The Sandip Roy Show

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What makes people tick? What are the stories they carry with them? In a world of shouting heads, veteran journalist, radio commentator and novelist Sandip Roy sits down to have real conversations about the fascinating world around us and the people who shape it. Catch these engaging interviews every other Sunday

Express Audio


    • Apr 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 178 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Sandip Roy Show

    The Mystery of the Awadh 'Royals' of Delhi's Malcha Mahal ft Aletta André and Abhimanyu Kumar

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 57:38


    In 1975, Begum Wilayat Mahal and her children, Princess Sakina and Prince Ali Raza, moved into New Delhi Railway Station, claiming to be descendants of the House of Awadh. After a decade at the station, the government granted them Malcha Mahal, a 14th century hunting lodge deep inside a forest in Delhi. But were they really royalty, or was it all a grand deception? A new book, The House of Awadh by Aletta André and Abhimanyu Kumar, attempts to uncover the truth. In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to the authors about what their cross border reporting, archival research and intimate interviews uncovered.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    The Urdu newspaper that dared to speak truth to power ft Chander Mohan and Jyotsna Mohan

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 52:25


    Long before press freedom indexes were even conceived, the Urdu newspaper Pratap was speaking truth to power in undivided India — and paying a heavy price for it. Launched in 1919, Pratap quickly ran afoul of the British Raj but remained defiantly independent.After independence, its legacy continued with the launch of Vir Pratap, its Hindi successor. But how fearless did these publications remain after independence?This week, host Sandip Roy speaks to Chander Mohan, who served as editor of Vir Pratap for forty years, and his daughter Jyotsna Mohan, a journalist with nearly three decades of experience, to explore the journey and enduring impact of these pioneering publications.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Manu Pillai on how Hinduism and Christianity transformed each other

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 59:13


    In this episode, we discuss how early Christian missionaries encountered Hinduism during colonial rule depending on where they landed and whom they met and how they saw very different faiths with different gods, rituals, and customs. Host Sandip Roy is joined by author and historian Manu S. Pillai to discuss his new book, "Gods, Guns and Missionaries," which explores how these cross-cultural encounters not only attempted to reshape India but also unexpectedly influenced the construction of a modern Hindu identity.Produced by Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    How caste influences food—from cookbooks to public health ft Sylvia Karpagam and Sucharita Kanjilal

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 49:59


    Social media has revolutionised the world of home chefs, bringing everyday cooks into the spotlight. From a woman in the Northeast showcasing her daily thali of fermented foods to a mother-son duo in rural Bengal cooking over a mud stove, food storytelling is more diverse than ever. Cookbooks are emerging from Dalit kitchens to Saraswat Brahmin traditions, highlighting how caste and cuisine remain deeply intertwined in India. But is this visibility changing the role of caste in food, or merely reinforcing old divides?In this episode, host Sandip Roy is joined by Dr Sucharita Kanjilal, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Bard College, and Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health doctor and researcher to discuss how food continues to shape identity, social boundaries, and even public health in India.Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    The holy cow and the dairy dilemma ft Yamini Narayanan

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 47:34


    For millions in India, the cow is sacred, and many states have laws prohibiting its slaughter. But this raises a question—what do we do with all these cows? And while India reveres the 'Mother Cow,' does the cow herself want to mother anyone beyond her own calf?In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Yamini Narayanan about her new book, Mother Cow, Mother India. She unpacks the complexities of India's dairy industry and the uncomfortable truths consumers often ignore.Yamini is a Senior Lecturer in International and Community Development at Deakin University, Australia.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Indulge: How is India's speciality coffee scene brewing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 63:07


    While India has long been known as a tea-drinking nation, the specialtiy coffee scene is rapidly growing, with consumption on the rise and the industry projected to surpass $1 billion by 2032. But is this growth as promising as it seems? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Raghunath Rajaram and Namisha Parthasarathy, founders of Aramse, an independent speciality coffee company and content platform, along with Binny Varghese, co-founder of the Barista Training Academy and an SCA-certified Barista.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh PawarIn episode image (from left to right): Raghunath Rajaram, Binny Varghese, and Namisha Parthasarathy.Further listening: Is India neglecting its indigenous spirits?The brave new world of Indian craft chocolate 

