The Nanda Devi Mystery

How India and America Lost a Nuclear Device

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The Nanda Devi Mystery

Written by: Asiaville
Narrated by: Sashi Kumar
Free with 30-day trial

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About this listen

The Nanda Devi Mystery: How India and America Lost a Nuclear Device is the thoroughly riveting and sometimes bizarre story of how India and America tried to install a nuclear-powered surveillance device on top of the Himalayas to snoop on China and then lost it forever. Narrated by Sashi Kumar and produced by Asiaville, it is the dramatic story of Cold War geopolitics and how the frenzy of the nuclear arms race pushed two nations to do the unthinkable. But, it is also the awe-inspiring tale of some of the world's finest mountaineers who doubled up as high-altitude spies and put themselves at unimaginable risk to execute a wild idea.

Written by Angshuman Choudhury and Directed & Narrated by Sashi Kumar.

©2023 Asiaville Interactive Pvt Ltd. (P)2023 Asiaville Interactive Pvt Ltd. Asia India Military South Asia Weapons & Warfare
Episodes
  • Episode 1: The “Machine”

    Episode 1: The “Machine”
    Jul 20 2023
    As a race between the world’s two biggest superpowers to develop the most powerful atomic bomb intensifies, so does their mutual desire to spy on each other. Strangely, that mind-boggling history is linked to rumours about a recent avalanche in the valley overlooking the Nanda Devi.
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    36 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Episode 2: The Dragon Enters the Room

    Episode 2: The Dragon Enters the Room
    Jul 20 2023
    Even as the US continues to obsess over the Soviet Union, the so-called “Far East” gives birth to two formidable communist empires. The Americans would quickly realise that they had underestimated Mao’s China and Kim Il-Sung’s North Korea.
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    30 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • Episode 3: The Dragon Breathes Fire

    Episode 3: The Dragon Breathes Fire
    Jul 20 2023

    Mao makes it clear that he wants the atomic bomb. Zhou Enlai says China wants “peaceful existence”. The doublespeak confounds both America and the Soviet Union. But, a third major power sits up and takes notice - India. The stage is set for one of the strangest and most intense Himalayan adventures.
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    28 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
All stars
Most relevant
Excellent depiction of dangerous secret project and its impacts. Impressive presentation of aaga. recommend

History revisited

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Although I don't know if all the facts told were true or not but I trust it, and it is quite a journey listening to this. It felt like it took me back to the 1960s.
Great narration.

And I have a request to make a video on the possible death or the possible assassination of Shashti.

Took back me in Time

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Was quite intrigued when this popped up in my Audible catalogue recommendations, and decided to give it a try. I had vaguely read about this topic in a subReddit about Indian legends and was looking forward to learning more about this mystery from this audiobook.

Besides the story being quite gripping, I felt the standout aspects were the script and the narration. They managed to keep me hooked throughout the episodes barring the last one - which I felt ended abruptly, as if the CIA & IB did not want the last part of the story to be revealed. The BGM is also pretty good, but that sudden volume increase in the end credits is jarring and annoying.

The good: Narration and script
Could be improved: that music volume of the end credits BGM

An enthrallingly narrated obscure Indian spy story

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Amazing narration with an errie background score that perfectly suits the bizarre event in the history of India’s geopolitics. Just wish it could have been an episode or two shorter. Would recommend it surely.

Amazing narration and background score for an amazingly bizarre event in history.

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story of the turbulent time in India's history. keeps you hooked. Narration is good, music apt. good for one time read.

captivating story

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