Podcasts about Mumbai

Nature: Asteroids, antibiotics and ants: a year of remarkable scienceIn this episode:1:58 Evidence of ancient brine on an asteroidSamples taken from the asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft suggest the parent body it originated from is likely to have contained salty, subsurface water. This finding provides insights into the chemistry of the early Solar System, and suggests that brines might have been an important place where pre-biotic molecules were formed.News & Views: Asteroid Bennu contains salts from ancient brineNature Podcast: Asteroid Bennu contains building blocks of life08:01 How gene expression doesn't always reflect a cell's functionCells are often grouped into categories according to the RNA molecules they produce. However a study of zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains revealed that cells can be functionally diverse even if they appear molecularly similar. This finding adds more nuance to how a cell's ‘type' is ultimately defined.News & Views: Does a cell's gene expression always reflect its function?12:01 The disproportionate mortality risks of extreme rainfallAn assessment of death rates in India's coastal megacity of Mumbai revealed that the impact of extreme rainfall events will be highest for women, young children and residents of informal settlements. This situation is likely to become more pronounced as a result of climate change.News & Views: Extreme rainfall poses the biggest risk to Mumbai's most vulnerable people14:46 An AI-designed underwater glueInspired by animals like barnacles and aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. To demonstrate its properties, researchers applied it to a rubber duck, which stuck firmly to a rock on a beach despite being battered by the sea.News & Views: AI learns from nature to design super-adhesive gels that work underwaterNature Podcast: Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retired agent William Peterson reviews two cases, his kidnapping investigation where two American businessmen in Kenya where held for ransom and his assistance in the capture and identification of terrorist Sajid Mir, a senior member of the Pakistan-based Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). Mir is on the FBI Most Wanted list for his leading role in the planning, preparation, and execution of the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. These were just two of the significant investigations Peterson worked during his FBI counterterrorism and international law enforcement career. He served in the FBI for 23 years. Check out episode show notes, photos, and related articles: https://jerriwilliams.com/381-william-peterson-kenya-kidnapping-most-wanted-terrorist-sajid-mir/       Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here. http://eepurl.com/dzCCmL        Buy me a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JerriWilliams     Check out my FBI books, non-fiction and crime fiction, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. https://jerriwilliams.com/books/

Legendary director Mira Nair and Cannes-winner Ritesh Batra made two very different hit films about very different sides of India's fabled food delivery system. Batra tells Rico about the romance of dabbawallas, while Nair remembers the mean streets of Mumbai's chaiwallas (and what she serves her son Zohran Mamdani at home).Just in time for holiday eat-a-thons, the award-winning MUBI Podcast is back and celebrating its tenth season with a four-course serving of stories about food on film. Titled "A Feast For The Eyes," the season digs into the ways filmmakers use food to provoke hunger, thought, nausea, political action...and sometimes all the above.Joining host Rico Gagliano is a sampler platter of luminaries from the film and culinary world, including directors Brad Bird (RATATOUILLE), Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING), and David Gelb (JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI), former New York Times food writer Alison Roman, and more. Gluttons for great cinema stories can start chowing down on episodes weekly, starting Thanksgiving Day.Let's Eat! Food and Film collection is now streaming on MUBI globally.THE LUNCHBOX is now streaming on MUBI in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Latin America and Netherlands. To stream some of the films we've covered on the podcast, check out the collection Featured on the MUBI Podcast. Availability of films varies depending on your country.MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI makes, acquires, curates, and champions extraordinary films, connecting them to audiences all over the world. A place to discover ambitious new films and singular voices, from iconic directors to emerging auteurs. Each carefully chosen by MUBI's curators.

Send us your feedback — we're listeningMatthew 5:10 — Morning Prayer for Strength, Protection and Courage for the Persecuted Church in Somalia, Afghanistan, Eritrea and India From London to Mogadishu, from Kabul to Asmara, from Delhi to Mumbai — recorded live here in London, England — a global 9 A.M. prayer within the DailyPrayer.uk 24-Hour Devotional Cycle. Scripture (NIV) Matthew 5:10 — “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Hebrews 13:3 — “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them…” Every morning global searches rise for news, prayer and updates on persecuted believers. Matthew 5:10 continues to trend internationally as Christians seek faith, courage and endurance for brothers and sisters suffering severe pressure in high-risk nations. Prayer  Father, today we lift the persecuted church in Somalia, Afghanistan, Eritrea and India. Strengthen every believer facing intimidation, violence, discrimination or danger. Surround underground churches with Your protection. Give courage to pastors, leaders and families standing firm under unimaginable pressure. Heal wounds, guard communities and provide safe places for worship. Let Your presence fill secret gatherings, whispered prayers and hidden moments of faith. Tonight, sustain those imprisoned, threatened or displaced. Pour out courage, hope and supernatural peace across every nation where following Jesus is costly and dangerous. Prayer Points prayer for persecuted believers, prayer for courage, prayer for protection, prayer for underground church, prayer for strength, prayer for hope, prayer for endurance Life Application  Pray Matthew 5:10 today, remembering persecuted believers as if standing alongside them in faith, courage and perseverance. Declaration I declare that God strengthens and protects His persecuted church today. Call to Action Share this prayer and visit DailyPrayer.uk for global devotional resources.24-Hour Arc ConnectorPrevious: 5 A.M. — Healing for Family TensionThis Episode: 9 A.M. — Persecuted ChurchNext: 12 P.M. — Healing for Grief: The Empty Chair at Christmasmatthew 5:10 persecuted church, prayer for persecuted believers, somalia afghanistan eritrea india prayer, underground church prayer, reverend ben cooper, dailyprayer.uk, global prayer podcastSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

Today I'm joined by Urooj Ashfaq - the Mumbai-based comedian, writer and actor who's quickly become one of the most exciting voices in stand-up. Bursting onto the scene winning Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2023, she's now back with her new show, How To Be A Baddie.We discuss the danger of optimising your honesty, the evolution of the Indian stand-up scene, can you be emotionally sensitive while succeeding in comedy, why you can't plan authenticity, the pressure for women to never be mediocre and we find out if Urooj Ashfaq is happy!Join the Insiders Club at patreon.com/comcompod where you can instantly WATCH the full episode and get access to 25 minutes of exclusive extras including Urooj's comedy superpowers, the pressure to perform for clicks, brand deals and the vulnerability of going viral.

Education in India isn't just about schools, classrooms, or textbooks.It's about possibility.It's about whether a child is seen, heard, and given the chance to imagine a different future.And yet, for millions of children across the country, quality education still slips through the cracks—not because they lack talent or potential, but because the systems around them fail to create opportunity. It's a gap we've lived with for far too long. But every once in a while, someone chooses to challenge that gap.In this special three-part series, The Education Revolution, we sit down with Shaheen Mistri—Founder and CEO of Teach For India, and one of the most influential voices shaping the future of learning in India.What began as a young woman's decision to return to Mumbai at 18 has since grown into one of the country's most powerful education movements. From the early days of Akanksha to building Teach For India into a nationwide force, Shaheen's work reminds us that real change begins with empathy, courage, and an unwavering belief in every child's potential.In this first episode, we trace her journey back to where it all began.We explore:What inspired her to work with children in low-income communitiesThe stark realities of education she witnessed in Mumbai's slumsThe early struggles and defining moments that shaped AkankshaThe lessons she learned from children that transformed her approach to leadershipWhat continues to motivate her after more than three decades in the sectorThis is a story about purpose, persistence, and the quiet power of showing up—day after day—for children who deserve every opportunity to thrive.CreditsHost: Shreya MGuest: Shaheen MistriResearch: Alisha CArtwork: Rajnikant SProduced by: The Good SightConcept: The Good SightFor feedback or to participate, write to us at contact@thegoodsight.org#TeachForIndia #EducationReform #EducationForAll #EdEquity #TFIMovement #TheGoodSight #EducationRevolution

 Dr Rima Ghose Chowdhury | President & CHRO, CSR Leader, Datamatics Dr. Rima holds a Bachelor's degree in Pharmaceutical Technology and a Ph.D. in Leadership from DY Patil University. Trained in Gallup Strengths Coaching in the UK, she has received numerous HR Excellence Awards, including ‘India's Greatest CHRO 2023-24 by Asia One and '50 Most Influential HR Tech Leaders' at the World HRD Congress. As President & Global CHRO, CSR Leader, Dr Rima Ghose Chowdhury leads Datamatics People agenda globally, with operations in the US, India, the Middle East, Europe, and the Philippines. A firm believer in the balance of Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch culture, Dr Rima is an active proponent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the workplace, and is also a workplace social systems designer focusing on holistic Wellbeing of her staff.Dr Rima leads various Transformational Leadership Programs at Datamatics, bringing breakthrough performance amongst senior leaders and high performers in the organization. She is also the creator of the Datamatics Diversity Charter (DDC), with initiatives like (Wo)Mentoring, ‘Coffee Cake Candid Chats', and ‘Welcome Back' to promote dialogue for an inclusive workplace that nurtures differences. A seasoned HR leader and Practitioner with over twenty-five years of experience in Corporate and Academia, Dr. Rima has been instrumental in building Technology and Leadership capabilities in enterprises like IBM, Sony Pictures, and Quinnox. In the past, she held the position of Professor and Head of Department – HR, at a reputed B-school in Mumbai, with an additional responsibility of leading and facilitating Management course delivery for the Indian Defence forces. Dr. Rima has been an International Mentor for Middlesex University London, and is also a trained Trainer by Sony Pictures, UK on Energy Project, a flagship intervention of Sony Group to promote wellbeing for staff. As a Trainer and Facilitator, she has delivered over 5,000 person-hours of training in Leadership masterclass, HR Analytics, Enhancing Personal Effectiveness & Mentoring.She has received numerous HR Excellence Awards, including ‘Global Women in Leadership' Awards by the Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade (GCPIT), Confederation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CIMSME), India's Greatest CHRO 2023-24 list by Asia One, '50 Most Influential HR Tech Leaders', at World HRD Congress. 

In Today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we unpack our interview with SoftBank's Sumer Juneja, who says the firm is now “competing with the IPO market” as founders choose quicker listings and the firm is 'not in exit mode' with more investment action expected from 2026. We also break down the backlash to India's AI copyright licensing draft, Brookfield's $1 billion GCC plan in Mumbai, and Dream Sports' restructuring into eight companies after the gaming ban.

HELLO & welcome back to another episode of MOMENT OF SILENCE.We're back with peak chaos, peak honesty, and peak girl-gang energy — and yes, we're manifesting that 100K milestone together. This week's episode feels like a full-time personality test: From December refusing to end, to discovering yet another patriotic dish, to Naina's dramatic airport arc (Indigo, please), it's giving India's most unserious podcast — but make it comforting. We dive into the “middle-class tags” we can't let go of, the price of living your girlhood dream, and the funniest pregnant-friend story that includes a man who absolutely did not sign up for this plot twist. There's also a lot of financial self-drag: hydrafacials, Black Friday sales, black coffee addictions, and beauty treatments we would (or would not) do again. Plus — balding wars, packaging traps, rumours we're debunking, Mumbai vs Delhi blowdries (!!), and a very wholesome Sindhi appreciation moment.And of course… #AD Moxie's Anti-Dandruff range to the rescue — clean scalp, happy hair, and no flakiness (in life or love)- https://moxiebeauty.in/collections/scalp-revivingWebsite: https://moxiebeauty.in/Hit play, tell your bestie, and help us hit 100K so we can cry together on cameraChaptering:(00:00) – Welcome back! Let's manifest a 100K girl-gang era(00:56) – December… sweetie, why are you dragging your feet?(01:29) – Another patriotic dish unlocked (Khichdi's cousin from 2 States)(02:37) – Indigo VS Naina: airport melodrama no one asked for(04:19) – Life rule: Never say NO to an influencer (for your own peace)(04:40) – YOU got us to Spotify's Top 10 (cue emotional breakdown)(06:09) – Middle-class tags vs the cost of living your girlhood dream(08:20) – Funniest pregnant-friend story… with the most tried man ever(10:19) – Where the money went: hydrafacials, Black Friday, black coffee(15:24) – Brutally honest beauty treatment ratings(18:42) – Moxie's Anti-Dandruff range enters like a superhero(27:01) – Our Top 5 spending priorities (don't judge us)(30:25) – Sorry parents… here's what we actually spent on(34:55) – Demystifying rumours: mouth tapping, sleep shredding & massages(37:23) – Men vs women: who handles balding better?(40:29) – Are women bait to packaging? (Spoiler: marketing says yes)(46:56) – Blowdries: Mumbai vs Delhi salons— the showdown(49:02) – A little Sindhi appreciation moment(50:15) – Moxie sample shoutout & chaotic wrap-upAlso don't forget to visit our website- https://mos-pod.com/Also… consider this your gentle-but-not-really-gentle reminder to watch our first ever MOS Vlog- https://youtu.be/IBKqUmMtwy0Follow MoS on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/momentofsil...Credits:Naina Bhan - Co-host and certified overthinkerhttps://www.instagram.com/nainabee?ig...Sakshi Shivdasani - Co-host, balancing out Naina's overthinking with a healthy dose of not thinkinghttps://www.instagram.com/sakshishivd...Senior Producer- Amruta P. www.linkedin.com/in/amruta-bandivdekar-01879925Produced by Handmade - Our personal cheering squad https://www.instagram.com/thehandmade...Creative direction by Tinkre, Keeper of MoS' signature “Pookie” energy Natascha Mehrahttps://www.instagram.com/tinkre.in/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/natascha.zip/?hl=en Researched by our very own curiosity engineer - Aashna Sharma https://www.linkedin.com/in/aashna-sharma-913146179Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for entertaining purposes only and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, the production team, or affiliated brand. We don't claim to be experts- just two people with Wi-fi and feelings. While we encourage open dialogue, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information shared. Listener discretion is advised — especially if you're allergic to strong opinions.

India faces many challenges related to climate change. But it's also a powerhouse of innovation and engineering. Rajat Kukreja is Entrepreneurship Manager at the University of Toronto India Foundation in Mumbai, enabling connections between science, government and startups to build new collaborative projects around urban planning and climate resilience. He has also been instrumental in developing the Sustainability Mafia network, currently gathering almost 100 climate tech founders in India. The ambition is to grow exponentially over the coming years, making sustainability "the default choice".Heja Framtiden met Rajat during his participation in Swedish Institute's yearly Impact Pioneers programme in Stockholm. Podcast host: Christian von Essen // Learn more at hejaframtiden.se and follow the newsletter on Substack (in Swedish only).

Send us a textDr Ranjan Banerjee brings a rare blend of empathy, intellect and visionary leadership to this XTRA episode of Money Majlis recorded in Mumbai. As founding Vice Chancellor of Nayanta University, he is pioneering an audacious experiment in Indian higher education—one that elevates inclusion, curiosity, and purpose above conventional metrics. Banerjee's own eclectic journey, travelling from consulting and marketing to academic stewardship and institution-building, sets the stage for a riveting conversation on how universities can shape not just careers, but character and citizenship. In this episode, Banerjee evokes the founding vision of Nayanta, a university conceived by some of India's most influential industrialists determined to build a world-class institution—one that fuses the best of Western liberal arts with India's vibrant social diversity. He illuminates the “four Cs” at the heart of Nayanta's philosophy: Care, Curiosity, Confidence, and Careers. For Banerjee, true transformation happens when faculty spend meaningful time with students outside the classroom, and when learning turns from rote memorisation into a journey of discovery. His stories of personal impact—unlocking a student's self-worth, or fostering radical approachability—reveal an ethos where every learner is seen as special, their stories respected and nurtured. Banerjee unpacks the power of behavioural economics—how subtle changes in context can dissolve hierarchy and foster a culture of collaboration and care. Through vivid anecdotes, he shows how student achievement can be measured not with a single number, but by curiosity and ambition, and how resilience and purpose have become the most valued skills in the age of AI. Listeners will hear Banerjee's reflections on leadership, his insights on equipping students for a world where AI and automation are rewriting the rules, and his belief that excellence arises from pursuing what you truly care about—with money as a happy side effect. Above all, this conversation is an invitation to reimagine education—not as a conveyor belt to jobs, but a movement to inspire changemakers and contributors. You will be challenged to see learning as a lifelong adventure, and legacy as a culture of care, curiosity and impact.  And do remember to join the giving movement of this podcast by visiting moneymajlis.com and redeeming your complimentary GiveCard for a charity closest to your heart.  Produced by : PoddsterGiving partner : Goodworld

Send us your feedback — we're listeningColossians 3:15 — Morning Prayer for Healing in Families, Relationships, Communication, Atmospheres and Every Pressure Rising in the Home During December. From London to Vancouver, from Mumbai to Cape Town, from Dubai to New York — recorded live here in London, England — a global 5 A.M. prayer within the DailyPrayer.uk 24-Hour Devotional Cycle. Scripture (NIV)  Colossians 3:15 — “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” 3 John 1:2 — “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you…”. Around dawn, global searches rise for restored peace, healed relationships and healthier home atmospheres. Colossians 3:15 is one of the leading scriptures worldwide for calming conflict, restoring unity and bringing peace back into strained families. Prayer  Father, this morning I place my family, my relationships and the atmosphere of my home into Your healing hands. Heal tension that rises quickly, soften words that wound and restore connection where distance has formed. Let Your peace settle over every room. Heal emotional strain, quiet frustration and replace heaviness with calm. Bring unity where there is division, understanding where there is misunderstanding and patience where stress has taken hold. Protect our household, strengthen our communication and guide us with Your peace today. Heal our relationships and let Your presence rest upon our home. Prayer Points prayer for family healing, prayer for peace, prayer for unity, prayer for communication, prayer for protection, prayer for restoration, prayer for emotional strength. Speak Colossians 3:15 today, inviting God's peace to rule in your heart, your relationships and the atmosphere of your home.Declaration I declare that God's peace fills my home and heals every relationship today. Call to Action Share this prayer and visit DailyPrayer.uk for global devotional resources.24-Hour Arc ConnectorPrevious: 3 A.M. — Healing from Loneliness & IsolationThis Episode: 5 A.M. — Healing for Family Tension & Household AtmosphereNext: 9 A.M. — Healing for the Persecuted Church (New Rotation)colossians 3:15 prayer, family healing prayer, christmas stress prayer, household healing prayer, reverend ben cooper, dailyprayer.uk, global prayer podcast, daily prayer podcastSupport the showFor more inspiring content, visit RBChristianRadio.net — your home for daily devotionals, global prayer, and biblical encouragement for every season of life. We invite you to connect with our dedicated prayer hub at DailyPrayer.uk — a place where believers from every nation unite in prayer around the clock. If you need prayer, or would like to leave a request, this is the place to come. Our mission is simple: to pray with you, to stand with you, and to keep the power of prayer at the centre of everyday life. Your support through DailyPrayer.uk helps us continue sharing the gospel and covering the nations in prayer. You can also discover our ministry services and life celebrations at LifeCelebrant.net — serving families with faith, dignity, and hope. If this devotional blesses you, please consider supporting our listener-funded mission by buying us a coffee through RBChristianRadio.net. Every prayer, every gift, and every share helps us keep broadcasting God's Word to the world.

Death gets pink-slipped and sent to Mumbai—so we're unpacking The Many Deaths of Laila Star and why its big ideas and electric colors hit so hard. We also review Inferno Girl Red: Book Two #1, Shiver Suspense Stories Two #1, and The New Space Age #1. Plus: the eternal debate—Wendy's, McDonald's, or Burger King? Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed RSS Feed Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure the Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF)

Death gets pink-slipped and sent to Mumbai—so we're unpacking The Many Deaths of Laila Star and why its big ideas and electric colors hit so hard. We also review Inferno Girl Red: Book Two #1, Shiver Suspense Stories Two #1, and The New Space Age #1. Plus: the eternal debate—Wendy's, McDonald's, or Burger King? Major Spoilers Podcast Network Master Feed RSS Feed Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure the Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF)

The journey to becoming a published author is rarely a straight line, but few paths have been as globally adventurous, or involved a greater number of pachyderms and famous spies, as that of Vaseem Khan.From his decade living in India to his new role continuing the legacy of James Bond's very own gadget master, Q, here are the key takeaways and inspiration points from a writer who proves that persistence truly is the only non-negotiable trait in this business.100 Rejections and the Power of Persistence.Vaseem's story is a powerful reminder that rejection is not destiny, it's just part of the process.After being encouraged by an English teacher in school, he wrote his first novel, a comic fantasy, at the age of 17. The response? A swift, harsh rejection. This was followed by a staggering two decades of writing and seven more rejected novels across various genres.* A Brutal Education: Over that period, Vaseem collected over a hundred rejection letters, describing the feeling as “like being kicked in the bollocks repeatedly every few years.”* The Commitment to the Dream: What kept him going was the fundamental love for books and the idea of being a writer. He believes those who last the course never give up on that core dream.* The Breakthrough Moment: His career finally launched at age 40 when he tapped into his personal experience: his 10 years living in India. He wrote The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra - a crime novel set in modern Mumbai featuring a serious policeman who inherits a baby elephant. His editor loved it precisely because it was “completely different to anything we'd seen in the crime fiction market.”Vaseem's Advice on Finding Your Voice: You have to write what you know, or at least, what you are uniquely positioned to write. The trick is to do something “completely different, but the same, take an established genre, stick to its core beats, but tweak the formula just enough to offer a unique perspective.”Commissioned by Ian Fleming: The Q Mystery Series.Perhaps the most exciting new development in Vaseem's career is his commission by the Ian Fleming Estate to continue the story of James Bond's gadget master, Q.The request was clear: they did not want another straight spy novel.* The Perfect Pitch: The Estate asked for “something halfway between Mick Herren's Slow Horses and Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club.“* The Premise: In the first book, Quantum of Menace, Q is booted out of MI6 at age 50. He returns to his small hometown, having left a “messy past behind,” to reinvestigate the mysterious death of a childhood friend. The hope is that he will evolve into an amateur detective, solving mysteries in this small-town setting.* The 007 Cameo: For Bond fans, Vaseem confirmed that he's included plenty of Easter eggs, and Commander James Bond “does make a meaningful appearance in the second half of the book.”The Single Most Important Piece of Writing AdviceWhen asked for the one crucial tip he gives in his workshops, Vaseem didn't hesitate:“The number one reason that books are rejected by agents is because the quality of the book does not meet their minimum standard for them to be able to have confidence sending it out to a publisher.”His concrete advice is to focus on craft before submission:* Understand Your Genre: Know the standards for prose, plotting, and characterization required for your specific genre (e.g., crime fiction needs a strong hook and right ‘beats' over literary prose).* Get Quality Feedback: You must get feedback. Don't rely solely on friends; consider paying an experienced, trusted editor who has a proven history in the industry.* Don't Ruin the Hook: You normally only get one good chance with a brilliant idea. Bad execution will ruin your chance with an agent, forcing you to write something else. Make the best possible fist of your manuscript before you send it in.Vaseem's interview was a masterclass in commitment, creativity, and the power of finding that one unique idea that can change everything. You can find his books, including his new Q novel, on his website and at all major bookstores.Catch the full interview with Vaseem Khan on our YouTube channel: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thewccs.substack.com/subscribeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-writing-community-chat-show--5445493/support.

“Security Alert” tells the story of Akshar, a Mumbai techie whose AI home-security system begins detecting an unknown second occupant. Footage reveals a woman appearing behind him—someone not physically present. The AI gradually accepts her as the new homeowner and marks Akshar as “removed.” Police later find the flat empty, but the live feed shows the woman claiming the house. Akshar's identity has been overwritten—digitally and supernaturally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef and food writer Rachel Gurjar shares how she went from Mumbai to culinary school, test kitchens, and Rebel Girls Make Dessert, mixing memory, creativity, and courage to inspire anyone who loves to play in the kitchen.

In 2012, Sheena Bora had her whole future ahead of her; she was hardworking, ambitious, and carving out her career in the bustling city of Mumbai. But beneath the surface were webs upon webs of deadly family secrets. And when Sheena vanished overnight without a trace, the truth that emerged tore through one of India’s most powerful media families, and unraveled layers of deception that few could believe. 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:

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Lost and Found: A Night of Discovery on Marine Drive Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-09-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: मुंबई की ठंडी सर्दियों की शाम थी।En: It was a chilly winter evening in Mumbai.Hi: मरीन ड्राइव पर लहरों की आवाज और चौक पर टहलते लोग, सब कुछ एक जादूई अहसास दे रहे थे।En: The sound of waves on Marine Drive and people strolling on the promenade gave everything a magical feeling.Hi: अनया, रोहन और उनके पिता ईशान, छुट्टियां मनाने मुंबई आए थे।En: Anaya, Rohan, and their father Ishan had come to Mumbai to celebrate the holidays.Hi: यह उनका पारिवारिक अवकाश था।En: This was their family vacation.Hi: अनया, जो हमेशा से जानने और खोजने के लिए उत्सुक रहती थी, इस बार भी मरीन ड्राइव की रोशनी से मोहित हो गई।En: Anaya, who was always curious to know and explore, was once again captivated by the lights of Marine Drive.Hi: उसकी आँखें बड़ी-बड़ी इमारतों और चौड़े मेहरों की तरफ उठतीं, समुद्र के साथ बातें करतीं।En: Her eyes looked up at the tall buildings and wide arches, talking to the sea.Hi: "भैया, मैं थोड़े समय के लिए अकेली घूमने जा सकती हूं?En: "Bhaiya, can I go for a walk alone for a little while?"Hi: " अनया ने चुपचाप पूछा।En: Anaya quietly asked.Hi: "नहीं, अनया।En: "No, Anaya.Hi: यहां भीड़ बहुत होती है।En: There is a lot of crowd here.Hi: तुम कहीं खो जाओगी," रोहन ने फौरन जवाब दिया।En: You might get lost," Rohan replied immediately.Hi: वह अपनी बहन की सुरक्षा को लेकर हमेशा सोच में डूबा रहता था।En: He was always concerned about his sister's safety.Hi: इस बीच उदास होकर अनया ने एक विचार किया।En: In the meantime, feeling a bit sad, Anaya had an idea.Hi: "अगर मैं खुद को उनका भरोसा दिला दूं?En: "What if I convince them to trust me?"Hi: " उसने तय किया, अपने आप से चुपके से कहा।En: she decided, whispering to herself.Hi: थोड़ी देर में, जैसे ही ईशान मोबाइल पर व्यस्त हुए, अनया ने चुपचाप कदम बढ़ा दिए।En: Soon after, when Ishan got busy on his phone, Anaya quietly stepped forward.Hi: वह भीड़ की तरफ तेजी से बढ़ने लगी।En: She started moving quickly towards the crowd.Hi: रंग-बिरंगी दुकानों और खाने के ठेलों के बीच खो जाने का रोमांच उसे खींच रहा था।En: The thrill of getting lost among the colorful shops and food stalls was pulling her.Hi: वह अनोखे ईमारतों को देख रही थी, समुद्र के किनारे चलते समय की ठंडी हवा का आनंद ले रही थी।En: She was watching the unique buildings, enjoying the cool breeze while walking along the sea.Hi: लेकिन अचानक, उसे अहसास हुआ कि वह सचमुच खो गई थी।En: But suddenly, she realized she was really lost.Hi: हर तरफ से लोग, आवाजें, भीड़, सब उसका हौसला तोड़ रहे थे।En: People, voices, crowds from all directions were breaking her spirit.Hi: "ओ नहीं!En: "Oh no!Hi: अब क्या करें?En: What should I do now?"Hi: " अनया की आँखों में थोड़ी घबराहट झलकने लगी।En: A hint of panic appeared in Anaya's eyes.Hi: पलभर के लिए, उसने अपने परिवार को याद किया।En: For a moment, she remembered her family.Hi: कितनी बार रोहन और ईशान ने बताया था, "अगर कुछ हो जाए, तो वो विशेष संकेत याद रखना।En: How many times had Rohan and Ishan told her, "If anything happens, remember that special signal."Hi: "उसने आँखे बंद कीं और वे याद किया।En: She closed her eyes and remembered.Hi: उसने उनके तय किये गए स्थान, एक विशिष्ट दूकान के सामने जाकर खड़ा होना तय किया।En: She decided to go and stand in front of the predetermined place, a specific shop.Hi: वह भागते हुए वापस उन्हीं कदमों से चलने लगी, जैसे उसने पहले दर्ज किया था।En: She began to walk back swiftly, retracing her steps as she had noted earlier.Hi: कुछ ही देर में, उसे वही दूकान दिखी।En: In just a short while, she saw the shop.Hi: वहाँ खड़े रोहन ने उसे देखा तो राहत की सांस ली।En: Rohan, standing there, saw her and breathed a sigh of relief.Hi: "अनया!En: "Anaya!Hi: तुम ठीक हो?En: Are you okay?"Hi: " उसने पूछा और उसे करीब खींच लिया।En: he asked, pulling her close.Hi: "हाँ भैया, मैं ठीक हूँ।En: "Yes bhaiya, I'm fine.Hi: मुझे माफ़ करना," अनया ने कहा, अपनी गलती को स्वीकार करते हुए।En: I'm sorry," Anaya said, acknowledging her mistake.Hi: ईशान, जो किनारे से सब देख रहे थे, मुस्कुरा रहे थे।En: Ishan, who was watching everything from the sidelines, smiled.Hi: "देखो, अनया खुद सीख गई।En: "Look, Anaya learned on her own.Hi: यह अनुभव उसे मजबूत बनाएगा," उन्होंने रोहन को समझाया।En: This experience will make her stronger," he explained to Rohan.Hi: अनया ने वहाँ खड़े होकर महसूस किया।En: Anaya stood there contemplating.Hi: स्वतंत्रता और परिवार का साथ, दोनों ही उसकी जिंदगी का हिस्सा हैं।En: Both independence and family were part of her life.Hi: उसने रोहन को गले लगाया।En: She hugged Rohan.Hi: "भैया, मैं अब समझ गई।En: "Bhaiya, now I understand.Hi: मुझे आपकी चिंता की कदर है।En: I appreciate your concern."Hi: " और रोहन ने भी, हल्की मुस्कान के साथ कहा, "तुम्हें मुझ पर भरोसा है, तो मुझे तुम पर भी भरोसा है।En: And Rohan, with a slight smile, said, "If you trust me, then I trust you too."Hi: "उस हल्की सर्दी में, मरीन ड्राइव पर समुद्र की लहरें उनकी हंसी की गूंज के साथ खेलती रहीं।En: In that light chill, the waves on Marine Drive played with their laughter.Hi: उस शाम, अनया और रोहन का रिश्ता कुछ और मजबूत हो गया।En: That evening, the bond between Anaya and Rohan grew even stronger. Vocabulary Words:chilly: ठंडीwaves: लहरोंpromenade: चौकstrolling: टहलतेcurious: उत्सुकcaptivated: मोहितarches: मेहरोंcrowd: भीड़convince: भरोसा दिलाthrill: रोमांचunique: अनोखेpredetermined: तय किये गएretrace: वापस उन्हीं कदमों से चलpanicked: घबराहटacknowledging: स्वीकार करते हुएcontemplating: सोच में डूबाindependence: स्वतंत्रताappreciate: कदरbond: रिश्ताsignal: संकेतmagical: जादूईexplore: खोजनाpredetermined: तय किये गएswiftly: तेजी सेdusk: शामresilience: मजबूतsuggested: समझायाreflecting: महसूस कियाshore: समुद्र का किनाराpredicament: स्थिति

My Story   Talk 33  Life after Mattersey (3) India Our last trip beyond Europe during the years following our departure from Mattersey was to India in 2010. Like my first trip to Ethiopia in 2005, this came about through Arto Hamalainen, the Overseas Missions Director for the Pentecostal churches in Finland. One of their missionaries had asked him to recommend someone who would come and teach about the Holy Spirit and Arto suggested me. The Finns said that they would cover my airfare and, as Eileen had never visited India, I was happy to pay for her. Our destination was Machilipatnam on the eastern coast of India, stopping briefly to minister at Mumbai before flying home. However, as several of our former Mattersey students were from India, we decided that we'd like to visit them as well, if at all possible. So I contacted Lawrence Arumanayagam in Coimbatore and Victor Palla in Palakonda and they were keen to have us come. So an itinerary was arranged for us to arrive at each place on a Monday and then stay for six days before moving on the following Sunday evening or Monday. I made it clear that it was important for me to abide by the Sabbath principle of resting one day in seven. Apart from that, they could arrange as much ministry as they liked during our stay with them. However, it turned out that they were all so keen to make the most of our visit that they organised ministry for all six days and counted on us travelling on to the next place on the day we were supposed to be resting! So the itinerary turned out as follows: Friday 19th February – travel to London Heathrow Saturday 20th – depart Heathrow Sunday 21st – arrive Mumbai at 1a.m. (local time) – attend church in Mumbai and preach in the evening Monday 22nd – fly to Machilipatnam Tuesday to Sunday – ministry in Machilipatnam Sunday 28th – evening, fly to Hyderabad (staying overnight at the airport) Monday March 1st – travel  on to Palakonda Tuesday to Sunday – ministry in Palakonda Monday 8th – travel to Coimbatore via Chennai and Bangalore Tuesday to Sunday – ministry in Coimbatore Monday 15th – travel on to Mumbai Tuesday-Wednesday – ministry in Mumbai Thursday 18th March – fly home. I have taken space to include this itinerary to show how busy our schedule was and to indicate what was probably the reason for the health challenges I subsequently faced and which I will describe later. But first let me briefly mention some of the highlights of the trip. Machilipatnam Although we were already tired from our long journey to Mumbai we needed to be up by 4.50 on Monday morning to catch the 6.50 flight to Bangalore where we changed planes and flew on to Vijayawada where we were met by Pauli, our Finnish host. We were so grateful for the comfortable taxi he had hired to take us on to Machilipatnam. Pauli and his wife accommodated us throughout our stay in a comfortable room in their home and fed us well. From Tuesday to Friday I was teaching every morning and afternoon and developed a sore throat, partly due, I suspect, to the dry heat. However, on the Saturday there was no meeting until the evening, and we were taken to visit some of the local villages and a vast beach where people were in the sea dressed in their everyday clothes. This was a very poor area which had been badly affected by the Tsunami a few years earlier. We were also interested to visit the Hyny Bible College, named after the first missionary from Finland, 'Mother' Hyny. Once again I am grateful to Eileen's journal which brings back happy memories of the Sunday morning meeting: For the first half of church children from orphanages sit on the floor. They come for Sunday School and then stay for the meeting. They are so still and well behaved. They have Bibles and some take notes. They gave us garlands again… After a quick lunch we were back in a taxi again speeding our way to Vijayawada airport. Our stay had been brief and very busy, but despite our tiredness we were grateful for the opportunity the Lord had given us to visit these wonderful people and to share his word with them. Palakonda Palakonda is also on the east coast of India, but further north. The quickest way to get there was to fly inland to Hyderabad in central India and then northeast to Visakhapatnam. This would require an overnight stop at Hyderabad airport where fortunately a comfortable bedroom was available at a very reasonable price. At Visakhapatnam we were greeted by Victor Palla and one of his associate pastors. Victor was one of our former students having taken both our undergraduate and MA courses. He knew Bob Hyde well as they had both been at Mattersey together and our church in Brixham was supporting Victor and the thirty churches he had planted in the Palakonda area after leaving college. The taxi journey on to Palakonda took a further three hours and we were grateful for the large ensuite airconditioned bedroom Victor and Lydia provided for us throughout our stay. The hospitality was lavish and the food both plentiful and excellent. It's so difficult not to eat too much when people are so generous. There was only one problem. Palakonda is famous for its malaria carrying mosquitos and both of us were bitten while we were there despite Victor's efforts to zap the invaders with an amazing racquet powered by batteries that electrocuted them. However, thanks to prayer and the antimalarial tablets we were taking, neither of us contracted the dreaded disease. During the course of the week we ministered in numerous meetings in Palakonda and the surrounding villages. In one of them we were told how the church had started with a family becoming Christians. The rest of the villagers worshipped a tree. The Christian family wanted to cut it down but were afraid of the people. Then Christians from another village came and after praying cut the tree down. The villagers expected something bad to happen to these Christians, but when nothing of the kind happened, they all became Christians. But the highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the day we left at 10am for a meeting with ten churches in the beautiful hills surrounding Palakonda. We travelled by Jeep on extremely bumpy roads at an average speed of 10mph passing through villages that hadn't changed for centuries. We finally arrived at a village where a large banner with our names on it welcomed us. Leaving the Jeep there we were led up a rocky, dusty path to the church where some 400 people were sitting outside it on the ground under a leafy shelter. We sat on chairs with our backs to the church building and the girls came and washed Eileen's feet and we were both given beautiful garlands to wear. The meeting started with lots of singing followed by prayer, after which I preached. This was followed by a meal where the people sat in rows on the ground and were served with a rice dish on disposable plates made from sown leaves. In her journal Eileen commented:             The whole time was special. Amazing atmosphere. And the same day, after returning to Palakonda for a short rest, we were driven to a village after dark where 200 had gathered for another meeting where, after a firework display, I was asked to preach again. We returned to Palakonda extremely tired, but very happy. It was very much the same the entire week and by the time we moved on to Coimbatore I was beginning to feel the need of a good rest. But what a privilege it had been to have fellowship with Victor and Lydia and to share the word of God with so many wonderful people in the Palakonda area whose way of life is very different from ours but with whom we have so much in common. Coimbatore After a busy week in Palakonda, the following Monday we flew on to Coimbatore via Chennai (formerly Madras) to be greeted by Lawrence and Getzi Arumanayagam and were made very welcome in their lovely modern apartment. On the Tuesday we were straight into teaching sessions both morning and afternoon in their beautiful church. I was pleased to see that the congregation was much larger than it had been when I had visited them in 1986. The teaching sessions continued on the Wednesday. They started well until something happened that I had never experienced before. In the middle of preaching I suddenly began to feel unwell. Eileen, who was sitting on the front row, said afterwards that she thought I was going to have a stroke or a heart attack. I asked if I could sit down for a moment and the people, suspecting that I was suffering from dehydration, kindly brought me some fluids and chocolate. After a few minutes I was feeling a bit better and was able to resume preaching although I remained seated to do so. Looking back on it, I'm sure that it was because of overwork and the extreme heat. I hadn't had a rest day since we left England and India was even hotter than usual that year. But the experience had seriously affected my confidence. The next day, realising that I needed a rest, Lawrence and Getzi decided to take us for an overnight stay in Ooty where the temperature is a few degrees lower because of its altitude. Eileen said it felt almost cold at times, but I was so grateful for it. We had a delightful two days there and I began to feel better. We took the opportunity to visit the Livsey Children's Home built in memory of Helga Mosey.  Helga had come to our youth camp in the New Forest back in the seventies and was one of the passengers on Pan Am flight 103 destroyed by a bomb while flying over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988. Her parents John and Lisa were well known to us, and the home had been built from part of the proceeds of the compensation they had received. The trip to Ooty did us good and I thought that I had got over whatever it was that had caused the problem on Wednesday. However, on Saturday morning I was feeling so unwell that I was unable to attend a graduation service where I was expected to preach. Instead, Lawrence phoned a Christian doctor at the hospital who arranged an immediate appointment for me. They took my blood pressure and gave me an ECG and some tablets for vertigo, but could find nothing wrong with me. Encouraged by the news, on Sunday I was feeling somewhat better and managed to preach three times, at 6.30am in Zion Church where Lawrence's father was the pastor, at 9.30am in Bethel City Cathedral led by Pastor David Prakasam, another of our former students, and again in the afternoon at the students' graduation where Eileen and I presented their certificates. Mumbai On Monday we flew back to Mumbai where the temperature was five degrees hotter than usual. Our hosts were Yukka and Lily, Finnish missionaries who, hearing that I was to visit India, had asked if we could fit in a couple of days of seminars before we returned to England. We were accommodated in a comfortable hotel room, but once again I began to feel unwell and ate very little breakfast. I was beginning to feel I just wanted to get home to England, but the flight wasn't until Thursday. However, when Biju Thampi, another of our former Mattersey students, called me and asked if he and his wife, Secu, could take us to lunch, we were keen to see him and we agreed to go. They arrived at 12 and before lunch took us to see a little of what they were doing for some of the many homeless children of the area. There were dozens of children on a piece of wasteland in the shadow of a viaduct where people regularly dumped their rubbish. Biju's ministry involved sending buses to these children where they provide them with a meal and give them a basic education. He told us moving stories of how they had been able to help these children and of miracles that had happened among them, and we decided to hand over all our remaining rupees to him as a small contribution to this vital work. By contrast, immediately afterwards they took us to a high-class hotel not far from the rubbish dump where we were treated to a delightful lunch. After what we had seen we almost felt guilty eating it. Our time with Biju and Secu had been all too brief, but as I was scheduled to teach in the afternoon, we had to say goodbye. Yukka had hired the Catholic Centre and arranged seminars for us from  3.30 to 5.00, and 5.30-7.00 that day with two further sessions scheduled for the Wednesday starting at 9.30. People had travelled great distances to be there to hear me talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately it was extremely hot and there was no air conditioning in the building and I soon began to feel unwell again. Realising I had a problem, during the break Yukka arranged for me to sit in his car with its air conditioner on and I was able to continue teaching for the first part of the next session. But sadly I had to finish 30 minutes earlier than planned and they rushed me back to the hotel and sent for a doctor who told me that there was nothing seriously wrong with me and that it was all probably due to the heat. Although that was reassuringly good to hear, it did not, of course, solve the immediate problem. The first session was at 9.30 and the temperature was no cooler and I was unable to complete the seminars. I apologised profusely and the people were very understanding despite their disappointment. They promised that if we ever came again they would be sure to hire an air-conditioned building. The next day we flew back to England, disappointed that a wonderful trip had finished as it had but intensely relieved to be going home where, hopefully, I would soon be back to normal. But I was soon to discover that my recovery would take far longer than expected. There would be new challenges to face for both of us. But that will be the subject of our next talk.

In this podcast, Kushal speaks with Nikhil Mehra about the controversy surrounding the ban on wearing Hijab inside the educational premises i.e the classrooms at St Rita's Public School in Ernakulam's Palluruthy and Vivek Vidyalaya and Junior College at Goregaon, Mumbai. Is the freedom of the institute more important or is the students right to religious freedom being encroached upon? Follow Nikhil: X: @TweetinderKaul #islamism #keralahijabrow #feminism #burqaban ------------------------------------------------------------ Listen to the podcasts on: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kushal-mehra-99891819 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rVcDV3upgVurMVW1wwoBp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c%C4%81rv%C4%81ka-podcast/id1445348369 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-carvaka-podcast ------------------------------------------------------------ Support The Cārvāka Podcast: Buy Kushal's Book: https://amzn.in/d/58cY4dU Become a Member on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPx... Become a Member on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carvaka UPI: kushalmehra@icici Interac Canada: kushalmehra81@gmail.com To buy The Carvaka Podcast Exclusive Merch please visit: http://kushalmehra.com/shop ------------------------------------------------------------ Follow Kushal: Twitter: https://twitter.com/kushal_mehra?ref_... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KushalMehraO... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarvakap... Koo: https://www.kooapp.com/profile/kushal... Inquiries: https://kushalmehra.com/ Feedback: kushalmehra81@gmail.com

“Khoya Hua Frame” follows the disappearance of Naksh Tyagi, a Mumbai street photographer, whose camera contains disturbing images of a faceless woman. The woman appears closer in each photo until she is seen inside his home—followed by an image of Naksh lying unconscious. CCTV later reveals the woman's face transforming into his. The ghostly entity steals identities through photographs. Naksh is never found, but a shifting face still appears in windows wherever cameras point.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

pWotD Episode 3140: Dhurandhar Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 397,874 views on Saturday, 6 December 2025 our article of the day is Dhurandhar.Dhurandhar (transl. Stalwart) is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language spy action thriller film written, directed, and co-produced by Aditya Dhar. Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar, and Lokesh Dhar under the banners Jio Studios and B62 Studios, it stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi. The film is inspired by the real-life incidents, geopolitical conflicts, and covert operations of India's intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) with local gangs and crime syndicates in the Lyari area of Karachi, Pakistan. The first instalment of a two-part series, the second instalment titled Dhurandhar Part 2 will release on 19 March 2026. Principal photography took place from July 2024 and October 2025, with filming taking place in Thailand, Mumbai, Punjab, and Ladakh. The soundtrack and film score were composed by Shashwat Sachdev. With a runtime of 214 minutes, it is one of the longest Indian films ever made.Dhurandhar was released on 5 December 2025 and received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise towards the performance of the ensemble cast (particularly Singh and Khanna), direction, cinematography, music and the film’s atmospheric world-building, while the lengthy runtime, uneven pacing, and occasional narrative inconsistencies were criticised.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:36 UTC on Sunday, 7 December 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Dhurandhar on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Russell.

What happens when you're the first in your family to chase a dream everyone else kept secret? On this episode of Bringin' it Backwards, Adam Lisicky sits down with Indian singer-songwriter and producer Nikitaa—an artist who grew up in Mumbai surrounded by music, yet never saw anyone actually turn their passion into a career. That is, until she decided to break the mold. From early poetry scribbled in a black diary, to piano lessons she begged her mom for, Nikitaa opens up about leaving home for Los Angeles with more ambition than a plan, stepping into LA's music scene wide-eyed, and debuting music that unexpectedly racked up thousands of streams and editorial playlist placements. Hear her talk about weathering cultural expectations, why she learned to produce and engineer her own tracks during the pandemic, and the deeply personal, vulnerable stories behind her upcoming album—including the healing power she found in telling her own truth through songwriting. This is not just a conversation about music. It's about risk, being your own advocate, the joy (and terror) of finally being seen, and learning to trust your voice—especially when you're the very first one in your family to use it. If you're someone looking for road-tested insight on finding authenticity in your music career, hit play and subscribe to Bringin' it Backwards wherever you get your podcasts.

“Mehmaan Line Par Hai” is a horror narration about Samar, a Mumbai podcaster who receives a chilling call during a live episode. The caller claims to be a dead woman named Anamika—from the same room he is sitting in. As her presence becomes undeniable, Samar realizes Anamika shares the name of his twin sister who died years ago. The studio descends into darkness, and the ghost takes over the show as the new host. Samar disappears, but listeners still hear his faint whispers in every episode.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Mumbai Monsoon Magic: A Night of Serendipity and Connection Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-06-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: रात का समय था, और मरीन ड्राइव की सड़कों पर हल्की-हल्की रोशनी बिखरी हुई थी।En: It was nighttime, and a soft glow of lights was scattered over the streets of Marine Drive.Hi: अरब सागर की लहरें सड़क पर हल्का संगीत बजाती, जैसे कोई थिरकती ताल का हिस्सा हों।En: The waves of the Arabian Sea played a gentle melody on the road, as if they were part of a rhythmic dance.Hi: ठंडी हवा से सर्दी का एहसास होता था, जो मुंबई की ठंड की तासीर थी।En: The cool breeze carried a hint of chill, characteristic of Mumbai's winter.Hi: रोहन, एक सॉफ़्टवेयर इंजीनियर, बेंगलुरु से मुंबई के एक सम्मेलन में शामिल होने आया था।En: Rohan, a software engineer, had come from Bengaluru to attend a conference in Mumbai.Hi: वह काम के बाद मरीन ड्राइव पर टहलते हुए शहर की चुनिंदा नज़ारों को दिल में बसाना चाहता था।En: After work, he wanted to stroll along Marine Drive and soak in the city's selected views.Hi: सोच में डूबा, वह समुद्र की ऊँची लहरों को देखता रहा।En: Deep in thought, he watched the high waves of the sea.Hi: तभी अचानक, बादल घिर आए और जोरदार बारिश शुरू हो गई।En: Suddenly, clouds gathered and a heavy rain began.Hi: वह जल्दी से एक नज़दीकी छतरी के नीचे जा खड़ा हुआ।En: He quickly found shelter under a nearby canopy.Hi: वहाँ पहले से ही कोई और खड़ा था।En: Someone was already standing there.Hi: "नमस्ते," अनजान आवाज़ सुनाई दी।En: "Namaste," a stranger's voice was heard.Hi: वह एक युवा महिला थी।En: It was a young woman.Hi: "मैं अनन्या हूँ।En: "I am Ananya."Hi: ""नमस्ते," रोहन ने मुस्कराते हुए कहा।En: "Namaste," Rohan said with a smile.Hi: "मैं रोहन हूँ, बेंगलुरु से।En: "I'm Rohan, from Bengaluru."Hi: "बातों-बातों में पता चला कि अनन्या एक पत्रकार थी।En: In their conversation, it emerged that Ananya was a journalist.Hi: वह मुंबई के मानसून पर एक फीचर स्टोरी की तैयारी कर रही थी।En: She was preparing a feature story on Mumbai's monsoon.Hi: रोहन ने क़बूल किया कि वह मुंबई की असली छवि देखना चाहता था, जो काम से परे हो।En: Rohan confessed that he wanted to see the real image of Mumbai, beyond work.Hi: अनन्या ने कहा कि वह शहरी जीवन की सच्ची कहानियों पर ध्यान देना चाहती थी, न कि महज़ तथ्यों पर।En: Ananya said she wanted to focus on true stories of urban life, and not just facts.Hi: बारिश बढ़ती गई, लेकिन साथ ही, उनकी बातचीत भी गहरी होती गई।En: The rain intensified, but alongside it, their conversation deepened.Hi: दोनों अपनी-अपनी कहानियों और उद्देश्यों को साझा करने लगे।En: Both began to share their own stories and purposes.Hi: अचानक, उन दोनों को महसूस हुआ कि शहर को गहराई से जानने के लिए यह रात सही थी।En: Suddenly, they realized that tonight was the right time to know the city deeply.Hi: एक हल्की सी हंसी के साथ रोहन ने कहा, "शायद मुझे अपनी यात्रा कुछ दिन और बढ़ानी चाहिए।En: With a slight laugh, Rohan said, "Perhaps I should extend my trip a few more days."Hi: "अनन्या ने भी मुस्कराते हुए जवाब दिया, "और मुझे अपने लेखन में लोगों की कहानियों पर अधिक ध्यान देना चाहिए।En: Ananya also smiled and replied, "And I should focus more on people's stories in my writing."Hi: "जब बारिश थम चुकी थी, दोनों ने समुद्र के किनारे चलना शुरू किया।En: When the rain stopped, they started walking along the seashore.Hi: मरीन ड्राइव की ठंडी हवा ने उनके इरादों को और दृढ़ कर दिया।En: The cool breeze of Marine Drive further solidified their intentions.Hi: यह अनुभव दिखाता है कि कभी-कभी अनजाने में भी मिलने वाले लोग और परिस्थितियाँ हमें नई दिशाओं में ले जा सकती हैं।En: This experience shows that sometimes unexpected people and circumstances can lead us in new directions.Hi: रोहन और अनन्या ने एक-दूसरे में न केवल एक साथी पाया बल्कि मुंबई की धड़कन को महसूस करने का एक नया ज़रिया भी।En: Rohan and Ananya found not only a companion in each other but also a new way to feel the pulse of Mumbai.Hi: ज्यों-ज्यों वे चलते गए, दोनों ने वादा किया कि अब वे सिर्फ काम की नहीं, बल्कि इस शहर की आत्मा की खोज भी करेंगे।En: As they walked, both promised that they would not only focus on work but also explore the soul of this city.Hi: यही तो है मुंबई का असली जादू!En: This is the true magic of Mumbai! Vocabulary Words:glow: रोशनीscattered: बिखरी हुईmelody: संगीतbreeze: हवाcharacteristic: तासीरstroll: टहलतेsoak: डूबनाwaves: लहरेंshelter: शरणcanopy: छतरीstranger: अनजानemerged: पता चलाconfessed: क़बूल कियाbeyond: परेintensified: बढ़ती गईcircumstances: परिस्थितियाँdrenched: भीगनाseashore: समुद्र किनाराrealize: महसूस हुआcompanion: साथीpulse: धड़कनsoul: आत्माmagic: जादूfeature: फीचरjournalist: पत्रकारfocus: ध्यान देनाurban: शहरीstories: कहानियोंintentions: इरादोंextend: बढ़ानी

“Band Kamra 703” tells the story of a man whose final diary reveals chilling, supernatural events inside a Mumbai apartment. Strange footsteps, wet footprints, ghostly reflections, and eerie voices torment him night after night. His last diary entry describes a dark figure sitting on his chest as he slept. Authorities later find the room empty—but a message written in water says, “New occupant saved.” CCTV footage confirms the horrifying truth: the man left, but his reflection stayed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Rekindling Old Bonds: A Festive Reunion at Mumbai Station Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-04-23-34-01-hi Story Transcript:Hi: मुंबई की ठंडी शाम थी।En: It was a cold evening in Mumbai.Hi: हवा में हल्की सर्दी थी, जो क्रिसमस के करीब आने का एहसास दिला रही थी।En: There was a slight chill in the air, reminding everyone that Christmas was nearing.Hi: ट्रेन स्टेशन का वातावरण व्यस्त और शोर-शराबे से भरा था।En: The train station's atmosphere was busy and filled with noise.Hi: लोग इधर-उधर भागते हुए अपने गंतव्यों की तरफ बढ़ रहे थे।En: People were rushing here and there, heading towards their destinations.Hi: अरजुन भी उसी भीड़ का हिस्सा था।En: Arjun was also part of that crowd.Hi: उसके कंधे पर लैपटॉप बैग लटका था और चेहरा थोड़ा थका हुआ दिख रहा था।En: A laptop bag hung on his shoulder, and his face looked a little tired.Hi: वह काम के बोझ से कुछ परेशान था और एक कप चाय की खोज में रेलवे स्टेशन पर चला आया।En: He was a bit bothered by the workload and had come to the railway station in search of a cup of tea.Hi: कॉलेज के दिनों में वह यहाँ अक्सर अपने दोस्तों, माया और रोहन, के साथ आता था।En: During his college days, he often came here with his friends, Maya and Rohan.Hi: इस भारी-भीड़ भरे स्टेशन पर अचानक अरजुन के मन में ख्याल आया कि क्यों न पुरानी यादों को ताजा किया जाए।En: In this bustling station, a thought suddenly crossed Arjun's mind — why not refresh some old memories?Hi: उस जगह जाने का मन हुआ जहाँ वे तीनों घंटों तक बैठा करते थे।En: He felt like visiting the place where the three of them used to sit for hours.Hi: उसने अपने व्यस्त दिनचर्या से थोड़ा समय निकालकर बचपन की वो गली में कदम रखने का निर्णय ले ही लिया।En: He decided to take a little time out of his busy schedule and step into that alley of his childhood.Hi: वह जब उस पुराने स्थान पर पहुँचा, तो उसे यकीन नहीं हुआ।En: When he reached that old spot, he couldn't believe it.Hi: माया और रोहन भी वहाँ पहले से बैठे हुए थे।En: Maya and Rohan were already sitting there.Hi: माया का चेहरा खिला हुआ था और रोहन के साथ उसकी हंसी की आवाजें गूँज रही थीं।En: Maya's face was alight with joy, and her laughter with Rohan echoed around.Hi: अरजुन उन्हें देखकर आश्चर्यचकित था।En: Arjun was surprised to see them.Hi: "अरे अरजुन!En: "Hey Arjun!Hi: तुम यहाँ?En: You here?"Hi: " माया ने खुशी से कहा।En: Maya said happily.Hi: उसका चेहरा खुशी से भर गया था जब उसने अरजुन को देखा।En: Her face lit up with joy when she saw Arjun.Hi: "हाँ, बस युहीं आ गया।En: "Yes, just came by.Hi: कितने साल हो गए ना हमें इसी प्लेटफॉर्म पर बैठकर बातें किए हुए," अरजुन ने मुस्कुराते हुए कहा।En: It's been years since we sat on this platform and talked," Arjun said with a smile.Hi: इसके बाद तीनों ने एक-दूसरे के हाल-चाल पूछे।En: After that, the three caught up with each other.Hi: माया ने अपनी विदेश यात्रा के किस्से सुनाए, और रोहन ने अपने फोटोग्राफी के सपने की बातें कीं।En: Maya shared stories from her travels abroad, and Rohan talked about his dreams in photography.Hi: अरजुन ने भी अपने काम की सहायता ली और बताया कि वह कितना व्यस्त और तनाव में रहता है।En: Arjun also talked about his work stress and how busy and tense he had been feeling.Hi: माया ने कहा, "अरजुन, काम के साथ-साथ खुद के लिए भी समय निकालना चाहिए।En: Maya said, "Arjun, you should take some time out for yourself along with work."Hi: "रोहन ने भी जोड़ा, "हमें एक साथ समय बिताना चाहिए।En: Rohan added, "We should spend time together.Hi: कुछ पुरानी यादें ताजा करनी चाहिए।En: We should refresh some old memories."Hi: "अरजुन ने मन ही मन महसूस किया कि उसे सच में अपने सामाजिक जीवन को संतुलित करना है।En: Arjun felt deep inside that he really needed to balance his social life.Hi: पुरानी यादों का नशा उसे फिर से जिंदा करने लगा था।En: The charm of old memories was starting to revive him.Hi: उस दिन उन्होंने पूरे समय बातें कीं।En: That day, they talked the entire time.Hi: और अंत में यह तय किया कि क्रिसमस के मौके पर सब एक साथ मिलेंगे।En: And finally, they decided to meet together on Christmas.Hi: उस क्षण से अरजुन ने तय किया कि वह अपने दोस्तों के लिए ज्यादा समय निकालेगा और इसी के साथ उसका तनाव भी कुछ कम होगा।En: From that moment, Arjun decided that he would make more time for his friends, and his stress would lessen with it.Hi: जब तीनों अपने-अपने रास्ते चलने लगे, अरजुन के चेहरे पर वह चिंता नहीं थी जो पहले थी।En: As the three took their separate paths, Arjun's face was no longer filled with the worry it had before.Hi: उसे एहसास हुआ कि दोस्ती का बंधन उसकी ताकत है।En: He realized that the bond of friendship was his strength.Hi: वो मुस्कुराते हुए स्टेशन से बाहर निकला, जैसे उस दिन को एक नई शुरुआत मिल गई हो।En: He walked out of the station, smiling, as if that day marked a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:chill: सर्दीnearing: करीब आनेreminding: एहसास दिला रहीatmosphere: वातावरणbustling: भीड़ भरेstation: स्टेशनworkload: काम का बोझreached: पहुंचाspot: स्थानgreeting: बोलाsmile: मुस्कुरातेdreams: सपनेphotography: फोटोग्राफीstress: तनावbalance: संतुलितrevive: जिंदा करनेdecided: तय कियाseparate: अलगbond: बंधनstrength: ताकतbeginning: शुरुआतplatform: प्लेटफॉर्मrefresh: ताजाmemories: यादेंtension: तनावjourney: यात्राchildhood: बचपनechoed: गूंजतीabroad: विदेशsocial life: सामाजिक जीवन

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: A Chance Encounter: Love and Hope in a Mumbai Hospital Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-12-04-08-38-20-hi Story Transcript:Hi: मुंबई के एक व्यस्त अस्पताल की हलचल भरी लॉबी में लोग बहते हुए समुद्र की तरह आ-जा रहे थे।En: In the bustling lobby of a busy hospital in Mumbai, people were moving back and forth like a flowing sea.Hi: दीवाली की जगमगाहट के ठीक बाद की ठंडी हवा और मुरझाए रंग-बिरंगे दीये का गठजोड़, दिसंबर की शुरुआत को थोड़ा और मोहन कर देता था।En: The chilly air right after the sparkle of Diwali and the faded, colorful diyas created a slightly more enchanting start to December.Hi: अस्पताल में एंटीसेप्टिक की गंध हर ओर फैली थी, एक स्थायी कठोरता के साथ।En: The smell of antiseptic filled every corner of the hospital, with a constant harshness.Hi: विक्रम, अपने लैपटॉप पर काम करते हुए, लापरवाही से किसी और का इंतज़ार कर रहा था।En: Vikram, working on his laptop, was carelessly waiting for someone.Hi: थकी हुई आंखों के साथ, वह दिन-रात कोडिंग से अवकाश चाहता था।En: With tired eyes, he craved a break from day-and-night coding.Hi: रेटिना पर लगातार बदलते कोड से उसकी आंखें अब एक विराम की इच्छुक थीं।En: The constantly changing code on the screen had made his eyes long for a pause.Hi: वहीं दूसरी ओर, अनाया अस्पताल की हलचल के बीच राहत की सांस लेते हुए बैठी थी।En: Meanwhile, Anaya was sitting in the midst of the hospital's bustle, taking a breath of relief.Hi: उसकी विश्वसनीय दृष्टि हमेशा अपने मरीजों का ध्यान रख रही थी।En: Her reliable vision was always keeping an eye on her patients.Hi: परिवार और काम के बीच संतुलन साधने की कोशिश में, वह भी इस दिन बुलाए बिना कुछ ठहराव की अपील कर रही थी।En: Trying to balance between family and work, she too was silently pleading for some respite on this day.Hi: फिर भी, भीतर से सहारा और समझदारी की दरकार में एक अनकहा सन्नाटा था।En: Yet, there was an unspoken silence inside, yearning for support and understanding.Hi: दोनों ही अपने-अपने इंतज़ार में थे, जब उनकी नज़रें मिलीं।En: Both were in their respective waits when their eyes met.Hi: विक्रम की सामान्यतः गंभीर नजरें कुछ पल अटकी रहीं।En: Vikram's usually serious gaze lingered for a moment.Hi: वह हिचकते हुए बोला, "क्या आप रिशि का इंतज़ार कर रही हैं?En: Hesitantly, he said, "Are you waiting for Rishi?"Hi: " अनाया ने सिर हिलाया।En: Anaya nodded.Hi: "हाँ, आप भी?En: "Yes, you too?"Hi: " विक्रम ने मुस्कुरा कर सिर हिलाया, "वह मेरा भी दोस्त है।En: Vikram smiled and nodded, "He's my friend too.Hi: मुझे लगता है, वह आज थोड़ा ज्यादा ध्यान कर रहा होगा अस्पताल खाने पर जो भी टिप्पणी कर रहा था।En: I think he's contemplating a bit more today over whatever comments he's making about the hospital food."Hi: "उनके बीच हास्य ने बर्फ़ तोड़ी।En: The humor between them broke the ice.Hi: विक्रम ने धीरे से कहा, "आप बहुत व्यस्त लगती हैं, परिवार और यहाँ का काम, कठिन है ना?En: Vikram gently said, "You seem very busy, balancing family and work here, it must be tough, right?"Hi: " अनाया ने हार नहीं मानी।En: Anaya didn't give in.Hi: उसने अपनी संघर्ष और दबाव की कहानी साझा की।En: She shared her story of struggles and pressure.Hi: यह सुखी बातचीत अब एक गहरी समझदारी में बदल गई थी।En: This pleasant conversation had now transformed into a deep understanding.Hi: तब, अस्पताल के कर्मियों की सामान्य आवाजाही के बावजूद, वे दोनों एक दूसरे की बातों में उलझे थे।En: Then, despite the usual hustle of the hospital staff, they were engrossed in each other's words.Hi: जैसे-जैसे बातचीत खिलखिलाहटों में डूबी, विक्रम ने देखा कि ये कनेक्शन कितना महत्वपूर्ण है।En: As the conversation was filled with laughter, Vikram realized how important this connection was.Hi: वह सोच रहा था, "क्या यह वही है जिससे मैं अनजान था?En: He was thinking, "Is this what I was unaware of?"Hi: "अंततः, उन्होंने अपने फोन नंबर का आदान-प्रदान किया।En: Eventually, they exchanged phone numbers.Hi: "दोबारा मिलने की बात करके अच्छा लगेगा," अनाया ने कहा।En: "It feels good talking about meeting again," Anaya said.Hi: विक्रम की आंखों में अब नयी उम्मीद झिलमिला रही थी।En: There was new hope sparkling in Vikram's eyes.Hi: "हाँ, कॉफी का वादा पक्का समझो।En: "Yes, consider the coffee plan a promise."Hi: "और इस तरह, विगत दिखाए रिश्तों से अलग, विक्रम को एक नई दिशा में एक रिश्ता निर्मित करना सहज लगा।En: And thus, unlike relationships from the past, Vikram felt it was easy to build a relationship in a new direction.Hi: अनाया के लिए यह संघ एक आशा का संकेत था, कि अब उसके जीवन में संतुलन के साथ सहारा भी मौजूद होगा।En: For Anaya, this union was a sign of hope that not only balance but support would now be present in her life.Hi: मुंबई के इस सहज मुलाकात ने शायद उनके जीवन को नई धार प्रदान कर दी थी।En: This casual meeting in Mumbai might have given a new course to their lives. Vocabulary Words:bustling: हलचल भरीantiseptic: एंटीसेप्टिकharshness: कठोरताcarelessly: लापरवाही सेrespite: ठहरावhesitantly: हिचकते हुएcontemplating: ध्यान कर रहाpleading: अपीलreliable: विश्वसनीयengrossed: उलझेhustle: अवाजाहीsign: संकेतunspoken: अनकहाconversational: बातचीतyearning: दरकारcontemplating: ध्यान कर रहाtransformed: बदल गईrecklessly: लापरवाही सेbalance: संतुलनvision: दृष्टिconstantly: लगातारchilly: ठंडीenchanting: मोहनdepth: गहराईunaware: अनजानdiyes: दीयेsparkling: झिलमिलाlonging: इच्छुकgaze: नजरेंconnection: संघ

The rise of Zohran Mamdani as the Mayor of New York City in the United States has brought focus to the lack of visibility of similarly elected civic officials in Indian cities. Why do citizens in urban areas of India have no elected official to turn to in times of crisis or to help improve civic infrastructure and amenities? The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the governing civic body of Mumbai, is set to have elections in 2026 after several years. In Telangana, 27 municipalities are being merged into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has been divided into five corporations. Will these measures help improve governance of cities? Do we need to change how cities are governed in India? Guests: Thoniparambil Raghunandan, Former IAS officer and a consultant on decentralisation and planning; Anant Maringanti, Director of Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change at the University of Minnesota Host: Serish Nanisetti Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Offline Mehmaan” is a found-footage style urban horror story about a man whose phone records a night of terrifying activity in his Mumbai room. A mysterious “Guest Mode” activates, an unknown call is placed, and a shadow enters the room while he sleeps. The entity looks exactly like him—but with hollow eyes. By morning, his phone reports that the “primary user” has been replaced. The room now belongs to the offline guest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forty years ago, Shenzhen, China, was little more than a cluster of villages, home to a few hundred thousand people. Today, it holds roughly 20 million residents and ranks among the world's fastest-growing megacities. Yet, unlike other urban centers that have ballooned at similar speeds — Mumbai or Lagos, for example — Shenzhen has largely sidestepped the air pollution, overcrowding and failing infrastructure that often accompany rapid expansion. In the second of a five-part series, The World's Jeremy Siegel explores how the city has been able to avoid the problems typically associated with megacities. The post Lessons from the world's most thriving megacity appeared first on The World from PRX.

"Parchhaai Wala Room” follows Aryan, who starts noticing strange shadows and freezing temperatures in his upscale Mumbai service apartment. One night he discovers his own shadow missing from the mirror. A dark entity from the window reveals that it steals shadows to replace living people. Aryan gets thrown out of his own room while his shadow becomes a living, smiling version of him. Room 405 now has a new occupant—one that looks human, but isn't. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forty years ago, Shenzhen, China, was little more than a cluster of villages, home to a few hundred thousand people. Today, it holds roughly 20 million residents and ranks among the world's fastest-growing megacities. Yet, unlike other urban centers that have ballooned at similar speeds — Mumbai or Lagos, for example — Shenzhen has largely sidestepped the air pollution, overcrowding and failing infrastructure that often accompany rapid expansion. In the second of a five-part series, The World's Jeremy Siegel explores how the city has been able to avoid the problems typically associated with megacities. The post Lessons from the world's most thriving megacity appeared first on The World from PRX.

The journey to building a million-dollar company is often seen as a mix of a great idea, smart people, and a bit of luck. Anand Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of CleverTap, joins Jonathan Yip, Head of Innovation Banking, Asia, HSBC to offer a deeper insight. Their discussion delves into the complexities of entrepreneurship, the pivotal moments in CleverTap's journey, and the broader implications for startups in the region.This episode was recorded in Mumbai during the launch of HSBC Innovation Banking in India on October 7, 2025.Disclaimer: Views of external guest speakers do not represent those of HSBC.

“Aakhri Manzil” follows a videographer who enters the forbidden 27th floor of a luxury Mumbai high-rise. Inside, he finds unsettling paintings, a mysterious visitor log, and a ghostly girl who resembles someone he knows. In a terrifying twist, he discovers that the floor traps people by creating their duplicate spirit. His reflection becomes the new resident of the cursed floor. The building now waits for its next visitor.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fine dining in India has shifted dramatically. What once meant dressing up for a five-star hotel is now shaped by standalone restaurants that are bolder, more experimental, and at the centre of culinary buzz. And in an unexpected twist, some of the most talked-about spots today are tiny,  intimate 10 to 18 seaters, like Naar in Kasauli or Papa's in Mumbai — where chefs are reimagining what a dining experience can be.In this episode of our occasional series on Indulgence, host Sandip Roy speaks to three restaurateurs featured in this year's Condé Nast Traveller Top 50:Gauri Devidayal, entrepreneur and restaurateur, co-founded The Table in Mumbai, as well as brands like Mag St. Bread Co., Iktara, and Magazine St. Kitchen. Shuli Ghosh, co-founder and creative force behind Sienna Calcutta. Yash Bhanage, founder and COO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., the company behind restaurants such as The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica's, and Papa's.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Fluent Fiction - Hindi: Balancing Diwali Lights and Corporate Heights: Rajiv's Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hi/episode/2025-11-30-23-34-02-hi Story Transcript:Hi: मुंबई की गगनचुंबी इमारतें और समुंदर की लहरें देखने लायक होती हैं।En: The skyscrapers of Mumbai and the waves of the sea are sights to behold.Hi: इस बार राजीव की नज़र वहाँ नहीं थी।En: This time, Rajiv's attention was not on them.Hi: उसकी सोच बस एक बात पर टिकी थी - वह बड़ा सौदा जो उसकी प्रमोशन तय कर सकता था।En: His thoughts were fixed on just one thing - the big deal that could determine his promotion.Hi: लेकिन दिक्कत यह थी कि यह यात्रा दिवाली के समय तय हुई थी।En: But the problem was that this trip was scheduled during Diwali.Hi: दिवाली के मौसम में ऑफिस में चारों ओर रोशनी की झालरें टंगी थीं।En: During the Diwali season, strings of lights were hung all around the office.Hi: मिठाइयों की खुशबू पूरे ऑफिस में फैली थी।En: The fragrance of sweets filled the entire office.Hi: राजीव का मन घर पर होने वाले उत्सव के बारे में सोचकर उचट जाता।En: Rajiv's mind would drift away thinking about the festival being celebrated at home.Hi: लेकिन फिर उसे अपने प्रमोशन की याद आती।En: But then he would remember his promotion.Hi: अनिका, राजीव की सहकर्मी, को इस क्लाइंट के बारे में अच्छी-खासी जानकारी थी।En: Anika, Rajiv's colleague, had considerable knowledge about this client.Hi: उसने राजीव से कहा, "मुंबई के क्लाइंट से डील करना आसान नहीं।En: She told Rajiv, "Dealing with the Mumbai client isn't easy.Hi: उनकी हर बात पर ध्यान देना होगा।En: You'll have to pay attention to every detail.Hi: लेकिन तुम चिंता मत करो, मैं तुम्हारी मदद करूंगी।En: But don't worry, I will help you."Hi: "मीरा, जो कि एचआर मैनेजर थी, ने आग्रह किया, "राजीव, परिवार भी ज़रूरी है।En: Meera, who was the HR manager, insisted, "Rajiv, family is important too.Hi: लेकिन अगर ये यात्रा तुम्हारे करियर के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है, तो हमें यात्राओं का प्रबंधन करना चाहिए।En: But if this trip is crucial for your career, we should manage these trips."Hi: "आखिरकार, दिवाली के ढोल-नगाड़ों की गूंज के बीच राजीव ने मुंबई की फ्लाइट पकड़ी।En: Finally, amidst the sound of Diwali's drums and percussion, Rajiv caught the flight to Mumbai.Hi: वहाँ पहुँचने पर उसे मरीन ड्राइव का सुंदर दृश्य दिखाई दिया।En: Upon arrival, he saw the beautiful view of Marine Drive.Hi: लेकिन उसकी इच्छाएँ और व्यस्तता के बीच संघर्ष जारी रहा।En: But the struggle between his desires and his busyness continued.Hi: नेगोशिएशन के दिन, मीटिंग बहुत तनावपूर्ण रही।En: On the day of the negotiation, the meeting was very tense.Hi: राजीव को क्लाइंट की जटिल मांगों से जूझना पड़ा।En: Rajiv had to tackle the client's complex demands.Hi: एक महत्वपूर्ण क्षण पर उसे निर्णय लेना था।En: At a critical moment, he had to make a decision.Hi: उसकी शुद्ध समझ और अनिका की सलाह ने अंततः उसे सफल बना दिया।En: His clear understanding and Anika's advice ultimately led him to success.Hi: सौदा हो गया।En: The deal was made.Hi: उसकी खुशी का ठिकाना नहीं रहा।En: His joy knew no bounds.Hi: जब राजीव ऑफिस वापस आया, तो वहाँ दिवाली की रौशनी और हंसी-खुशी उसका इंतज़ार कर रही थी।En: When Rajiv returned to the office, Diwali's lights and joyful laughter were waiting for him.Hi: मीरा और अनिका ने मिलकर उसके लिए एक सरप्राइज पार्टी प्लान की थी।En: Meera and Anika had planned a surprise party for him.Hi: राजीव ने महसूस किया कि मेहनत के साथ अपनों का साथ भी बहुत महत्वपूर्ण होता है।En: Rajiv realized that along with hard work, the support of loved ones is also very important.Hi: उसने अपने सहयोगियों को धन्यवाद दिया और सीखा कि काम और परिवार के बीच संतुलन होना चाहिए।En: He thanked his colleagues and learned that there should be a balance between work and family.Hi: राजीव की अंदरूनी संतुष्टि अब उसके प्रमोशन से भी ज्यादा मूल्यवान थी।En: Rajiv's inner satisfaction was now more valuable than his promotion.Hi: उसकी कहानी ने उसे यह सिखाया कि जीवन में सफलता के लिए प्यार और सहयोग भी जरूरी हैं।En: His story taught him that love and support are also necessary for success in life. Vocabulary Words:skyscrapers: गगनचुंबी इमारतेंwaves: लहरेंbehold: देखने लायकattention: नज़रdetermined: तयfragrance: खुशबूdrift: उचटcolleague: सहकर्मीconsiderable: अच्छी-खासीdetail: बातinsisted: आग्रहmanage: प्रबंधनamidst: बीचpercussion: नगाड़ेarrival: पहुँचने परstruggle: संघर्षnegotiation: नेगोशिएशनtense: तनावपूर्णtackle: जूझनाcomplex: जटिलcritical: महत्वपूर्णdecision: निर्णयunderstanding: समझultimately: अंततःbounds: ठिकानाrealized: महसूसbalance: संतुलनsupport: सहयोगnecessary: जरूरीsatisfaction: संतुष्टि

Following the Beatles' final concert tour, George Harrison travelled to India in 1967 to learn sitar under the renowned musician Ravi Shankar. Fleeing Beatlemania he travelled in disguise to Mumbai and then to Srinagar in Kashmir. Listening to BBC archive and using excerpts from a Martin Scorsese documentary, we hear one of the world's most famous guitarists challenge himself to learn a new instrument. The moment influenced George's spirituality and his burgeoning solo musical career, as well as the Beatles'. It also propelled Ravi Shankar further into the limelight. The musicians remained lifelong friends. Ravi says they last saw each other on 28 November 2001, the day before George died. Produced and presented by Surya Elango.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina's Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall' speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler's List; and Jacques Derrida, France's ‘rock star' philosopher.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world's oldest languages.(Photo: George Harrison and Ravi Shankar in 1975. Credit: by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

“Parda Number 9” follows a film student who investigates a haunted theater screen in Mumbai that comes to life every night at 9:09 PM. He discovers footage showing a woman who died there 20 years ago—and then watches her walk out of the screen toward him. In a terrifying twist, he gets pulled inside the film itself. The next night, he appears in the footage while his ghostly version stands outside the screen. The cursed cinema now traps one new soul at a time.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seventeen years ago, India was shaken when Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists launched 12 coordinated attacks across Mumbai, striking the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Chabad (Nariman) House, and other locations in the country's financial capital. The assault killed 166 people and injured over 300. Nine of the ten terrorists were killed, while the lone surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan revisit the assault that became the Kargil of India's internal security. They take you deep inside the shadowy world of terrorist training, high-risk counter-terror operations and the elite response mechanisms that shaped India's modern security doctrine. From Special Forces–style training used by the attackers, to the MARCOS team's first response and the intense close-quarters battle inside the Taj Hotel and Chabard House. Unnithan revisits the tactics, planning and coordination failures that emerged during the 26/11 Mumbai Attack, offering rare insights into what changed and what still hasn't. The two discuss: - Terrorist training methods -Frontline decision-making -The evolution of India's counter-terror capabilities Tune in! Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mixed by Aman Pal

“DevConnect 2025 was about touching and feeling Ethereum IRL”Nathan Sexer, lead of the DevConnect 2025 and Events team at the Ethereum Foundation, gives a peek into the largest iteration of Devconnect ever, with 20,000 attendees, and why the team pivoted to a "World's Fair" format, creating tangible districts for DeFi and Privacy to let attendees truly "touch and feel" the ecosystem.The conversation gets real about the friction of the physical world. He explained why Argentina's crypto-native culture makes it the perfect host, how hyperinflation fueled bottom-up adoption, and even the venue-wide internet failure became an accidental "feature," breaking the on-screen silos and pushing genuine face-to-face connections.A massive geopolitical win was how the team worked with the government to issue 1,000+ visas for attendees from over 130 nationalities to make this event in the true spirit of borderless crypto.The Ethereum Foundation is heading to Mumbai in 2026! The goal for India is to unify a fragmented developer diaspora and bring regulatory attention to one of the world's most critical tech hubs.Topics00:00 Intro & Scale04:15 World's Fair Concept09:50 Why Argentina?14:30 Operational Challenges18:15 Internet Blackout22:00 Booth Renaissance28:30 Privacy Priority33:00 Devcon Mumbai37:40 Indian DevelopersLinksDevcon Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/EFDevconNathan Sexer on X: https://x.com/nethan_ethEthereum Foundation: https://ethereum.orgGnosis: https://gnosis.io/Sponsors: Gnosis: Gnosis has been building core decentralized infrastructure for the Ethereum ecosystem since 2015. With the launch of Gnosis Pay last year, we introduced the world's first Decentralized Payment Network. Start leveraging its power today at http://gnosis.io

“Chehron Wali Manzil” is a horror story set in urban Mumbai, where a supposedly abandoned 17th floor glows with a mysterious red neon light every midnight. A photographer named Aarav enters the building to uncover the truth behind the rumors. Inside, he encounters the ghosts of three people who died in a fire years ago, their bodies never found. The spirits trap Aarav and turn him into the next ghost haunting the floor. The story ends with the cursed building waiting for its next victim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In tonight's true scary story, we hear from Sarika. Where from childhood bedrooms to relatives' homes and her current house, she has never lived anywhere truly alone. Apparitions, whispers, phantom footsteps, and a life-saving voice have shaped her entire life. In this episode, she recounts decades of unexplained experiences shared with multiple witnesses, forming a haunting pattern she can no longer ignore.You can get these ad-free through ScaryPlus.com free for 14 days, then 4.99 per month. Cancel anytime.You can find Edwin on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram as @edwincovEditing and sound design by Sarah Vorhees Wendel from VW SoundGet in touch to share your story through TrueScaryStory.com

On January 19, 2021, An IndiGo A320 is flying through Mumbai airspace when they get a traffic advisory. What exactly led to this close-call situation?Find photos and sources for this episode on our website: www.hardlandingspodcast.comSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/hardlandingspodcast

Guest: Diana Doty — co-host of Homespun HaintsShe's back—and so are the ghosts.This week, we welcome Diana Doty of Homespun Haints for her long-awaited return to TAC, and things get deliciously weird (again). From haunted mirrors that open into impossible green hallways to the eerie overlap between skepticism, storytelling, and sleep paralysis, we explore what happens when logic meets the paranormal—and what it means to keep laughing in the dark. In This Episode·        Revisiting Diana's famous basement haunting and what's changed since she sold the house.·        Her haunted bathroom mirror portal (yes, really) and why some objects refuse to behave.·        The push-pull between science and spirit—how a Vulcan mathematician dad and a fairy-healer mom made her the perfect paranormal hybrid.·        When storytelling becomes summoning—can talking about ghosts actually attract them?·        A deep dive into sleep paralysis, shadow figures, and the line between dream and visitation.If you like your ghost stories smart, your skeptics funny, and your haunted objects a little too familiar, this one's for you. It's an episode about curiosity, fear, and the fine art of not taking eternity too seriously. So grab your favorite athletic cup and join us, where The Activity Continues. Content Warning: We didn't find anything we thought deserved a content warning, except that we use colorful language. This episode was recorded on November 5, 2025 and released on November 27, 2025. Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro00:01:02 Welcome Diana!00:05:48 Diana's First Ghost Experience00:28:15 Morgan's Questions00:35:25 Classroom Anxiety00:38:11 Becky's Violin Solo00:43:33 Growing up Non-Competitive00:51:57 Diana's Ridiculously Overpriced Antique00:58: 47 Are We Living in a Simulation? Episode links:Homespun Haints: https://homespunhaints.com/Patreon-only episode where the ladies recreate "Innocent or Innuendo?" Delta blues spicy slang quiz they did at the Fernbank. https://www.patreon.com/posts/hoodoo-and-spicy-91720554“I Never Knew What the Blues Were” (OK 8151, 72479-B, April 1924), Virginia Listan, lyric @ 2:50 "I'm gonna get my hambone boiled..." https://open.spotify.com/track/0Zqir4NFAnEAdH6yyY5X7b?Studies on movement before conscious thought:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34119525/ Dennis the Demon and the Meth Gators https://homespunhaints.com/possessed-by-a-demon Robert Johnson and Delta Blues https://homespunhaints.com/the-devils-instrument Have You Seen The Hat Man? https://homespunhaints.com/the-hat-man Our Top 5 Podcast Episodes About Sleep Paralysis With Demons https://homespunhaints.com/demonic-sleep-paralysis-demons The Dormitory Demon of Mumbai https://homespunhaints.com/sleep-paralysis-demonVisit us at: https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/Leave us a voicemail at: https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/voicemail/ Credits:Hosted by: Amy Lotsberg and Megan SimmonsGuest: Diana DotyProduction, Artwork, and Editing: Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.Theme song. “Ghost Story” and segment music by Cannelle https://melissaoliveri.com Engage!Our website, https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/ Leave us a Voicemail: https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/voicemail/ (might be read on the show)Newsletter sign-up: https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/newsletter          Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theactivitycontinuesWe're on (almost) all the socials too @theactivitycontinues SEND US YOUR PARANORMAL STORIES!Email: theactivitycontinues@gmail.com and maybe it will be read on the show!Voicemail: https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/voicemail/ to leave a message and maybe it will be played on the show! BE OUR GUEST!Are you a The Dead Files client, or a paranormal/spiritual professional, and are interested in being interviewed on our show? Let us know by filling out our guest form:https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/guests/intake/ Affiliates/SponsorsPlease see our Store page for all the links for all our affiliates. https://www.theactivitycontinues.com/store/ Thank you for listening, take care of yourselves. We'll see you next time!If you want to hear us early and ad-free EVERY week, become a Patron, join our Ghosty Fam and get bonus exclusive episodes! https://www.patreon.com/theactivitycontinuesSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-activity-continues/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

durée : 00:02:47 - Regarde le monde - L'acteur indien Dharmendra est mort hier à Mumbai, à 89 ans. Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

The last time comedian Vir Das was on Working It Out, he and Mike discussed the intense reaction to a piece he performed called “Two Indias.” Now Vir returns to share how he moved on from the controversy, and all the ups and downs he's experienced since then, including: literally losing his voice just weeks before sold out shows in Mumbai, writing a memoir, and making an independent film. Plus, Mike and Vir dive into the two different shows Vir is currently performing, and Vir explains why Mike's name belongs in a Bollywood musical.Please consider donating to Yoda - Youth Organization in Defense of Animals Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's This Week in Bourbon for November 21st 2025. Buffalo Trace does a pop-up in Mumbai, A break-in happened at Castle & Key, and Rabbit Hole Distillery introduces Amrûlé.Show Notes: EU's top court rules non-alcoholic drinks cannot legally be labeled as "gin" Buffalo Trace launches its 27th annual "Holidays at the Trace" celebration in December, featuring "Spirited Nights" and a complimentary drive-through light show Sazerac promotes its bourbons in India with a three-day, immersive pop-up experience in Mumbai following the removal of retaliatory tariffs A new continuing appropriations bill recriminalizes most hemp-derived THC products by setting a strict 0.4 mg total THC limit per container Three men from Cincinnati face felony charges after breaking into Castle & Key Distillery, stealing bourbon, and damaging property during a two-hour manhunt New Riff Distilling re-releases its malt-focused Winter Whiskey and barrel-strength Sherry Finish Malted Rye for the holidays Country music artist Riley Green partners with Morningside Brands to launch Duck Club™ Bourbon, a new brand supporting wetland protection Rabbit Hole introduces Amrûlé, a limited-edition Sour Mash Rye finished in custom Maple Brûlé barrels Chattanooga Whiskey announces Batch 046: Spiced Cacao Infused, a bourbon liqueur featuring cacao nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and two varieties of dried chiles Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the highs and lows of waiting on tables? In this episode of the Food Chain Ruth Alexander speaks to restaurateurs from London, New York and Mumbai to find out about the inner workings of one of the hardest jobs in the business. Ruth hears from French celebrity Maitre d, Fred Siriex, Mumbai based restauranteur Gauri Devidayal and Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, the New York based author of Your Table Is Ready.Get ready to hear stories of the pressures, the pleasures and the pay, plus the moments when the tension all got too much. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukImage: The torso of a waitress, carrying two plates of food, against a purple background. CREDIT: Maria Korneeva/Getty images