Podcast
In Focus by The Hindu
Hosted by The Hindu · EN
A podcast from The Hindu that delves deep into current developments with subject experts, and brings in context, history, perspective and analysis.
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Article 370 abrogation: Seven years on, what has changed in Kashmir?
Yesterday00:46:10Tap to summarizeExactly seven years ago on August 5th, 2019, the Union government abrogated Article 370, and subsequently, Jammu & Kashmir became a Union Territory, ruled directly from New Delhi. Legislative assembly elections were held in September 2024 but the newly elected government did not have meaningful legislative or administrative powers. When it revoked Article 370, the government made two promises: one, that the move will usher in ‘normalcy’ to the Kashmir Valley, and two, that it would restore statehood soon. Today, Jammu and Kashmir is still awaiting statehood. And questions remain: Has normalcy returned? Has insurgency been stamped out? What’s the mood on the ground, and among the Kashmiri political classes? We speak with Praveen Donthi, Senior Analyst with the International Crisis Group, a non-profit that works on conflict-prevention and resolution. Produced, edited and shot by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Is India's consumption story powering growth or hiding risks?
2d ago00:36:20Tap to summarizeWhat is the driving force of any economy? It is you and me! It’s the money we work so hard to earn and have fun spending. In fact, private consumption accounts for nearly 61.5% of India's GDP. Last year alone, consumer spending grew by 7.7%. This makes households one of the biggest contributors to India’s growth story. Meanwhile, household debt has climbed to 45.5% of GDP, with unsecured loans rising compared to home loans. Indians are moving away from bank deposits and entering stock markets, either through mutual funds or in equities, like never before. With 93% of the growth in India's urban consumer class is expected from non-metros by 2040, how are Indians changing the way they save, borrow and spend? Are these signs that India is becoming a mature consumption-driven economy, or a warning sign for policymakers? (The views expressed are strictly personal) Guest: Prof. Smita Roy Trivedi, National Institute of Bank Management Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →When livelihoods melt away: Should heat stress be recognised as a human rights issue?
5d ago00:42:00Tap to summarizeThrough three harsh summer months this year, about 40 households across Delhi maintained a 'Garmi Khata' — a handwritten weekly log of what extreme heat did to their health, income and daily routines. That citizen documentation drive has now culminated in a formal submission to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in July.The submission asks the NHRC to admit the registries as evidence, formally recognise heat as a human rights concern, and fund dedicated Heat Action Plans, including national disaster status for heatwaves. This episode traces how the pilot project turned residents from subjects of a heat survey into authors of their own record, allowing them to build a case for their rights. Guests: Avinash Chanchal, Deputy Program Director (Campaigns), Greenpeace South Asia; Deepali Tonka, social work student and a person who maintained her own 'Garmi Khata'. Host: Vibha B. Madhava Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →In Focus-Parley | Have fast-track courts delivered on the promise of speedy justice?
6d ago00:39:41Tap to summarizePrime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to set up fast-track courts to hear paper leak cases has once again brought these specialised courts into focus and revived the debate over whether they are the silver bullet to India's chronic judicial delays. Both the government and the judiciary have, over the years, relied on fast-track courts to expedite the trial of specific categories of high-priority cases. Following the announcement, the Delhi High Court has constituted a fast-track court at the Rouse Avenue Courts Complex to exclusively hear cases under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. However, stakeholders have cautioned that fast-track courts are struggling with mounting pendency and resource constraints, raising doubts about whether they can truly deliver speedy justice. Have fast-track courts delivered on the promise of speedy justice? Guest: Bharat Chugh and Shruthi Naik Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Maharashtra Farm Bill: Does it really empower women farmers?
1w ago00:32:16Tap to summarizeMaharashtra has become the first state in India to bring about a legislation for the empowerment of women farmers. The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, has been passed by both the Houses. It gives a broader definition of women farmers and de-links agricultural identity from land ownership. But while the Bill claims to address decades of systemic economic exclusion of women, it leaves questions about why women's inclusion in land records was not incentivised through the legislation. Chennai-based MS Swaminathan Research Foundation played a pivotal role in shaping and advocating for this legislation. In this episode, we discuss what the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, means for women farmers, the changes it introduces, and the challenges that still remain. Guest: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) Host: Vinaya Deshpande, Maharashtra Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Right to peaceful protest: Is it being strangled by ‘permission raj’?
1w ago00:31:35Tap to summarizeThe right to assemble peacefully is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution of India. But more often that not, this right has diminished into something that can only be exercised with permission from the police or the government The state can, and does, deny permission arbitrarily, and if the citizens go ahead anyway, it ends up giving a legal justification for repressive measures by the state. How did a fundamental right become conditional on permission from the state? What is the true legal and moral status of the right to peaceful dissent, and does it find reflection in the experience of Indians who wish to express their dissent? Guest: Pratik Patnaik, Delhi-based lawyer and policy commentator Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Camera: Shiksha Jural and Saif Ali Ekram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Why did Houthis join war?
1w ago00:26:18Tap to summarizeWhy did the Houthis enter the conflict now? This video explains the group's motivations, its ties with Iran, why it resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping, and how the escalation could reshape the Yemen war and regional security. We also examine the impact on global trade, oil markets, and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Smriti Sudesh edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →VB GRAM G vs MNREGA: Which burdens States more?
1w ago00:24:38Tap to summarizeThe Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (or VB-G RAM G) has replaced the 21-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (or MGNREGA). The VB-G RAM G Act provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work (up from 100 days under MGNREGA). However, under the new system, the States’ contributions to the scheme will increase by 300%. In this episode we discuss how this change reflects on Indian welfare policy, and more. Guest: Rajendran Narayanan, Associate Professor at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru Host: Nitika Francis Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Listening to Cockroaches: Why the ‘GenZ’ Jantar Mantar protest is different from any seen before
2w ago00:55:20Tap to summarize“What if all the cockroaches come together?” That was the one-line tweet, put out by Boston-returned Abhijeet Dipke, on May 16, 2026. In less than two months, we are witness to the ‘cockroaches’ – India’s youth -- coming together to protest at Jantar Mantar, and in different parts of the country. But this student protest against endemic exam paper leaks is not the first show of mass dissent against the Narendra Modi government. Before this, there has been a farmers’ movement, the anti-CAA protests, and several other protest mobilisations by workers, Dalits, and adivasi communities. The government has weathered all of these protests comfortably. But the big question: is the students’ movement different? Is it a political challenge unlike any that the Modi government has faced during its 12 years in power? Guest: Saroj Giri, Associate Professor of Political Science at Delhi University Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Camera: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →QDENGA: Can the new Japanese vaccine end the dengue menace in India?
2w ago00:36:53Tap to summarizeIndia has finally approved a vaccine for dengue. This is significant because India, in the last five years alone, has recorded over 1 million cases and at least 1,500 deaths due to dengue. Dengue is hyperendemic in India, which makes it a huge public health challenge. A vaccine, in this context, could make a big difference. Named QDENGA, the new vaccine has been developed by Takeda Biopharmaceuticals, a Japanese pharma company. It is expected to be sold in India in the first half of 2027. How was this vaccine developed, how safe is it, how effective will it be in India, and can it prevent the frequent outbreaks of dengue that we’ve seen in recent years? Guest: Dr Gagandeep Kang, Director-Enterics, Diagnostics, Genomics and Epidemiology, Global Health at the Gates Foundation, Seattle Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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