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The Bengal Famine is the forgotten story of the Second World War. Between 1943 and 1944, at least three million Indians, all of whom were British subjects, died from starvation or diseases linked to malnutrition. It is one of the darkest chapters in colonial history, yet the memory of those millions who perished is not broadly nurtured in Britain, India or Bangladesh. There is no memorial, museum, or archive dedicated to them anywhere in the world – not even a plaque. Who better to shed light on these untold stories than the award-winning journalist Kavita Puri? Described by The Radio Times as ‘our foremost chronicler of the lives of British South Asians,' Puri has received critical acclaim for her radio series and writing on Indian history. In March 2025 she joined author Sathnam Sanghera live on stage to uncover this tragic chapter of British and Indian history. Drawing on the themes of her hit podcast Three Million, Puri told the dramatic and complex story of British colonialism, Indian nationalism, global war and the end of empire, while challenging national mythologies, the prevailing British narrative of World War II, and what we understand a hero to be. Puri also discussed the extensive archival research that went into the making of the podcast, and the new discoveries uncovered by forensically piecing together the stories of eyewitnesses and survivors. ---- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Bengal Famine is the forgotten story of the Second World War. Between 1943 and 1944, at least three million Indians, all of whom were British subjects, died from starvation or diseases linked to malnutrition. It is one of the darkest chapters in colonial history, yet the memory of those millions who perished is not broadly nurtured in Britain, India or Bangladesh. There is no memorial, museum, or archive dedicated to them anywhere in the world – not even a plaque. Who better to shed light on these untold stories than the award-winning journalist Kavita Puri? Described by The Radio Times as ‘our foremost chronicler of the lives of British South Asians,' Puri has received critical acclaim for her radio series and writing on Indian history. In March 2025 she joined author Sathnam Sanghera live on stage to uncover this tragic chapter of British and Indian history. Drawing on the themes of her hit podcast Three Million, Puri told the dramatic and complex story of British colonialism, Indian nationalism, global war and the end of empire, while challenging national mythologies, the prevailing British narrative of World War II, and what we understand a hero to be. Puri also discussed the extensive archival research that went into the making of the podcast, and the new discoveries uncovered by forensically piecing together the stories of eyewitnesses and survivors. ------ This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Laura Kyrke-Smith MP wants more care and support for new mothers struggling with their mental health. Her own friend died by suicide just 10 weeks after giving birth and she recently led a debate in parliament on the subject. Laura joined Nuala McGovern to discuss the changes she wants to see. They were joined by perinatal psychologist Dr Alain Gregoire from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.As EastEnders celebrates its 40th anniversary, Woman's Hour discusses the iconic soap's track record of featuring strong female characters with actors Michelle Collins, Kellie Bright, Diane Parish and Heather Peace.How easy is it to navigate the role of grandparent? The pyschologist Terri Apter, author of Grandparenting: On Love and Relationships Across Generations joined Anita Rani to discuss the topic. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Women's Prize for Fiction which was established to recognise the literary achievements of female writers. There have been huge improvements in sales for fiction written by women since then, however only 34 per cent of the top 500 non-fiction books in 2022 were written by women. The Women's Prize awarded its inaugural non-fiction category last year and have just released their 2025 longlist. Will it have the same impact as the Fiction Prize? The Women's Prize co-founder Kate Mosse and this year's Chair of the Non-Fiction Prize, journalist and author Kavita Puri join Nuala.Performance poet Caitlin O'Ryan's poem, At What Point, about walking home alone went viral. She performed an extract of the poem live in the studio. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor
Ellie Wilson, a rape survivor, is campaigning for the right for victims to be able to appear at parole hearings, after being denied permission to attend one for her attacker. She tells Nuala McGovern why she wants the law changed in Scotland, and barrister Harriet Johnson explains more about the process.The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says that rooting out people who should not be in the force, has been made harder due to a High Court ruling that an officer accused of rape could not be dismissed because the process was fundamentally unfair. So, what does this ruling mean exactly and what could the wider impact be on women? Nuala McGovern discusses with the BBC's Senior UK correspondent Sima Kotecha and former Met Detective Superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri.Did you know anyone can legally call themselves a nurse, regardless of qualifications? Labour MP Dawn Butler introduced a ten minute rule bill in Parliament yesterday seeking to make 'nurse' a protected title in UK law. Professor Alison Leary, Deputy President of Royal College of Nursing joins Nuala to explain why she believes this move is important. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Women's Prize for Fiction which was established to recognise the literary achievements of female writers. There have been huge improvements in sales for fiction written by women since then, however only 34 per cent of the top 500 non-fiction books in 2022 were written by women. The Women's Prize awarded its inaugural non-fiction category last year and have just released their 2025 longlist. Will it have the same impact as the Fiction Prize? Nuala is joined by Women's Prize co-founder Kate Mosse and this year's Chair of the Non-Fiction Prize, journalist and author Kavita Puri.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lottie Garton
Award-winning executive producer and broadcaster Kavita Puri on the importance of collecting untold stories, being an Elizabeth Strout groupie and why women always have been and continue to be complex characters. Kavita Puri is the creator, writer and presenter of the Three Million podcast on BBC Sounds, which won the Gold for Best New Podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2024, and the accompanying book - a "groundbreaking" investigation of the 1943 Bengal famine - is set to publish in 2026. Her Radio 4 docu-series Three Pounds in My Pocket is currently on its fifth season and has been described as “captivating and epic” by The Guardian. Kavita is also the author of the critically acclaimed book “Partition Voices: Untold British Stories”, which has been adapted for stage at the Donmar Warehouse. Kavita is the chair of the 2025 Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Judging panel. Kavita's book choices are: ** The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak ** Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout ** Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels ** A Woman in Berlin by Marta Hillers ** The Other Side of Silence by Urvashi Butalia Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women's Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women's Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don't want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE. There's a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you're unhappy with it for whatever reason.
Kavita Puri goes to India to meet the last survivors of the 1943 Bengal famine. She looks for traces of how war and famine impacted Kolkata and then travels from the city along the road to where the story of famine begins. Kavita goes deep into the countryside and the jungle in West Bengal to find people who lived through that devastating time more than 80 years ago. For the past year and a half Kavita has been asking why there is no memorial to the three million people who died. But then in the Bengal jungle she finally finds it – and it's not what she expected.
Kavita Puri goes to India to meet some of the last survivors of the 1943 Bengal famine. She looks for traces of how war and famine impacted Kolkata and then travels from the city along the road to where the story of famine begins.Kavita goes deep into the countryside and the jungle in West Bengal to find people who lived through that devastating time more than 80 years ago. These are voices that are almost never recorded and have never been broadcast before. How does the memory of the famine endure today in the places it most affected?Presenter : Kavita Puri Series Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Emma Rippon Sound design and mix: Eloise Whitmore Production Coordinator: Brenda BrownWith thanks to Manoshi Barua for her translation work and to her, Bhasker Patel, Moazzem Hossain and Jesmin Ahmed for voicing up the Bengali-language interviews.
By 1943, the price of rice was beyond unaffordable for most in Bengal, and people were dying in the streets. Despite government censorship of letters, news spread about the famine and the tide turned with the introduction of a new Viceroy. Yet when aid eventually did arrive from other regions of India, it was so chaotically handled that some food shipments were halted at the station. Listen as Anita and William are joined again by Kavita Puri to explore the legacy of what is sometimes dubbed “Churchill's Famine”. Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com Goalhangerpodcasts.com Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The BBC's Yogita Limaye speaks to Kavita Puri, the creator and presenter of Three Million, to explore how the series was made, and how she went about tracking down eye-witnesses to the Bengal Famine of 1943. They are joined by author and historian Srimanjari and ‘memory collector' Sailen Sarkar, who recorded testimonies of the very last survivors of the famine. Together they explore the legacy of the Bengal famine, and why its memory is still so fraught today. A special episode recorded with an audience at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
Eighty years ago at least three million Indians, who were British subjects, died in the Bengal Famine. But today different generations in Britain are coming to terms with this difficult past. Kavita Puri meets the granddaughter of a senior colonial figure, who is only just learning about her grandfather's role in the famine. Initially she feels shame, but discoveries in her family archive change her perspective. A 97 year-old British man makes a surprising revelation about his role in the Bengal famine. And three generations on, British Bengalis mark the famine in Britain, in an unexpected way.
In the latest episode of History Behind the Headlines, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by award-winning journalist and producer Kavita Puri to discuss the history of famine, and the challenges of tackling the contentious legacies of events such as the 1943 Bengal Famine. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kavita Puri discovers a set of cassette tapes containing rare interviews with Indian civil servants who were on the ground across Bengal during the famine, shedding new light on colonial responsibility. And as the need for relief in Bengal becomes ever greater, more pressure is put on the British government from India's new Viceroy. He asks for more food imports. Could the War Cabinet and Prime Minister Winston Churchill have done more to help alleviate the famine in the middle of the war? Presenter: Kavita Puri Series producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Emma Rippon Sound design and mix: Eloise Whitmore Production coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck Original music: Felix TaylorWith thanks to Dr Janam Mukherjee and Professor Joya ChatterjiInterviews conducted by Lance Brennan courtesy of University of CambridgeInterviews with GS Khosla courtesy of University of Cambridge
At least three million people died in the Bengal Famine of 1943 in British India. It was one of the largest losses of civilian life on the Allied side. But there is no memorial to them anywhere in the world. A new BBC documentary series, 'Three Million', examines the devastating impact of the Bengal famine during the Second World War. Katya speaks to presenter Kavita Puri about why so little attention has been paid to such a massive tragedy, and to the people who lived through it.The Global Story brings trusted insights from BBC experts around the world, with Katya Adler. We need you to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email ideas and thoughts to theglobalstory@bbc.com. You can also message or leave a voice note on WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Today's podcast was made by Peter Goffin, Beth Timmins and Alix Pickles. The technical producers were Hannah Montgomery and Sam Dickinson. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.
This is the second instalment a two-part discussion. Bestselling author, historian and broadcaster Simon Schama discusses Foreign Bodies, his new epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science. Produced in partnership with the British Library, the talk looks at how the narrative of cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring, is one we have seen before in the past as well as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining Schama in conversation is our host, Kavita Puri, the award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of Partition Voices: Untold British Stories. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And while you're listening, why not visit Intelligencesquared.com and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about some of our great upcoming events and deals. If you'd like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For this first episode of a two-part discussion, bestselling author, historian and broadcaster Simon Schama discusses Foreign Bodies, his new epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science. Produced in partnership with the British Library, the talk looks at how the narrative of cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring, is one we have seen before in the past as well as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining Schama in conversation is our host, Kavita Puri, the award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of Partition Voices: Untold British Stories. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And while you're listening, why not visit Intelligencesquared.com and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about some of our great upcoming events and deals. If you'd like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Food has always been more than just fuel. Beyond mere nourishment, food carries deep meaning in our lives. It evokes feelings of comfort and joy and it can ignite disagreement and discord. It serves as a powerful link to culture and identity, creating a sense of belonging and community. In August 2023 we were joined by restaurateur and author Ravinder Bhogal and award-winning writer and broadcaster Kavita Puri, as they discussed the politics of food in our increasingly globalised world. Exploring the arguments around culinary authenticity, they asked how genuine food needs to be in a multicultural society. Can recipes be subject to cultural appropriation? And what happens when a people lose their cuisine, as has happened to some Palestinian people who have been living on UN food aid for so long they have lost touch with their traditional cuisine? -- We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency . Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The sex scandals that brought down some of the world's biggest K-pop Stars. A tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music. In 2019 some of the world's biggest music stars were found guilty of sharing secretly filmed sex videos, others of rape. Korean heart-throbs, used to being mobbed by adoring female fans, had been videoing themselves committing acts of terrible abuse and sharing them on group chats with each other. When all this came to light, these super-stars wound up in jail, and their global fans were left in shock. For the first time, we give the definitive account of the scandal, how it came to light and the explosive fallout, told by the people who were at the heart of uncovering the story. We explore how the case highlighted an ‘epidemic' of spy-cam crimes, where women are filmed without their consent walking up metro stairs, in public toilets and during sex. And how this abuse and misogyny has driven a wedge between many men and women, so deep that some believe it's causing an existential crisis for South Korea. Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Location Producer: Lee Hyun Choi Assistant Producer and researcher: Jeong-One Park Translator and researcher: Jinny Yeon Music: Tom Haines at Brain Audio Sound Design: Carlos San Juan at Brain Audio Co-creator and executive producer: Kavita Puri
The sex scandals that brought down some of the world's biggest K-pop Stars. A tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music. In 2019 some of the world's biggest music stars were found guilty of sharing secretly filmed sex videos, others of rape. Korean heart-throbs, used to being mobbed by adoring female fans, had been videoing themselves committing acts of terrible abuse and sharing them on group chats with each other. When all this came to light, these super-stars wound up in jail, and their global fans were left in shock. For the first time, we give the definitive account of the scandal, how it came to light and the explosive fallout, told by the people who were at the heart of uncovering the story. We explore how the case highlighted an ‘epidemic' of spy-cam crimes, where women are filmed without their consent walking up metro stairs, in public toilets and during sex. And how this abuse and misogyny has driven a wedge between many men and women, so deep that some believe it's causing an existential crisis for South Korea.Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Location Producer: Lee Hyun Choi Assistant Producer and researcher: Jeong-One Park Translator and researcher: Jinny Yeon Music: Tom Haines at Brain Audio Sound Design: Carlos San Juan at Brain Audio Co-creator and executive producer: Kavita Puri
Today, we bring you a thought-provoking discussion with renowned journalist and best-selling author, Sathnam Sanghera. Here he delves into patriotism, the culture wars, and the nuanced narratives of the British Empire and its forgotten, and often purposefully destroyed, history. Sanghera is joined by fellow journalist and author Kavita Puri, prior to the release of his latest children's book, 'Stolen History'. This episode was recorded on the 17th of May 2023. The producer was Senior Producer Conor Boyle with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney — We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you'd like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is a live session from Jaipur Literature Festival 2023!
Sign up for Intelligence Squared Premium here: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ for ad-free listening, bonus content, early access and much more. See below for details. This week on The Sunday Debate we're asking, how is Prime Minister Modi shaping the future of India? This is the third episode of our India at 75 series exploring the biggest questions facing India 75 years after its independence. Our host for the series is Kavita Puri, journalist and author of the critically acclaimed book Partition Voices, which explores the experiences of British people originating from the subcontinent, who witnessed the 1947 partition of India. Joining Kavita on this episode is Shruti Kapila, associate professor in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge, and Vinay Sitapati, associate professor of political science and legal studies at Ashoka University. … We are incredibly grateful for your support. To become an Intelligence Squared Premium subscriber, follow the link: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ Here's a reminder of the benefits you'll receive as a subscriber: Ad-free listening, because we know some of you would prefer to listen without interruption One early episode per week Two bonus episodes per month A 25% discount on IQ2+, our exciting streaming service, where you can watch and take part in events live at home and enjoy watching past events on demand and without ads A 15% discount and priority access to live, in-person events in London, so you won't miss out on tickets Our premium monthly newsletter Intelligence Squared Merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The line has been drawn. India and Pakistan have been divided. Mountbatten and Radcliffe have left. But how will ordinary people caught up in this geopolitical event fare? Listen as William and Anita are joined by Kavita Puri to discuss the impact partition had on real lives. http://www.projectdastaan.org/ To get your free two week trial for Find my past, go to www.findmypast.co.uk and sign up. LRB Empire offer: lrb.me/empire Twitter: @Empirepoduk Goalhangerpodcasts.com Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sign up for Intelligence Squared Premium here: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ for ad-free listening, bonus content, early access and much more. See below for details. Rana Ayyub is one of India's most high-profile critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2016 she published Gujurat Files, a controversial book that alleged India's government was implicated in the 2002 riots in which around 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in Gujarat. Ayyub's book and subsequent investigations into religious violence in India have placed her in hot water with the authorities. In 2022 her bank accounts were frozen and she was prevented from boarding a flight to the United States from Mumbai airport due to an investigation into tax fraud which she claims was politically motivated. For this edition of our series on India's 75 years of independence, Ayyub is joined in conversation by Kavita Puri, broadcaster and author of the book and radio series, Partition Voices, which explores the experiences of those who witnessed the 1947 partition of India. … We are incredibly grateful for your support. To become an Intelligence Squared Premium subscriber, follow the link: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ Here's a reminder of the benefits you'll receive as a subscriber: Ad-free listening, because we know some of you would prefer to listen without interruption One early episode per week Two bonus episodes per month A 25% discount on IQ2+, our exciting streaming service, where you can watch and take part in events live at home and enjoy watching past events on demand and without ads A 15% discount and priority access to live, in-person events in London, so you won't miss out on tickets Our premium monthly newsletter Intelligence Squared Merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sign up for Intelligence Squared Premium here: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ for ad-free listening, bonus content, early access and much more. See below for details. This Sunday Debate is the first of our India at 75 series, asking can Britain and India be friends? Across three episodes, we will be examining the future of India 75 years after its independence. In this instalment we're joined by Shashi Tharoor, politician, writer and former diplomat who has been a member of the Indian Parliament since 2009. Plus, Jo Johnson, British politician and former Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. Our host for this series is journalist, broadcaster and author, Kavita Puri. When this conversation was recorded Shashi Tharoor was campaigning for India's Congress Presidential election. … We are incredibly grateful for your support. To become an Intelligence Squared Premium subscriber, follow the link: https://iq2premium.supercast.com/ Here's a reminder of the benefits you'll receive as a subscriber: Ad-free listening, because we know some of you would prefer to listen without interruption One early episode per week Two bonus episodes per month A 25% discount on IQ2+, our exciting streaming service, where you can watch and take part in events live at home and enjoy watching past events on demand and without ads A 15% discount and priority access to live, in-person events in London, so you won't miss out on tickets Our premium monthly newsletter Intelligence Squared Merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In homes across the UK, partition is not history but a live issue for its young descendants. Over the course of a year, Kavita Puri follows three people as they piece together parts of their complex family history and try to understand the legacy of partition and what it means to them today. She connects with a young man who goes to the Pakistani village where his Hindu grandfather was saved by Muslims; a woman who has always thought of herself as British Pakistani but a DNA test reveals she also has roots in India; a woman with Pakistani heritage and a man with Indian heritage plan their wedding and realise that their families actually originate from within an hour of each other in the Punjab. Five years after the award-winning series Partition Voices, Kavita Puri explores the 75th anniversary of the division of the Indian subcontinent through three stories from the third generation in Britain.
Jacob Collier has won a Grammy Award for each of his first four albums. In fact, he has five Grammys altogether. He's back home in London after his recent UK tour and has just brought out a new single, Never Gonna Be Alone. Jacob and his musical collaborators Lizzy McAlpine and Victoria Canal perform the song live in the Front Row studio. Following the attack on Sir Salman Rushdie at the weekend, the writer, human rights activist and PEN International president, Burhan Sönmez, considers the threats faced by writers across the world, from individuals on social media to imprisonment and torture by the state. 15th August 2022 is the 75th anniversary of the Partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan. We speak to director Abdul Shayek and writer Ishy Din about their play, Silence, which is adapted from Kavita Puri's book Partition Voices: Untold British Stories, about how they dramatise the real-life stories of those who witnessed this brutal moment in history. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Jerome Weatherald Photo: Lizzy McAlpine and Jacob Collier / Credit: Mogli Maureal
In homes across the UK, partition is not history but a live issue for its young descendants. Over the course of a year, Kavita Puri follows three people as they piece together parts of their complex family history and try to understand the legacy of partition and what it means to them today. She connects with a young man who goes to the Pakistani village where his Hindu grandfather was saved by Muslims; a woman who has always thought of herself as British Pakistani but a DNA test reveals she also has roots in India; a woman with Pakistani heritage and a man with Indian heritage plan their wedding and realise that their families actually originate from within an hour of each other in the Punjab.
For those who might not know, when Pakistan was carved out of India to serve as a separate country for Muslims in the sub-continent, people on both sides—of a hasty defined border—found their lives uprooted.The tales from the Partition are many and horrific. The stories expose the raw side of a humanity filled with hatred, with mobs red in tooth and claw setting upon each other. The announcement of Partition caused Hindu-Muslim violence to break out—some say unexpectedly.Millions fled their homes in fear to cross the border to safety. Most of them had to leave their lives and all their possessions behind. Some of them found a new home in England. They dug their heels in and got their lives back.My guest today, Kavita Puri is a British journalist and a radio broadcaster. She is also the daughter of one of those who fled their homes. For many years now, Kavita has documented the oral histories of the immigrants from the Indian sub-continent, to a postwar Britain. Her series called Three Pounds In My Pocket told the stories of these pioneer immigrants. Her show—Partition Voices—record the first person accounts of people directly impacted by Partition.What are oral histories?Academics will tell you that oral history focuses on recording and interpreting the voices of individuals who might have been left out of history. It's all about preserving an alternative form of public history. But that's the boring version.Any writer or journalist will tell you that stories are about people. And their lives. Their thoughts, fears and their dreams. Recording their history requires a good measure of sensitivity. The more you feel a connection to their story, the better you can retell it.Kavita Puri has lived inside the story of the people who were victims of the Partition and she is deeply attached to the stories she retells in Partition Voices.Kavita was reading from the final chapter of the latest release of Partition Voices, at one point she was overcome with emotion and we had to stop recording. For this reason maybe, her book is compelling. I understand now why the book spoke to me.And it is my privilege to be able to introduce her to speak to us all.So here's Kavita Puri joining me from what I suspect is a hotel room in Spain.Kavita, welcome to The Literary City.ABOUT KAVITA PURIKavita Puri is a British journalist, radio broadcaster, and author. Her 2019 book, Partition Voices: Untold British Stories, is based on her award-winning BBC Radio 4 documentary series of the same name. Puri has worked on BBC Newsnight as a political producer, film producer and assistant editor, and as the editor of Our World, a foreign affairs documentary programme. Her 2014 BBC Radio 4 series, Three Pounds in My Pocket, told the stories of South Asians who migrated to post-war Britain. In 2015, Puri was named Journalist of the Year by the Asian Media Awards. In 2018, then-Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Puri as a trustee of the Victoria and Albert Museum for a period of four years.Buy Partition Voices here: https://amzn.to/3JhSz2sWHAT'S THAT WORD?!Co-host Pranati "Pea" Madhav joins Ramjee Chandran in the segment "What's That Word?", where they discuss the phrase "Red in tooth and claw".WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW?Reach us by mail: theliterarycity@explocity.com or simply, tlc@explocity.com.Or here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theliterarycity.Or here: https://www.instagram.com/explocityblr/
Today I have the pleasure to talk to Kavita Puri, she is an award-winning BBC journalist, oral historian, executive producer and broadcaster about her book - Partition Voices - which is now in its 2nd edition. You can find a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below: 00:00 - Introduction 00:44 - Why you do the work you do 07:57 - Who is Kavita Puri? 11:32 - Difference between a journalist an a historian? 14:49 - When did you become aware of your own family history? 19:06 - What are the causes of silence? 25:35 - How did you go about putting the book - Partition Voices - together? 28:46 - How did recording these stories impact you? 32:30 - Did people ever share how they felt after talking with you? 35:38 - What was it that helped cause the social cohesion to evaporate? 40:11 - How does masculinity and manhood impact the events that unfold? 45:56 - What led people to believe that Partition would not be how it turned out? 50:33 - What is the understanding behind the respect for the land? 53:53 - Did you come across anything unexpected? 56:16 - Why do you think the history of the British Empire should be taught within Britian? 58:45 - Precautions and tips 01:01:32 - Conclusion
Sam's guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Kavita Puri, whose book Partition Voices excavates the often traumatic memories of the last generation to remember first-hand the mass migration and bloody violence of the partition of India. She tells Sam why the story has been so shrouded in silence – there isn't a memorial to Partition, she says, anywhere on earth – and yet how it has shaped the UK's population and politics ever since, and she says why she believes it's vital that empire and the end of empire be taught in every British school.
My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Kavita Puri, whose book Partition Voices excavates the often traumatic memories of the last generation to remember first-hand the mass migration and bloody violence of the partition of India. She tells me why the story has been so shrouded in silence – there isn't a memorial to Partition, she says, anywhere on earth – and yet how it has shaped the UK's population and politics ever since, and she says why she believes it's vital that empire and the end of empire be taught in every British school.
Jason Cowley is Editor of British political weekly, The New Statesman. He's also an author and his latest book, Who Are We Now? Stories of Modern England, is a timely reflection on the identity of his home nation. The book follows both individual stories of everyday life and the broad arc of national politics over the past 25 years spanning the ascent of the Tony Blair government to Tory austerity, Brexit and the pandemic. Hosting the discussion is Kavita Puri, journalist, broadcaster and author of the book and radio programme, Partition Voices, which explores issues of identity within the British Asian community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The history of Africans in Europe may seem recent – a result of migration in the 20th and 21st centuries – but in her new book, African Europeans, historian Olivette Otele tells a very different story – a story of African presence in Europe that stretches back centuries.The host is author and BBC Radio 4 presenter Kavita Puri.To buy African Europeans click here: https://www.primrosehillbooks.com/product/african-europeans-an-untold-history-olivette-otele/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Earlier this year, India's ruling party was declaring victory in the fight against Covid-19. Some two months on, India set a global record for the highest number of cases recorded in a single country. Kavita Puri asks what went wrong. Image: A queue near a vaccination centre in Mumbai, 26 April 2021 (Credit: Divyakant Solanki/EPA)
As a British South Asian herself, Kaiynath can relate very well to the troubles and hostility faced by the rest living in the UK. Kaiynath talks about the recent documentary she watched - 'Here Today, Here Tomorrow' and how it reflects the views of the South Asians living in Britain in the 1980s but also, the differences in views and opinions of the younger and elder generation, and how there are parallels between the era of the past and today. With personal stories of facing hostility and the stories collected by Kavita Puri for her series on BBC Radio 4 - '3 Pounds In My Pocket,' Kaiynath talks about the racism, hostility and dynamics faced by people of colour in the past years and recent events. 'Here Today, Here Tomorrow,' Zia Mohyeddin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPvpVHO_Jf0 'They came from south Asia to help rebuild Britain. The racism they saw then is back,' Kavita Puri - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/20/south-asia-racism-testimonies-hostility '3 Pounds In My Pocket,' Kavita Puri, BBC Radio 4 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03xq6h7 Contact Kaiynath: thewordaffairspodcast@gmail.com www.thewordaffairs.co.uk
It has been called the world's biggest protest. In November 2020, thousands of farmers marched to New Delhi to protest against new laws that the Indian government says will modernise farming. The farmers set up camp in and around the capital, blocking major highways. Over 50 days later they are still there, in spite of freezing temperatures. Even after the Supreme Court stayed the laws until further notice, the farmers say they aren't budging until they are repealed completely. They say these reforms will strip them of protections they've enjoyed for decades, resulting in lower prices and ruined livelihoods. Kavita Puri hears why the protests matter for India's millions of farmers, for the future of the country's crisis-ridden agriculture, and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With contributions from agricultural policy expert, Devinder Sharma; Fellow of the American Enterprise Institute, Sadanand Dhume; Professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Jayati Ghosh; and BBC correspondent Soutik Biswas. Presenter: Kavita Puri Producer: Viv Jones (Women farmers form a human chain during the protest against the new farm laws, January 18 2021 at the Delhi borders in India. Credit: Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
Kavita Puri discusses the experiences of British South Asians during the 1990s and early 2000s.BBC journalist Kavita Puri discusses the new series of her Radio 4 documentary Three Pounds in My Pocket, which explores the experiences of British South Asians during the 1990s and early 2000s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Kavita Puri, BBC Radio and TV broadcaster and Author of "Partition Voices" talks about following your dreams, how hers led her into journalism, and what inspired her to write her book "Partition Voices" about the partition of India and Pakistan. Her father was one of the many people uprooted and he ended up in Britain. She talks of why this story is important to listeners today in 2021.
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
For nearly two weeks last month, angry young Nigerians took to the streets in their tens of thousands, blocking major roads in cities across Africa's most populous nation. What began as a protest against the hated police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS, soon became a conduit for a wider anger with the people who have been in charge of Nigeria for decades. in this week's Inquiry, Kavita Puri asks: will the EndSARS movement change Nigeria?
Qian Xuesen is widely celebrated in China as the father of the country’s rocket programme, and the man who kick-started its exploration of space. China is now second only to the US in terms of its dominance among the stars. But Qian also had an important part to play in the early scientific advances, before World War Two, that would eventually take the US to the moon. However, he is almost entirely forgotten by the country that nurtured his talent for decades, before anti-communist persecution sent him back to China, the land of his birth. Kavita Puri traces the rise and fall - and rise again - of an extraordinary life.
In July, billionaire musician Kanye West announces on Twitter that he's standing as a candidate in November's US presidential election. After a scramble to meet the registration deadlines, his name is on the ballot in fewer than 20 states. His manifesto is confusing, his motive unclear. In the past, Kanye West has been a vocal supporter of president Donald Trump. And it seems his campaign is being run largely by those with close ties to the Republican party. The Democrats say his entry in the race as an independent third party candidate is a dirty trick by Republicans. Others claim it's simply a publicity stunt to promote his new album. But, in battleground states, where every vote counts, could his celebrity status have a significant impact on the election result? How seriously should we take Kanye West's run for president? Kavita Puri finds out from our expert witnesses, who include professors of African-American studies at US universities, a Washington-based politics reporter and a Democratic pollster and strategist. (Kanye West at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Journalist Kavita Puri discusses with Ivan six things which she thinks should be better known. Kavita Puri is an award-winning journalist, executive producer and broadcaster for the BBC. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed book Partition Voices: Untold British Stories. Kavita is a regular presenter of The Inquiry on the BBC World Service and Radio 4. Her landmark three-part series, Partition Voices, on Radio 4 marked the 70th anniversary of the partition of India. It was awarded The Royal Historical Society’s Best Radio and Podcast prize and its overall Public History Prize. Partition Voices: Untold British Stories, based on the series, was published in 2019 by Bloomsbury. She presents Three Pounds in My Pocket, a social history of South Asians in post-war Britain, on Radio 4. For more information about Kavita, please go to https://www.kavita-puri.com/. Partition https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1997/10/23/india-the-imprint-of-empire/ Southern Spain https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/the-most-beautiful-towns-and-cities-to-visit-in-southern-spain/ Letter-writing https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/nov/26/from-me-with-love-lost-art-letter-writing Cast Courts https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/arts/v-and-a-cast-courts-replicas-rome-a4002336.html Dance https://www.seattletimes.com/life/wellness/late-bloomers-adult-ballet-classes-bring-the-joy-of-dance-at-any-age/ Recording your family history https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/family-history-2/ This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared------We still talk about the British conquering India, but that phrase disguises a more sinister reality. For it was not the British government that began seizing chunks of India in the mid-18th century, as historian William Dalrymple points out, but a dangerously unregulated private company headquartered in one small office, five windows wide, in London, and managed in India by a violent, ruthless and mentally unstable corporate predator — Robert Clive. India’s transition to colonialism, in other words, took place under a for-profit corporation, which existed for the purpose of enriching its investors.In this episode Dalrymple speaks with broadcaster Kavita Puri about why he believes the story of the East India Company has never been more relevant to understanding our world today. To find out more about his book The Anarchy click here: https://bit.ly/3hb9c06 and to find out more about kavita Puri's book click here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/partition-voices/kavita-puri/9781408898987.--------------------------Intelligence Squared+. The world's best speakers. Your questions. £4.99 per month.Intelligence Squared+ will bring you live, interactive events every week on our new online platform. Just like at our real-life events, you’ll be able to put your questions to our speakers, vote in live polls and interact with other members of the audience. Your subscription will give you access to multiple events featuring the world’s top thinkers and opinion formers, including Thomas Piketty, Margaret Atwood, Clive Woodward, Thomas Friedman, Meera Syal and Paloma Faith.For a full list of Intelligence Squared+ events and to subscribe, click here: https://bit.ly/2yfYIfm Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week Harriet talks about falsely being accused of sexual assault with Yusuf Salaam and joins Ibi Zoboi to discuss what life is like being a young black man in America. Radio legend Annie Nightingale shares her story of 50 years on the frontline of music, how to find passion in your job and why she will never stop listening to the new. Finally Louise Hulland talks about modern day slavery in the UKthe reality of being a fat black woman in the UK and how much bigger it is than we realise. violence and Kavita Puri tells the stories of partition.If you want to get in touch you can find us on all the socials under this name: @badasswomenshr and for more about the podcast head here: https://www.badasswomenshour.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Edited by Sophie King for http://www.thepresentercoach.co.uk/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week Harriet talks about the reality of being a fat black woman in the UK with Stephanie Yeboah, Kelechi Okafor brilliantly describes the reality behind Megan the Stallion’s recent claims of domestic violence and Kavita Puri tells the stories of partition.If you want to get in touch you can find us on all the socials under this name: @badasswomenshr and for more about the podcast head here: https://www.badasswomenshour.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Edited by Sophie King for http://www.thepresentercoach.co.uk/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Happy Independence Day(s) India and Pakistan. This episode has been a bit of a process in the making. Remember Jatin from Pod#66(6)? The Delhi Horror Stories? Yeah so, remember when he mentioned how in his appreciation for oral history he casually mentioned Aanchal Malhotra and her book Remnants of a Separation? Well. We got the book and we tagged Aanchal on Instagram and we got talking and one thing lead to another and somehow she agreed to come on the show! An episode about somebody who's written an entire book themed around the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 could only be put up as close as possible to the 14/15th August period. So it's a few days late but still close enough that the thematic window isn't fully shut. Or so we hope. Oh and Rizwan & Sarkhail were still busy this weekend so Jatin came in clutch and subbed in to guest-host! Armed with his intimate knowledge of Delhi and Aanchal's own wealth of extremely direct experience on the matter this episode is long but so totally worth it. A great chat that we are very proud we got the chance to host. Check out the chapters below and links to all the cool stuff and people Aanchal mentioned during the talk! Things discussed in this episode: 1. 00:00 Intro 2. 04:09 What is Aanchal Malhotra up to nowadays 3. 07:47 How we got in touch 4. 09:18 Growing up in Delhi and the family bookstore 5. 15:38 Moving abroad to study art & how white people love turmeric 6. 23:41 Grad school and finding her identity 7. 28:40 Sabbatical from grad school & the discovery of memories in objects 8. 33:54 The Work begins & reflections around the separation of ‘47 9. 39:15 Realizations in Pakistan & the weight of the past 10. 48:26 About those who moved to the UK after the partition 11. 54:22 Historic ties between North Indians & Pakistanis that still connect us 12. 1:01:14 The Museum of Material Memory comes alive 13. 1:12:45 The traumatic weight of our past on historians today 14. 1:21:54 A sneak peak into Aanchal’s next book! THE LINKS: Aanchal's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AanchalMalhotra Aanchal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aanch_m/ The Museum's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumofmaterialmemory/ Jatin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDilliMirror Jatin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dillimirrorr/ Aanchal's work: https://www.aanchalmalhotra.com/writing/ The Museum: http://www.museumofmaterialmemory.com/ Mayank, The Delhi Wala: https://www.instagram.com/thedelhiwalla/ Partition Voices by Kavita Puri: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/partition-voices-9781408899069/ Anam Zakaria: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14125455.Anam_Zakaria Aanchal's article on the trauma of writing about history: https://scroll.in/magazine/890191/seventy-two-years-on-the-partition-is-inflicting-fresh-trauma-on-those-who-document-its-horrors Find all our previous episodes on SoundCloud, Spotify & Apple Podcasts and follow us all on Twitter! Links to everything below! SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/tprpod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PvTahp... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tprpod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TPRPod Ali: https://twitter.com/themaholupper Rizwan: https://twitter.com/RizwanPehelwan Sarkhail: https://twitter.com/Sarkhail7Khan
The division of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 into India and Pakistan saw millions uprooted and resulted in unspeakable violence. It happened far away, but it would shape modern Britain. In this week's episode Kavita Puri speaks to Rajini Vaidyanathan about how she tracked down and uncovered remarkable testimonies from former subjects of the Raj who are now British citizens - and persuaded them to break their silence. To find out more about Kavita Puri's book click here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/partition-voices-9781408899069/. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In the wake of sweeping protests about racism and police brutality, this week we speak to Dr Pragya Agarwal to unravel the way our implicit or 'unintentional' biases affect the way we communicate and perceive the world. Dr Agarwal spoke to author and BBC broadcaster Kavita Puri about her new book 'Sway' and to answer questions like: is prejudice rooted in our evolutionary past? How has bias affected technology? And how can understanding bias help us root our racism and discrimination in our societies? To find out more about Dr Agarwal's book click here: https://amzn.to/2V0pTmz. And to see more about Kavita Puri's book see here: https://amzn.to/3ehDjlN.----------------------------------------------Intelligence Squared+. The world's best speakers. Your questions. £4.99 per month.Intelligence Squared+ will bring you live, interactive events every week on our new online platform. Just like at our real-life events, you’ll be able to put your questions to our speakers, vote in live polls and interact with other members of the audience. Your subscription will give you access to multiple events featuring the world’s top thinkers and opinion formers, including Thomas Piketty, Margaret Atwood, Clive Woodward, Thomas Friedman, Meera Syal and Paloma Faith.For a full list of Intelligence Squared+ events and to subscribe, click here: https://bit.ly/2yfYIfm. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
From the bubonic plague and cholera to tuberculosis, pandemics have changed the ways cities have been designed and built. The coronavirus has been no different: with cities all over the world on lockdown, our cities have changed to become quieter, greener, with wildlife returning on an unprecedented scale. Now, with the lockdowns beginning to ease, Kavita Puri asks: what is the future of our cities? Will they return to the way they were - and do we want them to? Producer: Eleanor Biggs Presenter: Kavita Puri (Parisians cycle through the streets of Paris on the Rue de Rivoli, which has been made almost entirely cycleable. Photo:Samuel Boivin/Getty Images)
Ever since a mysterious virus was reported in December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the world has been watching China. Silenced whistleblowers, unregulated wildlife trade in wet markets, limited international cooperation, and even a local biosafety lab have been held up as examples of how China mishandled the crisis. But how far can it be blamed for Covid-19 becoming a pandemic? This week on The Inquiry, Kavita Puri asks what the Chinese government could, or should, have done differently to prevent a global catastrophe. Producer: Eleanor Biggs Presenter: Kavita Puri (A man drags a handcart across an emptied road on February 5, 2020 during lockdown in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Getty Images)
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
The partition of India, after the British left, in 1947, triggered a huge and violent mass migration. More than a million people died. The trauma and legacy of this event lives on today.
In news reports and newspapers, pictures of British healthcare workers who have lost their lives to Covid-19 sit side by side. And if you look at those faces one thing stands out clearly. Of the 119 cases of NHS deaths more than two thirds are black or an ethnic minority - yet they only make up 20% of the workforce. Figures from the National Health Service in England show a disproportionate number of Covid-19 deaths are amongst these groups. And it's not just in the UK. In the United States on available data – it's a similar story with African Americans accounting for many more deaths in a community that make up 13% of the population. So what's going on? Kavita Puri speaks with: Dr Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester Professor Kathy Rowan, Director of the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre Dr Consuelo Wilkins, Vice President for Health Equity at Vanderbilt University Medical Center Prof John Watkins, Professor Epidemiology, Cardiff University/Public Health Wales (Ambulance workers transport patients to St Thomas' Hospital in Westminster, London, UK. Photo credit: Ollie Millington/Getty Images)
1947 was supposed to be the birth of modern India – the year the sun finally set on the British empire in South Asia and India gained independence.
The race is on for the world's scientists to develop a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine. The Inquiry examines quickly how this can be done and what hurdles need to be overcome to roll out a vaccine in 12-18 months, rather than the many years it would normally take. Presented by Kavita Puri. (medical doctor with a vaccine. Credit: Getty images)
After China, South Korea was next in line to be struck by the Coronavirus outbreak. And in the early days the number of cases was going up fast – many of them related to a secretive religious sect. But the country has rapidly managed to get a grip on the outbreak and has kept its mortality rate low. It has done this without an official lockdown. The secret appears to be preparation, widespread testing and acting fast. With the help of four expert witnesses, Kavita Puri investigates what else we can learn from South Korea in its battle against Covid-19. Presenter: Kavita Puri Producer: John Murphy (A couple wearing face masks walk through an alleyway in Seoul on March 24, 2020. Credit: Ed Jones/Getty Images)
Start your day the right way, with a stimulating discussion of the latest news headlines and hot button topics from The Advertiser and Sunday Mail. Today, hear from Chigozie Obioma (Writers' Week), Kavita Puri (Writers' Week) and Jillian Attrill (Head of Arts and Entertainment, The Advertiser). ABOUT TODAY'S PANEL Chigozie Obioma Chigozie Obioma was born in 1986 in Akure, Nigeria, and currently lives in the United States. He graduated from the University of Michigan with an MFA in Creative Writing and was a recipient of a Hopwood Award in fiction and poetry. He is now an assistant professor of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His debut novel, The Fishermen, is winner of the inaugural FT/Oppenheimer Award for Fiction, the NAACP Image Awards for Debut Literary Work, and the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction (Los Angeles Times Book Prizes). Kavita Puri Kavita Puri works in BBC Current Affairs and is an award- winning TV executive producer and radio broadcaster. Her landmark three-part series Partition Voices for BBC Radio 4 won the Royal Historical Society's Radio and Podcast Award and its overall Public History Prize. Her critically acclaimed Radio 4 series, Three Pounds in My Pocket, charts the social history of British South Asians from the post-war years. She is currently making the third series. She worked for many years at Newsnight and studied Law at Cambridge University. Jillian Attrill Jillian has worked in key roles with some of the world's leading media organisations, including News Corp, Sky News and the Nine Network, with an extensive period as a Senior Executive with Australia's national public broadcaster, the ABC. She currently heads up the arts and entertainment section of The Advertiser in Adelaide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dan talks to Kavita Puri, a BBC journalist and broadcaster, about the partition of India and its repercussions and consequences for the people it effected.For ad free versions of our entire podcast archive and hundreds of hours of history documentaries, interviews and films, signup to History Hit TV. Use code 'pod3' at checkout. Producer: Peter CurryAudio: Oliver Nelken See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Dan talks to Kavita Puri, a BBC journalist and broadcaster, about the partition of India and its repercussions and consequences for the people it effected.For ad free versions of our entire podcast archive and hundreds of hours of history documentaries, interviews and films, signup to History Hit TV. Use code 'pod3' at checkout. Producer: Peter CurryAudio: Oliver Nelken See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This episode we spoke to journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri. We discussed Partition, its impact on Britain and the importance of teaching colonial history in the school curriculum. Kavita’s book “Partition Voices: Untold British Stories” is out now. Get in touch with us: Twitter @PodcastBrownie Instagram @BrowniePodcast Email browniepodcast@gmail.com Co-hosted by Eshani Bhatt and Shivani Kochhar. Produced and edited by George Swainston.
Welcome to this episode of the podcast, a fascinating hour ahead. Iain chats to Tales Ahmed about her book 'Mohandas Gandhi: Experiments in Civil Disobedience' and Kavita Puri about 'Partition Voices: Untold British Stories'. If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure you check through the archive for one you may have missed or why not listen to For The Many, Iain's podcast with Jacqui Smith or Cross Question! Iain Dale Monday - Thursday, 7-10pm on LBC. https://www.iaindale.com/
On 8 May 2018, the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action - a nuclear deal between Iran, the US and other countries. Since then, tensions between Iran and the US have escalated to the point where some believe a conflict is imminent. Kavita Puri and experts try to work out how the two countries got to this point, asking: is the US heading for War with Iran? Presenter: Kavita Puri Producer: Chloe Hadjimatheou and Lizzy McNeill (image: the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the Red Sea. Credit: Michael Singley, U.S. Navy/Getty Images)
The European Union was formed in the years after the Second World War to secure peace and promote economic progress. It aimed to achieve that by ensuring that countries worked together. But that optimistic vision has now been shaken. There is mounting anxiety about whether the EU can hold together. Some are even saying that the EU is facing an existential crisis. That's because the elections in May are likely to bring in another wave of populist politicians promoting nationalist agendas. The Inquiry will detail the fissures that have been exposed in recent years. One cause has been migration from countries outside the EU and the pressures caused by free movement within its borders. The severe economic downturn has threatened unity too. Kavita Puri explores whether there are moments in the European Union's history when, had different decisions been made, the EU might have hung together better. Presenter: Kavita Puri Producer: Rosamund Jones Image: A shredded European Union flag flutters in the wind. Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
The Partition of the Indian subcontinent 70 years ago along religious lines, saw the largest migration in human history, outside war and famine. Millions were on the move in both directions. Muslims fled to Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs to India, as communal hatred erupted and people feared being a minority in a new country. Many thousands of those who lived through this violent birth of two new nations migrated to post-war Britain. But many are only just talking of their experiences seven decades on. In this lecture Kavita Puri reflects on why silence was kept in Britain among that generation and why people are speaking of this traumatic time now. She discusses how even though many fled homes 70 years ago the loss endures, and so too does a connection to the homeland that was left. It is a complex legacy that lives on in the second and third generations living in Britain today.
On the 70th anniversary of the partition of India, Kavita Puri hears remarkable testimonies from people who witnessed the drama first hand - and even took part in it. They speak with remarkable clarity about the tumultuous events, whose legacy endures to this day. Witnesses describe the immediate aftermath of partition itself. As the former British territories were divided into two new dominions of India and Pakistan, millions on both sides of the new border found themselves in the wrong place – and fled. Intercommunal violence spread rapidly among Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, and news of the atrocities sparked revenge attacks. Yet even as this brutality shocked the world, some of those who bore witness to it recall many individual acts of courage and humanity.
On its 70th anniversary, Kavita Puri hears the untold stories of those who witnessed India's partition in 1947. The years leading up to partition was a time in which many Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus recalled living together harmoniously. We hear about the calls for independence; the rising clamour for an independent Pakistan; the dread as communal rioting gripped ever more of the sub-continent; how the movement of people began prior to independence; and how independence day was marked on both sides of the border.
Roger Bolton asks if Radio 5 Live was right to interview a controversial columnist, discusses BBC plans to reinvent audio, and finds out how to relax a Prom. Kevin Myers was the subject of enormous public backlash after he published a column in the Irish edition of the Sunday Times that many saw as anti-semitic. So should Radio 5 Live have invited him onto Emma Barnett's 5 Live daily for an interview? He apologised, and tried to explain his position, but Feedback listeners are split on whether the interview was well judged and sufficiently robust. Radio 4's Partition Voices coincides with the 70th anniversary of the partition of India, bringing the history to life with often heartbreaking stories from people who experienced it first hand and are now in the UK. The presenter, Kavita Puri, discusses why these stories are only now being heard. In the annual plan published a few weeks ago, the BBC unveiled ambitious plans to "reinvent and grow audio". But with impressive audience figures released on Thursday, radio seems to be so far so good - so what changes are on the horizon? And what does "reinventing audio" actually mean? Roger finds out by speaking with Andrew Caspari, the BBC's acting controller of Radio and Music, Multiplatform. Finally, this year's Proms have brought a very different kind of performance to the Royal Albert Hall - the first ever "relaxed prom", designed for children and adults with autism, sensory and communication impairments and learning disabilities. Feedback finds out more about the creation of this unique event - and what the audience made of the experience. A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.
We speak to Kavita Puri, presenter of the new BBC Radio 4 series Partition Voices, which tells the story of the turbulent birth of India and Pakistan through interviews with those who lived through it See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In the 1950s and 1960s tens of thousands of migrants came to Britain from the Indian subcontinent. Many arrived with no more than £3 in their pocket - the limit set by the Indian authorities. They came to work in Britain's factories, foundries, and new public services. Kavita Puri hears their stories.
In the 1950s and 1960s tens of thousands of migrants came to Britain from the Indian subcontinent. Many arrived with no more than £3 in their pocket - the limit set by the Indian authorities. They came to work in Britain's factories, foundries, and new public services. Kavita Puri hears their stories.