Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata

Follow Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Every week NPR contributor (and former San Franciscian) Sandip Roy brings you a little taste of the 'new India' – a letter home from his other home.

KALW


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 289 EPISODES


    More podcasts from KALW

    Search for episodes from Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata

    City of Terraces

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 6:00


    In a world preoccupied with exerting our rights over a patch of land, Sandip remembers he once I had a patch of sky as well and a clothesline strung across it where his stories could hang out to dry.

    Mangos No More

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 6:33


    Trump's tariff war has left a very sweet and sought after casualty on the docks. Mangos.

    The Marble Man Who Made Classic Films

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 6:00


    As Indians celebrate the 140th birth anniversary of Satyajit Ray another story is coming to light. How a humble business man became his most ardent fan and producer.

    Postcards

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 6:00


    In a world where we communicate more than ever across time zones and borders Sandip Roy considers the value of a handwritten letter.

    Something Fishy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 6:00


    We have become a country of food pop-ups and one where everyone's food sticks in someone else's craw. As the political row over the Chittaranjan Park fish market shows when someone is ready to fish in troubled waters even a red herring will do.

    Charak Mela

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 6:00


    Happy New Year! April 15th was the Bengali New Year, but the LAST day of the year means the Charak Mela!

    Tram Fest!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 7:18


    A group trying to save Kolkatas historic trams makes a case that the old streetcars actually benefit the mangroves of the Sundarbans.

    Café Canadiano

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 6:00


    Freedom fries, the Gulf of America and Cafe Canadiano. Sandip Roy explains.

    Museums in the Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 6:00


    A new approach at the Indian Museum in Kolkata is blending up some interesting pairings. Sandip Roy goes for a visit.

    Look Before You Post

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 6:00


    Social media was meant to bear witness to our daily lives. Now it might well become a witness for the prosecution.Sandip Roy explains.

    Pure Imagination

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 6:00


    We all love chocolate. And Sandip used to bring home little samples of the confection to share with his family and friends in India. But perhaps he didn't need to travel so far.

    Durrell at 100

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2025 6:00


    March 3rd was World Wildlife Day and Sandip remembers his very first literary autograph, from Gerald Durrell.

    Model No More

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 6:12


    A lot of people think of Indians as the “model minority.” Hard working, paying taxes and fitting in. But Trump's focus on Indian immigrants has added another layer to their ‘American' story.

    Uncles Just Want to Have Fun

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 6:00


    The Cadbury company wants to kill Valentine's Day, and they have released a powerful foe to do it. The Indian Uncle. Of which group Sandip Roy belongs to.

    The 48th Kolkata Book Fair

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 6:34


    This year marks the 48th Kolkata Book Fair, a fair Sandip Roy has been going to his whole life. This year he ruminates on what makes this particular festival so special.

    Saraswati Puja

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 6:00


    This week Sandip celebrates a deity that has always been a bit more personal, but also worries about how the modern world is remaking her influence.

    Never on Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 6:00


    An Indian CEO has caused a furor over dismissive statements concerning work hours. Sandip Roy considers the implications of a seven day work week.

    Keep Running Durga

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 6:20


    The character of “Durga” has haunted film audiences the world over. The actress who portrayed her had something of a tragic life herself. Sandip remembers Uma, as she now, like her character Durga, has died.

    Flower Power

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 6:00


    At the beginning of what will inevitably be a year filled with conflict and stiff, it's a memorial service from the close of last year that reminds us how alike we all are.

    Dreaming of a Brown Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024 6:00


    Sandip Roy contrasts the Christmases of his childhood with the current revelry taking place in Kolkata.

    Ustad Zakir Hussain

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 6:52


    “Music can't work miracles” Zakir Hussain once said, but he certainly was a miraculous musician and collaborator. Zakir Hussain passed away in San Francisco on Dec. 15th, 2024.

    I Am Ol Chiki

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 6:00


    ‘Ol Chiki' is a thousands year old language in Bengal, but has only been written down since 1925. Sandip Roy travels to an art biennial to find out more.

    Satanic Verses, Now Available in India

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 6:00


    Salman Rushdie's book Satanic Verses could, perhaps, FiNALLY be available in India. But with so many verses under the bridge will it matter?

    A Moment Savored

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 6:00


    Due to illness Sandip is forced to consider the world in his own backyard.

    Weaving a Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024 6:00


    When we go on vacation we visit the sights, try the local cuisine, and buy a few souvenirs. But on a trip to Dhenkanal in the eastern Indian state of Odisha recently Sandip Roy saw the hands that make the craft. His friend Milena led them into the home of a weaver.

    Stamp of Approval

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 6:34


    The 2024 Presidential Election has marked an irreversible cultural change in the U.S. Sandip Roy sees the connection in an unlikely symbol, the Postage Stamp.

    Preserving the Past for the Present

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 6:00


    Royal past meets the tourist future at India's Palace Hotels. Sandip had a nostalgic visit to Dhenkanal in the Eastern state of Odisha.

    Durga's Protest

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 6:00


    Durga Puja, Kolkata's biggest festival comes face to face with the biggest protests the city has seen in recent years.

    Durga is Calling

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 6:00


    In a city chaotic with light and noise, the Goddess has come home and is calling out to us. Now if we could just cut through the static and be on the same wavelength.

    Happy Birthday Mahatma!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 6:00


    Mahatma Gandhi is revered as the Father of the Nation in India. But how was he as Father of his own family? His grandson Gopal talks about the legacy of the Mahatma with Sandip.

    Looking for Hüzün

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 6:00


    This summer I went to Istanbul looking for melancholy. Or as they call it there hüzün.

    Cooking Up Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 6:00


    Food is the way we often break down barriers between people AND food is also the way we “other” the other, as the recent presidential debate shows.

    Justice for Durga

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 6:00


    Durga Puja is a season of homecoming, but this year artists turned protesters in Kolkata cannot shake off the image of the Durga who did not get to go home.

    How to Lose

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 6:00


    We are trained from the beginning on how to win but no one teaches us how to lose even though life often comes with more losses than wins. To lose with grace is also the mark of true champions.

    Out of Excuses

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 6:00


    Sandip Roy attends a raucous protest about the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College that brought out thousands of women who are tired of excuses.

    Unsung Heros of Independence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 6:00


    As India celebrates it's 77th Independence Day people are telling the stories of the freedom fighters who didn't make the history books.

    The Rain Remembers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 6:15


    What used to be a wondrous event every year in India, has this year taken on a darker hue. Sandip Roy looks to the skies and considers this seasons monsoons.

    A Changed America

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 6:00


    The US presidential election is playing out in India as a big fight between the two southern states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

    A Still Image

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 6:00


    In an age where everyone can be a social media influencer, the recent attempt on former President Trump's life shows that experience still matters.

    The Biggest, Fattest Indian Wedding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 6:00


    A five-month countdown to India's most expensive wedding ever ended last week with the big bash that saw celebrities from all over the world descend on Mumbai. Sandip did not have an invite but sends us a postcard nonetheless.

    The New Swadeshi

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 6:00


    Almost 100 years after Gandhi, the British Prime Minister seems to calling for a ‘British' Swadeshi movement. But as Sandip Roy points out, Sunak's call for a nationalist rebellion has only ignited a meme war.

    25 Years of Progress

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 6:10


    June has become Pride Month all over the world. In Kolkata this month groups are celebrating 25 years of Sappho for Equality, the city's oldest support group for lesbian. bisexual women and transman rights as well as 25 years of the first Pride Walk in India.

    Claim Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel