All Indians Matter

In the second part of the series on the cloud over India's democracy, All Indians Matter looks at the factors that have led to the backsliding. From the stifling of dissent to the capture of institutions, there are several reasons for India going from democracy to ‘electoral autocracy'. While authoritarianism may seem entrenched today, a democratic revival is not impossible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world over, democracy seems to be in trouble. It is seen to be failing people and trust in it is plummeting. Authoritarians are riding a wave of support, arguing that the old ways of governance don't work, sideline too many and only they can provide the firm, central control that's needed. It may mean the loss of freedoms and the erosion of institutions but so be it, they say. All Indians Matter launches a three-part series that examines how we got here and what we can do now to preserve our democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the world grapples with crisis after crisis, youth involvement in social change is critical. A generation more aware of the world than any other needs to step up to create a shift, whether it's related to the environment, social justice or economic inequality. However, many of them lack the training and direction needed to create real impact. How can this gap be bridged? Kuldeep Dantewadia, co-founder of Reap Benefit, a social enterprise that empowers youth, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent US report says India is emerging as a player in the fentanyl trade. The synthetic opioid is a major killer in the US, accounting for thousands of deaths each year. It was one of the reasons President Trump threatened tariffs against even major trading partners. How exactly does India figure in the fentanyl trade and what can it do to crack down on it? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The crash in Ahmedabad was among the worst aviation disasters in recent history. It came in the wake of seemingly unending bad news for Air India – delays, cancellations, poor maintenance, staff indifference and revolt… Experts say it's a long road to recovery for the airline reacquired by the Tata Group. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk's Starlink – a satellite-based high-speed, low-latency broadband offering – could revolutionise Indian telecom and transform the rural economy. However, there are also concerns about data security and geopolitical risks. Local telecom operators also say the low taxes on such services could hurt their business. There is, however, no doubting the potential of such an offering. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not just businesses; non-profits, civic agencies and the public sector now recognise the potential of data science to address social challenges and drive positive change. It combines statistical analysis, computer science and domain expertise to solve some of our most complex problems – from climate change to poverty and education to hunger. Can India use data science to deliver social impact at scale? Srikrishna Sridhar Murthy, Co-founder and CEO of Sattva Consulting, and an expert on the use of data for social impact, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The much-delayed census has finally gotten the green light. Among the world's largest administrative exercises, it has a long and fascinating history. It's almost as if the data tells the story of India itself. This data is critical for a range of decisions, from economic planning and welfare to how many electoral constituencies there should be and their shape. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 3.3 billion people live in developing countries that spend more on interest payments than on education or health. Sovereign debt levels of developing economies are a threat to economic stability. At least 50 such countries spend more than 10% of their revenues on debt servicing, which is squeezing their finances and creating risks. In these countries, interest payments also outweigh climate investments, adding further risks to existing vulnerabilities. A UNCTAD report says global public debt hit a record high of $97 trillion in 2023, with developing countries accounting for $29 trillion. Their debt has grown twice as fast as the others' since 2010. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chabahar port provides India with stable, quicker access to Central Asia and Europe, making it one of the cornerstones of our economic and political strategies. Its strategic location allows India to bypass Pakistan and monitor China's activities in the Persian Gulf better too. It also builds on India's ancient, historic ties with Eurasia. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As urbanisation grows and so does the pressure on metros, technology is rapidly becoming the foundation of urban management. The solutions span a range of services, from e-governance to waste management and water management to mobility. Jaya Dhindaw, Executive Program Director, Sustainable Cities, and Director, WRI India, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prostate cancer is on the rise in India, posing not just medical but also financial challenges. Low awareness, stigma around the symptoms and the potentially high cost of treatment are serious concerns. If you are over 45 years of age or have a family history of prostate cancer, make sure you consult your doctor and get regular checkups. If caught early, prostate cancer is curable. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's high net worth individuals are making a beeline for other countries. A better standard of living, lower taxes, ease of doing business, better healthcare and even climate change are some of the reasons they are moving abroad and in many cases even giving up their citizenship. This could have a long-term impact on the Indian economy because these individuals contribute majorly to the GDP, tax revenues and job creation. Their exit means a significant volume wealth leaving the country. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not too long ago, US President Donald Trump warned BRICS countries against replacing the dollar as a reserve currency. He threatened 100% tariffs if they did so. Why is the US dollar the world's reserve currency? What does it mean for the global economy? And what would happen if it lost that position? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While ‘Hicky's Bengal Gazette', launched in 1780, was India's first printed newspaper, the country has had sophisticated and widespread information and news systems for centuries. The evolution of Indian media, therefore, has its roots farther back in time than most believe. Recently, two journalists launched Reality Scribes, a podcast that tells the story of Indian journalism. All Indians Matter is thrilled to speak to Vasundhara Sirnate and Sumit Chaturvedi. It was a fascinating conversation. Don't miss it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest India-Pakistan conflict has cooled but, for a while, many felt that the threat of a full-scale war was real. What would such a war cost? Experts estimate that India would spend Rs 1,460 crore to Rs 5,000 crore a day in a short-term war. If it prolongs, the cost could rise to an eye-watering Rs 1.34 lakh crore per day. The impact would be felt across the world in terms of disruption of trade and energy supply chains, regional instability, stock market falls and a rethinking of investments. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not just the massive and fast-growing market that is driving India's space ambitions. At stake are also political and strategic objectives. Space is now very much part of international relations that encompass military, civilian and commercial needs. So, while the space programme was launched for socioeconomic benefits, there has been a shift in recent times towards other goals. This also presents an opportunity to private players, who now have virtually all of the space economy as their playground. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lithium and rare earths are vital for industries and applications needed to secure our future, from renewable energy systems to EVs and healthcare to modern defence systems. However, India's dependence on China and its lumbering progress on local extraction and processing are worrying. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is an increasing prevalence of poor mental health among adolescents, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural students face a tougher situation because access to mental healthcare is often non-existent in their villages. Snehal Joshi, a psychologist and mental health educator who has worked extensively with rural students, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global trade stresses are forcing Chinese manufacturers to dump goods in markets like India. New Delhi has responded with anti-dumping duties to protect local industries. More could follow. What exactly is dumping and what is its impact on the target country? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

286 lions died in Gujarat over the past two years, a significant number of them due to unnatural causes. While Gir's conservation story has been laudable, it may be falling prey to its own success. The growing lion population, necessitating larger territories, has resulted in greater conflict with humans and accidental deaths. There is also the spectre of disease and genetic weakening due to excessive inbreeding. Many experts suggest translocation to Juno in Madhya Pradesh. However, intent needs to translate into action quickly. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the US is not experiencing a recession yet, concerns about its onset are growing – despite the pause on reciprocal tariffs. If one does hit, it would have a significant impact on India, churning stock markets, shrinking exports and economic growth, and raising unemployment. However, there are ways you can prepare for such an eventuality. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I think of the evolution of Indian news media, I divide it into phases: post-independence, a nation finding its feet, the age of despair when the promises of freedom seemed distant, the Emergency, the political churn that followed, the economic reforms, the digital revolution, and so on. There would have been very few who'd have seen it all first-hand. All Indians Matter is privileged to have one such person on the show. Meet the amazing Rami Chhabra, a media veteran who recently released her debut novel ‘Becoming the Storm'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Study after study points to a “generational shift” in cancer cases. In other words, there is a rising incidence of cancer among Millennials and Gen Z. These findings bring into sharp perspective the challenges of modern lifestyles and diseases. Researchers say dietary choices, sedentary lifestyles and exposure to environmental pollutants are among the major reasons for the rise. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Censor board officials, while reviewing a movie on legendary Dalit poet-activist Namdeo Dhasal, asked who he was, stunning the filmmaker and sparking political and social outrage. Dhasal gave voice to not just the Dalit experience but also that of those forced to the fringes of society. His was the voice of all the oppressed. Dhasal's words transformed into action which, in turn, transformed into inspiration. That inspiration lives on for millions. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO could weaken the world's ability to respond to modern health challenges. More than ever, this is a time to collaborate on disease prevention and management. The milestones WHO has achieved while working with India are a great example of what can be achieved, although a tremendous amount is left to be done. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corporate loan write-offs are justified as necessary to improve banks' financial situation and to stimulate economic activity. However, they increase the fiscal deficit and government debt, reducing the money available for social welfare and development programmes. The burden is borne by taxpayers and we now also have to make do with fewer public services. Large loan waivers also distort the market by handing corporate houses an unfair advantage – they not only access cheap credit, but avoid accountability. Smaller businesses, meanwhile, get no such relaxations and have to pay higher interest rates to make up for the loss caused by the write-offs. It's a process that reeks of corruption and has no moral root. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like with so many industries, artificial intelligence is transforming personal investing. It offers analysis and services like portfolio management at speeds and depth that were only dreamt of earlier. However, along with these benefits, there is also the spectre of data breaches and errors that can prove very costly to the small investor. Portfolio management expert Rohit Jha, co-founder of the ArthAlpha investment platform, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's energy demand will grow faster than that of any other country due to its sheer size and growth potential. Given the climate challenge, most of this new demand must be met by renewable sources. However, that's anything but easy. The push faces a variety of challenges, from financing to community opposition and policy uncertainty to grid integration. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions, India took the opportunity to start buying cheap Russian crude. From 12% earlier, Russia went on to account for 40% of India's oil imports. Now, fresh US sanctions mean our days of buying cheap Russian crude could be over. If India's oil import bill increases, so will inflation. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The goal is to have 30% of newly registered private cars to be electric by 2030 but range anxiety caused by the lack of adequate charging infrastructure could put paid to that. India has 200 EVs per commercial charging point, which compares very poorly to the average of 20 in the US and less than 10 in China. What's needed very quickly is greater investment in the sector, clear land acquisition norms and more tax incentives. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘City on Fire: A Boyhood in Aligarh' is a superb memoir of a boyhood spent in Aligarh on volatile communal faultlines. The author, Zeyad Masroor Khan, details the pains associated with growing up, of joy and grief and loss and evolution. Its greatest success, however, is in portraying how the relationship between Indian Hindus and Muslims ebbs and flows, at once symbiotic and conflicting. All Indians Matter speaks to Zeyad about the book and where the Indian Muslim goes from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you consider mean solar times, there is a two-hour difference across India's breadth. So, sticking to a single time zone impacts sleep patterns, health, education outcomes and economic output. Yet, governments over the decades have rejected scientific advice to switch to two time zones. They have cited “strategic reasons” and the risk of events like rail accidents caused by the confusion when crossing zones. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The term ‘shrinking middle-class' is now common and there are several indicators that it is based in fact. Consumption is down. Last year, two-wheeler sales fell and car inventory rose. The cost of living is through the roof and real wages are stagnating. The once-thriving middle-class is struggling with significant economic challenges that have significantly impacted its consumption patterns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China is building a dam on the Brahmaputra in Tibet, which will be thrice the size of the Three Gorges project. It will mean China has control over flow of the water into India, raising serious security and economic concerns. What's more, it lies on an earthquake fault zone and presents a threat to the riverine ecology as well as local communities. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Especially after liberalisation and the era of high growth, the demand for MBA degrees skyrocketed. This led to the establishment of several public and private institutions offering the degrees. However, over time, several challenges arose – not least that many of the graduates were not employable. Also, facing technological disruption in a fast-changing business landscape, management education finds itself at another inflection point. The urgent imperatives of sustainability, inclusion and competitiveness demand a transformation to ensure such education remains relevant. Dr Varun Nagaraj, Dean of the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, speaks to All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last part of the series on India's march towards oligarchy, All Indians Matter looks at what can be done to arrest the slide. If we are to return to a state that truly cares for everyone, if we are to have strong social welfare and economic safety nets, we need a new kind of politics – the kind that breaks the stranglehold of wealth on power and is invested in social and economic justice. Sadly, many parties are fearful of economic power – of the vast conglomerates, the oligarchs who now dictate the course of our politics. The longer the situation is allowed to linger, the more entrenched oligarchic power will become. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oligarchy is a political system in which power lies in the hands of a few individuals or a single class. The source can be wealth, connections, political influence... Joe Biden referred to it in his farewell speech as President, warning of its consequences. After Russia, India has the most billionaires in the world per trillion dollars of GDP – which indicates that income and capital are accumulating in the hands of a few. This economic power translates into massive political power, so politicians find it convenient to ally with the very wealthy. This ensures that power remains with those few and grows with time. Such a system – oligarchy – erodes democracy, where power should be distributed broadly. All Indians Matter kicks off a two-part special series on India's march towards oligarchy, where it could lead us and what the possible answers could be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a nation? And who does it belong to? In India, the far-right project aims for a nation defined by Hindutva, a single language – Hindi – and a tight control on what we eat, think, who we can marry, and a hierarchy based on religion and caste when it comes to rights, freedoms and resources. There is no space for cultural diversity. Sectarianism, casteism and authoritarianism have inflicted a tear in India's social fabric, which will take a very long time to repair – if at all it can be. But democracy, multiculturalism, the rule of law, equality and the idea of India as envisaged when it gained freedom are worth fighting for. This is the final episode of the All Indians Matter series on the rise of the right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A revisionist approach towards history is among the most powerful weapons in the right's arsenal. Righting so-called historical wrongs is among the causes it dedicates itself most passionately to. Using history, the populist right manufactures a sense of victimhood within the majority and rewrites history to manufacture a glorious past that must then be recreated to make the nation great again. In Episode 2 of the All Indians Matter series that puts under the scanner the rise of the right, we look at revisionism as a political strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is transforming businesses, governance and jobs. However, as it becomes ubiquitous, it also raises privacy concerns. India has more than 700 million internet users and generates vast amounts of personal data every day, which makes for a lucrative target for cybercriminals. Sadly, data breaches are becoming common. Lack of awareness compounds the problem – many, particularly in rural areas, are unaware of digital privacy risks. Levis Wilson, director of Estontec Group, speaks to All Indians Matter about how we can protect ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a surge of right-wing populism across the world and, of course, in India. Much of it has to do with fear – of change, of immigrants, of the shrinking number of jobs, of being surpassed by groups that were historically lower on the socioeconomic order, of once mighty economies slowing, of your powerful nation now being challenged by those growing richer… Fear provides the underlying context of the political narrative. It is the human condition that the nationalism offered by the populist right provides a false but compelling answer to. The more fearful a people of an uncertain, uncharted future, the better it is for right-wing populist parties. All Indians Matter attempts to analyse this over a three-episode series. In Episode 1, we look at Europe and the changing political conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices