children differently than adults, why growing lungs are more vulnerable by design, and how repeated exposure can quietly lead to asthma, allergies, reduced lung capacity, and long-term respiratory disease. She breaks down what actually happens when children inhale polluted air, why this damage is often slow and invisible, and why doctors are increasingly concerned about future lung health in today’s children. If your child has frequent coughs, wheezing, poor sleep, or recurring infections, this episode brings clarity to what may be happening beneath the surface and how parents can think more clearly about air quality, exposure, and prevention in everyday life.

    46 min

  8. 12/12/2025

    Why Thin Indians Are Getting Diabetes: Visceral Fat, Sleep, and Insulin Resistance | Dr. Rushiin Mehta | Mukul Deora| E6

    Many Indians assume that if they look lean or “fit,” they’re safe from diabetes but the truth is that thin people are developing insulin resistance faster than ever. In this episode, Dr. Rushin Mehta explains the thin-fat Indian phenotype, how hidden visceral fat builds up around vital organs, and why it quietly drives prediabetes even in people with normal BMI. Dr. Mehta breaks down what visceral fat actually is, why standard tests often miss the danger and the early warning signs most people ignore. From post-meal crashes and cravings to dark neck patches and constant fatigue, the podcast explains insulin resistance, HbA1c, CGMs and why sleep, stress, eating speed play a far bigger role than most think. We also explore the rise of Ozempic, Mounjaro and GLP-1 drugs and why they were developed, how they reduce visceral fat, who truly needs them, and the risks involved when they’re used purely for weight loss. If you’ve been feeling low energy, suspect prediabetes, or want clarity on your metabolic health, this conversation gives you a grounded, science-based understanding of what’s really happening inside your body and what you can do about it.

    1h 21m
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About

The Secret Sauce Podcast - a thought-provoking show that decodes the science and systems behind better health, performance, and decision-making. Hosted by Oscar-nominated filmmaker and entrepreneur Mukul Deora, it cuts through the noise with depth, intelligence, and conversations that make you think differently. Tune in every Thursday for world-class conversations that sharpen how you think, live, and lead.

Information

  • Creator
    Mukul Deora
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Mukul Deora
  • Show Website
    The Secret Sauce