    Lee Durrell on 100 years of Gerald Durrell

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 54:27


    A renowned conservationist and writer, Gerald Durrell, was known for his unique ability to describe even the most mundane creatures, like slugs, with the same enthusiasm typically reserved for majestic animals. In this episode, host Sandip Roy is in conversation with Lee Durrell, the Honorary Director of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the late Gerald Durrell's wife. Together, they recount Gerald's compassion for wildlife conservation, his childhood experiences in Corfu that led to the creation of his most famous book, and his lasting legacy, particularly through beloved works such as My Family and Other Animals, which has also been adapted into a successful television series.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Northeast India wants tourists. But is it ready?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 57:19


    Once overshadowed by destinations like Rajasthan, Kerala, and Goa, the Northeast is gaining recognition as a hub for unique travel experiences. Beyond the famed Kaziranga rhinos and Shillong waterfalls, cultural festivals like Arunachal's Ziro Music Festival and Nagaland's Hornbill Festival have firmly established the region on the travel map.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Nishant Sinha, co-founder of Chalo Hoppo, and Grace Marbaniang, co-founder of Escape to Meghalaya, to explore the rising appeal of Northeast India as a must-visit destination and examine whether the region is prepared for this tourism boom.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Mapping the story of new India through its working class ft Neha Dixit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 55:23


    Award-winning journalist Neha Dixit, in her latest book, The Many Lives of Syeda X, tells the story of a young, working-class Muslim woman, spanning from the early 1990s to the present day. Through her narrative, Dixit also traces the profound social, cultural, and political transformations of a changing India.This week, host Sandip Roy speaks to Dixit about the inspiration behind the book, the challenges of capturing such a vast timeline, and how Syeda's journey reflects broader shifts in Indian society.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    The brave new world of Indian craft chocolate

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 64:15


    Over the past few years, Indian craft chocolatiers have been earning accolades at some of the world's most prestigious international competitions, including the UK-based Academy of Chocolate Awards. To explore this growing chocolate culture, host Sandip Roy speaks with Chaitanya Muppala, Vikas Temani, and Patricia Cosma. Together, they discuss the future of Indian craft chocolate in a market long dominated by established brands like Cadbury and Amul.Muppala is the founder of Manam Chocolate, Temani is the founder of Paul and Mike, and Cosma is the co-founder of the Indian Cacao and Craft Chocolate Festival.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Devdutt Pattanaik on how Harappa changed India's sense of self

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 60:17


    The transformative discovery made in 1924 by John Marshall, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, revealed the existence of the Indus Valley Civilisation, pushing back the origins of Indian civilisation by millennia. Now, Devdutt Pattanaik's new book, Ahimsa: 100 Reflections on the Harappan Civilisation, offers a unique perspective on this ancient civilisation, exploring it through the lens of mythology rather than traditional history or archaeology, connecting the dots between the imagery depicted on the seals we are familiar with.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Ramachandra Guha on what India's forgotten environmentalists can teach us

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 43:43


    At a time when the news about the environment seems to be worsening by the day, historian Ramachandra Guha's latest book, Speaking with Nature, sheds light on India's early environmentalists. These pioneers raised alarms about ecological concerns at a time when the focus was on industrialization as a means to alleviate poverty for millions. Their stories reveal how environmentalism in India evolved in a distinctly different way from the Western models prevalent today. This week, Guha joins host Sandip Roy to share some of these fascinating stories.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Nusrat Jafri on caste, conversion, and why India can't talk about it

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 46:49


    In her memoir, This Land We Call Home, Nusrat F. Jafri reflects on the history of her nomadic ancestors, members of the Bhantu tribe from Rajasthan, who were once branded "criminals" under British colonial law. As a response to caste-based discrimination, her family ultimately embraced Christianity. Through the book, Jafri weaves a narrative that explores not only the personal histories we all carry, but also the complex tapestry of our collective past.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Jafri about her family's journey, the impact of caste discrimination, and how their quest for belonging through faith and community influenced their evolving sense of identity over time.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Is India neglecting its indigenous spirits? ft Aniruddha Mookerjee and Hansel Vaz

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 55:04


    While whiskey, wine, and gin have witnessed a kind of renaissance in India over the past few years, the same hasn't been true for indigenous liquors like Mahua, Feni, and rice beer. Although some of these liquors are now being recognized as 'heritage liquors'—with some even receiving GI tags—their growth has been relatively slow. To understand what's preventing these traditional liquors from gaining broader acceptance, host Sandip Roy speaks with Aniruddha Mookerjee and Hansel Vaz.Mookerjee, an expert in Mahua liquor, has spent over 20 years researching indigenous Indian alcohols. As an advisor for Heritage Liquor to the Government of Madhya Pradesh, he has helped shape the state's heritage liquor policy, and established model distilleries with women's self-help groups to produce India's first commercial tribal Mahua brands, Mond and Mohulo.Vaz, a geologist by training, is a self-taught “Feni polymath” and founded the internationally recognized brand Cazulo Premium Feni.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Breaking the glass ceiling in geology ft Dr Sudipta Sengupta

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 49:35


    Dr. Sudipta Sengupta, one of the first Indian women to set foot on Antarctica, has not only ventured to the frozen south but also explored the Arctic and climbed Himalayan peaks. As an early Indian geologist, she's broken many barriers along the way. In this episode, she joins Sandip Roy to discuss her memoir, Breaking Rocks and Barriers, and the experiences that have shaped her remarkable journey.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    How attainable is equality in India? ft Saurabh Kirpal

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2024 61:08


    Article 14 of the Indian Constitution states: “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India." And who could argue with that?Yet, some of India's most fraught political issues—reservations, the right to wear a hijab in college, or same-sex marriage—are situated at the heart of Article 14.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Senior Supreme Court lawyer Saurabh Kirpal about his new book, Who is Equal, which unpacks the equality code of the Indian Constitution.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    The promise and peril of AI ft Madhumita Murgia

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 57:52


    Schools and colleges are increasingly concerned that the widespread use of AI tools like ChatGPT could weaken critical thinking and research skills among students. There's also growing unease about academic integrity, with fears that students may turn to AI for assignments or to bypass plagiarism checks. But even beyond education, AI has raised ethical concerns about job displacement, data privacy, and internal biases. In her new book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI, Madhumita Murgia explores how AI impacts our security, health, and privacy—from the ads we see on Instagram to decisions about loans or even governments predicting dissent. In this episode, Sandip talks to Murgia about her book and the broader implications of living in a world increasingly shaped by AI.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    What RG Kar tells us about women's safety ft Jhuma Sen and Amrita Dasgupta

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 51:17


    The RG case has once again drawn public attention, highlighting the need for thorough investigations and justice. This incident underscores ongoing concerns about women's safety and the urgent need for stronger protections. There have been renewed calls for the death penalty, though experts question its effectiveness and stress the need for legal reforms. In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Jhuma Sen and Amrita Dasgupta to discuss the case's implications, the death penalty debate, and ways to improve women's safety.Sen is an advocate at the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court and is adjunct faculty at the National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata. She has a focus on gender justice. Dasgupta is executive director of Swayam, a feminist organization working to end discrimination and violence against women and girls.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Can the BJP rewrite the Freedom Movement? ft Aditya Mukherjee

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 57:25


    With Indian Independence around the corner, host Sandip Roy speaks to Professor Aditya Mukherjee about the politicization of the freedom struggle and the attempts to rewrite by the current establishment.  Mukherjee retired as Professor of Contemporary Indian History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has authored books like India's Struggle for Independence, and India After Independence.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    What actually sets Bengaluru apart ft Malini Goyal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2024 60:57


    Once known as the back office of the world, Bengaluru is now seen as India's startup capital and tech hub. However, the city's rapid growth has brought significant challenges, with traffic congestion and water issues becoming as notorious as its startup culture.In this episode, Malini Goyal, the author of Unboxing Bengaluru, joins Sandip to discuss how Bengaluru evolved into its current state and what sets it apart among Indian cities.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Is it Modi model or Gujarat model? ft Christophe Jaffrelot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2024 49:17


    When Narendra Modi first appeared on the national stage, his supporters touted the Gujarat model as crucial for national success, while opponents feared it might weaken India's foundational pillars. Now, after 20 years, how has the Gujarat model scaled up at the national level? In this episode, political scientist and historian Christophe Jaffrelot joins Sandip Roy to answer this question, and talk about his latest book — Gujarat Under Modi: The Blueprint for Today's India.Jaffrelot is Research Director at CERI-Sciences Po/CNRS, Professor of Indian politics and sociology at King's College (London), President of the French Political Science Association and Chair of the British Association for South Asian Studies.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Grace Banu on how transgender lives have changed 10 years after NALSA

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2024 46:48


    In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled on a writ filed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), stating that the government, both at the state and Centre, must grant full legal recognition to transgender individuals.That judgment, in many ways, helped pave the way for the landmark Section 377 verdict. But ten years on, how much of the promise of that verdict has been realized in practice for the transgender community? To answer this question, Sandip is joined by Dalit and transgender rights activist Grace Banu.Grace is India's first transgender engineer and the founder of the Trans Rights Now Collective.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawat

    The puzzling questions of the Bhima Koregaon Case ft Alpa Shah

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 52:45


    Alpa Shah's latest book, The Incarcerations, a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, unravels and uncovers the chilling story of the Bhima Koregaon case and how sixteen human rights defenders—including academics, poets, trade unionists, and Dalit organizers—were labeled urban Naxalites, charged with inciting violence, and accused of waging a war against the Indian state. In this episode, Shah joins host Sandip Roy to unpack the case and discuss some of its most puzzling questions.Alpa Shah is a professor of anthropology at the London School of Economics.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Is AAP a game changer or has the game changed it? ft Ashutosh and Neelanjan Sircar

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2024 44:55


    The Aam Aadmi Party, led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is one of the most formidable political parties in the country and has often been described as a game-changer. But to what extent has that been the case? Has it truly transformed Indian politics, or has Indian politics, in turn, reshaped what the party once stood for?In this episode, host Sandip Roy is joined by Ashutosh and Neelanjan Sircar to discuss the evolution of the party, its current standing, the threat it poses to the BJP, and the challenges that lie ahead.Ashutosh is a former member of AAP, the co-founder and editor of SatyaHindi, and the author of Hindu Rashtra. Sircar is a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Why India is a magnet for crypto scams ft Mitali Mukherjee

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2024 51:31


    This week on the show, Sandip Roy speaks with journalist Mitali Mukherjee, whose book "Crypto Crimes" gives us a window into the underbelly of the crypto world and its rapid expansion throughout India. Through personal anecdotes and firsthand narratives, the book delves into the depths of the dark web, exposing the reality behind the unregulated crypto bubble that is now witnessing all sorts of crimes.Mukherjee is the director of the Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute at Oxford.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Mridula Koshy and Rituparna Neog on India's missing libraries

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2024 54:42


    Despite the frequent buzz around new book releases and the increasing popularity of literary festivals, one glaring absence in the country remains: free public libraries. Join host Sandip Roy this week as he engages in a conversation with Mridula Koshy and Rituparna Neog, community activists part of the Free Libraries Network (FLN), to discuss India's dearth of public libraries and what can be done about it.Koshy, an award winning writer, founded The Community Library Project in Delhi in 2015 and is the member of the FLN's steering committee. Neog, a queer rights activist and a library educator, is the founder-director of the Akam Foundation.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Why India lags behind its neighbours in human development ft Swati Narayan

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2024 57:02


    During a time when India's economy is on the rise, a new book called Unequal: Why India Lags Behind Its Neighbours by Swati Narayan argues that this growth hasn't automatically translated into the empowerment of the poor or an improvement in their social mobility. When compared with its less prosperous neighbors such as Bangladesh and Nepal, India still falls behind in numerous human development indexes. However, is it fair to compare India to these other countries, or are there additional complexities to consider? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Swati to find out.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Getting kids to care about climate change ft Bijal Vachharajani and Rohan Chakravarty

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 46:12


    As summer sweeps in, we find ourselves once again inundated with reports of record-breaking temperatures, unprecedented heat waves, and other climate disasters. As adults, one question to consider is: How do we talk about climate change with young people, who will ultimately inherit this warming planet? And how can we do so in a manner that is not terrifying or depressing, but rather engages and encourages them to care?In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Bijal Vachharajani and Rohan Chakravarty, who regularly grapple with these questions in their work.Bijal is a children's book author, climate warrior and commissioning editor at Pratham Books. And Rohan is a cartoonist, illustrator, wildlife enthusiast, and the creator of Green Humour.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    How Congress PMs fueled the rise of Hindu nationalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 56:23


    Veteran journalist and contributing editor of The Indian Express, Neerja Chowdhury, in her book 'How Prime Ministers Decide,' recounts the stories of what transpired behind the scenes as Indian Prime Ministers made some of the most monumental decisions of their tenure, and sometimes opted not to make them.In this episode, leading up to the crucial Lok Sabha polls, she joins Sandip Roy to discuss some of the decisions that altered India and the processes through which they unfolded.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    What should be done about India's street dogs? ft. Abi T Vanak

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2024 55:41


    Last month, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by street dogs in central Delhi's Tughlaq Lane. In response, the National Human Rights Commission directed authorities to submit a detailed report within six weeks and to control the population of street dogs. However, within days, some animal welfare organizations stated that there is no evidence implicating street dogs in the incident, citing the gated nature of the toddler's home which made it inaccessible to dogs in the area.This incident underscores the swift polarization between animal welfare advocates and those concerned for public safety. Some regard those who feed street dogs as good Samaritans, while others believe they only exacerbate the problem.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with ecologist Abi T Vanak about the management of street dogs and what actions authorities should take. Vanak is the Director of the Centre for Policy Design at ATREE.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    The inner lives of Varanasi's corpse burners ft Radhika Iyengar

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 46:56


    Varanasi holds sacred significance for many Hindus who believe that being cremated at its famous Manikarnika ghat will grant them Moksha or salvation. However, most of us know little about the lives of the Doms who work at these ghats.In this episode, Sandip Roy is joined by journalist Radhika Iyengar, who spent several years documenting the lives of the Doms of Varanasi through many ups and downs. Her book, 'Fire on the Ganges', delves into the dreams and aspirations of this community, whose job is to help others attain salvation.Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Krish Ashok busts myths about the Indian thali

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2024 61:34


    Krish Ashok, the author of the bestselling book "The Masala Lab," has become hugely popular on social media as the man who demystifies the science behind our cooking. In this episode, he joins Sandip to debunk myths about the Indian thali.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    How colonial is our constitution? ft Arghya Sengupta

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024 52:30


    The provocatively titled book, "The Colonial Constitution," examines how we got the Constitution we did and argues that, despite being crafted by the individuals who secured India's independence, it ultimately embodies strong colonial influences.On the occassion of Republic Day, Sandip speaks to its author, Arghya Sengupta, who is the Research Director at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Sanjay Patel on animating Indian myths for kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2023 29:15


    For two decades, Sanjay Patel served as an animator and storyboard artist for Pixar, contributing to beloved films such as Ratatouille, Cars, and Toy Story 2. Notably, he also wrote and directed "Sanjay's Super Team," a short film released in 2015 that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film.In this episode, Sandip speaks to Patel, delving into his illustrious career, exploring how he drew inspiration from the Ramayana, discussing his response to criticism, and uncovering the factors that led him to pursue a career as an animator.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Is secularism still 'half-baked' in India? ft Rajeev Bhargava

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 35:17


    What makes Indian secularism so unique? Why is it so often misunderstood? And what challenges does it face at the moment? In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Rajeev Bhargava, the Director of the Parekh Institute of Indian Thought at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, who addresses all this and more in his book, 'Reimagining Indian Secularism'.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed Suresh Pawar

    The pop stars leading Hindutva's cultural revolution ft Kunal Purohit

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2023 51:27


    They could be the biggest pop stars you've never come across. Absent from your social media feed, yet integral to the pop culture consumed by millions. Meet some of Hindutva's prominent pop stars who say they are on a mission, spearheading a cultural revolution.In this episode, Sandip speaks to journalist Kunal Purohit who in his book, 'H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars', profiles key figures in Hindutva Pop, and delves into the motivations behind the audience's consumption of their 'daily dose of bigotry'.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Does the BJP need Rahul Gandhi more than the Congress? ft Sugata Srinivasaraju

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2023 51:01


    Even though Rahul Gandhi is the guardian of the Nehru-Gandhi holy flame, at times it seems that his real mission is to reinvent his own party. On the other hand, many supporters of his party feel that the real stumbling block to its reinvention is Rahul Gandhi himself, who neither wishes to renounce it nor lead it from the front with gusto.Joining host Sandip Roy in this episode is journalist and author Sugata Srinivasaraju, who explores the politics and predicaments of Rahul Gandhi in the book, Strange Burdens.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Sunil Pant and Nepal's lessons for India's LGBTI movement

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2023 36:37


    After the Supreme Court's disheartening verdict on same-sex marriage, it appears that we are still struggling to make progress in this regard. However, if we were to look just beyond our northern border, we would realise that Nepal is actually several steps ahead of India on this issue.In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Sunil Babu Pant, one of the country's best-known LGBTI activists, about the lessons that India can learn from Nepal.Hosted, written and produced by Sandip RoyEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Ujjal Dosanjh on the India-Canada tensions and the Khalistan gap

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2023 41:40


    India-Canada relations are currently at an all-time low. And it all started after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged active connections between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Pro-Khalistan leader.In this episode host Sandip Roy speaks to Ujjal Dosanjh, the former Premier of British Columbia and federal minister, to explore how this controversy is unfolding in Canada, what Trudeau aims to achieve through it, and why Khalistan is a ‘western' movement now.Produced by Utsa Sarmin and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Gautam Bhatia on the state of top courts under the Modi era

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2023 44:45


    Over the past decade, India's top courts have presided over numerous landmark cases, including those related to Aadhar, Sabarimala, the Hijab row, anti-defection laws, privacy, Section 377, and the UAPA. While each of these cases holds significant importance individually, does a different narrative emerge when considering them collectively? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to lawyer and constitutional scholar Gautam Bhatia regarding his latest book, 'Unsealed Covers,' and what the past decade of India's top court decisions reveals about the country's trajectory.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    ​​Does India have a women in science problem? ft Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2023 50:40


    When ISRO launched its Mars orbiter, it drew attention to the women working at the space agency. And the recent Chandrayaan-3 landing also celebrated this idea. However, the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prizes, which were announced after a one-year hiatus, had 12 winners, none of whom were women. It appears that something is amiss.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj, who have been profiling the stories of women and non-binary individuals in science in India through their website, thelifeofscience.com. Their recently released book, "Lab Hopping," reveals the obstacles these individuals face and their extraordinary efforts to rectify a seemingly broken system.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar(In the episode image: Indian Space Research Organization scientists and other officials cheer as they celebrate the success of Mars Orbiter Mission at their Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network complex in Bangalore.)

    Siddhartha Basu on taking India from Quiz Time to KBC

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2023 48:51


    From hosting and producing popular shows like Quiz Time and Mastermind India to becoming the producer-director of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Siddhartha Basu is widely regarded as the father of Indian quizzing. In this episode, he talks to host Sandip Roy about his journey, how quizzing has evolved in the country, and what knowing the right answer means in the era of Google.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    Shubhra Gupta on what makes a crossover star from Irrfan to Priyanka

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2023 43:29


    With Priyanka Chopra starring in ‘Citadel' (an American spy thriller TV series) and Alia Bhatt starring in ‘Heart of Stone' (an American spy thriller film), has Bollywood finally made the crossover? Was Irrfan Khan India's first genuine crossover star? And in an era when stardom is increasingly becoming global, does it even matter?In this episode, host Sandip Roy is joined by Indian Express film critic and columnist Shubhra Gupta to discuss all of this and more, including her recently released book, ‘Irrfan: A Life in Movies.'Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

    How the BJP is pulling the Dalit vote in UP, with Sudha Pai and Sajjan Kumar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2023 55:04


    There is a mystery surrounding Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh. Over the past decade, the Bahujan Samaj Party's Dalit voter base appears to have been co-opted by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is often perceived as an upper-caste Hindu party. Surprisingly, this shift has occurred despite the fact that atrocities against Dalits by the upper castes have not decreased in the state.In their new book titled 'Maya, Modi, Azad: Dalit Politics in the Time of Hindutva' authors Sudha Pai and Sajjan Kumar attempt to shed light on this conundrum. In this episode, Sandip Roy is joined by both of them to discuss the insights gained from their research for the book.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Abhishek Kumar

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