In Focus by The Hindu

The 2025 Formula One season has delivered one of the most thrilling championship battles in over a decade. What looked like a straight McLaren shootout between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took a dramatic turn after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where both drivers were disqualified for technical infringements.That stunning twist, combined with Max Verstappen's late-season surge and seven consecutive podiums, has transformed the fight into a genuine three-way showdown going into the final race at Abu Dhabi.This episode of InFocus unpacks how the 2025 season shaped up into a captivating three-horse race, the team dynamics that defined McLaren's back-to-back Constructors' Championship, as well as a disappointing first year for Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari. Guest: Rishikesh Ramachandran, former racer and journalist Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is going on with health insurance claims? According to recent data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the volume of claims filed rose 21.8% in the financial year 2025, but the total amount settled by insurers increased by only 12.88 %. This stark mismatch has spilled over social media – where stories of claims going unsettled, settled for lower amounts of being endlessly delayed, are rife. Adding to this issue is the steep rise in health insurance premiums. Earlier this year, the IRDAI, had directed that premiums for senior citizens not be revised by over 10% a year – this came after senior citizen premiums were going up by 50 or 60% in many cases. Why is there a growing mismatch between claims filed and settled? How much of an effect does the rising cost of medical services play in this? Do both the insurance sector and private hospitals need better, more stringent regulation? Guest: Prof. Indranil M., professor and health economist, at OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat Host: Zubeda hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekender episode, we take you back to a time when Mumbai was living under the shadow of the underworld- when extortion calls, gang wars, and contract killings were part of daily life. We are joined by one of the key officers who led the operations that broke the backbone of Mumbai's mafia networks. As he talks about his book The Brahmastra Unleashed, we unpack what was really happening on the streets, what changed within the police force, and how the city slowly took back control. What Mumbai looked and felt like during the peak of gang dominance? How the police tracked and tackled major gangs? What's the truth behind “encounter specialists” versus the myths created by cinema? All in this episode. Tune in. Guest: D. Sivanandhan IPS (Retd.), Former Police Commissioner of Mumbai Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit, Maharashtra Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Shot by Emmanual Karbhari and Aditya Shirsekar Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What comes to mind when someone says the word ‘mumps'? You're vaguely remembering that it's supposed to be a mild, childhood illness, one that you haven't perhaps heard about in a long time. The fact is however, that there are thousands of mumps cases being reported in India every year. And this is not just limited to one or two States — cases occur across the country. A vaccine for mumps has been available for over 50 years now — in fact, India manufactures and exports this vaccine to other countries, and yet, it is not part of our country's universal immunisation programme for children. So why are mumps cases spiking in India? What does the mumps viral illness do to the body? And is there a case to be made out to include the mumps vaccine in routine immunisations for children? Guest: Dr. Vipin M. Vashishtha, Past National Convener of the IAP Committee on Immunisation and Director of Mangla Hospital & Research Center, Uttar Pradesh Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The annual UN Climate Conference, COP30, concluded in Belem, Brazil, last week. The final text of the outcome did not mention "fossil fuels" at all, and did not strengthen financial commitments. However, voluntary plans announced by the COP30 President to create roadmaps to transition away from fossil fuels and to stop deforestation show some hope. In this episode of InFocus, we speak with Zerin Osho, director of India Programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, to break down the results of COP30. Guest: Zerin Osho, director of India Programme at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development Host: Priyali Prakash Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 21, the Union Labour Ministry announced the implementation of the four labour codes: The Code on Wages, 2019; The Industrial Relations Code, 2020; The Code on Social Security, 2020; and The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Several trade unions have expressed concern over the notification of the four labour codes, with many of them demanding that they be revoked. Are the labour codes labour-friendly? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Amarjeet Kaur,General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress; R. Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Chemicals Limited  Host: A.M. Jigeesh Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 5-judge Bench of the Supreme Court has given its opinion on the 16th Presidential Reference. This Reference pertained to the discretionary powers of the Governor and the President. The Supreme Court said that no timelines can be fixed for Governors or the President to act on Bills passed by State legislatures. It also said there can be no ‘deemed assent'. But it added that in cases where the Governor's inaction “is prolonged, unexplained and indefinite” there will be ‘limited judicial scrutiny”. This advisory opinion of the Supreme Court contradicts its own judgement of April 8, in State of Tamil Nadu vs Governor of Tamil Nadu & Union of India. In this case, the two-judge Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, had held said that the Governor cannot exercise a “pocket veto” by indefinitely sitting on Bills, and they fixed a three-month timeline for them to act on the Bills. What happens to this judgement now? Former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai did clarify that the opinion given in a Presidential judgement did not overrule a judgement. Nonetheless, the question remains: given that a Supreme Court judgement declares the law, what happens to the April 8 judgement now? Does the Court's ‘opinion' mean that the Centre now enjoys a default ‘pocket veto' on state laws? Does it mean Governors can sit on any Bill as long as they like, waiting for the state to go to court? Guest: Krishnadas Rajagopal, The Hindu's Legal Correspondent. Host: G. Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kerala has declared that it has “eradicated extreme poverty,” identifying over one lakh people as the final few remaining in this category in the State. But what does “extreme poverty” actually mean, and is it possible for a State to eradicate it? This episode unpacks the definitions, the methodology used by the State, the gap between Kerala's estimates and the Central government's Antyodaya Anna Yojana's numbers, and the wider questions this raises about poverty measurement and verification. The conversation also looks at whether States should set their own criteria, what an ideal poverty tracking system should look like, and how journalists can independently assess such claims. Guest: Prof. R. Ramakumar, Former Dean of the School of Development Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a non-ministerial member of the Kerala government's State Planning Board Host: Devyanshi Bihani Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australian-born footballer Ryan Williams has given up his Australian passport to take Indian citizenship and join the national team. His move has reopened a long-standing debate on whether India should rely on foreign-born players and those of Indian origin to strengthen the squad, or if this undermines the country's grassroots development and talent pipeline. In this episode, we discuss what this shift means for the sport in India, whether India should rope in OCIs, if the struggling national team would benefit from this change and how Indian football is coping with a stalled ISL season. Guest: Amitabha Das Sharma, The Hindu's sports reporter Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the world shut down during the pandemic, chess migrated to screens and found a new pulse. The game sped up, audiences multiplied and Grandmaster Daniel “Danya” Naroditsky became an unusually humble and accessible teacher in a space that often rewards sharpness over gentleness. But the digital arena carried its own tensions. Chess engines grew stronger and suspicion spread. So when former world champion Vladimir Kramnik accused Naroditsky of cheating, the chess community split. So, how did speed and doubt shape a landscape where the game never really ends and what did that world do to those inside it? Guests: Viswanathan Anand, five-time World Chess Champion; Dr. Kenneth Regan, expert on chess-cheating detection; Dr. Michael Rich, digital wellness researcher; Krish Rastogi, young player shaped by online chess's rise Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Shot by: Thamodharan B Production Assistance: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and Edited by: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As IPL teams submitted their final retention lists ahead of the December mini-auction, the league witnessed one of its most dramatic reshuffles in years — major releases, headline trades, and two giants, CSK and KKR, signalling sweeping squad revamps. In this episode of In Focus, we break down the big moves, from the sensational Samson–Jadeja–Curran swap to price-correction calls, Punjab's stability-first approach, and RCB's calm after their maiden title. How are teams shaping their auction strategies, and what does it tell us about the season ahead? We also track emerging trends, purse strengths, and the key players expected to trigger bidding wars on December 16. Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Guest: Amol Karhadkar, The Hindu's sports reporter Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh has handed a death sentence to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The tribunal found her guilty of crimes against humanity. It convicted held her of ordering the killing of anti-government protesters between June and August 2024. Sheikh Hasina fled to Delhi last year when her government fell. She has lived in exile ever since. But now she is a wanted criminal in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government wants India to extradite her. Will India agree to do so? Does this mark the end of Hasina's political career? With national elections due in February, what does this tribunal verdict mean for domestic politics in Bangladesh? What does it mean for the future of Awami League, the party Hasina leads?  Guest: Kallol Bhattacherjee from The Hindu's Delhi bureau. Host: G. Sampath Recorded by Aniket Singh Chauhan Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent rationalisation of Goods and Services Tax brought cheer to consumers, but triggered another row between the Centre and some States, which fear a decline in revenue collection. Opposition-ruled States have been at loggerheads with the Centre over Centrally sponsored schemes, release of disaster relief funds, and the Finance Commission's recommended share. Some of these issues have also reached the Supreme Court. The fallout in the Centre-State relations has triggered debates over the essence of Indian federalism, which, the Supreme Court has said, is a basic structure of the Constitution. Is federalism in retreat under single-party hegemony? Guests: Yamini Aiyar and A. Kalaiyarasan Host: Sharath S. Srivatsa Edited by Sharmada venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another assembly election is done and dusted. And the Opposition has lost yet again – this time it was decimated. The NDA won 202 out of the 243 seats in Bihar, with a vote share of 46.5%. The Mahagathbandhan could secure only 35 seats, with a vote share of 37.6%. Before the results were out, no one had predicted that the NDA would cross 200 seats. But post-facto, we are hearing sophisticated hypotheses about the so-called ‘index of unity', caste arithmetic, etc that apparently benefited the NDA. And once again, the Election Commission's role is in the spotlight, especially with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. What does this verdict mean for Bihar, and for the Opposition parties, which, in 2026, face a series of assembly elections preceded by SIR, just like in Bihar? Guest: Professor Kumar Sanjay, who teaches history at Swami Shraddhanand College. Delhi. Host: G. Sampath Shot by Tayyab Hussain Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surrogacy, is back in the news. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court agreed to look into the Surrogacy Act, following a petition from a couple facing secondary infertility. At present, the Act does not allow for couples who already have a biological child to use surrogacy unless certain criteria are met, and the court will have to examine if this amounts to a restriction on the reproductive choices of citizens. A little over a month ago, there was another case before the court involving surrogacy: at that point, the Court had ruled that couples who began their surrogacy process before the enactment of the Surrogacy Act could proceed even if they were over the age limit set by the law. How is the Supreme Court going to examine the recent petition? Are the restrictions in the Surrogacy Act sufficient to weed out exploitative surrogacy? How well implemented has the Act been over nearly four years? And do surrogates and egg donors need more protection than the Act provides? Guest: Prof. Prabha Kotiswaran, Professor of Law and Social Justice at King's College, London Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of InFocus unpacks the complexities behind low conviction rates in POCSO cases, revealing why these numbers don't always tell the full story. Featuring Vidya from Tulir, we explore the impact of POCSO laws on young people, social challenges faced by accused families, and potential legal reforms. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on justice, consent, and data-driven solutions. Guest: Vidhya, Thulir Host: Vignesh Radhakrishnan Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. and its allies have rolled out sweeping sanctions — freezing Moscow's central-bank assets, cutting major banks off SWIFT, and capping Russian oil prices through export bans and trade restrictions. These moves have reshaped global energy flows, with India emerging as one of Russia's top oil buyers — importing record volumes of discounted crude despite mounting Western pressure. Under the Biden administration, Washington led these coordinated efforts to choke off funding for Russia's war. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has used the threat of sanctions to discourage trade with Moscow, a move that's largely targeted India's continued oil imports. Now, fresh U.S. tariffs and the threat of secondary sanctions are complicating New Delhi's effort to secure affordable fuel. For India, discounted Russian oil has become both an opportunity and a diplomatic test. What do these sanctions mean for India's decades-old partnership with Moscow? Guest: Vasabjit Banerjee, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Tennessee. Host: Nivedita V Edited and produced by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, a tragic incident took place in Jharkhand. Five children with thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder contracted HIV, following a blood transfusion. Initial investigations revealed that the blood they were given, was contaminated. While the Jharkhand government swung into action, suspending officials and announcing compensations – the fact remains that the blood that the children were given from a blood bank was unsafe. Blood is a critical compound – it is used across thousands of hospitals every day and there are regulations in place with regard to testing protocols to ensure that infected blood is not given to any patient. So where did the lapses occur? What kind of testing mechanisms do we have in place and are they sufficient? What is the ‘window period' when it comes to infections and how can this be shortened? And how do we ensure safe blood for every patient in need? Guest: Dr Rizwan Javed, transfusion medicine expert, Kolkata Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The civil war in Sudan has taken more than 150,000 lives. It has displaced at least 13 million people. The UN has confirmed famine in parts of the country. There is widespread malnutrition, especially among children. And peace is nowhere in sight. The two warring sides -- the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have been fighting since April 2023. Last month, the RSF captured El Fasher city in Darfur, which used to be a SAF stronghold. It sparked a fresh wave of atrocities, deaths, rapes and displacement. A US-backed ceasefire proposal on the table, but Sudan remains a humanitarian black hole for now. What is behind this endless violence? Does the ceasefire proposal hold promise? What can be done to mitigate the humanitarian tragedy?  Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu's Internatinal Affairs Editor Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this week, a video purportedly showing a group of people offering namaz at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru ignited a political controversy in Karnataka, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party taking exception to the incident and demanding accountability from the State government. Around the same time, in Uttar Pradesh, the police began removing unauthorised sound systems from mosques and temples in some areas. In India, it is common to see Navratri celebrations at the airport, namaz on railway platforms, commemoration of Sikh Gurus' Jayanti on the roads of Delhi, hear azaan on a loudspeaker five times a day, and jagrans all night long. India is undeniably demonstrative about religion in public space. Should public celebrations or expression of devotion be avoided? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Tanika Sarkar, Professor of History at JNU and Sanjay Hegde, Senior Advocate designated by the Supreme Court of India. Host: Ziya Us Salam Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a time when women like Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand and Angela Merkel in Germany seemed to rewrite the rules of leadership. They led with calm, empathy and reason.But the picture has changed. Across countries, a new generation of women leaders is rising. There's Giorgia Meloni in Italy, Marine Le Pen in France, Alice Weidel in Germany and now Sanae Takaichi in Japan. They're shattering glass ceilings while standing on nationalist, conservative platforms.So what does this really mean for women? Is their rise a step forward or just another version of the old power? Guest: Suhasini Haider, National Editor, The HinduHost: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Election Commission of India has announced the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 States, including poll-bound Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala. The first phase of the SIR in Bihar has already been subjected to intense legal scrutiny in the Supreme Court, with the poll body defending the exercise even as petitioners alleged mass disenfranchisement and raised concerns over transparency. What has the Supreme Court's intervention in the Bihar SIR achieved so far? With polling already underway in the State, is the challenge to its constitutional validity now a fait accompli? And what can be expected from the petitions filed by Opposition parties, including the DMK, CPI(M), and the Congress, challenging the exercise in other States? Guest: Prashant Bhushan, advocate practising before the Supreme Court. Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Recorded by Aniket Singh Chauhan and Lipi Vats Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's world, relations between the United States and China is perhaps the most consequential of all bilateral ties. They are both economic superpowers. Their geopolitical footprints cover almost the whole planet. Naturally, the trade war between the two has affected economies around the world – troubling markets, disrupting supply chains, bringing more uncertainty than businesses are comfortable with. But an understanding reached between them also carries upsides and downsides for different nations.  In this context, how do we understand the agreement that came out of the Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea? What are the concerns on the American and Chinese side going forward? And how do we understand Trump, and then Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, referring to the meeting as a coming together of ‘G-2' – a term that suggests the idea of an exclusive club with common interests?  Guests: Max Baucus, a former US Senator who served as Ambassador to China, and James Chau, President of the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), based in Hong Kong. Host: G Sampath Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In India's coastal state of Goa, the world's best chess players are chasing titles at the FIDE World Cup, a biennial tournament run by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. On the East Coast of the United States, Kenneth Regan chases fairness. Each night he downloads every game, feeding the moves into his program to see if the play looks human or too perfect. Cheating today isn't just glances or notes. It can mean phones, signals, or online help from chess engines. Regan's math hunts for patterns that feel off, walking the thin line between genius and help. From the 2006 “Toiletgate” scandal—when a world champion was accused of using computer aid during long bathroom breaks—to the 2022 storm between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann, when Carlsen withdrew mid-tournament, suspicion has shadowed the board. Regan's work keeps the focus on the moves, not the murmurs.Guest: Kenneth Regan, Professor of Computer Science, University at Buffalo; Anti-Cheating Expert for FIDE, the World Chess Federation Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask for ORS at your local pharmacy and odds are you will be handed a tetrapack of ORSL or some other liquids that may have the letters ORS on their packaging but are not actually the formulations recommended by the World Health Organization. ORS or oral rehydration salts are a vital formulation that is used in the treatment of dehydration. And it was this mislabelling and the potential of these products to cause harm, that led Hyderabad paediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh to take this case up. Dr Sivaranjani first wrote to the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation, then to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and finally approached the courts to get these products to stop using ORS on their labels. Finally last month, the Delhi High Court upheld the FSSAI's ban on the use of the term ‘ORS'  in food and beverage labels, which Dr Sivaranjani termed a 'major victory for public health and consumer safety.' Guest: Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, Hyderabad-based paediatrician Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York City has just chosen a socialist as its leader. At 34, Zohran Mamdani is the city's first Muslim to hold the office. The son of filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, Ugandan-South Asian parents who built lives across continents. He ran on ideas like rent freezes, free buses, and universal childcare. Once, that would've sounded like fantasy in the home of Wall Street, the location of the world's most powerful stock market. But maybe it isn't. Maybe it's part of something larger. Young people from Nepal to Madagascar saying they've had enough of politics that listens only to the rich, while prices climb and jobs vanish. Is this what happens when capitalism fails to keep its promises across the globe? Guest: Suketu Mehta, author of Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found and This Land Is Our Land: An Immigrant's Manifesto Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Open AI reported that over a million people discuss suicide or self harm tendencies with ChatGPT every week. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based tools are now being developed specifically to support mental health, especially for students in institutions such as IIT Kharagpur and coaching institutions for engineering and medical entrance exams. Is using AI-based tools for mental health useful or harmful? Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Neeraj Kumar, Founder and CEO of Peak Mind; Jamila Koshy, Bengaluru-based psychiatrist Host: Priscilla Jebaraj Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's economy has been humming. Easing of income tax rules, followed by GST rate cuts for daily-use items have helped the it along. One important indicator of economic health is the microfinance sector. That has had its highs and lows over the past decade. Today we have with us Alok Misra, CEO of MFin, the representative organisation of the sector to give us an idea about how self-regulation has helped and why defaults rates, while improved from earlier levels, could still be lower than where they are. Guest: Alok Misra, CEO, MFin Host: Bharath Kumar K Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bihar is one state made up of many distinct worlds. In Seemanchal, floods and identity anxieties take over everyday life. In Magadh, jobs and economic justice are among the demands. The people of Mithilanchal lean on migration remittances. Meanwhile, a major electoral roll revision in 2025 removed a large number of names—women among them—raising questions about voter inclusion ahead of November's Assembly elections. Now that the rallies have begun, are leaders listening closely enough to what each corner of Bihar wants?Guest: Srinivasan Ramani, Deputy National Editor, The Hindu Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A month ago India's women's team looked uncertain. There were early wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan but then came bruising losses to England, Australia and South Africa. That sparked some stern words in the dressing room. What followed was a transformation that saw India stun Australia while South Africa routed England. In the final 21-year-old Shafali Verma, recalled just two weeks ago, smashed 87 and took two wickets while Deepti Sharma's fifty and record five wickets anchored India's win. South Africa, led by 26-year-old Laura Wolvaardt with Nadine de Klerk and Marizanne Kapp, kept up the fight. Has this final redrawn women's cricket map dominated by Australia and England? And will India's win finally bring the resources and respect women's cricket has long been denied? Guest: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan, sports journalist, The Hindu and Sportstar Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite her widespread appeal, Taylor Swift still draws some polarising opinions, especially since the release of her brand new album on October 3rd, The Life of a Showgirl. This outing was a departure from her previous era, as she would call it, The Tortured Poets Department, which saw her lament about her inner life for 31 songs. Showgirl was branded as Swift's foray into “life behind the curtains”, coming off a huge career-high, the Eras Tour, the highest-grossing tour of all time, and a three-and-a-half-hour-long celebration of Swift's catalogue. In this weekender episode, we explore the mixed reactions to Life of a Showgirl and Swift's appeal in non-Western countries, such as India. Guest: Ms. Rituparna Pathgiri, an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati. She is an expert in digital sociology, pedagogy, culture, gender, and media. Host: Nitika Francis Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone who lives in a city in India knows there are pigeons everywhere – on the balconies of buildings, roosting on rooftops, nesting in air-conditioners, and gathering in open spaces. Recently, pigeons have found their way into the news too – the Maharashtra government's order to shutdown 51 kabutarkhanas in Mumbai has stirred up a controversy. While the government has cited health hazards arising from pigeon droppings and feathers, some communities have maintained that pigeon feeding is a daily act of compassion. Residents have clashed with the police, the Bombay High Court has gotten involved, and a committee of experts is to study the issue.So what exactly are the health hazards associated with pigeons? Whose health is being affected and how? And what is the way forward?  Guest: Dr Lancelot Pinto, a pulmonologist and epidemiologist based at P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai Host: Zubeda Hamid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court of India quashed multiple FIRs filed under Uttar Pradesh's anti-conversion law on October 17, 2025. The court found that the FIRs were marred by “legal flaws, procedural errors, and lacked credible evidence”, and ruled that continuing such prosecutions would amount to a “travesty of justice”. The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for the State, and is being seen as a critical pushback against the misuse of these laws as instruments of intimidation and persecution. The decision also comes at a time when the Supreme Court in a separate case is considering the constitutional validity of the anti-conversion laws passed by multiple States. So, what are the implications of the SC quashing the FIRs in UP? What is the ground reality in the States that have enacted these laws? And are they safeguarding citizens from forced conversion or enabling the policing of personal belief and identity? Guest: Rebecca John, Senior Advocate Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, the Ministry of Education announced that an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum would be introduced from Class 3 onwards for the next academic year (2026-27). In July, the government had launched the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative, under which thousands of CBSE schools will offer AI as a skill subject starting from Class 6. Should AI be introduced as part of school curricula? Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Aparajita Bharti, co-founder of public policy firm The Quantum Hub and Young Leaders for Active Citizenship; Viplav Bakshi, founder of EdTech platforms AmplifyU and Edulist AI Host: Sruthi Darbhamulla Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, the vast forest-grassland mosaic of the Western Ghats, Assam's Manas National Park, and West Bengal's Sundarbans, a mangrove where tigers swim from island to island, were all listed as being of “significant concern”. This was the assessment of the natural World Heritage sites in Asia and was released by The International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN. IUCN is the world's oldest and largest global environmental organisation, that tracks the health of ecosystems and species worldwide. And today, climate change has overtaken hunting as the greatest threat to wildlife, says IUCN's World Heritage Outlook 4 report which was released this month. India's forests are turning into concrete jungles. Tourism has reached its tipping point. Highways splice through natural habitats. And illegal wildlife trade thrives.  The most recent scandal was the ED chargesheet against Elvish Yadav, a YouTuber, for wildlife crime. The agency said he had “illegally used protected species of snakes, exotic animals, such as iguanas, in the production of commercial music videos and vlogs for the purpose of increasing followers and generating money”. Guest: Vivek Menon, founder of the Wildlife Trust of India, who has become the first Asian to head the IUCN's Species Survival Commission Host: Divya Gandhi, The Hindu Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode we turn our attention to Manipur; a state in India's Northeast that has been experiencing conflict on ethnic lines. In 2023, the violence between the valley-dwelling Meitei community and hill-based Kuki-Zo tribes erupted in full force: homes burned, villages razed, thousands displaced, and lives forever changed. As per data from the National Crime Record Bureau, crimes in many categories, such as arson and murder surged. Arson cases alone soared from just 27 in 2022 to 6,203 in 2023, while rioting cases rose from 84 to 5,421.However, the number of registered crimes against women showed a 30% drop. The number of rape cases fell from 42 in 2022 to 27 in 2023. Why did crimes against women decline during a period of widespread violence, and what might this reveal about reporting, safety, and justice in conflict-torn Manipur? Tune in! Guest: Siam Thangsing, an independent researcher who has published work on Gender and Health during the conflict; and Greeshma Kuthar, a reporter and lawyer who has been in Manipur's conflict zones. Host: Nitika Francis Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evidence-based policy. Randomised Control Trials or RCTs. These are buzzwords in developmental policy these days. They have become almost synonymous with each other. The ‘evidence' in ‘evidence-based' has largely come to mean whatever data is produced by one method of research – RCTs. But as some economists have been trying to tell us, RCTs have their limits. Regardless of whether it is RCTs, or some other research methodology, is it wise to let so-called ‘evidence' be the sole arbiter of public policy? What are the ways in which ‘evidence-based' approaches can go wrong, and how have RCTs ended up being misused, resulting in actual harm? Guest: Professor Jean Drèze, Development Economist Host: G Sampath Recorded, edited, and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a major shift in policy, China has announced that it will no longer seek the special treatment reserved for developing countries under World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements.Speaking in New York while he was in the U.S. to attend the United Nations General Assembly, Chinese Premier Li Qiang declared that his country would no longer seek the special treatment given to developing countries in WTO agreements. Beijing said the decision aims to strengthen the global trading system amid rising protectionism and tariff wars. It noted is still part of the developing world, the move reflects its growing global economic influence as the world's second-largest economy. Chinese officials said Beijing's decision was voluntary and not meant to suggest that other developing countries should follow suit. “It's China's own decision,” China's top envoy to the WTO, Li Yihong, told reporters in Geneva.Leaders, including WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, welcome China's move, saying it was a key step toward reforming the organisation. The U.S. has demanded that China, India and other larger countries give up the benefits of being a developing country at the WTO and called for reforming the trade body. How will China's decision influence the functioning of the body and how will it affect India's prospects at the WTO?Guest: Abhijit Das, International Trade Policy and WTO Expert, and the former Professor & Head, Center for WTO Studies. Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few months, the stray dog crisis has rocked the country. The numbers are staggering and how to deal with them has elicited multiple, heated opinions. One crucial aspect to this however is rabies: a disease that is completely preventable and yet claims many lives, primarily of children, every year. While the government states that there were 54 human rabies deaths in 2024, a research paper in The Lancet earlier this year put the number at over 5,700 every year. More of concern is cases that have emerged recently – of people dying even after having taken the rabies vaccination.What is the rabies situation in India? Why does the vaccine not work in some cases – are there systemic gaps that need to be addressed? Where does India stand on surveillance of rabies cases, and do dog bites need to be made notifiable? Guest: Dr Subramanian Swaminathan Director of infectious diseases, Glenagles Global Hospital, president, Clinical Infectious Diseases Society of India Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Election Commission is all set for a country-wide roll out of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The first phase of the process would implemented in more than 10 states, including in poll-bound Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal. This exercise comes in the wake of the controversial SIR in Bihar, which was done hurriedly. As has been widely reported, the final voter list in Bihar is riddled with inaccuracies – including excess deletions, gibberish names, and fake addresses. Now, with a pan-India SIR on the anvil, questions abound: Why is it necessary? Will the process incorporate the changes suggested by the Supreme Court in the Bihar context - especially with regard to the use of Aadhaar, publishing voter lists in searchable format, and checking of migrant names in other states before deleting their names? How serious are concerns about mass disenfranchisement on a national scale in a nation-wide SIR? Guest: Sreeparna Chakrabarty, who covers the Election Commission for The Hindu. Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of Conference of the Parties 30 (COP30) in November in Belém, Brazil, global headwinds have left many developed countries in the West increasingly reluctant to take on the mantle of climate leadership. India, like other countries, is expected to update climate commitments and present an adaption plan. Should India take global leadership on climate change? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Hisham Mundol, Chief Adviser, India, Environmental Defense Fund; Ulka Kelkar, Executive Program Director — Climate, Economics and Finance, WRI India Host: Jacob Koshy Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A serene Sunday morning at the Louvre turned chaotic in just seven minutes. Four thieves, using construction vests and a mechanized lift, cut through reinforced glass and stole eight priceless pieces of the French Crown Jewels—some linked to Napoleon Bonaparte. Guards prioritized visitor safety, while a 60-officer manhunt began. What does this heist reveal about museum security, cultural heritage and the lengths organized criminals will go to target history's treasures? Guest: Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International, art crime investigator Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bihar will go to the polls in November. There are 243 seats, and three major players. The NDA Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is facing 20 years of incumbency. There are also adverse reports about his health, and his ability to lead for another term. The BJP doesn't have a strong electoral face either. As for the Mahagathbandhan, many believe this is their election to win – provided they get their act together. But can they? There is also the unknown variable -- Prashant Kishore's Jan Suraaj Party. Whose fortunes will it dent more – the NDA's or the Mahagathbandhan's? Which will way will the Extreme Backward Classes (EBCs), Dalits and the Pasmanda vote swing? The NDA is big time into ‘revdi' politics. Offering ₹10,000 through the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana (MMRY). Will it be enough to get them the women's vote? How will the Special Intensive Revision impact the polls? Guest: Professor Kumar Sanjay Singh, who teaches history at Swami Shraddhanand College, Delhi. Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a paper in 1992, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt explained how economic growth is propelled by a cycle of innovation, in which outdated technologies and firms are replaced by newer technology. This cycle of “creative destruction” leads to sustained economic growth, as new technologies and firms outcompete and replace the old, driving productivity and efficiency.  Joel Mokyr's historical analysis shows that technological progress is not merely a result of scientific discovery, but also depends on the cultural and institutional contexts that support the dissemination and application of knowledge.  Together, their work underscores the importance of innovation in driving economic prosperity and the need for supportive institutions and policies to sustain this growth. So, what can we understand from these works, given that are entering a new era of technological innovation? Guest: Partha Chatterjee, Dean of Academics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Professor, Department of Economics, Shiv Nadar University.  Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They travel with boards in their backpacks and cameras in their faces. Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Vaishali, Divya now play before millions online. For parents, the dream is intoxicating: can my child be next? But the path is heavy: endless hours and lonely tournaments. Few know this better than R.B. Ramesh, who has walked it himself and guided India's brightest through it. In this weekender episode, he strips away the glamour and tells us what the game really demands of children and of their families. Guest: RB Ramesh, Indian chess grandmaster and renowned chess coach Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and Produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's World Cup has been a mix. Some matches went well. Others, not so much. The regular batters haven't quite clicked. The bowling still lacks variety. Five reliable options weren't enough to trouble South Africa or Australia. With tough games against England, New Zealand and Bangladesh coming up, India will need a new strategy.This World Cup has also been about inter-team relationships. Harmanpreet Kaur and Alyssa Healy fight hard on the field. But off it, there's banter and respect. A two-year-old clip shows Ellyse Perry, Australia's pace-bowling allrounder, talking with Pakistan's 23-year-old captain Fatima Sana. She's learning control. You see curiosity and the game passing from one player to another.Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu leads by example. She pushes her team to believe in themselves. Fans cheer her because she earns it, not because she shouts or poses.From the stands, The Hindu's Anirudh Velamuri sees it all—the tension, the laughs and moments like when Nadine de Klerk, South Africa's captain, gesticulates and talks to herself. Now, the question is whether India can find the spark to turn the tables on an unbeaten England in the upcoming match? Guest: Anirudh Velamuri Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India has big plans — and even bigger dreams — to host the 2036 Olympics. But before that, the country will look to prove its ability to do so, by hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games. India has bid for Ahmedabad as the host city for the Games — with Nigeria being the only other contender. This comes 15 years after the 2010 Delhi Games, the largest multi-sport event India has ever hosted. On October 15, Commonwealth Sport endorsed India's bid, making it all but certain that the CWG will be held in Ahmedabad. But India's lofty ambitions raise plenty of questions. Do mega sporting events really benefit India, or do they simply strain public resources? And can we pull it off this time — without the scandals, overruns, and chaos that marred Delhi 2010? Guest: Sharda Ugra, veteran sports journalist Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is election season in Bihar. While the Opposition often speaks about the lack of development and industrialisation in the State, in its campaigns, the National Democratic Alliance, which is in power, argues that a change of government will bring back the ‘Jungle Raj' of the earlier decade. What makes Bihar one of India's most underdeveloped States? Is landlockedness a reason for its underdevelopment, as some argue? Here we discuss the question. Guests: R. Nagaraj, Economist and retired professor from the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai; Manindra Nath Thakur, Professor , Centre for Political Studies, JNU, Delhi Host: Saptaparno Ghosh Edited and produced by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, U.S. president Donald Trump made a startling announcement: he said using the common painkiller paracetamol, or acetaminophen, known as Tylenol in the U.S. during pregnancy, could cause autism in the baby. This announcement came after earlier this year, the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine sceptic, announced a massive testing and research effort to identify the “environmental toxins” that he said were behind the growing “epidemic” of autism in the U.S. It is true that more cases of autism are being reported now than in previous decades, and this is the case in several countries including India. But is autism actually caused by Paracetamol use? Why are cases on the rise? And how much do we actually know about genetic and environmental factors that contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders? Guest: Dr. Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy, neuropsychiatrist and founder, Buddhi Clinic, Chennai. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a significant diplomatic development, a Taliban delegation led by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister recently visited New Delhi for official talks, the first such high-level engagement since the group took power in Kabul in 2021. Following the talks, India announced plans to reopen its full-fledged embassy in Kabul and expand cooperation in health, infrastructure, and education. But the visit also drew criticism after female journalists were reportedly barred from attending the Taliban minister's press briefing, a reminder of the regime's continuing restrictions on women and the media, and a point of discomfort for India's democratic image. This renewed engagement comes as Taliban–Pakistan relations deteriorate, creating new strategic openings that India appears ready to explore. Yet, New Delhi's outreach raises difficult questions: what has prompted this shift now? Can India balance pragmatic diplomacy with the values it has historically stood for? And can it deepen ties with the Taliban without extending formal recognition? Guest: Kallol Bhattacharjee, Foreign affairs reporter, The Hindu. Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is set to take up a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Securities Transaction Tax (STT). This is a direct tax levied on all transactions that happen through a stock exchange. The STT was brought in under the Finance Act, 2004. It has since become a significant source of revenue for the government, netting an estimated ₹55,000 crore in FY 2025. But this petition argues that the STT is deeply flawed, and violates constitutional guarantees of equality, freedom of trade and proportionality. How valid are these arguments? Should the STT be scrapped, or retained with modifications? Guest: Deepak Joshi, advocate-on-record at the Supreme Court, and a Chartered Accountant. Host: G Sampath Recorded, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices