544 - 'I don't know why you make such a big thing of it'
Former diplomat and minister Mani Shankar Aiyar spoke with Harinder Baweja about why he has always favoured people-to-people ties with Pakistan. He also talks about controversies sparked by statements made by him, and Rajiv Gandhi, and why he thinks they're overblown.
Fri, 10 May 2024 - 40min
543 - Postponed for decades, how India can redraw its electoral map
It's been half a century since delimitation or the reorganisation of Parliamentary constituencies took place in India. Former IAS officer and founder of the Lok Satta movement, JP Narayan, spoke with TOI's Alka Dhupkar about the need to reorganise India's electoral map and what needs to be done to ensure no region feels shortchanged.
Wed, 08 May 2024 - 24min
542 - 'In another time you would've had President's rule in Manipur'
Editor of The Shillong Times Patricia Mukhim explains why it will be an uphill task to achieve peace in Manipur, a year after clashes broke out in the state.
Mon, 06 May 2024 - 18min
541 - Fire in the hills
The Times of India's Shivani Azad explains the worrying spread of forest fires in Uttarakhand this year and what experts say are the bigger lessons to be learned from such calamities.
Fri, 03 May 2024 - 11min
540 - The 'stars' who make Hindutva pop
Journalist and author of 'H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars' Kunal Purohit explained the emergence and rise of a popular subculture, and its political implications.
Wed, 01 May 2024 - 25min
539 - Decoding the implications of a low-energy election
Neelanjan Sircar, senior fellow at Centre for Policy Research, explains why turnouts may be low this election and why the political parties' campaigns feel more low-energy. He also explains the implications of this for the results of this election.
Mon, 29 Apr 2024 - 31min
538 - Why it's so hard to tackle online disinformation in India
Two actors have already filed cases over fake videos of them endorsing a party during the ongoing elections. Karen Rebelo, deputy editor at fact-checking organisation Boom Live, had decoded how misinformation has evolved over the years in India and why artificial intelligence tools will make it so much harder to detect misinformation.
Fri, 26 Apr 2024 - 22min
537 - Too sweet for your health
It turns out packaged baby food and 'health' drinks may have the same problem. Dr Arun Gupta from Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest explains how we can regulate our packaged food better so that we're not just eating sugar
Wed, 24 Apr 2024 - 22min
536 - After tit for tat attacks, will Iran-Israel peace last?
Retired diplomat and expert on the Middle East, Talmiz Ahmad decodes the attacks by Iran and Israel and how to read into the pause of hostilities that the two countries seem to have settled for.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 - 23min
535 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: Are faiths and rituals based in science?
Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explains why the attempts to make faith and rituals scientific are unnecessary and why being scientific shouldn't mean a discarding of faith.
Fri, 19 Apr 2024 - 20min
534 - Are we headed towards a chocolate apocalypse?
Vikram Doctor, one of India's best chroniclers of the food industry, explains why we may pay more for chocolate-based treats this year and whether we are going to face a chocolate apocalypse.
Wed, 17 Apr 2024 - 23min
533 - How much do India's new criminal laws really reform?
Zeba Sikora from Project 39A at the National Law University in Delhi explains the concerns with the three new criminal law bills that are expected to be implemented later this year and how much they really reform the criminal justice system
Mon, 15 Apr 2024 - 31min
532 - The case that forced Ramdev to apologise
Dr Jayesh Lele, honorary secretary general of the Indian Medical Association, talks about why a petition was filed against Ramdev and Patanjali and what action the case should have prompted.
Fri, 12 Apr 2024 - 20min
531 - What 'Kerala Story' gets wrong about Islamic State and India
The screening of 'Kerala Story' has prompted a political furore ahead of elections. Kabir Taneja, who's an author and Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, had explained why Islamic State failed to gain ground in India
Wed, 10 Apr 2024 - 30min
530 - What happens when India starts targeting enemies abroad
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has said India will target its enemies on foreign soil if needed.
Professor Rory Cormac from the University of Nottingham, who specialises in the study of covert action, and Ajai Sahni, who is Executive Director of the Institute of Conflict Management, explain the fallout of operations that take place outside India.
Mon, 08 Apr 2024 - 22min
529 - An island abandoned?
Policy analyst and commentator N Sathiya Moorthy explains why the agreement on Katchatheevu island was arrived at between India and Sri Lanka and why the campaign over the island isn't a great political or diplomatic strategy.
Fri, 05 Apr 2024 - 21min
528 - Lessons on democracy from a Bharat Ratna
Author and journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni, who worked closely with LK Advani, talks about the lessons the former deputy prime minister's career offers for Indian democracy today.
Wed, 03 Apr 2024 - 29min
527 - Bringing an encounter specialist to justice
Advocate Ramprasad Gupta, whose 18-year-long legal battle over his brother's killing resulted in the conviction of Mumbai 'encounter specialist' Pradeep Sharma, talks to TOI's Sunil Baghel about the challenges he faced.
Tue, 02 Apr 2024 - 26min
526 - The world behind bars
Trade unionist and human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, who was arrested in the Elgar Parishad case in Maharashtra, talks to TOI Plus's Alka Dhupkar about her new book (that just won an award), life in jail and why she's still an optimist.
Fri, 29 Mar 2024 - 27min
525 - The worrying aspects of Arvind Kejriwal's arrest
Eminent political scientist Suhas Palshikar explains what worries him about Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, what the opposition hasn't done right and what it could mean beyond the national elections.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 - 36min
524 - Cape Town's lessons for Bengaluru
Dr Zahid Badroodien who works in the city administration of Cape Town talks about how they dealt with the worry of 'Day Zero' and dry taps, and the lessons other water-stressed cities like Bengaluru can take from them.
Mon, 25 Mar 2024 - 29min
523 - Why The Godfather still rules
The Godfather released on March 24, 1972, inspiring films everywhere since. Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and critic Jai Arjun Singh talk about why a film about an Italian mafia family remains relevant over 50 years later and why it remains an inspiration to filmmakers
Fri, 22 Mar 2024 - 36min
522 - Decoding the Indian consumer and economy
Rama Bijapurkar, one of India's most respected voices on consumer behaviour, talks about what firms continue to get wrong about the Indian consumer and her worries about the Indian economy
Wed, 20 Mar 2024 - 30min
521 - Making sense of electoral bond data
Maj Gen (retd) Anil Verma from Association for Democratic Reforms, which petitioned the Supreme Court against electoral bonds, explains what the data released about electoral bonds has revealed so far.
Mon, 18 Mar 2024 - 18min
520 - 'There is no split in Pawar family or NCP'
Supriya Sule, who has represented the NCP for three terms in Parliament, talks to TOI's Alka Dhupkar about her upcoming Lok Sabha campaign and how she will run it, even if her opponent is Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra.
Fri, 15 Mar 2024 - 20min
519 - A worrying curve
Dr Guha Pradeepa from the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation explains the worrying trends for India in a recent Lancet report on obesity and malnutrition.
Wed, 13 Mar 2024 - 15min
518 - What PM Modi can do to win Kashmiris' trust
AS Dulat was R&AW chief and a former advisor to the Prime Minister's office on Kashmir. He talks about his good friend Ajit Doval and what can be done to earn Kashmir's trust after abrogating Article 370.
Mon, 11 Mar 2024 - 24min
517 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: What happens when we try to put myths in history?
Could the Mahabharata have taken place at a time before horses were used in India? Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik talks about the unusual problems that arise when you start to link myths with historical dates.
Fri, 08 Mar 2024 - 26min
516 - 'I have two children, but one is with god'
Sadia Hasan's son died when he was eight. She talks to TOI's Ambika Pandit about living with loss, and a chance meeting that resulted in her producing the film 'Yes Papa' which targets child sexual abuse.
Wed, 06 Mar 2024 - 23min
515 - I've pleaded not guilty because I'm not guilty: Indrani Mukerjea
Accused of murdering her daughter and out on bail, Indrani Mukerjea is presently the subject of a docu-series. In this interview, she spoke about not seeking to change people's opinions of her and why the high-life wasn't all fun and games.
Mon, 04 Mar 2024 - 29min
514 - How to navigate a stroke
In light of Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath's public statement on suffering a stroke, Mumbai-based neurologists - Dr Shirish Hastak and Dr Pawan Ojha - talk about causes, first aid tips and why public figures talking about the condition is a good thing.
Fri, 01 Mar 2024 - 20min
513 - How to deal with the issue of stray dogs?
Recently, a two-year-old was killed in Delhi by a pack of stray dogs, raising questions about how cities should deal with the issue. Dr Gowri Yale, a veterinarian who works on the issue, spoke with TOI's Alka Dhupkar about how we can deal with stray dogs without resorting to extreme measures.
Wed, 28 Feb 2024 - 21min
512 - What to expect as Russia-Ukraine war enters year 3
TOI's Rudroneel Ghosh speaks with Lithuania's foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and Dr. Rajorshi Roy at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses to decode where the Russia-Ukraine war is headed and its continuing impacts.
Mon, 26 Feb 2024 - 20min
511 - The legal roadblocks for Maharashtra's Maratha quota
Sreehari Aney, former advocate general of Maharashtra, talks to TOI's Bhavika Jain about the legal challenges the bill to grant a 10% quota for Marathas seems set to face.
Fri, 23 Feb 2024 - 26min
510 - Why the plan to fence this border doesn't have too much support
India's announcement to fence the border with Myanmar hasn't been met with support from three states. Journalist and author Rajeev Bhattacharya - who has travelled into Myanmar through the open border - explains the situation on the ground and why there's limited support for the decision
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 - 21min
509 - Is ideology dead in Indian politics?
Political scientist and author Suhas Palshikar explains the importance of ideology for political parties and why parties ignoring it isn't a good sign for Indian politics.
Mon, 19 Feb 2024 - 29min
508 - Don’t let Ranveer ad fool you about 'supplements'
Sexologist and author Dr Rajan Bhonsle talks about the dangers of 'supplements' that promise to solve sexual problems and the dangers of self-medicating to solve problems.
Fri, 16 Feb 2024 - 20min
507 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: Why is it difficult to teach children Bhagvad Gita?
As a state doubles down on its decision to teach school children parts of the Gita, author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik talks about why the holy text may not be for children. He talks about its complexities and also why he believes it shouldn't be viewed outside the context of the Mahabharata.
Wed, 14 Feb 2024 - 22min
506 - Despite fixing, Pakistan election throws up surprise
After Pakistan's national elections throw up a result that defies all pre-poll predictions, academic and author Ayesha Siddiqa explains what this means for Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan, the Pakistan Army and ties with India.
Mon, 12 Feb 2024 - 34min
505 - Uttarakhand uniform civil code: Pros, cons and lost chances
Mihira Sood, Executive Director of the Centre for Child Rights & Juvenile Justice at the National Law University in Delhi, first decodes how much Uttarakhand's uniform civil code changes things. She also explains why the state's proposal on handling live-in relationships is very problematic. (15:50)
Fri, 09 Feb 2024 - 32min
504 - Modi and Advani: The BJP pitch for 2024
TOI+ columnist and journalist Radhika Ramaseshan talks about Bharat Ratna awardee LK Advani's contribution to the Ram temple cause and his own political fall. Then she decodes the BJP's campaign strategy ahead of the 2024 polls.
Wed, 07 Feb 2024 - 26min
503 - The 'bird fancier's lung disease' that kills
TOI Plus's Lata Mishra speaks with doctors and patients about hypersensitivity pneumonitis, why a bird's being blamed for its rise and how to prevent it.
Mon, 05 Feb 2024 - 16min
502 - Nitish out, INDIA prospects over?
Sanjay Kumar, co-director of Lokniti, talks to Alka Dhupkar about why he wrote off the 2024 national election after Nitish Kumar's departure, what explains the Bihar chief minister's political survival and what the INDIA alliance needs to do quickly.
Fri, 02 Feb 2024 - 22min
501 - Decoding the impact of the Maratha campaign for a quota
Sociologist Dr Suryakant Waghmore talks to TOI Plus's Bhavika Jain about how the Maratha demand for a quota changed over decades, what it means for politics in the state and what its latest success means for the community.
Wed, 31 Jan 2024 - 23min
500 - The second biggest threat to the world in 2024?
A recent report said AI-driven misinformation is the second biggest risk to the world in 2024 and India is at the highest risk. Karen Rebelo, deputy editor at fact-checking organisation Boom Live, decodes how misinformation has evolved over the years in India and why artificial intelligence tools will make it so much harder to detect misinformation.
Mon, 29 Jan 2024 - 24min
499 - The evolution of a republic
Former police officer Julio Ribeiro, former editor Rahul Singh and prominent gynaecologist Dr Rustom Soonawala reflect on India's successes over seven decades and where it could have done better.
Fri, 26 Jan 2024 - 31min
498 - Why Indians went cuckoo over butter chicken
As the origin story of the dish is contested, food historian and columnist Anoothi Vishal decodes how butter chicken became so popular (not just because of the taste) and the dishes it eclipsed on the way to becoming a global superstar.
Wed, 24 Jan 2024 - 25min
497 - Iran-Pakistan missile strikes and the risk of war in West Asia
Retired ambassador and West Asia geopolitics expert, Talmiz Ahmad talks to Jairaj Singh about the Iran-Pakistan missile strikes, what could spread the conflict in West Asia and what tensions in the region mean for India.
Mon, 22 Jan 2024 - 26min
496 - What Rahul Gandhi's new yatra can do for Congress, INDIA
Former Maharashtra CM and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan talks to TOI Plus's Alka Dhupkar about Milind Deora's departure and firming alliances. Then, CPR's Neelanjan Sircar explains what impact Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra can have, and what it means for the INDIA alliance.
Fri, 19 Jan 2024 - 32min
495 - Does India's anti-defection law need more teeth?
Sunil Baghel and Bhavika Jain from TOI+ speak with constitutional experts - PDT Achary and former Maharashtra Advocate General Sreehari Aney - to decode what the Maharashtra speaker's verdict in the Shiv Sena split says about India's anti-defection law.
Wed, 17 Jan 2024 - 23min
494 - The issues with the 'one nation one election' plan
Political scientist and co-director of Lokniti, Suhas Palshikar examines the 'one nation, one election' plan and breaks down why it raises more concerns than solving problems.
Mon, 15 Jan 2024 - 24min
493 - Decoding the rise, and fading away, of ULFA
One of India's longest-standing insurgent groups ULFA recently signed a memorandum of settlement with the Indian government. Journalist and author of 'ULFA: The Mirage of Dawn', Rajeev Bhattacharyya talks to TOI's Jayanta Kalita about what the latest peace agreement means, and how ULFA rose and then lost influence in Assam
Fri, 12 Jan 2024 - 17min
492 - What selfie points reveal about Right to Information
Former central information commissioner, Shailesh Gandhi talks about what the transfer of an official for revealing information about government selfie points says about the health of the Right to Information Act and why it's a law that must be preserved in the interest of transparency.
Wed, 10 Jan 2024 - 19min
491 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: Why do gods tell us different things on how to handle wealth?
Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explains why our religions talk about how to handle money and wealth even though gods are above money. He also explains why different religions have different ideas about what to do with wealth
Mon, 08 Jan 2024 - 29min
490 - How air pollution is blackening our lungs
Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery at Medanta Hospital, explains why he's been talking about the blackening of lungs due to air pollution and why he believes more people need to know what air pollution is doing to them.
Fri, 05 Jan 2024 - 17min
489 - Bangladesh's PM set to stay, but what next?
The Bangladesh elections are to be held on January 7 but the outcome seems set. Author and journalist Deep Halder talks to Prabhash K Dutta about what to expect as Sheikh Hasina's likely to enjoy a fourth term as the country's prime minister.
Wed, 03 Jan 2024 - 18min
488 - India's new criminal laws keep reforms behind bars?
Zeba Sikora from Project 39A at the National Law University in Delhi explains the concerns with the three new criminal law bills passed by Parliament and how much they really reform the criminal justice system.
Fri, 22 Dec 2023 - 31min
487 - Hindu right tunes to H-pop
Author of 'H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars' and journalist Kunal Purohit talks about the emergence of a popular subculture, what explains its rise and the dangers it comes with.
Wed, 20 Dec 2023 - 25min
486 - COP out on climate change in Dubai?
Aditya Bahadur, Chair of the Research and Strategy Team at the International Institute for Environment and Development, explains what was achieved, and what wasn't, at the COP28 summit in Dubai and why the world seems to be working so slowly on tackling climate change
Tue, 19 Dec 2023 - 15min
485 - What we've been doing wrong with investments
Author and personal finance advisor M Pattabiraman explains why tax-saving investments aren't always the best option, how to invest and what most investors get wrong.
Fri, 15 Dec 2023 - 24min
484 - Kashmir after Article 370 - a status check
Journalist Shakir Mir, who writes on Kashmir for TOI+, talks about the reaction to the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 in the region and how the union territory has fared since 2019.
Wed, 13 Dec 2023 - 15min
483 - What Indian cities should do to prevent flooding
After the flooding in Chennai, we're bringing back this episode in which we spoke with Jagdish Krishnaswamy, an ecohydrologist at IIHS, who explained what India's cities need to do to prevent flooding.
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 - 14min
482 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: Do gods make mistakes?
Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explains why there are some myths and faiths in which gods make mistakes and in some faiths gods never make any errors.
Fri, 08 Dec 2023 - 25min
481 - What will matter in the 2024 national elections
Co-director of Lokniti and chief editor of Studies in Indian Politics, Dr Suhas Palshikar explains how to view the upcoming 2024 elections in light of the three state election victories for the BJP.
Wed, 06 Dec 2023 - 23min
480 - What a 3-1 result means for BJP and Congress
Political columnists Radhika Ramaseshan and Sugata Srinivasaraju decode the election results in MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and what it means for the BJP and Congress months ahead of a national election.
Mon, 04 Dec 2023 - 29min
479 - Once a safe space, now a hate-filled space?
Shivam Bharadwaj, who runs the social media handle 'The Guy In A Skirt', and founder of Pink List India, Anish Gawande, talk about the kind of abuse queer people and influencers face online in light of a teenager's death. Also, what does such constant abuse online mean for the queer community that has viewed the online world as a safe space?
Fri, 01 Dec 2023 - 28min
478 - The real lesson from Kota days
A former student of a coaching class in Kota looks back at his time there, and with the benefit of hindsight evaluates the impact it had on him.
Wed, 29 Nov 2023 - 33min
477 - Dangers of India 'targeting' its enemies abroad
After the allegations of murder from Canada, a report says the US has warned India of its possible role in a murder plot on US soil. Meanwhile, multiple terror accused have died in mysterious circumstances in Pakistan.
Professor Rory Cormac from the University of Nottingham, who specialises in the study of covert action, and Ajai Sahni, who is Executive Director of the Institute of Conflict Management, explain the possible fallouts of these allegations Links to the previous episode with Ajai Sahni titled 'Is a Khalistani threat looming upon us?' on TOI website, Spotify and Apple podcasts
Mon, 27 Nov 2023 - 34min
476 - The cost of developing Uttarakhand's hills
TOI's Shivani Azad, activist Renu Paul and former director of the People’s Science Institute in Dehradun, Ravi Chopra, discuss the impact of big infrastructure projects in the state of Uttarakhand.
Fri, 24 Nov 2023 - 23min
475 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: Why do religious food rules like halal face opposition
Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik talks about religious food rules like halal and kosher and why communities adhere to them. He also explains better alternatives than bans on such practices.
Wed, 22 Nov 2023 - 18min
474 - The winter smog's stealthy assault
Pulmonologist Dr Jeenam Shah talks to TOI's Lata Mishra about the health impacts of poor air quality and how he's seeing air pollution affect people.
Mon, 20 Nov 2023 - 14min
473 - In Madhya Pradesh, an electoral race too close to call
Professor Yatindra Singh Sisodia, who is director of the Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research, explains why the contest between the Congress and BJP for 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh is too close to call this year.
Fri, 17 Nov 2023 - 17min
472 - What it takes to be a great coach
Badminton legend and chief coach of the India national badminton team, Pullela Gopichand talks about what it takes to create winners and how he overcame his own challenges as a player and coach.
Wed, 15 Nov 2023 - 19min
471 - Growing up in a gilded cage
Sidhartha Mallya talks about depression, OCD, his complicated relationship with his father and life in a gilded cage.
Mon, 13 Nov 2023 - 27min
470 - The history-makers at this World Cup
Journalist and author Jafar Haand, who has been tracking Afghanistan cricket since the nation got a team, talks to Pinaki Chakraborty about a remarkable run in the World Cup
Fri, 10 Nov 2023 - 16min
469 - Leading the charge, but out of the race?
Despite leading the party's campaign, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje and Raman Singh are not assured of getting the chief minister's seat even if the BJP wins in their states. TOI+ political columnist and journalist Radhika Ramaseshan explains why they no longer call the shots.
Wed, 08 Nov 2023 - 22min
468 - Discovering you're different
Aalap Deboor, co-founder of YouTube channel Much Much Media, talks about finding out he was autistic in his 30s, how it changed his life and what he's learned from documenting the lives of other neurodivergent people.
Mon, 06 Nov 2023 - 25min
467 - Why electoral bonds need to change
Maj Gen (retd) Anil Verma from Association for Democratic Reforms explains why they've appealed to the Supreme Court to end the electoral bond scheme and the many issues with its implementation.
Fri, 03 Nov 2023 - 24min
466 - Bring back the veterans
Major General (retired) Satbir Singh - who is Chairman of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement - talks to Harinder Baweja about the case of the eight former Navy personnel who have been sentenced to death in Qatar and India's handling of the case.
Wed, 01 Nov 2023 - 15min
465 - The challenge of telling tales
National film award-winning director Onir talks to Alka Dhupkar about how he views the Supreme Court verdict on same-sex marriages, the challenge of telling same-sex stories and the way forward for the LGBTQ+ community.
Mon, 30 Oct 2023 - 29min
464 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: What do myths say about living forever?
At a time when medical science is promising longer and healthier lives, author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik dwells on how myths across the world view immortality
Fri, 27 Oct 2023 - 22min
463 - Mani Shankar Aiyar on Pakistan, politics and controversial quotes
Former diplomat and minister Mani Shankar Aiyar - who recently released his memoirs - talks to Harinder Baweja about why he has always favoured people-to-people ties with Pakistan. He also talks about controversies sparked by statements made by him, and Rajiv Gandhi, and why he thinks they're overblown.
Wed, 25 Oct 2023 - 40min
462 - What Supreme Court's flip-flop on abortion case reveals
To better understand a recent case where the Supreme Court first granted, then withdrew permission for a woman to undergo an abortion, we spoke with Mihira Sood from the National Law University in Delhi and Dr Subha Sri Balakrishnan from NGO CommonHealth.
They decode issues with how the country's apex court handled the case, how India could handle abortions much better and why courts, and medical practitioners, need to keep their morality in check.
Mon, 23 Oct 2023 - 38min
461 - 'Detox is a wellness fraud term'
Dr Cyriac Abby Phillips, who's better known as The Liver Doc on social media, explains his stand against ayurveda and wellness medication, the myth of detoxification and how to take a stand against misinformation
Fri, 20 Oct 2023 - 38min
460 - Stories from behind bars
Trade unionist and human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, who was arrested in the Elgar Parishad case in Maharashtra, talks to TOI Plus's Alka Dhupkar about her new book, life in jail and why she's still an optimist.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 - 27min
459 - An Israeli and a Palestinian weigh in on the ongoing war
Author and award-winning journalist Gideon Levy and Palestine analyst Tahani Mustafa at the International Crisis Group weigh in on the war and explain how things could play out in the coming days for Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas and the region at large.
Mon, 16 Oct 2023 - 30min
458 - 'We've already worked out a middle path, let's not go backwards'
After multiple controversies over enforcing vegetarianism, sociologist at IIT Bombay Dr Suryakant Waghmore talks about why having separate spaces for vegetarians shouldn't reinforce caste practices and how it reflects the anxiety of vegetarians.
Fri, 13 Oct 2023 - 28min
457 - The Indra Nooyi guide to corporate success
One of the world’s most respected CEOs talks about how women can be heard better, her wish to create high quality child care, her love for cricket and what retirement is like.
Wed, 11 Oct 2023 - 29min
456 - Ask Devdutt Pattanaik: How Indian religious myths differ in depiction of women?
Author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik explains how Indian myths are different from other mythologies in the depiction of women and feminist themes in Indian myths
Mon, 09 Oct 2023 - 22min
455 - Why ajinomoto is feared but still a quiet part of our diet
One of India's finest food writers, Vikram Doctor talks about how ajinomoto has always had a bad reputation that it didn't deserve and why we can't get enough of it in our food.
Fri, 06 Oct 2023 - 27min
454 - Time to redraw India's electoral map?
The passage of the Women's Reservation Bill raised questions about delimitation which could re-organise the electoral map of India after half a century.
Former IAS officer and founder of the Lok Satta movement, JP Narayan, talks to TOI's Alka Dhupkar about the need to reorganise India's electoral map and what needs to be done to ensure no region feels shortchanged.
Wed, 04 Oct 2023 - 25min
453 - What to expect when the monsoons aren't normal
The monsoon this year has been below normal with some regions hit worse than others. Times of India's senior editor Vishwa Mohan and CareEdge's chief economist Rajani Sinha explain how a below normal monsoon could affect food prices and economic growth in the coming months.
Mon, 02 Oct 2023 - 21min
452 - Bollywood's decade of glamour, goons, and garishness
TOI journalist and author of the book 'When Ardh Satya Met Himmatwala', Avijit Ghosh talks about why he takes a kinder view of 1980s Hindi films and why it was a decade marked by many big changes.
Fri, 29 Sep 2023 - 44min
451 - Don't raise your blood pressure
Dr K. Srinath Reddy, who is honorary distinguished professor at the Public Health Foundation of India, decodes a WHO report on hypertension, or high blood pressure, which says Indians are largely undiagnosed and untreated for the condition.
Wed, 27 Sep 2023 - 16min
450 - 'If society has so much hatred it was bound to enter Parliament'
Former MP and vice president of the RLD, Shahid Siddiqui, talks with Harinder Baweja about BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's abuse-filled speech in Parliament and why he feels the action taken is inadequate. He also reveals why he remains hopeful about the future of the Muslim community in India.
Mon, 25 Sep 2023 - 21min
449 - India-Canada ties hit a new low, what next?
Former Indian ambassador Anil Trigunayat and Jeff Nankivell, President and CEO of Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, explain what to expect in India-Canada ties after they hit a new low.
Fri, 22 Sep 2023 - 28min
448 - The implications of women's reservation in Parliament
Tushar Chakrabarty, Senior Analyst at PRS Legislative Research, talks about the history of the women's reservation bill. Then, political columnist Radhika Ramaseshan explains why previous attempts at passing the bill failed, the political gains from this move and whether it could change politics.
Wed, 20 Sep 2023 - 25min
447 - A Mumbai icon rolls to a stop
The last of a generation of double decker buses has driven into the Mumbai sunset. Gopal MS, who chronicles the city on the social media handle Mumbai Paused, talks about the magic of the double decker. Then Vidyadhar Date, author and head of a BEST commuter group, talks about the larger problems the city's bus system is facing.
Mon, 18 Sep 2023 - 16min
446 - Is Diwali better without fireworks?
A representative of the fireworks industry, an expert on air pollution and two senior TOI journalists weigh in on states banning fireworks during Diwali and the fallout.
Fri, 15 Sep 2023 - 21min
445 - Analysing the 'one nation, one election' plan
Professor Suhas Palshikar examines the 'one nation, one election' plan and breaks down the issues at stake.
Wed, 13 Sep 2023 - 26min