About us

30 Stades is a collection of stories that inspire, impact our lives and compel us to think. Even as we need to keep an eye on everyday news that revolves around crime, politics of convenience and economic discomfort, we also need to look at the brighter side of life. And this deeply inspiring positivity comes from people with a vision and enterprises set up with the passion to make a difference.

But we do not just talk about inspiration in all its myriad forms. 30 stades.com goes beyond, uncovering stories that impact people and society. Many a times, life-changing and interesting stories remain confined to their localities. 30 stades.com digs out such tales and takes them to readers across the world.

We have journalists writing for us from the nooks and corners of this vast country. So, you can be assured of well-rounded stories that not just put a smile on your face, but also inspire you to be the change, and an inspiration for others.  

Why 30 Stades?

Stade is a Greek unit of measurement, also the root word for stadium. It means region as well. 30 stades is 5.5 km – the distance between the armies of Alexander and Darius III in the Battle of Issus when Alexander fine-tuned his war strategy. 

He decided not to attack at night and stopped his army from advancing. This distance of 30 stades, he felt, was just enough for his people to find out more about the preparedness of the opponents and forge an attack, if needed. And so, while camping 30 stades away from Darius III’s army, Alexander motivated and inspired his men and other supporters (smaller satraps and kings) to give their best and be ready for any eventuality. And, he won.

 

About the Team

Rashmi Pratap, Founder and Editor

Rashmi has been a journalist for almost 18 years, mostly covering business. She started her career with United News of India (UNI), where she covered a diverse range of subjects – from development issues and art and culture to economy and finance. She subsequently worked with The Economic Times, Outlook Business, The Hindu Business Line and Business Today.

While she has reported on multiple sectors, including rural India, start-ups, IT, telecom, automobiles, real estate and stock markets, inspirational and impactful stories remain close to her heart.

A Post Graduate in Commerce from Delhi University, Rashmi holds a Diploma in Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law and Refugee Law. A mother of two, she loves to cook for family and friends and is also a driving enthusiast. The quiet mornings are when she turns poet, writing a verse a day in Hindi, the language of her heart, about any thought that nudges her to put pen to paper.

She can be reached at: rashmi.pratap@30stades.com

Her Twitter handle is @RashmiPratap3

 

Urvashi Dev Rawal, Co-founder & Deputy Editor

Urvashi has been a journalist for almost two decades, having reported from multiple cities on diverse subjects. She learnt the ropes of journalism at UNI, Delhi, reporting on art and culture, politics, business and about anything that came her way.

She later worked with IANS, Delhi, writing on foreign affairs and politics.

Urvashi moved to Ahmedabad in 2006 where she was part of the core team that launched the DNA newspaper in Gujarat. Since 2010, she has been in Jaipur where she worked with the Hindustan Times for a decade, reporting on government and politics, elections, health, education and gender issues.

Ahmedabad and Jaipur gave her an insight into the often challenging lives of the nameless and voiceless people in rural areas, triggering in her a keen interest for development reporting from the grassroots.

Urvashi is a post graduate and M.Phil in International Relations from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. She graduated in Political Science (Hons) from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College.

In her spare time, she dabbles in Indian classical music, photography, reading and travel. 

 

Deepa Krishnan, Desk Editor

Deepa has over 15 years of wide-ranging experience in media, nine of which she spent at leading financial publications including Business Standard, The Economic Times and The Press Trust of India.

She also worked as a TV reporter briefly with the Times Group’s business channel, ET Now. Her last stint was as an equity research editor. She has a BA in Economics, and a PG diploma in journalism. In 2009-10 she was a visiting scholar at the Graduate School of Journalism, University of California Berkeley.