In Focus by The Hindu

On 8 September 2025, the quaint Himalayan town Kathmandu saw violent scenes. A ban on 26 social media platforms sparked protests that turned anti-corruption rallies deadly—19 people including school children were shot. The next day, offices of political parties, ministers' homes and parliament itself were attacked. Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli resigned. How did it come to this? Why are young Nepalis losing patience? What does this mean for the country's future? Guest: Roman Gautam, Editor, Himal Southasian Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private coaching in India has grown into a parallel education system. It is no longer just extra help after school, but the backbone of learning for millions of students. In the last seven years, tuition has surged across all levels - from primary to higher secondary. Among rural girls in higher secondary, the rise is especially sharp, while States in the east like West Bengal, and Odisha are seeing some of the highest numbers, with coaching starting as early as Kindergarten. In some cases, families are spending more on tuition than on school itself. The podcast explores the factors contributing to this dependence on private tuition in the east. What does it say about the state of our schools? And how is this reshaping education in India? Guest: Sabir Ahamed, Programme Director at the Pratichi Institute Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Rajetha Damisetty explains how the entry of unqualified practitioners and a lack of regulatory oversight is impacting patient safety when it comes to skin and hair procedures being performed in India. The wellness sector is booming in India. Aesthetic, skin and hair clinics are everywhere, social media feeds are filled with advertisements and procedures such as hair transplants, skin lightening, botox and others are becoming increasingly common. In a few cases that have been reported in the news however, some of these treatments have gone horribly wrong – in May this year, two men from Kanpur died after botched hair transplants and another man in Kerala contracted a serious bacterial infection. Experts say that the problem is the lack of regulatory oversight – who is supposed to be able to perform these procedures and who is actually performing them in India? Are clinics where these procedures take place fully licensed and equipped to deal with emergencies? Are misleading claims and exaggerated advertisements contributing to the problem? And what is being done to ensure patient safety? Guest: Rajetha Damisetty, a senior dermatologist based in Hyderabad and national chairperson of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) Anti-Quackery, Legal and Ethics Committee. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's rocks hold an extraordinary record of life: the earliest traces of plants, dinosaur bones, and even fossils of ancient horses, whales, and humans. This wealth comes from the subcontinent's geological journey after it broke away from the supercontinent Gondwanaland and later its collision with Asia that formed the Himalayas. Yet today, fossils face mounting threats: theft, commercial trade, and the absence of strong legal safeguards. In this weekender episode, we explore how India became such a rich ground for fossils, why these discoveries matter for both our past and our future, and what it will take to preserve them. Guest: Professor Ashok Sahni, one of India's most distinguished palaeontologists, whose discoveries have reshaped our understanding of India's ancient world. Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday morning, a 45-year-old man died in Kerala of amoebic meningocephalitis. This is the fourth death reported in Kerala in less than a month of this rare but deadly infection, colloquially known as brain-eating amoeba. This year alone, over 40 cases have been reported in the State, with 11 people undergoing treatment in hospitals at present. The Health Department has invoked the Kerala Public Health Act to launch preventive and control measures, as it emerges that perhaps all waterbodies — wells, ponds, canals, swimming pools, water theme parks — could be a potential source of amoebic infection for people using them, unless these are regularly cleaned and maintained in good condition. What is this brain-eating amoeba? Why is a rare infection being seen in dozens of people across one Southern state? How is it diagnosed and treated? And how can water be used safely? Guest: Dr Aravind Reghukumar, Head of department of infectious diseases, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaConvenor of Kerala State Medical Board Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, the United States let low-value parcels enter duty-free under a rule called the de minimis exemption—literally “too small to matter.” By 2016, the limit had risen to $800, among the highest in the world, opening doors for Indian exporters to sell cheaply to American buyers. Now that rule is gone. The U.S. says it was abused, hurting local businesses and even enabling shipments to make synthetic drugs. With India's government-run postal system halting most parcels, what was once too small to matter is now a big question for India's small businesses: how will they cope? Guest: Movin Jain Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 25, 2025, the Supreme Court urged the Union government to frame guidelines for regulating social media, noting that influencers often commercialise free speech in ways that may offend the sentiments of vulnerable groups. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed that these regulations be drafted in consultation with the National Broadcasters and Digital Association. The order stemmed from an intervention application filed by a non-profit representing persons with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which alleged that comedians Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar had made derogatory remarks about those living with the disorder. Should commercial speech on digital platforms be regulated? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Apar Gupta and Jay Vinayak Ojha Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parliament last month enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for India's rapidly expanding online gaming sector. The legislation, which received the President's assent on August 22, seeks to regulate segments such as e-sports and social gaming, while simultaneously imposing a blanket prohibition on all money-based online games. The stated rationale for this prohibition is the “serious social, financial, psychological and public health harms, particularly among young individuals and economically disadvantaged groups,” associated with real-money gaming. Even before the law has taken effect, several petitions have been filed in the Karnataka High Court challenging its validity. The Court has issued notice to the Union government on an interim plea seeking a stay on the Act's application to online games of skill. Can the new legislation withstand constitutional scrutiny? What are its broader implications? Does it run contrary to established judicial precedents that distinguish between games of skill and games of chance? Note: This episode was recorded before petitions challenging the law were filed in the Karnataka HC. Guest: Deepak Joshi, Advocate-On-Record at the Supreme Court of India Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit China for the first time in seven years. He had a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, which assumes significance in the context of the ongoing dissonance in India-US relations over tariffs. How do we read the Modi-Xi meeting – does it signal a shift toward normalisation of in bilateral ties? How important is this particular summit in the history of the SCO and the challenges it faces today? And what tangible benefits can India expect from greater engagement with SCO and with China? Guests: Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu's Diplomatic Affairs Editor, and Ananth Krishnan, Director at The Hindu Group and former Beijing correspondent. Host: G. Sampath Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Ananth Krishnan has just curated a new e-book for The Hindu on China, titled, ‘China: India Perspectives on China's Politics, Economy and Foreign Relations'. It is an anthology of 12 outstanding essays by reputed China scholars and experts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India has several policies designed to support persons with disabilities. Yet, data shows that many are still unable to access these benefits. A major reason is the lack of a Unique Disability ID Card, which has become essential for availing government schemes and entitlements. The Unique Disability ID card is an important document for people with disabilities. It serves as proof of their disability status and helps them access a range of government benefits and schemes. At the same time, it enables the government to maintain an accurate count of persons with disabilities, so that resources and support can be better planned and allocated. Yet, the data shows a stark gap — on average, only about 39% of people with disabilities in India actually have a Unique Disability ID card. Guest: Shashank Pandey, a lawyer and founder of Politics and Disability Forum, who works on political representation of Persons with Disabilities. Host: Nitika Francis Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coffee is more than a beverage—it's a sensory ritual. But in 2025, global coffee prices are at a fifty-year high, sending shockwaves down to Indian households. Even long-trusted South Indian brands, staples of middle-class homes, are becoming costlier. Will the “ordinary” filter kaapi or takeaway latte soon feel like a bigger luxury? In this weekender episode, we explore the reasons behind rising prices, how it's reshaping consumption, and whether there's a way to hold on to our morning lifeline. Guest: Divya Jaishankar, founder of a specialty café in Chennai and master roaster Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Camera: Thamodharan B and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent years, Sri Lanka has endured fuel queues, protests and the fall of the Rajapaksa political dynasty. Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped in and steadied the economy but angered many with austerity and loyalty to the old elite. Now, in a historic first, he's been arrested for misusing state funds on a UK trip. At the helm is President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This son of a farmer and reformist leader has promised honesty and a clean break from the past. So what does this turning point mean for Sri Lanka's democracy, economy and its place between India and China? Guest: Meera Srinivasan, Sri Lanka Correspondent, The Hindu Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India-China relations have been bogged down by two major irritants: the border issue, and China's close military collaboration with Pakistan. But now, both India and China are looking for a reset in bilateral ties. This assumes significance especially in the context of the Trump administration's 50% tariffs on Indian exports. India doesn't want its growth trajectory derailed by these tariffs, and wants to explore all options for protecting its economic interests. Prime Minister Modi is meeting President Xi Jinping in Tianjin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, and greater economic cooperation is very much on the agenda. Given the historical tensions and trust deficit between the two countries, can India benefit from a pivot to China? And if the answer is yes, how would it work? Guest: Cameron Johnson, Senior Partner, Tidalwave Solutions, Shanghai and former Vice Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. He is a leading expert on Chinese manufacturing, economy, trade, and supply chain management. Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “Deepavali gift” to the people in the form of next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms. The Ministry of Finance subsequently said that a large part of these reforms involved moving GST from the current four-tier system to a two-tier structure of 5% and 18%, along with an overall lowering of the average tax rate. What impact will this proposal have on revenues? And should the States be compensated for revenue loss? Here we discuss the question Guests: Manoj Mishra, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat; Pratik Jain, Partner at Price Waterhouse & Co LLP Host: T.C.A. Sharad Raghavan Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Banks and fintechs use Artificial Intelligence to detect fraud in credit scoring, but with new opportunities come new risks, including that of bias and accountability. The Reserve Bank of India recently released a report called Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of AI (FREE-AI) to regulate the use of AI in the financial sector. The report has seven 'sutras' or guidelines and 26 recommendations to encourage innovation in this space. The report has seven 'sutras' or guidelines and 26 recommendations to encourage innovation in this space. Guest: Prof. Prasanna Tantri, Associate Professor of Finance and the Executive Director of the Centre for Analytical Finance at the Indian School of Business  Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT made an important change to its popular app: ChatGPT will now avoid offering specific advice on personal issues and it will also prompt users to take breaks in cases of lengthy conversations. These changes were brought in after the company admitted that ChatGPT fell short of recognising signs of emotional dependency or delusions. An increasing number of people across the world, are beginning to turn to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for mental health help. And increasing number of professionals are cases of users whose mental health has been badly affected after the use of chatbots. What is going on with chatbots and the world of mental health? Is it safe to turn to chatGPT for therapy? What are the risks involved with excessive use or personal disclosures? And how can people use chatbots safely in a world where they are increasingly becoming tools for daily use? Guest: Soumitra Pathare, director, Centre for Mental Health, Law & Policy, Pune Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatausbramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since October 2023, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza, a Palestinian territory that has seen extensive destruction, displacement and death. More recently, on August 10, 2025, an Israeli drone strike killed seven reporters in a media tent in Gaza City—underscoring the dangers of telling these stories. With food, water and medicine scarce, and press freedom under siege, the question remains: how can the world protect those who continue risking everything to report the truth? Guest: Sarah Qudah, Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, Committee to Protect Journalists Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India is one of the most unequal places in the known universe. It combines extreme inequality with extreme exploitation like nowhere else. And yet, the exploited, the poor working classes, have not really risen up in revolt, and it seems like they never will. Why is this so? In this weekender episode of In Focus, we are joined by Manu Joseph who has come out with a book-length answer to this very question. The book is called, coincidentally, Why The Poor Don't Kill Us. The conversation is about this mystery, and also, among other things, the psychological dimension of poverty, the austerity of the rich, and the pointlessness of owning a small dog. Guest: Manu Joseph, Journalist and Author Host: G Sampath Shot, edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The singles main draw of the US Open kicks off on August 24. Who are the favourites? Who are the dark horses? Can Jannik Sinner sustain his hard court dominance? Or, will Carlos Alcaraz avenge his defeat at Sinner's hands in Wimbledon this year? Is a Sinner vs Alcaraz final a foregone conclusion, or can the old fox Novak Djokovic crash their party?  On the women's side, can Aryna Sabalenka defend her crown or will Iga Swiatek add to her growing tally of majors? And what's with the new mixed doubles format being launched at this year's US Open – is it unfair to the doubles pros on the ATP/WTA tour?  We speak with former pro player and top coach Nandan Bal, who has the rare distinction of having both played for India in the Davis Cup and coached the Indian Davis Cup team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and two allied Bills that extend its applicability to Union Territories and Jammu and Kashmir, were tabled by the government in Parliament yesterday, and they have sparked massive resistance and outrage in the Opposition ranks.  The Bills enable the removal of Central and State Ministers, as well as the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, if they are arrested on serious criminal charges. If the Bills become law, any CM arrested on serious criminal charges will be out of office within 31 days of arrest.  The government has justified these Bills as necessary to bring in political morality in public office. The Bills have now been referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, which will have to submit its report by the Winter session of Parliament.  What is the rationale behind these Bills? Are they anti-federal and anti-democratic?  And does the government have a realistic of chance of passing them in Parliament? Guest: Sanjay Hegde, Senor Advocate at the Supreme Court Host: G. Sampath, Podcast Editor, The Hindu  Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A proposal to restructure the World Test Championship (WTC) into a two-tiered system, potentially dividing the 12 Test-playing nations into two groups of six teams, or into two groups of seven and five teams, is gaining traction. While some argue that this system could improve the quality of matches and increase competitiveness by having top teams play each other more often, others worry that lower-ranked teams will get fewer opportunities to play. Will a two-tiered WTC do more harm than good? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Deep Dasgputa, former Test cricketer, and cricket broadcaster; Jatin Paranjape, ODI cricketer-turned-sports marketing professional and member of the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee Host: Amol Karhadkar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Modi government proposed the biggest overall of the goods and services tax since its rollout in 2017. Aiming to collapse the current 4 slab structure into a simpler 2 slab regime with a special slab for what the government is called. As sin goods. The move, expected to reduce prices across essentials and consumer durables, comes amid US tariff headwinds and concerns about domestic demand.   Guest: Sharad Raghavan, Business and Economy Editor, The Hindu  Host: Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu   Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court, in an interim order on Thursday (August 14, 2025), directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh electors who were excluded from the draft electoral roll released on August 1 as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list must specify the precise reasons for exclusion, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration. The petitioners have argued that the poll body has failed to observe the basic principles of natural justice while carrying out the exercise. They have also questioned the “hasty” manner of its implementation. What is the constitutionality of the SIR exercise, and does it risk disenfranchising voters? What are the implications of the interim order? To what extent does the order address the contentious debate over whether Aadhaar can serve as valid proof of identity and residence in the electoral process? Guest: Shah Rukh Alam, advocate practising at the Supreme Court Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that it would cancel nearly USD 500 million of funding for mRNA vaccine projects. The reason, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, was safety and efficacy concerns.mRNA or messenger RNA vaccines hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was desperately trying to create vaccines in order to save lives. mRNA vaccines for Covid were developed rapidly, given to thousands of people and are believed to have saved numerous lives.Like all vaccines that we have today, rare cases of adverse effects are possible – but the benefits, say experts far outweigh the risks.How are mRNA vaccines different from the others we have? How effective and safe are they? Can they help with other diseases as well? And what does the cut in funding mean for vaccine development and research worldwide? Guest: Dr Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The food landscape has undergone a dramatic shift over the years, and the numbers tell a sobering story. A study in The Lancet found that childhood and adolescent obesity rates worldwide have risen nearly fourfold from 1990 to 2022, while adult obesity rates have more than doubled. At the same time, dramatic celebrity weight loss has been linked to Ozempic, an injectable drug containing semaglutide, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but now widely used off-label as a weight-loss aid. In this episode of In Focus, we ask: Why is it becoming harder to lose weight? What role do our gut and brain play in shaping our relationship with food? And should drugs like Ozempic step in where lifestyle changes and willpower fall short? Guest: Dr Jack Mosley, the author of Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings Host: Preeti Zechariah Edited by Jude Francis Weston and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often assume a child's height is all about genetics. But for millions of children in India, being shorter than average has nothing to do with family traits. It is the result of stunting — a chronic indicator of malnutrition, where a child has a low height for their age due to not getting the nutrition and care they need in the most critical early years of life.This episode explores what stunting really is, why it happens, and the critical windows when intervention can make the biggest difference. Guest: Dr. Vandana Prasad, a community paediatrician and former member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across India, EV dealers are warning that customers may have to wait longer and pay extra for their new rides. The culprit: rare earth magnets made from minerals like neodymium, which are crucial for compact, efficient EV motors. While India has its own reserves, mining and processing are largely controlled by China. Now, with Beijing cutting exports amid a trade dispute with the U.S., Indian automakers are struggling to find alternatives. Guest: Ashim Sharma, Nomura Research Institute Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Anupama Chandrasekaran and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July, Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh announced that the State may follow Goa in making HIV/AIDS test mandatory for all before marriage. The problem is multi-disciplinary; it is not merely a question of health, but also involves considerations of human rights, stigma, and free will.  Should HIV/AIDS testing be made mandatory? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Jahnabi Goswami, president of the Assam Network of Positive People; N. Kumarasamy, Chief and Director of Infectious Diseases Medical Centre, Voluntary Health Services, Chennai Host: Ramya Kannan Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India's Supreme Court presented its toughest ruling yet on the country's stray dog problem, ordering all in the Delhi capital region be moved into shelters within eight weeks. The aim: to end India's rabies crisis, one of the worst in the world, which kills an estimated 20,000 people a year.But can such a massive operation work? Is it humane? And what happens when the law collides with the emotional bonds people have with the dogs outside their doors?In this episode, we look at the feasibility of the plan, the science of rabies control and what India's street dog policy needs to get right to protect both people and animals. Guest: Dr. Abi Tamim Vanak, Wildlife ecologist Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nutritional Intake in India report that came out recently threw up some interesting facts -- how many calories India is consuming on an average, are Indians meetings calorific requirements, how differently urban and rural Indians eat and what is the difference in calories consumed by rich and poor Indians. Another interesting aspect was about the protein consumption in India – what is the amount of proteins Indians consume and are we getting our proteins from the right sources? Also, how are food prices impacting our diets? Guest: Dipa Sinha, an independent researcher and development economist Host: Zubeda Hamid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indian Railways, one of the world's largest transport networks, is in considerable financial trouble. Despite carrying millions of passengers, it recovers barely half the cost of each journey. Freight earnings are propping up passenger services and ticket prices remain politically sensitive. In fact the Railways is increasingly relying on borrowings and Budget support for their capital investments. In this episode, we unpack the data behind the crisis, examine why even premium classes are losing money, and ask the big question: can fare hikes save the Railways without driving passengers away? Guest: A. Madhukumar Reddy, a 1987-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service officer who retired as Principal Executive Director of the Railway Board. Host: Vignesh Radhakrishnan Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 5 in Dharali, a Himalayan village near the Gangotri pilgrimage route, steady rain was followed by the ballooning of a river that destroyed homes and futures. It wasn't the first such disaster in this region. It began with regular monsoon rain tapping on roofs, creating thin streams down the hillsides. Hours later, a wall of water, rock and mud tore through Dharali. Nestled in Uttarakhand's upper reaches near Gangotri, Dharali lies close to a sacred source of the Ganga River. But on that day, the river smashed into homes, ripped apart roads and swept away everything in its path. Families fled with nothing. Lives were lost.The Himalayas are young mountains that shift, crack and shed rock. But our choices make them more dangerous: carving roads into fragile slopes, building too close to rivers and the warming the climate. In this episode, a scientist explains the forces shaping the mountains, and an environmentalist shows how our actions magnify the risk. Together, they trace the path from an ordinary day's rain to a disaster and reveal how to stop the next tragedy before it strikes. Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced by Sharmada venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ‘atom bomb' that Rahul Gandhi was talking about has finally dropped. At a press conference on August 7, Mr Gandhi gave a presentation where he sought to show how, in one assembly segment of a Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, more than 1 lakh fake votes were cast. Mr Gandhi said a team in the Congress spent six months sifting through voter rolls data in hard copy format sourced from the Election Commission, and they identified five ways in which fake votes were cast: duplicate voters, fake and invalid voters, bulk voters in a single address, invalid photos, and misuse of Form 6 to add so-called new voters. Mr Gandhi also alleged that this was a template, and it can be, and has probably been, replicated in elections across the country. Mr Gandhi has made two demands to the Election Commission (EC): that it share voter data in electronic text readable format, and that it make available CCTV footage of polling booths. The EC has asked Mr Gandhi to formally submit his charges under oath. How credible are these charges? And how justified are Mr Gandhi's demands? What is the road to accountability in the context of these specific charges? Guest: Poonam Agarwal, investigative journalist and author of ‘India Inked: Elections in the World's Largest Democracy'. Host: G Sampath Produced and edited by: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced its decision to lay off 12,000 employees, Nasscom (National Association of Software and Service Companies) said that the tech industry is at an “infliction point” due to the increasing integration of AI and automation into core business operations. Meanwhile, the All India Professionals' Congress (AIPC), in conjunction with IT employee unions and forums, is pursuing strategies to address the issue of layoffs in the IT sector. It plans to raise this matter in Parliament, advocating for a policy that would cap the pay disparity between top leadership and average employees. Should there be a ceiling on salaries of top management? In this In Focus-Parley episode, we discuss the question. Guests: Praveen Chakravarty, chairperson, All India Professionals' Congress; Sridhar Kundu, consultant economist, World Bank Host: A.M. Jigeesh Edited by: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian You can now find The Hindu's podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for In Focus by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. President Donald Trump announced has 25% tariffs on imports from India, “plus a penalty”. While this has been on the cards, there was some expectation that a quick bilateral trade agreement could soften the blow, if not prevent it. Trump has justified his move with a number of complaints: he has spoken of India's high tariffs, non-tariff barriers, India buying oil and defence hardware from Russia, and India's membership of BRICS, which he considers as anti-US coalition. Exports to the US constitute 18% of India's overall exports. If the tariffs kick in, they are expected to lower India's GDP growth by 20-30 basis points. Are these tariffs just a pressure tactic aimed to extract concessions from India on the trade deal? What are India's options? Would India be better off without a rushed trade deal? Guest: Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Host: G. Sampath Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senior advocate Indira Jaising,  in a written submission to the Supreme Court recently, saidthat consesual sex between teenagers aged 16 to 18 must not be criminalised. Why is this a hot button issue? Under the Pocso or Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, any sexual relationship under the age of 18 is a crime, as those below 18 are considered children, and therefore consent does not matter. This is not a new issue: child rights activists and court in India too, have for years now highlighted the fact that a chunk of cases filed under the Pocso Act are of consensual teenage romantic relationships and elopements and that navigating the criminal judicial system in India can wreak havoc on young lives. The government however has maintained its stand that the age of consent cannot be lowered, that doing this, would erode child protection and child marriage laws and polices. Is there a case for decriminalising consensual teenage relationships? Is it fair to punish young persons for their romances? How is consent defined and regulated? How can India protect its children from marriage, abuses and crime while also allowing them freedom to choose their partners when they want to? Guest: Swagata Raha, legal researcher on child protection  Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a final like no other — two Indian women, face to face, with a world title on the line. On one side of the board sat Koneru Humpy, one of the greats of the game. On the other, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh, fearless and sharp. The Women's Chess World Cup in Georgia had come down to a tense tiebreak. And in that pressure-cooked moment, it was Divya who found the winning move. The title was hers. It was a moment of triumph and a sign of change. This was the first-ever all-Indian final at the women's chess World Cup. Once unthinkable, now very real. For years, China set the pace in women's chess, just as the Soviets once ruled the men's game. But the old power structures are shifting. Indian men have already broken into the elite. And now, the women are rewriting the script. Guest: PK Ajith Kumar from The Hindu's Sports BureauHost: Anupama ChandrasekaranProduced and edited by: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 30, the India-US space collaboration crossed a historic milestone with the successful launch of NISAR, or the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, a flagship earth observation mission jointly developed by the two nations' space programmes. It is the first satellite to use radars of two frequencies — the L-band radar by NASA and the S-band radar by ISRO — to continuously monitor the earth's surface. NISAR is expected to provide unprecedented data on land deformation, ice-sheet dynamics, forest biomass, and natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. With its high-resolution, all-weather, day-night imaging capabilities, NISAR aims to enhance climate resilience, agricultural monitoring, and disaster response. Beyond science, NISAR also holds commercial promise to enable new data services, geospatial analytics, and early-warning systems across sectors such as insurance, infrastructure, and agriculture.  Guest: Dr. Karen  St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at the Science Mission Directorate at NASA  Hosts:  Mukunth V, Deputy Science Editor, The Hindu  Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu  Video edited by Shivaraj S  Audio edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Richter scale is used to measure the strength of an earthquake. Theoretically, the maximum reading that's possible is 10. The most powerful quake ever recorded was 9.5, which happened in Chile in 1960. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami for instance, was caused by a quake that measured 9.2 on the Richter scale, and it led to the death of 228,000 people. The 2011 Tohoku quake in Japan measured 9 on the Richter scale – it caused the Fukushima nuclear accident, and led to more than 19,500 deaths.  On July 30, the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 8.8 – not far behind the deadly quakes of 2004 and 2011. It is the sixth most powerful quake ever recorded. It led to tsunami alerts in a dozen countries. But amazingly, and fortunately, for such a powerful quake, there were zero casualties.  Kamchatka is on the Circum-Pacific seismic belt or the so-called ‘Ring of Fire,' and is prone to seismic activity. So how did the region escape such a major earthquake with no casualties?  Guest: Christina Malyk, special correspondent with Sputnik, based in Moscow.  Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu  Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Note: The term ‘Richter scale' used in the podcast and in the note above is meant to denote the strength of the quake on the moment magnitude scale, and not the Richter scale, which is no longer in use. The Kamchatka quake measured 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale. The term Richter scale remains a familiar one for the public and is frequently used but is technically incorrect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a landmark ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23, 2025, announced countries and territories are obligated to combat climate change through efforts to the best of their capabilities. Climate change poses an “urgent and existential threat,” the court said. It held that climate action is not based on any one law but is rather a mix of international law provisions like the UN charter, and international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Paris Agreement, among others, and that they should influence the actions that member states take to protect the environment. The Court also ruled that countries bear the responsibility of protecting the earth's climate systems, reduce emissions and limit global warming.Several countries have hailed the Court's decision,  saying that it adds heft to humanity's fight against climate change. The ruling hits all the right notes - it places human rights at the forefront of the fight against global warming. But, is it merely symbolic, given it is an advisory opinion and not enforceable? Guest: Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast episode features interviews with the four journalists behind Taking on the Heat, a data-driven story on heat stress in Chennai. The story follows the daily experiences of four working-class individuals with varying levels of exposure to direct sunlight. Each participant was equipped with a device that recorded temperature and humidity data throughout their workday.   The analysis sheds light not only on their exposure to heat but also on how they manage it—and what kind of support the State could offer to ease their burden.  Guests: Vasudevan Mukunth, Nitika Francis, Srinivasan Ramani, and Areena Arora  Host: Vignesh Radhakrishnan  Camera: Shivaraj S, Thamodharan B, and Kailas Krishna Editing: Shivaraj S and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Produced by: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly all of us have seen an instance of it: a child working at a streetside tea shop, begging at a traffic light or perhaps even as a domestic help at some homes. Not many of us realise perhaps that a large number of these children are trafficked: taken away from their families and forced into exploitative, abusive labour. July 30 is observed as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. In today's podcast, we are joined by Bhuwan Ribhu, founder of the organisation Just Rights for Children and a child rights activist to talk about the scope of the problem in India, the government's response and most importantly, what more needs to be done, to protect every child in our land. Guest: Bhuwan Ribhu, Founder of Just Rights for Children and Child Rights Activist Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than a year ago, on options expiry days, which are trading sessions when bets are settled, Mayank Bansal began to notice something odd. Prices were moving just before the close in ways that felt too precise. Someone was winning too perfectly. Mayank, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based hedge fund manager, had spent years studying options — cheap, high-risk contracts that let you bet on where markets will go. If you're right, the profits can be huge. If you're wrong, which is what most retail investors are, you lose everything. A U.S. court case would later point to Jane Street — one of the world's most powerful proprietary trading firms, which means it trades using its own money, not clients'. Known for its lightning-fast algorithms and puzzle-solving traders, Jane Street had made over $4 billion in India in just two years. India's market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) says Jane Street placed large trades in a few key stocks just before the market closed. These trades pushed the index in just the right direction to make their options bets pay off, a tactic that SEBI calls a “well-planned and sinister” scheme. Jane Street denies any wrongdoing. In this episode, Mayank tells us what he saw and why it raises serious questions about who really wins in India's booming options market. Guest: Mayank Bansal, a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based hedge fund manager Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 11, the upcoming 2025–26 season of the Indian Super League was abruptly put on hold by its organiser, Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), citing uncertainty over the Master Rights Agreement with the AIFF. This unprecedented move has left players, clubs and fans in limbo, and raises fresh questions about the governance and sustainability of Indian football's top-tier league. What exactly is behind this standoff? Does it signal deeper structural issues in Indian football? And how is the Indian football ecosystem affected by this? Guest: Amitabha Das Sharma from The Hindu's sports bureau Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 2016, Tesla began taking preorders from Indian customers with no timeline for delivery. Now, nine years later, it's officially arrived — but much has changed. The Indian EV space is more competitive, homegrown players like Tata and global brands like BYD have made inroads and import duties remain steep. And in the premium segment that Tesla is targeting, it's not the first mover. German brands like Mercedes, BMW and Audi have been here for years. What took Tesla so long? Why did early adopters like Vishal Gondal cancel their bookings? And is India ready — in terms of infrastructure, pricing and policy — for what Tesla offers? Guest: Vishal Gondal, tech entrepreneur and early Tesla hopeful Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The buzzword of late, has been wellness. Wellness in mind and body is something all of us strive for. But