Podcasts about Madhya Pradesh

In a remote Madhya Pradesh village called Nainpur, locals fear a cursed pond where the spirit of a woman called “Paathar Wali” turns intruders into stone. When a skeptical filmmaker named Vikram visits to debunk the superstition, he encounters a red-eyed ghost rising from the water. The next morning, villagers find his camera — showing him frozen like a statue. A new stone woman now stands beside the pond, smiling eerily. Every year, they say, one more joins her.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Founder's Sandbox, host Brenda McCabe sits down with Chris Daden, CTO of Criteria Corp, to explore what it takes to scale purpose-driven businesses in the era of Work 4.0. Chris shares his fascinating origin story—starting with a childhood shaped by tech-savvy parents and leading to multiple exits, international teams, and leadership at a global talent success platform. He breaks down how Criteria uses science and AI to remove bias from hiring, why soft skills matter more than ever, and how to future-proof your workforce in an AI-augmented world. Learn about his nonprofit, SoCal Tech Forum, and why building trust is essential for AI adoption at scale. transcript: 00:18 Welcome back to the Founder's Sandbox. The Founder's Sandbox is in its fourth season. I'm here, your host, Brenda McCabe, and I'm live this month's podcast is 00:31 from the Founders Space in Pasadena. And I'm joined with my guest, Chris Daden of Criteria Corp. um And a colleague of mine in the startup ecosystem. Welcome, Chris. Thanks for having me. I'm really excited to be here. So am I. So um I want to briefly give some background on the Founder Sandbox for those that are listening in today. um 00:56 Each episode features in-depth conversations with founders of small and mid-sized owner-operated companies and operators that support the ecosystem. And together, through storytelling, we explore how to build scalable, resilient, purpose-driven businesses with great corporate governance. And you're going to discover today with Chris, his origin story. I always like to start with how the person 01:24 that's a guest to my podcast, really started getting involved with the ecosystem of startups. And your story is quite fascinating. I'm gonna give a spoiler alert here. You and I met, I guess two years ago, at a Thai con event where you were on a panel. I was the MC em and we got to talking over dinner and just your origin story and the multiple exits you've had. 01:53 really um lit up a bulb in my mind. said, Chris, you have to be in my podcast. So it's two years later, and I'm so glad that we're making this happen. Lucky to be here. Thank you. forward to it. So this podcast, again, we're going to talk about a lot of things because Chris, not only are the CTO of Criteria Corp, a talent success company, where you help organizations meet objective evidence-based 02:23 talent decisions that both reduce the bias and drive better outcomes. But also, you're a two times 40 under 40. You've had multiple exits of prior companies. You're a speaker, a founder, a board member, and recently you started your own nonprofit in SoCal called the SoCal Tech Forum. 02:51 Oh, and I forgot you're a member of the Forbes Technology Council. we're going to have... Couldn't have said it better. Thank you, Brenda. So with that, again, my episodes on particularly Spotify, we have a title that's on each episode and we've chosen Scaling Work 4.0 for this month's podcast. Again, it's Chris Daden, CTO of Criteria. So let's start. What would you... 03:21 Call your tagline. Tell us about your origin here in Southern California. Sounds great. Well, just a little bit about myself personally. I've been in tech for ah quite a while now. It's really the only career I've ever had working in tech. So I started in my youth, frankly. My father was a member of the British Merchant Navy. you can imagine with that career involved, he traveled all around the world. uh 03:50 Also, of course, gave me lot of inspiration for the global companies that I run today and the teams that I've started around the world. So although my father wasn't directly in computer science, you know, that career of being in the merchant Navy definitely shaped my global perspective. when he stopped working in the merchant ship Navy as an officer, he started developing his own software for weather routing for large 04:21 merchant ships and container ships. So what was amazing about that was it was ran out of a spare bedroom in my parents' house just upstairs while I was growing up there. And uh we used to even have a rack of kind of four by four Dell just desktop computers that were stacked on top of each other with a switch to switch between them. And we're running the workload that my dad made with the software there on those computers. 04:51 It was very visible and evident in my childhood. My first kind of internship was maybe when I was 13 or so ah in the closet of that office. We pulled the doors off and put a desk in it and that was like my internship desk for the summer. started with programming in the dotnet ecosystem. So what year is that more or less? Yeah, it's probably like 2005, 2006. uh 05:21 So it uh was a great introductory language. Fun fact, there's a YouTube video online of me when I'm about that age doing a tutorial of how to make a calculator. So very few people have found that. I'll leave it to the public to find. But you can hear my very young 12-year-old voice in a YouTube video. it's still there. So anyway, that's part of my origin story for sure. That's what got me into computer science. 05:48 My first company, started my senior year of high school. I was aqua hired into an organization in Irvine. And then I got to join what I would call kind of a real company at that time. um One that had, you know, engineers around the globe working on solving problems and SAS for organizations of all kinds. So that's kind of where I kick started my career. I'm spending the next maybe eight to 10 years in Orange County building companies and 06:16 Now I find myself as the CTO of Criteria, which of course I'm not a founder of, but the energy that I like to bring to the team and the passion I have for what the next era of work has to offer gives me that founder-like energy. Yes. So um how long have you been with Criteria? Were you the first CTO? Were you an aqua hire? Tell us a little bit about that. Yeah, great question. So Criteria has a great history, almost 20 years of science and 06:46 um just developing a great core platform that's been used by thousands of customers around the world. I've been there as CTO for the last three and a half years. So when I joined, was right after acquisition of a couple companies in Australia that were great additions to our product portfolio. And one of my roles right away after joining was to help integrate those teams, finish retiring some of the technical debt that comes with acquisitions. um 07:15 really just all the excitement around building for the next chapter of criteria and making sure that I can contribute in my many ways to our success. So back to that tagline that due to your father's um origins in the Navy, m you have a wide global perspective. Tell me about those teams that you had in India before Criteria. 07:41 Yeah, look, I started doing business in India a little over 10 years ago. I was just reflecting on that last week. I had the luxury of visiting my team again. We also just created a new team for criteria. So I was able to go visit them. We all got together for the first time. It was a lot of fun. But about 10 years ago, I started in a city named Indore and that's in the state Madhya Pradesh. And when I started, it was a tier three city. And, you know, I really stumbled across 08:09 who is now my general manager for my last company. I stumbled across meeting him through like a development agency and we really hit it off and you know at the time I was 18 years old and you know was willing to take some risk I guess because I wanted to work with an engineer and had to build my product and company and you know what it's like being a scrappy founder and I just rolled the dice and said sure like 08:34 Why don't you come work for me full time? Let's find your friends as well and let's start a company together. And his name is Vikram. And to this day, he's still the general manager of my last company in automotive SaaS that I had recently exited in like 2021 timeframe. He's still operating that team. Company's going great. So that's been a lot of fun to see that success. But yeah, over a period of 10 years, it's become... 09:00 from a tier three to a tier two city. So things like basic infrastructure have been developed. So just so much fun and so much reflection there. I'm lucky to have, know, that's my, Criteria's new team is now my fourth India venture. So this is my fourth generation. Oh my goodness. It's a scaling work 4.0. So let's go back to Criteria. again, over dinner a couple years ago, 09:29 You started talking about how the science of finding talent is really the bedrock of criteria. And you've been there three and a half years. Talk to us about that, the talent and the science that is driving this company's technology and being used today in hiring across the world. Yeah, I think. 09:58 Hiring is one of those things that we don't always teach hiring managers or people in organizations. I think we were laughing about that. If you're, say, a great senior software engineer and you've been coding for 15 years or something, I think it's assumed that when you get promoted into, say, an engineering manager role, you're now going to be a great hiring manager. And I think hiring science is something that is often... 10:22 underappreciated in organizations, particularly startups and mid-market companies who may not have the resources, right? Because to be good at hiring science, you also have to invest resources in it, right? So really you don't see most really advanced hiring science or like, you know, psychology teams being involved in hiring until the enterprise level. for criteria, we're all about using technology to harness as many what we call talent signals as possible. So we have a 10:52 an assortment of assessment tests that can measure things like your cognitive ability, your adaptiveness, your personality fit to a job role. And we do that in rigorous and scientific ways. I think there are probably more ways to do hiring wrong than to do it correctly. And we take a lot of pride in making sure that our products are always designed to measure those talent signals and even compound them. So as you find 11:19 multiple talent signals across the life cycle of that pre-employment hiring engagement, you get a compounding, really almost like a talent blueprint of the person you're looking to hire, or maybe even like the candidate DNA of that person. And it gives you a depth of information and data about the likelihood they are to succeed for that specific job role you're hiring. And that's really, really valuable to us. And we can talk a bit about why 11:46 that matters more as we enter into this new era of work. Before we go there though, I'm fascinated. What types of talent can Criteria be used for in the hiring process? Is it across all verticals? mean, tell me a bit about that. Criteria is a pretty diverse company. So with 4,000 customers around the world, we are really present in maybe 20 different verticals. So that makes us pretty... 12:15 pretty broad in who can use us for hiring. So, you know, we joke around anything from, you know, hiring for truck drivers all the way to rocket scientists. Like there's customers across the whole spectrum in engineering, venture capital, uh you know, executive management, truck drivers for uh companies, uh frontline workers, all the way up to rocket scientists at companies. 12:45 So recently you were a keynote speaker in London and you provided your closing thoughts on AI in the workforce. So I'm going to steal your thunder right now because you gave this to me and set it up. So work 4.0 belongs to those who pair adaptive mindsets with distinctively, yeah, human skills. Workplace. 13:14 AI will be our most tireless colleague, but the future's real competitive edge is still human potential, continuously renewed. Wow, unpack that for my listeners. Because we're all getting a bit nervous about will we have job security, what do we need to do to retool, and is everybody suitable? Yeah, I think what's kind of amazing is 13:44 um You look at some reports from the World Economic Forum or other entities and they're saying things like by 2030, 39 % of skills related to kind of the current candidate applying in the workforce will be obsolete. Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot. It's almost half, right? And what's amazing about that is then what are we hiring for, right? Because the last few decades of us 14:12 hiring has been so focused on how many years of experience did you have, what degrees do you hold. And it doesn't mean for many people who, right, college is the best fit, getting a degree is the best fit for many people. But ah I think what it highlights is there's more to being workforce ready than only getting these static credentials. And for people like me, I've dropped out of college twice. Both times I had some... 14:41 transactional event with one of my businesses. And that was obviously the right choice for me, right? And I've reflected on that and I feel good about where I'm at and where I came from. But I think workforce readiness these days is going to continue to index on the more dynamic talent signals and the more dynamic credentials we have as opposed to static credentials. So what that means is my ability to think on my feet, critical thinking, adaptive reasoning. 15:11 Those are all things that we kind of measure, if at all, we measure them kind of secondarily in our current process. And these other core talents like digital fluency, AI literacy, self leadership, resilience, those are all things that are more of these dynamic credentials that we need to make sure we measure really, really well, because the reality is with the advent of AI in the work 15:40 place, hard skills are more immediately attainable. And what I mean by that is maybe if I'm hiring for an accountant role, I care more about is that accountant a strategic thinker? Do they understand the tax code to the right depth? Do they understand the strategy for valuation of the business? And then of course they have to click some buttons in QuickBooks or NetSuite or other systems. But I think AI is going to... 16:09 augment the hard skills of our workforce. And that's going to make us more index on the softer skills, emotional intelligence, the adaptability, right? Those dynamic credentials as opposed to how many years have you been clicking buttons in QuickBooks? And it will require, I guess, more critical thinking, right? True. Right? Because you will be your... uh 16:36 day-to-day job will be augmented by AI, leaving you time to upskill or to make those critical decisions, more, I don't know, avenues of strategic development in the company. that's right. Yeah, redeploy to higher value opportunities for sure. think if 30 to 40 % of your day is... 17:04 tasks that can be augmented with AI, then that 30 to 40 % of your human first excellence can be redeployed to other parts of the business. an example is at Criteria, we serve uh tens of millions of assessments, um about 10 to 12 million per year. And we have about five or six million candidates that come through that process. 17:31 when they need technical support or help with the software, they often reach out to our live chatbot. we at Criteria um want to make sure we prioritize a five-star candidate experience. So even though candidates aren't the ones paying for the service, our customers are, we know that our customer satisfaction is tightly linked to how satisfied our candidates are. Got it. uh 17:54 One of the things we had was thousands and thousands of tickets every month from those five million plus candidates coming into our support system. And what we were able to do was augment our support staff with uh AI chat bots that are trained on deep knowledge bases of criteria and past candidate issues and technical troubleshooting. we were able to achieve about a 94 % candidate ticket deflection, which is really, really massive. And it didn't mean that we 18:24 know, laid off half of our support team or something, it means that, you know, those support team members moved into other high value roles in the organization or were able to now redirect their energy to making long lasting materials like help docs and guides that can then further retrain the AI to make that even better. So that's just an example of augmentation of skill and then redeploying that human excellence to another part of the business to help you grow. So it has criteria use the same time. 18:54 methodology for their staff? For our staff, every single person at Criteria goes through our assessment products, of course. We drink our own champagne. I had to ask that question. I'm a little biased, but I think I didn't know about the category before joining Criteria. And again, with my origin story, I've hired hundreds of people around the world. And I will never run another team without using 19:22 a criteria talent success platform to hire those people. So I'm a firm believer and because I didn't know about it before and now I'm using it, it's a big gap in my knowledge. So I would say most of our market potential for criteria doesn't actually know that these tools exist. A lot of them have a retention challenge or they're having an issue hiring the right people and people like me before I joined criteria don't actually know that this tool set is available. part of my mission is to... 19:51 make sure that startups and founders and mid-market companies are aware that this is available because it solves a big problem for us building the best teams. so uh last plug for Criterion, then we're going to move on in the interview here. uh How do um customers experience Criterion? How do they uh get onboarded? mean, what is it, the HR department? Where does, where's the origin? Yeah, really great. So 20:19 We call ourselves a talent success platform because we help people pre-hire with our assessments and video interviewing products. And that's normally the HR talent acquisition leader. So someone who's in charge of recruitment for a company or essentially all the pre-employment functions. And then because we have this rich data set that comes from those pre-employment activities, we have a post-hire product that we call Develop by Criteria. And Develop is designed to use all of that psychometric data 20:48 weekly check-ins with your employees, uh frameworks for behavior to help grow those team members after they're hired using all of that data and science. So a lot of our customers experience criteria on the pre-employment side and then continue to follow through on the post-employment side with our develop product. Wow. Is there patent protection with all of the science that you have developed over the years? I think there's obviously copyright. 21:17 um of our assessment tests. think patents and software are inherently tricky, but we feel really good about the protection of our IP. Excellent, excellent. So let's switch gears. um I met you at the TICON. um You haven't been our keynote speaker yet, but you have moderated panels, and I've seen you in other events. Tell us about what do you enjoy, what do you like to talk about when you're keynote speaker? 21:47 For me, it's just such an honor to share my learnings as an entrepreneur, as an executive with the world. I still am in this phase where when I give a keynote or moderate a panel, it doesn't really feel like a real thing. It just feels like another discussion for me. That's just kind of my style. I just think that the world stays connected by sharing information like that. And for me, 22:16 I'm lucky to be at the convergence of 20 years of Criteria's product, helping people make hiring decisions and this once in a lifetime emergence of generative AI intersecting with our workforce skills. So I talk a lot about that. Of course, I'm building my own teams to build the Criteria software and platform. 22:42 So I'm also thinking about what is next for my team, how do I upscale and enable? And then of course I'm talking to our thousands of customers on a regular basis trying to make sure that we are leaders in the industry. those are areas I really love talking about. I'm an engineer at heart as well. So I tend to be quite good at bridging kind of the commercial and business side with like core engineering. So I have a deep background in 23:11 AI and ML um even more traditionally prior to the generative AI boom and now even more so post generative AI boom. We're applying generative AI in ways that um we are on the frontier fine tuning models for our uh really predictive models at criteria. So those are all areas I love to talk about and it's really an honor to be able to share that with people no matter the forum. Well maybe there'll be a podcast episode two with Chris on this. 23:41 What about, you you love to share, I don't know where you find the time. You've recently started a nonprofit, the SoCal Tech Forum. So share with my audience the types of activities, where's the venue, who is gathered, and what made you start a nonprofit, right? Yeah, it's a great question. I didn't know I would be starting a nonprofit either, but that tends to be how these things go. 24:11 It's been just a journey. ah We started off as a meetup group. my goal for the meetup group was in the Inland Empire specifically here in Southern California, we don't have many tech meetups. I'm of course networked well in Orange County and Los Angeles. And I think that particularly with these technologies that are 24:35 in our day-to-day life, it's very important that we build community around information and knowledge sharing so we can all learn and get up to speed on AI. A lot of business owners are going through transitions with their workforce, with their team that just were never really imagined. for us, we started this meetup group in the Inland Empire because there was definitely a market gap in getting together. I started off 25:02 paying for and hosting the events, breakfast, etc. And we had so much good interest. had sponsors that decided to volunteer to support, starting with a company called Clutch Coffee and Rancho Cucamonga, who has a deep history of roasting coffee and brewing technology in Rancho. And uh we've since got some other great partners to support us. And in just a little under two years, we've... 25:30 surpassed 750 members in the group. uh that was the reason once we started getting sponsors involved that it made sense to have a 501c3 nonprofit formed. And we have a leadership board now, which I'm really proud of. And we host an event at least once every month on the first Saturday of every month. And they're always technology or technology adjacent topics. They always involve. 25:56 technical and non-technical folks, business owners, entrepreneurs, startups. yeah, it's been really fun. Again, an opportunity to funnel and give back to the community and teach people about disruptive technologies. Well, you heard it here on the Founder's Sandbox, the SoCal Tech Forum. It will be in the show notes, all right, how to um get involved and perhaps attend one of those Saturday meetings. um I wanted to give you an opportunity. 26:25 to provide how people can best contact you, either for speaking opportunities, a CTO of Criteria, the nonprofit. How is it best to contact you, Chris? Yeah, I'd love to hear from you. So you can contact me on LinkedIn. So linkedin.com slash in slash Chris Dayden. All one word. And you can learn more about me as a speaker or CTO of Criteria at chrissdayden.com. excellent. 26:56 have that in the show notes. All right, I want to bring you back to the Founders Sandbox, all right, which is the platform and the podcast. I really get excited about um this part of the podcast. um I work with my clients on resiliency, um scalability, and purpose-driven, right? All with great corporate governance. I always like to ask my guests what... 27:24 the meaning of each of those three words has for them. And each of my guests has a different oh interpretation. And it's just a lot of fun to listen to what I resiliency, what's resiliency for you? I think it's appropriate that I answer that in light of kind of work 4.0. So for me, when it comes to resiliency in work 4.0, um it's about the art of constantly reinventing yourself. 27:53 but in faster cycles. And I think what's really important to everyone is that in Work 4.0, hard skills can become obsolete quicker than before. And that reinvention is critical to really being resilient in this new market. How about scalable? You've scaled a couple of companies, you've been an aqua hire. What does scalable mean to you, Chris? In Work 4.0, scalable will mean 28:22 adequately augmenting the talent you have in humans in your organization with the ability to harness the true power of AI and to do that without losing culture or trust. I think many organizations think of the first half of that. Very few of the organizations can execute on human plus agentic AI and also maintain trust. 28:51 and without losing culture. Have you seen any best practices? This is a little bit off script in terms of companies that have, or are scaling, right? Because this is just scaling pretty quickly in the last year or so. Sure. And are there any best practices out there in building that trust? Yeah, I think having a real holistic AI strategy is key. 29:18 One main component of a holistic AI strategy is how can you get tools to the fingertips of every staff member in your organization so that it's embedded in their workflow? Because a lot of the top-down AI strategy from organizations, like a CEO says, you must use AI and we must be 25 % more efficient, is really shallow when it comes to strategy. And it very rarely results in a culture 29:48 sustaining in a company for this AI growth and augmentation. So what I've been really impressed by is, you know, when I host things like AI monthly global office hours at Criteria, or I host one-on-one sessions with employees to learn about how they're using AI, because you're able to push those tools down to your team members and let them use it in a safe and comfortable area, it allows you to see what people creatively do with AI. And most of the time, 30:17 I could say there's probably 60 or 70 % of use cases that I would never have expected my staff to use AI for, and I would have been the bottleneck of creating if they were waiting for me to do it, and instead give them a safe experimentation zone. And I think that is key to a sustaining AI strategy for So your best practice is actually a criteria from what I'm hearing here. And it's very becoming because I'd like to talk about playfulness in the sandbox, right? 30:46 I read recently, was an EY um study, I think it was this last week, that about 40 % of employees that are forced to use AI tools give up after a month. They don't see the utility in their day-to-day tasks they're doing. So there is something to what you just said, building trust, but building it from the bottom up, right? Yeah, I resonate with that for sure. And I think the only way people break that barrier 31:16 is by seeing their colleagues successful with it. Very rarely is a demo from an executive leader going to be, I mean, it might be enough to begin a culture of AI. Like I had to do a lot of demos and show people kind of the art of the possible. And then as soon as I saw pockets of AI intelligence in the organization, the quicker you can elevate those people to lead and present their findings, the faster... 31:45 you build up kind of the natural human competition between your team and everybody all of a sudden will get more behind it. And that's really important. I think you've reached a point of success in your AI strategy when you were once leading the AI learning sessions and now you are not. How cool is that? You heard it here in the founder sandbox. All right. Purpose driven. What's a purpose driven enterprise for you? I think that 32:12 This is timely based on our discussion just now where organizations need to harness AI at the right times. think purpose for criteria, for example, means how do we measure talent signals that are able to give us the best candidate blueprint or the best candidate DNA possible? And for us, 32:40 every single day, regardless of the technology, what fuels us is having that purpose-driven statement of collecting talent signals around the world for any team. And you really do get lost in that sometimes, for good and for worse, when you're just trying to collect as many talent signals as you can. And being purpose-driven means always doing the right thing when it comes to that. 33:09 mission statement that you've set. And for us, it's collecting talent signals. I think that AI can do that well in a lot of areas, but AI can also be very dangerous in those areas. So when it comes to Work 4.0, having that purpose-driven enterprise statement is very, very important because it anchors us for our new product development. It anchors us for how we're using new technology to help people make the best teams. 33:39 Going back to that, to build the trust, we might clip this out, um does criteria maintain a group of scientists to actually peel back the layers and make meaning out of the signals that you are capturing to create new signals? That's one question. The second is, does criteria have an ethicist on board? 34:08 on call or how do you ensure there is guardrails around talent signals? Yeah, those are really great questions. think for criteria, when we say we're rooted in science, it wouldn't mean very much if it was just a bunch of engineers and product managers kind of deciding what science is, right? So for us, we take a lot of pride in our product IO psychology team. So a lot of them are 34:37 industrial organizational psychologists by trade that are working full time for criteria. And their role is assessment development, assessment validation. uh And particularly in the light of fine tuning AI models, they are very, very hands on in creation of those models, validating those models. There's a lot of legislation we have to comply with, not only the normal data privacy stuff like GDPR and CCPA, but also 35:07 industry specific laws like the New York bias laws and others that help protect uh candidates as they are applying for roles. So that is very, very near and dear to our heart. And also we conduct adverse impact studies and we do case studies with customers to make sure that the product is uh behaving the way that they intended to behave. 35:32 You know, we've got norms for all of our assessments and we adjust those norms based on massive populations of data. So all of that is how we ensure scientific signal. This is amazing. Last question. Did you have fun in the Founder Sandbox today, Chris? I had a lot of fun in the Founder Sandbox. Really a pleasure. Thank you for having me. Thank you, Chris. So to my listeners, if you like this episode with the CTO of Criteria, Chris Daden. 36:02 Sign up for the monthly release for more podcasts where I have business owners, professional service providers, and corporate board directors who are all working to build with strong governance, resilience, scalable, and purpose-driven companies. Thank you. Signing off.

It was the evening of 2nd December 1984. Residents of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, were sound asleep when they were rudely awoken by an invisible threat. Many stumbled out of bed clutching their throats and rubbing their eyes, the neighbourhood was filled with the sound of coughing and screaming, mothers rushed outside clutching their children only to collapse after a few steps. Over time, this would be remembered by thousands as one of the worst industrial disasters in history; but the worst part is, that the culprits were never held fully accountable for over 40 years. Join your fellow Heinous fans and interact with the team at our website or through our socials (IG, TikTok) @heinous_1upmedia. - Love Heinous? But feel its getting too dark for you? Check out:

In 1790s colonial India, a secret brotherhood known as the Thuggee cult perfected the art of ritual murder. At its center stood Thug Behram—history's most prolific serial killer with 931 confirmed victims over a 40-year career.From the roads of Madhya Pradesh, Behram built a shadow empire of organized killers who used deception, patience, and sacred devotion to the goddess Kali to strangle travelers with silk handkerchiefs. His victims never saw death coming—they were murdered by the companions they trusted most.In 1840, British investigator William Henry Sleeman launched one of history's first criminal intelligence operations to dismantle the Thuggee network. Behram's capture and confession would revolutionize law enforcement forever.This is historical true crime you've never heard.Our Sponsors:* Check out Secret Nature and use my code SHANE for a great deal: https://secretnature.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/foul-play-crime-series/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

The Hindi heartland, comprising Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, covers nearly 38 per cent of India's total area and is home to over 40 per cent of India's population. It provides the country with over 40 per cent of its parliamentarians and determines the contours of national politics (out of the fifteen prime ministers India has had since 1947, eight have been from the Hindi belt). Yet, despite its political significance, the Hindi belt is among the most impoverished regions in the country. It consumes the bulk of the country's resources, but lags behind other states on various economic and welfare indices. It is plagued by violence, illiteracy, unemployment, corruption, poor life expectancy, and numerous other ills. Centuries of war, conquests, invasions, political movements, and religious unrest have made the heartland a place of immense paradox. Despite its extraordinary and timeless religious heritage-some of the country's most revered spiritual leaders were born here and it is home to innumerable shrines and places of pilgrimage-it has also witnessed some of the worst communal riots in the country and has been troubled by long-running, divisive sectarian politics. Many of India's founders, who gave the country its secular identity, hailed from the heartland, but so too did those who have spread religious discord. And the land of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb routinely witnesses lynching and murder in the name of religion. The Hindi Heartland: A Study (Aleph Book Company, 2025) is divided into five sections. Section I explores the geography of the region, which stretches from Rajasthan in the west to Jharkhand in the east with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh in between. The author then looks at caste, religion, the rural-urban divide, and the tribes who belong to the region. In the chapter on the economy, she attempts to show how the economic backwardness of the Hindi belt has come about through faulty and myopic post- Independence policies conceived by various governments-these have come in the way of sustained and inclusive development. The chapter on language chronicles both the emergence of Hindi as the primary lingua franca of this region at the cost of other languages, as well as the politics that linked language with religion. The last chapter in this section explores the influence of the heartland on what is today popularly understood to be Indian culture. Section II looks at the medieval and modern history of the region and covers the emergence of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Marathas, and the East India Company. Section III examines British colonialism through the lens of empire building, and shows how the imperialists distorted history to facilitate their divide and rule policy. It also dwells on the deliberate economic impoverishment of the Hindi belt and how this continues to impact the region even after Independence. Section IV analyses the freedom struggle-and covers among other things the emergence of the idea of India and the increasing Hinduization of that idea. It establishes the Hindi belt's criticality to Gandhi's satyagraha, and the success of the British Indian government's experiments with strategies that divided communities, which eventually led to the partition of the country. Section V appraises developments in the region after Independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In a remote village in Madhya Pradesh, three friends challenge an old superstition — a haunted stone bench called “Shamshan ki Chauki.” On an eerie night, they mock the spirits said to guard it. But when shadows move without bodies and a blind old woman demands her seat back, the friends realize some places in rural India are best left undisturbed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hindi heartland, comprising Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, covers nearly 38 per cent of India's total area and is home to over 40 per cent of India's population. It provides the country with over 40 per cent of its parliamentarians and determines the contours of national politics (out of the fifteen prime ministers India has had since 1947, eight have been from the Hindi belt). Yet, despite its political significance, the Hindi belt is among the most impoverished regions in the country. It consumes the bulk of the country's resources, but lags behind other states on various economic and welfare indices. It is plagued by violence, illiteracy, unemployment, corruption, poor life expectancy, and numerous other ills. Centuries of war, conquests, invasions, political movements, and religious unrest have made the heartland a place of immense paradox. Despite its extraordinary and timeless religious heritage-some of the country's most revered spiritual leaders were born here and it is home to innumerable shrines and places of pilgrimage-it has also witnessed some of the worst communal riots in the country and has been troubled by long-running, divisive sectarian politics. Many of India's founders, who gave the country its secular identity, hailed from the heartland, but so too did those who have spread religious discord. And the land of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb routinely witnesses lynching and murder in the name of religion. The Hindi Heartland: A Study (Aleph Book Company, 2025) is divided into five sections. Section I explores the geography of the region, which stretches from Rajasthan in the west to Jharkhand in the east with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh in between. The author then looks at caste, religion, the rural-urban divide, and the tribes who belong to the region. In the chapter on the economy, she attempts to show how the economic backwardness of the Hindi belt has come about through faulty and myopic post- Independence policies conceived by various governments-these have come in the way of sustained and inclusive development. The chapter on language chronicles both the emergence of Hindi as the primary lingua franca of this region at the cost of other languages, as well as the politics that linked language with religion. The last chapter in this section explores the influence of the heartland on what is today popularly understood to be Indian culture. Section II looks at the medieval and modern history of the region and covers the emergence of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Marathas, and the East India Company. Section III examines British colonialism through the lens of empire building, and shows how the imperialists distorted history to facilitate their divide and rule policy. It also dwells on the deliberate economic impoverishment of the Hindi belt and how this continues to impact the region even after Independence. Section IV analyses the freedom struggle-and covers among other things the emergence of the idea of India and the increasing Hinduization of that idea. It establishes the Hindi belt's criticality to Gandhi's satyagraha, and the success of the British Indian government's experiments with strategies that divided communities, which eventually led to the partition of the country. Section V appraises developments in the region after Independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

In India the so-called pharmacy of the world children are dying from the very medicines meant to heal them. The Morning Brief’s latest audio deep dive travels from rural Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu’s factories to uncover how a cough syrup laced with industrial chemicals like diethylene glycol killed at least 25 children and how a system built on 80-year-old drug laws allowed it. Host Anirban Chowdhury talks to fathers who lost their children,  Dr Arvind Bagga, professor emeritus and former head of pediatrics at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Pramod Verma, Inspector General at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh,  public health activist and author Dinesh S Thakur, lawyer and author Prashant Reddy T. Dinesh, JJ Hospital veteran Dr Ishwar Gilada  and ET's pharma editor Vikas Dandekar This story exposes a broken drug regulation system and the human cost of neglect. Tune in: You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and LinkedinYou can follow Dia Rekhi on social media: Linkedin & TwitterListen to Corner Office Conversation our new show:: Corner Office Conversation with Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe, Corner Office Conversation with The New Leaders of Indian Pharma and much more. Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Why Is India Still Buying Russian Oil?, How AI is Rewriting Cinema Part 2, Trump vs Harvard: India Impact, Of Dragons and Elephants: Modi–Xi in Focus and much more. Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enforcement Directorate investigating Sresan Pharmaceuticals, its key employees, and Tamil Nadu drug control officials after deaths of 21 children in Madhya Pradesh.  

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's first official visit to India. He shares what this visit means and how significant this visit is for India's foreign policy. Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Tanushree Bose about another case of sexual assault reported in West Bengal. A MBBS student from a private medical college in Paschim Bardhaman district has allegedly been sexually assaulted in a jungle near the campus. Tanushree shares the details of the case and the investigation. (16:56)Lastly, we talk about a case of caste based humiliation that has happened in Madhya Pradesh due to an AI generated image and a social media video. (28:12)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Anonna Dutt about the death of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district and in Rajasthan after consuming contaminated cough syrups. She shares the cause behind it and the concerns that it raises.Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Divya A about Sir Creek, a disputed region between India and Pakistan and what Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had to say about Pakistan's military infrastructure close to it. (11:44)Lastly, we talk about the Sabarimala Temple which is once again at the centre of a controversy. (20:35)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Nearly 40 years ago, 14 patients died at Mumbai's J.J. hospital, as the medication they took was contaminated with diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent that is toxic to human beings. Over the past few weeks, at least 16 children, a majority of them in Madhya Pradesh and a few in Rajasthan have died, and their deaths are suspected to be because of the same issue: a cough syrup, given to them for treatment, contained diethylene glycol. The issue of medicines being contaminated is not new – how it happens and how it can be stopped are both well known. And yet, India, which accredits itself as the pharmacy of the world, providing generic drugs to many parts of the globe, cannot seem to ensure that medicines for its own children are safe. What are the issues plaguing the drug regulatory system? Why do these deaths continue to take place with little accountability? And are cough syrups necessary at all for children? Guest: Anant Phadke who is with the All India Drug Action Network, a national network that advocates for rational and affordable drug policies in India Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston For more episodes of In Focus: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia retains top spot in India's September crude imports In September 2025, India stuck with its preference for heavy middle distillates, sourcing over 75% of its crude from Russia and the Middle East. Russia led with a 34% share, while the Middle East contributed just over 44%. Although Russian imports dipped by over 10% month-on-month, they remain a cost-effective choice for Indian refiners. US pressure is showing some effect, but any cuts to Russian barrels are expected to be minor and mostly symbolic. Meanwhile, imports from the US and Africa stayed limited, as American crude faces logistical and refinery compatibility issues, keeping its growth potential modest. Read more here Stock market outlook: Will Nifty 50, Sensex & Nifty Bank sustain the bounce? Markets recovered last week, easing pressure from the previous fall. Nifty and Sensex rose about 1%, while Nifty Bank gained over 2%, showing strong bullish signals. BSE Metals and PSU sectors led the rally, up nearly 4% and 3%. However, Foreign Portfolio Investors sold Indian equities for the second week, with outflows of $1.15 billion. Nifty faces resistance at 25,500, with support at 24,500, keeping the medium-term bullish outlook intact. Nifty Bank is forming a bullish pattern; a break above 55,850 could push it to 58,000. Sensex support at 80,000 held well, eyeing a rise toward 83,400. Midcaps and Smallcaps remain strong, aiming for higher levels in the coming months. Read more here Cough syrup deaths In Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, 14 children died from suspected kidney failure linked to a toxic cough syrup. Cough syrup Coldrif's samples taken from Sresan Pharma's Kanchipuram plant in Tamil Nadu contain contaminants Diethylene Glycol (DEG), the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday, raising more questions on the death of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. States including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh have banned the syrup, while Rajasthan reportedly took action against other cough syrups (containing Dextromethorphan) from Jaipur-based Kaysons Pharma. Both pharma companies have not made any public statements, following the developments. Read more here India-EU FTA Senior officials from India and the 27-nation European Union will begin the 14th round of talks on a proposed free trade agreement in Brussels on October 6. The five-day negotiations aim to resolve outstanding issues and finalize the pact by December. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently expressed optimism about an early agreement. He is also expected to meet EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic later this month to review progress. The India-EU trade deal seeks to boost two-way commerce and investment, covering 23 policy areas including goods, services, intellectual property, and sustainable development. Bilateral trade in goods reached $136.5 billion in 2024-25, with the EU accounting for 17% of India's exports. Services trade between the two stood at $51.45 billion in 2023. Read more here

Podcast on State- Madhya Pradesh by Abhiram 1B - DPS Nacharam

As part of our ongoing collaboration with Central Square Foundation, we are excited to bring to you the second episode of our five part series where we talk about the transformative journey of the NIPUN Bharat Mission.It has been four years since the launch of the Mission and for the first time in two decades we are seeing learning improvements among children. In this episode, we explore how the program has made significant strides in improving literacy and numeracy levels of students in Grades 1-3 across the country. And to get a deeper insight into the progress behind this Mission, we're joined by Parthajeet Das, Project Director for FLN, at CSF and Sambhrant Srivastava, Associate Director for FLN, who have been closely working with state departments of education of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh,Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Punjab and Odisha, among other states.Hosted and produced by Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh PawarLink to the first episode of our series with CSF:Episode 2

Vinod Karate is Project Director for State Reform at the Central Square Foundation where he helps drive India's landmark NIPUN Bharat Mission to ensure every child can read, write, and count by age ten. From an early career in investment banking to shaping one of the world's largest foundational learning reforms, Vinod's journey bridges sharp strategy with deep community engagement. In this episode, Vinod shares how India is rethinking the very foundations of schooling and how CSF partners with states to design and scale reforms that align with India's NIPUN Bharat goals. He unpacks CSF's three-phase approach to state reform: strengthening teacher capacity, redesigning governance around learning outcomes, and building political and administrative coalitions, which helps make large-scale change possible. Drawing on his experience in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, Vinod illustrates how reform really takes root on the ground. He explains how structured pedagogy, sustained teacher mentoring, and real-time data and assessment can translate policy into daily classroom practice, and how seizing windows of political alignment, unlocking budgets, and shifting decision-making from state capitals to districts ensures that change is owned and sustained at the local level. Grounded in evidence, this episode offers a clear, actionable roadmap for strengthening foundational learning and creating education systems that sustain reform and deliver lasting results for every child.

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Ravi Dutta Misra about the negotiations that have started between India and the US regarding the trade deal between the two nations and the tariffs that the US has imposed on Indian exports. Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Anjali Marar about the heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand that has led to massive landslides. She shares the reasons behind the unusually heavy rainfall and why the hilly regions are more prone to disasters like landslides. (7:54)Lastly, we talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday and the speech that he delivered in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district. (16:45)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh PawarLink to the first episode of our series with CSF:Episode 1

This week, Monika explains why so many borrowers feel cheated when their home loan EMIs don't drop even after RBI cuts rates. The key difference lies between banks and housing finance companies (HFCs). While bank loans are linked to external benchmarks like the repo rate, HFCs use their own prime lending rates — numbers they control and reset far less frequently. Monika breaks down how this allows HFCs to delay or dilute rate cuts, and why old borrowers often continue paying higher EMIs while new borrowers get lower rates.Monika highlights the importance of understanding who your lender is, how benchmarks are set, and why RBI rules apply differently to banks and HFCs. She cautions borrowers about conversion fees, reset periods, and the hidden costs of staying with an HFC, and urges listeners to explore switching to a bank loan for faster and fairer rate transmission.This week's listener questions include Subroto Baul from Gurgaon on estate planning and providing for minor children, Milan Jhadav from Vadodara on choosing between index funds and asset allocation funds for a 10-year goal, and Prateek Dubey from Madhya Pradesh on deciding between NPS and the new Unified Pension Scheme.Chapters:(00:00 – 00:00) Why Floating Rate Loans Don't Fall as RBI Cuts Rates(00:00 – 00:00) Understanding Banks vs HFCs(00:00 – 00:00) Legacy Planning Challenges(00:00 – 00:00) Asset Allocation for Child's Education(00:00 – 00:00) NPS vs UPS for Government EmployeesIf you have financial questions that you'd like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠ Monika's book on basic money management⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠Monika's book on mutual funds⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠Monika's workbook on recording your financial life⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠Calculators⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan. Twitter ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠@MonikaHalan⁠Production House: ⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠Production Assistant:⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠

Text Jayanti Singh*Curator: IrfanWe're thrilled to launch our first regional language podcastin Bundeli, marking a vibrant new chapter in our Read Aloud Collective. Thisglobal community of voice enthusiasts comes together to read, record, discuss,and celebrate the power of words. Regional languages and dialects, rich withcultural depth, have often been mocked or sidelined by mainstream audiovisualcontent, particularly Bollywood. Our initiative aims to revive the authentictone, expressions, and profound wisdom embedded in these languages—reflectinglived experiences, idioms, and simplicity. In the first phase of our regional collectives, we inviteenthusiasts of Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj, Bagheli, Ruhelkhandi, Dogri, Punjabi,Sindhi, Haryanvi, Magahi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Bangla, Rajasthani, Angika,Kumauni, Garhwali, and Kannauji to join us. If you love recording your voicewhile reading in your native dialect or language, this is for you. This isn't acompetition or judgment—it's a celebration of the heartfelt sounds oftenovershadowed by urbanized Hindi, English, or Hinglish. Let's make our nativevoices alive, vibrant, and timeless, showcasing their true charm andsoul-stirring strength. Introducing Ranjana Mishra, the first to join ourRAC-Bundeli initiative and a standout among our Bundeli narrators. A teacher byprofession, Ranjana's sweet, nuanced voice blends lived experiences with afresh, modern subtlety that resonates with Gen Z from Bundelkhand, spanningparts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (including Banda, Hamirpur, Jalaun,Jhansi, Lalitpur, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Datia, Chhatarpur, Panna, Tikamgarh,Sagar, Damoh, and Niwari districts). Currently residing in Rewa, MadhyaPradesh, Ranjana is leading the way in bringing Bundeli's unique sonic heritageto life.Intro-Outro Music Courtesy Kalpesh Ajugia from Pixabay

Mariellen Ward, an award-winning Canadian travel writer and co-founder of the tour company India for Beginners, shares her transformative 20-year journey through India and how she now helps first-time visitors experience this vibrant country with confidence.• Mariellen's first six-month Indian adventure arose from an inexplicable calling while battling grief and depression• The feeling of "coming home" in Delhi sparked two decades of travel, writing, and eventually founding a custom tour company• Common misconceptions about India include exaggerated safety concerns and assumptions about poverty• Scammers targeting tourists present a greater challenge than violent crime• Preparation is crucial – research clothing norms, health precautions, and cultural expectations before arrival• Consider homestays over hotels for a more authentic, grounded experience• Explore beyond the Golden Triangle – regions like Kerala and Madhya Pradesh offer rich experiences with fewer tourists• Cultural sensitivity is essential – dress modestly, respect religious customs, remove shoes in homes and temples• Time your visit according to weather patterns – each region has optimal seasons• Plan around major festivals like Diwali when travel can become challengingTo learn more about experiencing India through custom tours designed for first-time visitors, especially women travellers, visit breathedreamgo.com or indiaforbeginners.com.Guest - Mariellen Ward from breathedreamgo.com and indiaforbeginners.com.Show notes - Episode 63

Leading with Integrity: Krati Agrawal's Journey in Amazon and Beyond | Diasporaa Podcast Episode 20 In this episode of Diasporaa, host Aditya Mehta interviews Krati Agrawal, a senior executive in the supply chain industry and a nominee for Marquise Who's Who list for women leaders in technology in the U.S. Krati shares her journey from a small town called Guna in Madhya Pradesh, India, to working at Amazon and now TikTok in the U.S. They discuss her experiences adapting to various American cities, the challenges and benefits of being part of Amazon's Pathways program, and dealing with the stress of visa issues. Krati also touches upon her childhood, family life, and the intricacies of Indian and American cultures. The episode provides an inspiring look at resilience, leadership, and the immigrant experience. List of Resources: Agrawal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrawal Bits Pilani: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BITS_Pilani Goa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goa Guna: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guna_district Ji Mantri Ji: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ji_Mantriji Kota Factory: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTB0eCoUXErb7pV0Sj1hXWrxerSZX1qgh&feature=shared Madhya Pradesh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhya_Pradesh Marquis Who's Who: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_Who%27s_Who UPSC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Public_Service_Commission About the Podcast: Diasporaa was Aditya's third startup based in Vancouver, BC. It focused on helping new immigrants in Canada find their feet, get off to a running start and ease their assimilation into Canadian life. A big part of the platform were conversations, community and support. Though the startup stopped growing once Aditya moved to Seattle, WA - it remained alive in the form of several discussion groups and online communities. Now, Diasporaa has been resurrected in the form of a podcast focused on uncovering and sharing interesting immigrant stories from the South Asian diaspora. It is available on YouTube, all major podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, etc. and is also broadcast as a radio show on Alternative Talk 1150 AM and 98.9 FM HD Channel 3 on Wednesdays from 2-3pm PST. About Aditya Mehta: Aditya is a Bombay boy who has lived in Austin, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Vancouver before making it to his current home in Seattle. He has degrees in marketing, urban planning, real estate and strategy but has spent his career in financial services, social media and now real estate - mostly as an entrepreneur and partly as an employee at Amazon. He balances Indian, Canadian and American culture, loves helping those who are new to North America and looks forward to the interesting stories that his interview guests bring each week. When not podcasting, he is helping his wife Prachi build her pharmaceutical business or hanging out with his son Arjun. Connect with Diasporaa: -Instagram: @diasporaapodcast -YouTube: https://linke.to/dspyoutube -Bio Link: linke.to/diasporaa -Listen on Spotify: https://linke.to/dspspotify -Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://linke.to/dspapple -Diasporaa Podcast on KKNW Alternative Talk Radio: https://linke.to/kknw1150

Listen to the latest SBS Hindi news from India. 11/07/2025

The oil and gas sector in India has been a story of evolution from once private entities turning into nationalised companies and then again the entry of private sector in 1990s. Initially, the upstream oil exploration sector witnessed a lot of private investment but then it slowed down. The downstream oil sector simultaneously saw a variety of social schemes, billions of government funds, and private investment from marquee names. The natural gas sector, on the other hand, is a story where import dependence has only increased over the years, making the supply to key sectors, like power generation difficult, since imported gas price cannot match the cost advantage of coal. At the same time, India is aspiring to be a gas-based economy. Mega scale city gas distribution and piped gas network expansion is also under works. In the middle of this, ethanol blending programme for petrol has taken off well. Simultaneously, a pilot project on green hydrogen blending with natural gas has also started in Madhya Pradesh.To unwrap the past, present and what could be the future policies and plans for India's oil and gas sector, we talked with Jyoti Mukul, a seasoned energy infrastructure writer. Ms Mukul was a journalist for nearly three decades and has followed milestone developments of the country's energy security and transition efforts. She is a well-known policy analyst for energy and infrastructure sectors and her first book ‘The Great Shutdown: A story of two Indian Summers', highlighting the infrastructure challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, came out in 2022.Full transcript of the episode is available in EnglishPresented by 101ReportersJyoti Mukul is on Twitter and  LinkedInFollow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTubeOur hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

Trump hints at trade deal with India with 'much less tariffs' amid deadlock Quad foreign ministers condemn Pahalgam attack, call for perpetrators, ‘financiers' to be brought to justice Why step out early': NHAI's shocking remark on 40-hour Madhya Pradesh jam that killed 3 ‘Comfort' pick 'illusionary all-rounders' under fire as India told to pick proven star before ‘reality hits on the face' Priyanka Chopra grooves to Camila Cabello's Bam Bam on London streets; Nick Jonas cheers for her.

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule of around 10 minutes.Christians in India's Madhya Pradesh state have called for action against right-wing Hindu activists who assaulted and paraded four socially marginalized Dalit Christians naked through a village. Listen to the story and more in a wrap-up of the weekly news from Asia.Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Fabian Antony, text edited by Anosh Malekar, presented by Joe Mathews, background score by Andre Louis and produced by Binu Alex for ucanews.com For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.comTo contribute please visit www.ucanews.com/donateOn Twitter Follow Or Connect through DM at : twitter.com/ucanewsTo view Video features please visit https://www.youtube.com/@ucanews

Madhya Pradesh, which has the largest tribal population in India, launched the digital literacy drive after spike in social media misinformation following Pahalgam attack & Op Sindoor.  

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 15th of May and here are the headlines.President Droupadi Murmu has sought the Supreme Court's opinion under Article 143(1) on whether timelines can be legally imposed on the President and Governors for acting on state Bills. This comes after the Court, in April, set a three-month deadline for the President to act on Bills referred by Governors, despite no such timeline existing in Article 201 of the Constitution. The Court stated that delays beyond this period must be explained to the concerned state. The President now seeks clarity on whether these directives are justiciable.The Supreme Court declined immediate relief to Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over a plea challenging the FIR ordered against him for comments about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. Chief Justice B R Gavai stressed that ministers must act responsibly, stating that public officials must uphold constitutional values, especially during sensitive times. The Court will hear the case on Friday. Shah's remarks allegedly demeaned Colonel Qureshi, a key figure during the India-Pakistan military standoff. The court emphasized that words from ministers carry weight and must be chosen with care.Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered a court-monitored investigation against Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over remarks he made about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The court criticized the FIR filed by Indore police as unconvincing and directed stricter oversight. Shah had referred to Colonel Qureshi as a "sister of terrorists," linking her to the Pahalgam attack—remarks the court called “cancerous and dangerous.” The court had earlier directed police to register the FIR by Wednesday evening. Shah's statements have triggered major backlash and legal scrutiny over their inflammatory nature.Following India's move to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan has shown willingness for talks for the first time. Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza has reportedly responded to India's notification and offered to discuss New Delhi's specific objections. India's decision came in response to the attack, which heightened diplomatic tensions. The IWT, signed in 1960, governs water sharing between the two nations. Pakistan's response marks a rare shift, potentially opening the door to dialogue amid ongoing hostilities.US President Donald Trump said he asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to stop building factories in India, criticizing Apple's shift away from China. Speaking during a visit to Qatar, Trump said Cook agreed to increase production in the US instead. He also called out India's high tariffs, though noted the country may lower them to ease trade. Apple had planned to import most US-bound iPhones from India by next year, but Trump's remarks may disrupt that move. Currently, Apple manufactures most iPhones in China and none in the United States.That's all for today. This was the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Vir die eerste keer is vyf jagluiperdwelpies by Kuno Nasionale Park in Madhya Pradesh, Indië, gebore aan ouers van verskillende bevolkingsgroepe, Namibië en Suid-Afrika. Parkdirekteur Uttam Kumar Sharma het bevestig dat die Namibiese pa, Gaurav, en Suid-Afrikaanse ma, Nirva, die welpies Sondag verwelkom het. Dit bring die aantal welpies by Kuno op 19 te staan, wat dui op die jagluiperds se suksesvolle aanpassing. Kosmos 94.1 Nuus het met dr. Laurie Marker van die Cheetah Conservation Fund gesels.

286 lions died in Gujarat over the past two years, a significant number of them due to unnatural causes. While Gir's conservation story has been laudable, it may be falling prey to its own success. The growing lion population, necessitating larger territories, has resulted in greater conflict with humans and accidental deaths. There is also the spectre of disease and genetic weakening due to excessive inbreeding. Many experts suggest translocation to Juno in Madhya Pradesh. However, intent needs to translate into action quickly. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can ambition be sustainable? Can AI scale without consequence?In this powerful episode of the xMonks Drive Podcast, host Gaurav Arora sits down with Gaurav Singh, founder of Verloop, for an unfiltered conversation on building in the age of AI.From growing up in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, to coding at 10, launching his first projects by 13, and now leading one of India's most ambitious AI startups, Gaurav shares what most founders won't:

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, March 23, 2025: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, March 23, 2025: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

Community networks that function as media platforms—such as community radio, grassroots journalism, and digital collectives—are empowering people to take control of the narratives that shape their lives. From Sangam Radio in Telangana to Khabar Lahariya's fearless rural journalism, these community-driven platforms are redefining civic engagement and governance at the grassroots level**.In this episode, Kripa Koshy and Shreya Ramakrishnan explore India's grassroots media and community networks—how they empower local governance, amplify citizen voices, and bridge the gap between policy and everyday life.

Bienvenue dans la traque. Cette semaine, (re)découvrez cette saison. Une histoire, prête à vous entraîner dans l'exploration d'un parcours criminel, saisissant. Retraçons ensemble l'une des traques les plus sensationnelles de l'histoire, celle de Phoolan Devi. Évoluant dans le système des castes indiennes, Phoolan n'est pas une fille comme les autres. Elle ne veut pas être soumise aux hommes. Pour elle, ce n'est pas une option, et elle devient très vite la cible d'esprits mal intentionnés, déchaînant sur elle une violence inhumaine. Arriver à l'âge adulte, c'est là que Phoolan décide de mettre en place sa vengeance et de soutenir les classes populaires indiennes.  Élue par le peuple 12 Février 1983. Un vent humide venu du Nord souffle sur la ville de Bhind, dans le Madhya Pradesh. Une foule de 10.000 âmes, réunies dans la grande cour d'une école du centre-ville, s'agite et bruisse en une rumeur nerveuse. Les gens sont venus de partout pour assister à l'événement : des campagnes, des villages isolés, des grandes villes ou des régions lointaines de l'Inde. L'ambiance est électrique. 300 journalistes sont aussi présents, caméras au poing, venus capturer l'instant unique où la Reine des Bandits s'apprête à se rendre à la police.   Pour découvrir une autre traque, cliquez ci-dessous : [INEDIT] Michel Vaujour, le roi de l'évasion : petits vols de voitures (1/4) [INEDIT] Michel Vaujour, le roi de l'évasion : une série d'évasions (2/4) [INEDIT] Michel Vaujour, le roi de l'évasion : l'ennemi public n°1 (3/4) [INEDIT] Michel Vaujour, le roi de l'évasion : la liberté pour de bon (4/4) Crédits : Production : Bababam  Textes : Mehdi Bayad Voix : Anne Cosmao, Aurélien Gouas Montage : Mathew Roques En partenariat avec Upday Première diffusion le 2 août 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first episode of our three-part series celebrating India Giving Day on March 14, 2025! In this series, we will explore significant efforts in child and maternal health, combating gender violence, and promoting education for girls across India. Today, I'm excited to speak with Shannon Paz, CEO of Antara International, who has been at the forefront of advancing global health for women and children in remote areas. Join me as Shannon shares her journey from global nonprofits to leading transformative healthcare initiatives in Madhya Pradesh.Donate to India Giving Day! Donate to Antara International! Support the show

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Newslaundry's Prateek Goyal and Avdhesh Kumar.Prateek talks about two big stories he reported on last week. The first is allegations of rape against prominent industrialist Shyam Sunder Bhartia. He explains why there was a delay in the police registering an FIR, and how a court had to get involved. The second, part of the Hindu Rashtra Project, details how Hindutva groups in Madhya Pradesh target interfaith couples – even if they're protected by the court. Avdhesh talks about his follow-up story from Sambhal, where communal violence broke out last year. While the police have made several arrests, he says this doesn't quite add up. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:28 - Rape case against Shyam Sunder Bhartia00:12:09 - Police ‘action' in Sambhal00:26:04 - ‘Love jihad' in Madhya Pradesh00:33:26 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPrateekMaster SaabAvdheshWalk The Talk with Mayawati (Aired: May 2005)Aap Ki Adalat | Mayawati In Aap Ki Adalat | Golden Moments Of Aap Ki Adalat | Rajat SharmaBasantIn Madhya Pradesh, ‘love jihad' crusaders overrule high court orders to target interfaith couplesCrime BeatProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.Today is the 26th of February and here are the headlines.The central government opposed petitions seeking a lifetime ban on convicted politicians from contesting elections, arguing in the Supreme Court that a six-year disqualification is not unconstitutional. In its affidavit, the Centre stated that various penal laws impose penalties for a limited time to ensure deterrence while avoiding excessive harshness. The submission was in response to Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay's plea challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 8 and 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Section 8 mandates a six-year disqualification post-release for those convicted of specified offences.In other news, with 12 state presidents appointed, the BJP seems to be on course to choose its new national chief, albeit with a delay. The BJP leaders The Indian Express spoke to across states attributed the delay largely to the recently concluded Delhi polls. A BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh said the party focused all its energies on Delhi. Meanwhile, another leader said, quote “One leader who has managed up to six-seven Assembly seats in our state and in Uttar Pradesh, was given the charge of only one Assembly seat in Delhi. In another constituency, two MPs managed it. The focus of the party on Delhi was unprecedented and that has led to a delay in the organisational elections,” unquote.Meanwhile, in another headline making news, a communal clash broke out over the installation of speakers in Dumraon village in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district this morning. The clash occurred during Shivratri celebrations. According to Ichak Block Development Officer (BDO) Santosh Kumar, a disagreement over installing loudspeakers by the road escalated into stone-pelting and arson. Authorities said there were no injuries or deaths. Hazaribagh Additional Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar told The Indian Express, that an FIR has been registered,adding that three motorcycles and a car were set ablaze.In news from Maharahstra, a man allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a MSRTC bus on the premises of a bus stand in Pune in the early hours of Tuesday. The police identified the accused as a history-sheeter and launched an extensive search for him.The police said the crime occurred around 5.30 am when the woman was at the bus stand to board a bus for her hometown in the Satara district of Maharashtra. The accused, loitering on the premises of the bus stand, allegedly approached her and misled her to another bus, saying that it was the one for her destination. The woman believed the accused and boarded the bus, said the police. The accused allegedly followed her and raped her inside the bus before fleeing from the scene.On the global front, President Donald Trump announced a new immigration initiative aimed at wealthy foreign investors, a “gold card” that offers a path to US citizenship for a fee of $5 million. Replacing the current EB-5 visa program, this scheme will grant investors the privileges of a green card, allowing them to become permanent US residents through financial investment. The existing EB-5 visa program, established in 1990, allows foreign investors to gain US residency if they create or preserve jobs through capital investments. Minimum investments are set at $1.5 million, or $800 thosand for economically distressed areas. The program has drawn criticism over concerns of abuse and fraud, with businesses, including those linked to Trump family members, using it to fund property developments.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 24th of February and here are the headlines.Eight workers remain trapped after the SLBC tunnel in Telangana partially collapsed on Saturday. Despite efforts, Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said survival chances are “very remote”. A team of rat miners, previously deployed in Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel collapse, joined the rescue team. Around 300 personnel, including NDRF, SDRF, and Army members, are involved. However, muck and debris are hampering progress, with rescuers 13 km inside the tunnel, and water blocking access to the trapped workers.Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Madhya Pradesh's rise as a business hub during the Global Investors Summit 2025 in Bhopal. Praising the state's skilled workforce and growing industrial sectors, Modi noted that India will remain the world's fastest-growing economy. He emphasized Madhya Pradesh's role in the electric vehicle revolution and aerospace sector, assuring investors of the state's lucrative opportunities. He urged global businesses to tap into the state's flourishing market.The Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court that the well near the disputed mosque in Sambhal is on public land and not connected to the mosque. The well, known as 'Dharani varah koop,' is located near, but not inside, the disputed site. Tensions have risen over claims that the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid was built over the demolished Hari Mandir temple. The case continues to stir religious disputes between local communities.In the 2025 German election, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz emerged victorious, with the far-right AfD securing its best result, placing second with 20.8% of the vote. US President Donald Trump praised the win, calling it a rejection of policies on energy and immigration. Incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD dropped 10 percentage points, finishing in third. Merz is now poised to become Germany's next Chancellor.The Trump administration announced a massive reduction in USAID personnel, putting nearly all employees on leave and eliminating around 1,600 positions. This decision follows a legal battle where Trump sought to cut thousands of USAID jobs but was halted by a federal judge. The judge ruled that the pause would not be permanent. The cuts are part of a broader “reduction in force” effort, impacting the agency's global operations.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.

If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor. Visit  https://betterhelp.com/almanac for a discount on your first month of therapy. If you have questions about the brand relating to how the therapists are credentialed, their privacy policy, or therapist compensation, here is an overview written by the YouTube creators behind the channel Cinema Therapy that goes into these topics:  https://www.reddit.com/r/cinema_therapy/comments/1dpriql/addressing_the_betterhelp_concerns_headon_deep/  Hey poison friends! Finally getting to post this one! Just a heads up, my voice still sounds funny thanks to being sick, but feel free to laugh with us as I fail to use words properly a few times this episode lol. This week we travel to Indonesia to discuss the sulfur mines on an active volcano and the miners who collect it to be processed. While tourist travel to see the blue flames caused by the burning sulfur, most of the miners cannot afford such a thing or gloves. They normally cover their mouths with wet cloths and travel miles up steep, rocky, terrain to mine the sulfur and bring hundred of pounds back the same way, all the while facing blistering from longterm exposure to the sulfur and lasting respiratory problems. Oh and there are acidic lakes, too. Next we move on to India, where pollution and toxic waste dumping have long been a problem. In the capital of Madhya Pradesh, one of the worst industrial accidents occurred in 1984, now known as the Bhopal Gas Disaster. How did it happen and what were its effects? For one, it killed and injured thousands, leaving many with serious longterm health problems. Also, the area has never been fully cleaned up, though recent measures have been announced. Lets get into it! Thank you to all of our listeners and supporters! Please feel free to leave a comment or send us a DM for any questions, suggestions, or just to say, "hi." Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/thepoisonersalmanac Follow us on socials: The Poisoner's Almanac on IG- ⁠https://www.instagram.com/poisoners_almanac?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==⁠ Adam- ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@studiesshow?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠ Becca- ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@yobec0?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠ Merch is finally live, with more to follow in the future! https://www.poisonersalmanac.com

Hi there! Welcome to Episode 285 of Never on the Backfoot Podcast. In this episode, we're diving into the Senior Women's One Day Trophy and the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy 2025.  Joining us is Prajin of Women's CricCraze fame, as we reflect on two exhilarating tournaments that showcased the depth and brilliance of Indian women's cricket. We discuss Railways' dip in dominance, the rise of new contenders, and analyze the most competitive groups in the One Day Trophy.  From thrilling matches to standout performances in all five groups, to the nail-biting Pre-Quarter Finals, Quarter Finals, and Semi-Finals, we break down every key moment that led to Madhya Pradesh's spectacular title win. With MP's recent dominance in U19, U23, and now the senior circuit, we explore their flourishing cricketing ecosystem. Shifting focus to the Challenger Trophy, we analyze Team A's group-stage dominance, Team C's underdog rise to the title, and the notable highs and lows of Teams D and E.  We also discuss standout players—both international and domestic—who are making waves ahead of the Women's Premier League and the home World Cup. Plus, we share trends, takeaways, and the future of women's domestic cricket in India. Please follow and press the bell icon on Spotify and stay tuned. Do check out @neveronthebackfoot on Instagram and Threads and @neverontheback1 on Twitter (now called X) for the latest facts, updates, fresh content and a lot more coming up this cricket season.  The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Spotify for Podcasters and many other platforms and spread the word. Never on the Backfoot is also on YouTube so don't forget to subscribe to the channel and stay tuned for a lot of insightful content coming up there as well. Until next time, stay safe and take care, listeners.

Maharshi Vaishnav, CEO of Educate Girls, discusses the organisation's mission and initiatives to tackle the persistent issue of girls' exclusion from education in India. Maharshi notes that despite significant progress in universalising primary and middle school education through legislative reforms like the Right to Education Act of 2009, structural barriers such as entrenched patriarchy, poverty, and limited access to social welfare programs still keep many girls out of school. Educate Girls operates in these marginalised pockets, focusing on tribal and rural communities where the challenges are most acute. Maharshi elaborates on the organisation's multi-faceted approach: identifying out-of-school girls, enrolling them in educational institutions, ensuring their retention, and addressing learning gaps through a proprietary remedial curriculum. This curriculum emphasises foundational literacy and numeracy in Hindi, English, and mathematics, complemented by life skills training for older girls. The innovative use of open schooling enables girls in areas lacking high school infrastructure to continue their education and achieve formal qualifications equivalent to high school graduation. The organisation's scale is impressive, spanning four states—Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar — covering 35,000 villages and engaging with over 55,000 schools. Educate Girls has enrolled 1.8 million previously out-of-school girls and improved learning outcomes for over 2 million children. These efforts are supported by 3,200 full-time staff and 21,000 community volunteers. A key highlight of the discussion is the evaluation of Educate Girls' impact through a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Conducted in collaboration with IDinsight, this RCT demonstrated substantial learning gains among participating students.  Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.  

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Jay Jain, Co-Founder, of Astute Group, discusses his 30-year entrepreneurial journey from starting in his family's traditional business at age 14 to pioneering mobile and digital innovation. He shares how he and his brother disrupted the value-added services market. Jay explains his approach to building successful teams in tier-2 cities, emphasizing respect and talent development. He discusses the critical role of mentorship in risk management and scaling decisions, drawing insights from both modern business practices and ancient wisdom. Jay also shares his philosophy of balancing the three Ps - Professional, Personal, and Parivaar (family) life. About Jay Jain Jay Jain is the Co-Founder, of Astute Group. He is also the President of TiE Madhya Pradesh. Jay has founded 14 companies across mobile and IOT in various sectors including IT, Digital Content, Mobile Apps Product Portfolio, and FinTech. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tbcy/support

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

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.Today is the 12th of September and here are the headlines.The Union Cabinet is expanding the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to provide health coverage to people aged 70 years and above, regardless of their income level. Currently, the scheme is income-based and provides 5 lakh rupees shared annual coverage to all members of eligible families irrespective of their age. According to a government statement, an additional 6 crore people in this age group, from 4.5 crore families, are expected to benefit. The eligible beneficiaries will be issued a new card under PM-Jan Arogya Yojana.Two young Army officers were assaulted and one of their two women friends was allegedly gangraped by a group of six men who attacked them in the early hours of Wednesday near Jam Gate along the Mahow-Mand lesh war Road in Madhya Pradesh. Police said two of the six assailants had been arrested and a search is underway for the others. DIG Nimish Agrawal said the two officers from the Mhow cantonment town had gone out on a night trip and were sitting in a car with their friends when six men showed up, surrounded and assaulted them.The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on pleas filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking bail on Friday. The plea also challenges the Delhi High Court order upholding Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI in a corruption case in relation to the alleged excise policy scam. Opposing the plea, the CBI had told the Supreme Court that witnesses from Goa, including those who contested the Assembly elections on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket, would turn hostile if Kejriwal walked out of jail. Kejriwal has filed two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the case. A year after multiple IPS officers were sent to Manipur by different states/Union Territories to head their Special Investigation Teams to investigate the violence cases, three states, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh have called back their officers and sent their replacements. The Indian Express has learnt that a discussion to send them back to their kaa druh started when some of the IPS officers who came on Supreintendent of Police rank got promoted to deputy inspector general (DIG) in January and requested their police chiefs to call them back.Amid stalemate between West Bengal government and protesting doctors, state chief secretary sent a fresh letter to the agitators calling for a meeting at 5 pm today. On Wednesday, the government rejected the agitators' demand to live broadcast talks intended to resolve the month-long “ceasework”. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's direction to doctors to resume work remains in place. In addition, sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate today started search operations at the residences and offices of persons “close” to arrested former principal of RG Kar hospital, Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the medical establishment.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express

First, Indian Express' Deeptiman Tiwary discusses the RSS's (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) support for the caste census and the significance of it acknowledging ongoing issues between the organization and the BJP.Next, Indian Express' Jay Mazoomdar explains the increase in undocumented Indians illegally entering the US and why Canada has become the preferred route for many of them (12:02).And in the end, Indian Express' Sohini Ghosh tells us about the Delhi High Court ruling that the Centre's decision to terminate its lease deed with Express Newspapers nearly 40 years ago was “arbitrary” “mala fide”, and “nothing but an attempt by the then Government to muzzle the press and dry up its source of income” (21:44).Hosted, written and produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar—--On the occasion of Teacher's Day, The Indian Express in association with Central Square Foundation is here with a special segment at the end of this episode of 3 Things. In this part of the episode, Niharika Nanda will be in conversation with Ujjawala Meshram, a primary-grade school teacher from Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh and Vinod Karate, Project Director, for Foundational Learning Reforms, at CSF. The discussion will focus on the importance of Foundational Learning in a child's onward learning journey and future opportunities later on in life (27:12).

First, Flora Swain talks to Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about US President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US Presidential elections 2024. He shares the reasons behind this development and how it will impact the elections along with the Indo-US ties. Next, Indian Express' Anonna Dutt speaks to us about U-Win, a digital vaccination registry initiated by the government of India to maintain records of newborns, their health and their vaccinations. (11:21)And in the end, we talk about an incident that happened in Madhya Pradesh where a school principal allegedly stopped some students from reciting a Sanskrit verse and forced them to speak in English. (19:21)Hosted, written and produced by Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

As we draw closer to the end of the Lok Sabha polls, today on the podcast, we are taking a break from our usual programming to share a conversation that we recently had with Vandita Mishra, Indian Express' National Opinion Editor.Throughout these elections, Vandita traveled across five crucial states - Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal. In this discussion, we talk about the concerns of voters in these states, the reasons behind many choosing to vote for the ruling party, the current state of opposition, and the biggest factors that will determine the outcome of these polls.Hosted and produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Vijay DoiphodeAdditional support from Ichha Sharma and Mahiyar Rohinton Patel

First, Indian Express' Anand Mohan joins us to talk about challenges that BJP will face in winning one of the most crucial states of the Hindi heartland - Madhya Pradesh. Along with that we also talk about Congress' upper hand with the Tribal regions of the state.Next, Indian Express' Nikhil Ghanekar talks to us about why the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra requires translocation of tigers and how wildlife corridors help in conserving wildlife. (9:48)And in the end, we talk about Swati Maliwal's allegation that CM Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant misbehaved with her and what the AAP and the BJP have to say about it. (18:50)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It's the 13th of May and here are today's headlines.The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election is underway today in 96 constituencies across nine states and a Union Territory (Jammu and Kashmir). Polling is being held in all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, all 25 in Andhra Pradesh, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, four in Jharkhand, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, four in Odisha, eight in West Bengal and one in J-K (Srinagar LS constituency). 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh are also going to polls. Additionally, 28 assembly seats of Odisha are also witnessing polls in this phase.The AIMIM lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India after a video emerged of BJP's Lok Sabha candidate for Hyderabad, K Madhavi Latha, at a polling booth, checking the identity documents of burqa-clad women and asking them to lift their veil. Latha also warned polling officials to allow voting only after properly checking ID cards. She later claimed that there were discrepancies in the voter list and that the names of several voters were missing. The Hyderabad Collector has stated that a case has been filed against Latha at the Malakpet Police Station.The Supreme Court today fixed 17th of May as the date to hear Hemant Soren's petition challenging his arrest on money laundering charges in a land scam-related case. The former Jharkhand chief minister referred to the SC order granting interim bail until June 1 to DElhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on money laundering charges in connection with the Delhi excise policy case so that he could campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.The Delhi Police today said AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal made two calls to the Police Control Room alleging assault at the Chief Minister's house in Civil Lines.DCP (North) Manoj Meena said, quote, “Swati Maliwal called the PCR at 9.34 am stating that she has been attacked at CM House. She came to the Civil Lines Police Station and left without giving a complaint. She said she would file a complaint later.” Maliwal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Two daily diary entries have been made regarding the PCR call.In a video that went viral today during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly polling in Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress MLA A Sivakumar was seen attacking a voter. The incident took place in the southern state's Guntur district as Sivakumar reportedly tried to cut ahead in line. The brawl broke out when a voter standing in line for polling at a booth in Tenali, Guntur objected to Sivakumar cutting the queue. A large crowd gathered as the MLA repeatedly slapped the voter, who is also seen attacking the YSRCP leader. The Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP criticised the incident on social media.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.