In her memoir, This Land We Call Home, Nusrat F. Jafri reflects on the history of her nomadic ancestors, members of the Bhantu tribe from Rajasthan, who were once branded "criminals" under British colonial law. As a response to caste-based discrimination, her family ultimately embraced Christianity. Through the book, Jafri weaves a narrative that explores not only the personal histories we all carry, but also the complex tapestry of our collective past. In this episode, host Sandip Roy...

While whiskey, wine, and gin have witnessed a kind of renaissance in India over the past few years, the same hasn't been true for indigenous liquors like Mahua, Feni, and rice beer. Although some of these liquors are now being recognized as 'heritage liquors'—with some even receiving GI tags—their growth has been relatively slow. To understand what’s preventing these traditional liquors from gaining broader acceptance, host Sandip Roy speaks with Aniruddha Mookerjee and Hansel...

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

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

Schools and colleges are increasingly concerned that the widespread use of AI tools like ChatGPT could weaken critical thinking and research skills among students. There's also growing unease about academic integrity, with fears that students may turn to AI for assignments or to bypass plagiarism checks. But even beyond education, AI has raised ethical concerns about job displacement, data privacy, and internal biases.  In her new book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI, Madhumita...

The RG case has once again drawn public attention, highlighting the need for thorough investigations and justice. This incident underscores ongoing concerns about women's safety and the urgent need for stronger protections. There have been renewed calls for the death penalty, though experts question its effectiveness and stress the need for legal reforms. In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Jhuma Sen and Amrita Dasgupta to discuss the case's implications, the death penalty debate, and...

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

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

When Narendra Modi first appeared on the national stage, his supporters touted the Gujarat model as crucial for national success, while opponents feared it might weaken India's foundational pillars. Now, after 20 years, how has the Gujarat model scaled up at the national level? In this episode, political scientist and historian Christophe Jaffrelot joins Sandip Roy to answer this question, and talk about his latest book — Gujarat Under Modi: The Blueprint for Today's India. Jaffrelot is...

In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled on a writ filed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), stating that the government, both at the state and Centre, must grant full legal recognition to transgender individuals. That judgment, in many ways, helped pave the way for the landmark Section 377 verdict. But ten years on, how much of the promise of that verdict has been realized in practice for the transgender community? To answer this question, Sandip is joined by Dalit and transgender...

Alpa Shah’s latest book, The Incarcerations, a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, unravels and uncovers the chilling story of the Bhima Koregaon case and how sixteen human rights defenders—including academics, poets, trade unionists, and Dalit organizers—were labeled urban Naxalites, charged with inciting violence, and accused of waging a war against the Indian state. In this episode, Shah joins host Sandip Roy to unpack the case and discuss some of its most puzzling...

The Aam Aadmi Party, led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is one of the most formidable political parties in the country and has often been described as a game-changer. But to what extent has that been the case? Has it truly transformed Indian politics, or has Indian politics, in turn, reshaped what the party once stood for? In this episode, host Sandip Roy is joined by Ashutosh and Neelanjan Sircar to discuss the evolution of the party, its current standing, the threat it poses to...

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

Despite the frequent buzz around new book releases and the increasing popularity of literary festivals, one glaring absence in the country remains: free public libraries. Join host Sandip Roy this week as he engages in a conversation with Mridula Koshy and Rituparna Neog, community activists part of the Free Libraries Network (FLN), to discuss India's dearth of public libraries and what can be done about it. Koshy, an award winning writer, founded The Community Library Project in Delhi in...

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

As summer sweeps in, we find ourselves once again inundated with reports of record-breaking temperatures, unprecedented heat waves, and other climate disasters. As adults, one question to consider is: How do we talk about climate change with young people, who will ultimately inherit this warming planet? And how can we do so in a manner that is not terrifying or depressing, but rather engages and encourages them to care? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Bijal Vachharajani and...

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

Last month, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by street dogs in central Delhi’s Tughlaq Lane. In response, the National Human Rights Commission directed authorities to submit a detailed report within six weeks and to control the population of street dogs. However, within days, some animal welfare organizations stated that there is no evidence implicating street dogs in the incident, citing the gated nature of the toddler's home which made it inaccessible to dogs in...

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

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

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

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

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

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