What does it really take to grow from a PhD student into a world-class researcher, innovator, or deep-tech founder? In this episode of the Prof Mahesh Podcast, Prof. Kaushik Bhattacharya, Vice Provost and Professor at Caltech, shares invaluable lessons on the complete PhD and research journey—from choosing mentors and pursuing postdoctoral training to building soft skills, generating original ideas, and creating research-driven startups. Learn why mentorship is the backbone of a strong PhD career, how postdoctoral research helps shape your academic voice, and why communication, collaboration, and grant writing are as critical as scientific rigor. Prof. Bhattacharya also explains why researchers must look beyond trending fields like AI/ML and instead pursue original questions that fuel long-term innovation.Perfect for students, researchers, and entrepreneurs, this episode is your guide to turning a PhD into impact.