wellness has also become an entire industry in itself – with products, services and clinics all claiming to offer it in different forms. The nutraceuticals industry for instance, is growing rapidly, projected to be worth 64 billion dollars by 2030, while aesthetic medicine is projected to triple its value by 2029. From protein powders to supplements, anti-ageing lotions to treatments at wellness lounges, there is no dearth of offerings and advertisements. But how safe are these products and procedures? Do what they claim in their advertisements match what offer in reality? What goes into these products and who regulates them? Guest: Prashant Reddy Co-author, Truth Pill: Myth of Drug Regulation Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the Union Education Ministry, Indian universities have achieved their best-ever performance in the World University Rankings 2026. The rankings are done by a British company, Quacquarelli Symonds, also known as QS.  The new QS rankings feature a total of 54 Indian universities, which makes India the 4th most represented country, with only the US (192), the UK (90) and China (72) having more universities ranked than India. Among Indian universities, 48% have also  improved their rankings compared to the previous year, with six featuring in the top 250. IIT, Delhi is the highest ranked Indian university in the list, coming in at #123.  The government has claimed that the numbers indicate a revolutionary transformation of India's educational landscape.  How exactly are the QS rankings arrived at? What idea of the university is being evaluated in these rankings? Are the metrics relevant to the Indian context and Indian students?  Guest: Professor Anita Rampal, former Dean, Faculty of Education, at Delhi University. Anita, welcome to the pod.  Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu  Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nipah virus is not new to Kerala: the State is experiencing it's eighth outbreak since 2018 this July. So far, there have been four confirmed cases: of these, two persons have died, while the other two remain hospitalised. A total of 675 people across the State are currently under observation, with 38 classified as being in the highest risk category.One question that many have wondered about is: why Kerala? Why is it that this one State has seen multiple outbreaks of the deadly virus? What do we know about how it spills over from fruit bats to humans? And what can be done to contain it? Guest: Dr. Anoop Kumar A.S., director of critical care medicine at Aster North Kerala Cluster, who played a pivotal role in detecting the Nipah virus outbreak in the State in 2018 Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a June morning, Air India flight AI171 lifted off from Ahmedabad, bound for London. The aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — among the most advanced long-haul jets in service. But less than a minute after takeoff, the plane crashed. Two hundred and sixty people were killed. Only one survived. It was India's deadliest air disaster in nearly three decades. Now, a preliminary investigation points to a chilling cause: fuel to both engines was cut off just after takeoff. The engines lost thrust. The plane had neither the altitude nor the time to recover. What happened in those final seconds? Was it a technical failure or human error? Guest: Jagriti Chandra, Special Correspondent at The Hindu covering aviation Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, was scheduled to be executed in Yemen today on July 16, as per reports, but the execution has now been postponed after multiple levels of talks and negotiations got underway. Nimisha Priya has been on death row in Yemen since 2018 for the murder of her former business partner, a Yemeni citizen Talal Abdo Mehdi . Efforts to have her released have included raising funds for ‘blood money' or money that is paid to the victim's family as compensation. The case has presented complications because of the internal breakdown in Yemen, Yemeni capital Sanaa is controlled by Ansar Ullah (Houthi) while the Internationally Recognised Government of Yemen operates out of Aden. We do a deep dive into the case of Nimisha Priya, the rights of Indian citizens who get enmeshed in criminal judicial systems in other countries, India's obligations to these citizens and the death penalty laws in India with Shreya Rastogi, Director of Death Penalty Litigation and Forensics, The Square Circle Clinic, NALSAR University of Law, Delhi Host: Zubeda Hamid Guest: Shreya Rastogi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's been a lot of action in the world of footwear fashion – especially legal action involving claims and counter-claims about cheap fakes of expensive originals, and also expensive rip-offs of cheaper originals. First it was the crocs, the uniquely shaped perforated sandals. The American company which makes them, Crocs Inc., is pursuing legal action against several Indian companies, including the likes of Bata and Liberty, for copying their visual design and “passing off” their product as crocs. Then we have the case of Italian luxury fashion brand Prada, which has been facing heat in India after it showcased men's ‘Toe-ring Sandals' that looked a lot like Kolhapuri chappals. And now we have the German sandal brand Birkenstock getting court approval to inspect factories in India and seize counterfeit Birkenstock sandals. Are these three cases comparable? How exactly does the copyright regime work in the fashion world? And why are Indians crazy for Birkenstocks? In Part 2, we shift focus to the cultural and fashion dimensions of the sandal scandal, examining how Crocs, Birkenstocks, and even Kolhapuris became trend statements. Host: G Sampath Guests: Rosella Stephen, editor of The Hindu's Sunday Magazine, and Shantanu Sood, a lawyer who specialises in intellectual property-related issues. Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices