What kind of life does an Indian entrepreneur have? #BrutSauce host Nihal Ranjit spent a day eating idlis and attempting burpees with BYJU’s co-founder, Divya Gokulnath to find out. Check it out.
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00:00Come, I'll challenge you to 10 burpees.
00:02Yes, speak in Malayalam.
00:04When there is a day where you won't say women leaders, but you'll just say leaders.
00:08What's up, everybody? Today we're going to be meeting Divya Gokulnath, the co-founder of Byjuice.
00:13Brutes have been lucky enough to get a sneak peek into the lives of one of India's top entrepreneurs.
00:17And so, of course, BruteSense, are there for you.
00:20The list is open.
00:24Namaskaram, ma'am.
00:25Hi, nice to meet you. Don't call me ma'am.
00:26Oh, yes, Divya.
00:28You're allowed to call me that only if you're my student.
00:30Divya, but I must say, you're probably one of the smartest people I'll be interviewing.
00:35So, just go a little easy on me, okay?
00:37Really? I've seen your list of people.
00:40No, don't use words with more than four syllables.
00:43Okay.
00:44If it's five and six, it's just going to be a staring contest.
00:47Oh, is this the home office?
00:48I would like to believe that it is.
00:50I spend a lot of time here working.
00:52I work wherever it's possible, right?
00:53So, I have a small baby and sometimes I'm just sitting outside at the bedroom,
00:58watching him early in the morning, but working.
01:00I'm assuming you're ready to work out right now.
01:03Yes?
01:03Yes, that's how I start my morning.
01:04Lovely. Shall we head there?
01:05Yes.
01:06I love to read early in the morning.
01:08Have my coffee, looking at the sun.
01:10It's very important for me, the first few minutes of the day.
01:13And then it's madness, because then I get my elder one ready for school.
01:17I make it a point to drop my son to school as much as possible.
01:20Okay, very nice.
01:21He sees me first, he sees me last.
01:23I think I'll train ma'am today. You can take it easy.
01:26I would join you, but I've already done my morning grind.
01:34Don't tell me you work out in silence.
01:35No, can you hear the birds behind me?
01:41How do you maintain a work-life balance?
01:44I don't think there's anything called a work-life balance.
01:46Work is life, life is work.
01:50This is taking a lot of breaks.
01:52This guy keeps on talking.
01:53We gotta pump it up.
01:55Now we'll do a slightly harder exercise.
01:57Yeah, without talking.
01:58Burpees?
01:59Yeah.
02:00Come, I'll challenge you to 10 burpees.
02:08Oh, somebody from work.
02:09Okay, yeah, fine, we'll stop then.
02:11Hello?
02:12Go for that.
02:13I mean, I was gonna complete, but...
02:15I hope you did not hear anything that was absolutely confidential.
02:18I might have.
02:19I might have written some things down.
02:20I switched off the mic.
02:21Did you?
02:23Would you like to join me for breakfast?
02:24That would be lovely, yes, please.
02:26So, where are you from?
02:27Why don't you guess?
02:28Where in India am I from?
02:30I'm not able to figure that out.
02:32Because you absolutely have no accent which...
02:35Right, resemble...
02:36Okay, but I said Namaskaram in the beginning.
02:39Namaskaram.
02:39We say Namaskaram in Kerala, in Andhra.
02:43Bingo.
02:44Is it?
02:44I'm from Kerala.
02:45Yes, I'm a Malayali.
02:46Where are you from?
02:48Sri Lanka.
02:50Okay, good, good, good.
02:51I hope you know that...
02:53You know that I married a Malayali?
02:54Of course, I know that, of course I know that.
02:57So, how good is your Malayalam?
02:58I can speak Malayalam very well.
03:01I learned it in six months.
03:04In six months, how do you learn Malayalam?
03:07This is such a hard language.
03:08So, here's the thing, I'm a polyglot.
03:09I learned that I'm a polyglot.
03:11That's what people call me.
03:12So, I speak most of the other South Indian languages.
03:14Telugu, Kannada, Tamil.
03:17So, no languages abroad?
03:18Any international languages?
03:19Learning Spanish.
03:21But why Spanish?
03:21Why did you want to learn Spanish?
03:23So, I'm a huge Messi fan.
03:25I was...
03:25Oh, okay.
03:26Yeah, so I was introduced to the world of football
03:28through the magic of Messi
03:30because Baiju absolutely adores Messi.
03:33Baiju is the official sponsor for the FIFA World Cup.
03:37Congratulations.
03:38And secondly, when do you want to surprise me
03:40with a ticket to the World Cup?
03:42Do you want to do it now
03:43or should we do it towards the end of the interview?
03:45So, if you ask me nice questions...
03:47Yeah.
03:48And you complete the 10 burpees...
03:50Oh, okay.
03:51That's it? 10 burpees and I get a ticket?
03:5310 burpees, but it has to be vetted by my trainer
03:56and by me.
03:56Signed off.
03:57Then let it be.
03:57That these are proper burpees.
03:59I'll watch it from the TV.
04:00It's fine.
04:00Okay.
04:08So, curious.
04:08Are you a frontbencher or a backbencher?
04:10Yes, yes.
04:11Backbencher.
04:12Where do you think I sit?
04:13Backbencher.
04:13But a good backbencher like me.
04:16No, actually I would sit in the middle.
04:17I feel like if you're in the back,
04:19you're asking for trouble.
04:20And if you're in the front, it's like,
04:21calm down.
04:22I think I'm right in the middle.
04:23Right.
04:23Yeah.
04:24Yeah.
04:24That's where I belong.
04:25The average.
04:26Yeah, in the lines of mediocrity.
04:27Oh.
04:28That's where I like to be.
04:29Okay.
04:29But that's good.
04:30Not an inspiring answer, right?
04:31No, no, it's okay.
04:32It's a truthful answer.
04:34Yes, that's what matters.
04:36Can you tell the people where we are headed right now?
04:39Okay, so...
04:41I'm heading to a summit in Bangalore.
04:44And this is for women entrepreneurs.
04:47And I'm speaking about various things
04:50it's called Up Close and Personal with Divya.
04:52What do you think women empowerment looks like
04:55in the office place?
04:59So, when there is a day where you won't say women leaders,
05:03but you just say leaders,
05:04without attaching the tag to them,
05:07that's when we know that we've empowered them enough
05:10that it becomes the norm and not an exception.
05:14So, Divya's in there doing the speech.
05:17I didn't go in.
05:18Well, not so much as I didn't go in as they didn't let me in.
05:22I think there's like a net worth entry thing.
05:26And so they asked me for my wallet.
05:28And they said it's the thinnest thing they've ever seen.
05:31What is this, a coaster?
05:32So, that's fine.
05:33I'll be waiting outside.
05:34And after this, we're going to head to the school
05:37where Divya teaches.
05:39And I'm really excited about that
05:40because kids love me.
05:42Let's go.
05:43Yeah, so this is one of the schools
05:44where we've implemented EFA.
05:46Right, yeah.
05:47Education for All, where there are 3.5 million children
05:49who are learning with us for free.
05:56Education for All is 24 months old now.
05:59And it was our mission, Baiju and my mission,
06:02that technology, if anything,
06:04can solve this problem of inequity in education, right?
06:07Because it's a right, it's not a privilege.
06:10And great education has to reach everyone.
06:13If we want to change the future, this is the only way.
06:16Namaskar to the kids.
06:23Who is that?
06:24Me.
06:25Okay.
06:26Which company are you from?
06:27Very Nice.
06:28Yeah, I know that. That's enough.
06:30My name is...
06:31Aiyo.
06:38It's going to vanish, okay?
06:41Look here, okay?
06:43Everybody look here.
06:44Focus. Eyes over here.
06:46One, two, three.
06:54Where's the eraser, guys?
06:58Kids love me.
06:59I did my best, man.
07:00It's a tough crowd.
07:07This is the reason why we do what we do every day.
07:09Yeah.
07:09You see the happiness in their eyes.
07:11Hi.
07:13So now, I think I can call you ma'am now,
07:15because you are a teacher.
07:16But I didn't teach you yet.
07:17You taught me a lot.
07:18Yeah?
07:19Yeah.
07:20I'm told we're going to be heading to the Byju's office next.
07:22Yes.
07:23Yes.
07:24Looking forward to welcoming you there.
07:25I'm very excited to see the office.
07:26Okay, let's go.
07:30Stay here.
07:31This one's playing solitaire.
07:36So, this is your office space?
07:38Yes.
07:39Very nice.
07:40Oh, wow. Coffee for me.
07:42It's very important.
07:43I told you, I start my day with coffee.
07:45And then I run my day with coffee.
07:47So...
07:48Can I keep this cup?
07:52Okay.
07:53I'll give you that and a few more things also.
07:55Great. I love it.
07:56You have to promise me that you'll use it.
07:57Of course.
07:58Yeah.
07:59And then you have to take it when you meet some other celebrities.
08:02Other celebrities.
08:03It's a done deal.
08:04It's a done deal.
08:05Do your children...
08:06Your children use Byju's, of course, right?
08:08Does your son ever have feedback for you?
08:10My eldest son uses Byju's.
08:12Yes, so he...
08:13You know, this was in 2015.
08:16We launched the app.
08:17And I still remember it was in our second office.
08:20And then we all were huddled around this app.
08:24We were about to launch it.
08:25And he happened to be in office because it was late in the night.
08:27It was 11.
08:28And he wouldn't stay without me that long.
08:29So, he happened to be in office that day.
08:31So, he ended up launching...
08:33You pressed the final button?
08:34How sweet.
08:35Okay.
08:36He pressed the final button to launch the app.
08:38So, I would want to believe that's a lucky charm.
08:41With Byju's now being one of the official sponsors for the World Cup,
08:46when you started Byju's, did you ever think it would reach the heights that it has?
08:50Like, I don't know whether it has reached the heights it can.
08:54Can we get your predictions though?
08:55Who's going to win the cup?
08:56I would have loved to say India.
08:58And I'm waiting for the day when I can say India.
09:01I'm rooting for the day when I can say India.
09:02But until then, my second favorite team is Argentina.
09:05Okay.
09:06So, what's one question you'd ask the following entrepreneurs?
09:09Elon Musk.
09:10Will the question reach them is my first question to you.
09:12Maybe.
09:13Yes.
09:14This is quite a popular show.
09:15Okay, good.
09:16I'm sure Elon Musk is watching this.
09:18Okay.
09:19Yes.
09:20What would you ask Elon Musk?
09:21Can I get a ticket to Mars?
09:23Nice.
09:24Ashneer Grover.
09:25Did you miss me on Shark Tank?
09:27Mark Zuckerberg.
09:29When am I meeting you next?
09:32Indira Nooyi.
09:34Indira Nooyi.
09:35Can we sing a duet together?
09:37So, Indira Nooyi is a very good singer.
09:40Okay.
09:41What would you ask the last one?
09:43Jeff Bezos.
09:44Okay.
09:45How was your trip to outer space?
09:47I'm a little hung up on this because the first thing I ever wanted to be or the first profession
09:52was to be an astronaut and go to the moon.
09:54Now, who wouldn't have that aspiration?
09:56But you're taking by juice to the moon anyway.
09:58Yeah.
09:59I want to take it far beyond.
10:00Okay.
10:01So, yeah.
10:02That ends the segment.
10:03I was told I would be able to see a little sneak peek into how the content gets made
10:08here.
10:09Of course.
10:10Can we do that?
10:11Yes.
10:12Yes.
10:13I'll take you to the studio.
10:14We'll try to shoot a small video.
10:15Perfect.
10:16And then I'll help you bring that video to life.
10:22When we joined the company and we started the company, I mean, none of us envisioned
10:25that it will be where it is today.
10:27And a fun moment is that, so I, Vinay was like preparing for CAT, right?
10:31So, and I, so I went to Byju's first batch in the 2007 year.
10:35In 2008, I was, I was showing off those tricks to Vinay in a, in a coffee day.
10:40I met him because he was my friend from college.
10:42And I was like, he's like, wow, this is so cool.
10:44And who is it?
10:45And where are you learning from?
10:46And that's how he started coming to the classes.
10:47He pulls my leg even today saying that the only chapter he doesn't understand in math
10:50is the one that I taught him.
10:52Okay.
10:53What topic was that?
10:55She was, she was teaching probability.
10:59So, probably I don't know about that.
11:01There it is.
11:02He's got jokes.
11:03He's got a lot.
11:04You can't take it beyond a point.
11:06All the cameras are rolling?
11:07Yeah.
11:08Yeah.
11:09Okay.
11:10So, today, this is me, Divya, the teacher.
11:13Nihal, who's about to become a teacher.
11:15Yes.
11:16Okay.
11:17And today we're going to teach children about geometry.
11:18You know about geometry?
11:19I'm very familiar, ma'am.
11:20Yes.
11:21What is it about?
11:22Shapes and math together and things like that.
11:25Okay, good.
11:26So, it starts with a point.
11:27Okay.
11:28Many points together, you get a line.
11:30Line.
11:31Good, very good.
11:33Okay.
11:34And then if you bring lines together, let's bring the first set of three lines together,
11:36you get a closed shape and this is a triangle.
11:38Triangle.
11:39Very good.
11:40Start replicating the triangles and you have six triangles coming together beautifully.
11:44You have a hexagon.
11:45Hexagon.
11:46And the beauty is, the more number of lines you start adding around it, it starts getting
11:51smoother and smoother and finally you have a circle.
11:55Can you see the circle?
11:56Yes.
11:57Yes.
11:58Beautiful.
11:59The circle in front of you and the beauty is you cut the circle open, you get a?
12:03Line.
12:04Again.
12:05You're back to where you started.
12:06Yes.
12:07And like I said, if you reduce that line, you're back to a point.
12:10I hope you learned something today.
12:11Yes.
12:12Nailed it.
12:13Maths.
12:14Yeah.
12:15Very impressive.
12:16Yeah.
12:17So, it's divided into so many parts and so many things because you need people who can sketch,
12:19you need people who can add color, you need people to bring environment into light.
12:23Right.
12:24So, all these characters are created and children love them because children learn by relating
12:27to characters in younger age groups and in older age groups, they are with, you know,
12:32they teach us like us.
12:33Yeah.
12:34So, that's how we kept it different for both the groups.
12:35Yeah.
12:36Now, you'll see how much we love it.
12:37Show me some bangers.
12:38Everything is a silent movie till it meets this room.
12:43This is our music room where, you know, you can see the videos come to life even in the
12:49journeys that we create.
12:51So, for every student, there is a different path, right?
12:53And over there, there is a right answer, there is a wrong answer, there are follies which
12:57are added.
12:58Yeah.
12:59All of that.
13:00Okay.
13:01Is created by this amazing team that sits over here.
13:02So, Vinay is the leader of all of these teams.
13:05Wow.
13:06Yes.
13:07And although he is not a musician, I am the musician.
13:08Can we get a mic for ma'am please?
13:10She is also going to be singing along with the team.
13:12No, no, no.
13:13Can we get a mic quickly?
13:14No.
13:15We actually have some original music that's getting created.
13:17The team is jamming.
13:18It will be good for us to just see or hear what they are jamming.
13:22So, take it away guys.
13:33So, how was the day in the life of Divya?
13:36I had a lot of fun, ma'am.
13:37Okay.
13:38As you see from my expression.
13:39I can see that you look a bit tired.
13:41I am a little tired.
13:42Also, I think it's unfair that you are to change your outfits.
13:48But it's only black and white.
13:50That's fine.
13:51But I don't know.
13:52My team just stuck with me on this.
13:53Feedback to your team then.
13:54Yes.
13:55It should come from you though.
13:56It shouldn't come from me.
13:57They don't listen to me at Brood.
13:58Get his clothes changed more often.
13:59Yes.
14:00And I want a stylist.
14:01See, I want a stylist.
14:02And he wants a stylist.
14:03And a race.
14:04Okay.
14:05That's fine.
14:06That's fine.
14:07But I think I am a little tired just being one day with you and you do this day in and
14:10day out.
14:11And I think that's very impressive.
14:12So, thank you so much for taking the time to show us your office.
14:15Thank you so much.
14:16So, are you still going to take the challenge of 10 burpees or a game of pool?
14:19We'll do a game of pool.
14:20I will beat you easily.
14:21Okay, let's go.
14:22Let's do it.