Episodes

  • Plague case in Siberia: what we know and what we should know

    Plague case in Siberia: what we know and what we should know
    Oct 16 2026
    This month, a word that has not been in the news for decades perhaps, suddenly erupted: the death of a lab worker in Siberia, sparked concerns, rumours online and theories as to what really happened, given that official information coming out was limited. The worker, Darya Shiplova, who worked at a plague research institute in Siberia, is believed to have died of pneumonic plague. Russia subsequently quarantined dozens of people but said there was no risk of an epidemic, while a WHO official, meanwhile, called for the country to provide more information. But what is plague and why is it that is has been more or less forgotten? What was India’s tryst with plague in the 1890s and then again in Surat in 1994? How infectious is it and how is it treated? Is there really a risk of a plague breakout? Guest: Rajib Dasgupta: Head, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • In Focus-Parley | Can wildlife thrive in India without active human intervention?

    In Focus-Parley | Can wildlife thrive in India without active human intervention?
    Oct 15 2026
    How should India balance wildlife conservation with development, local livelihoods and the need for scientific research? In this discussion, Prof Qamar Qureshi, formerly of the Wildlife Institute of India, and Prof Uma Ramakrishnan of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, examine the changing approaches to conservation, the challenges of protecting threatened species and the need to make conservation science more inclusive and responsive to the realities on the ground. Host: Jacob Koshy Producer: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • SIR row: Are ‘vote chori’ protests a setback to the Hindutva project?

    SIR row: Are ‘vote chori’ protests a setback to the Hindutva project?
    Oct 15 2026
    October 10th witnessed a massive display of state repression in the national capital. Brutal violence was unleashed against journalists, students, activists and citizens who wanted to protest at Jantar Mantar, seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. India’s Opposition parties have united over the demand that Gyanesh Kumar must go and the SIR must be annulled. Even as the government responded by denotifying Jantar Mantar as a protest site, the Congress has vowed to ‘reclaim’ Jantar Mantar. The Opposition’s overarching political plank, as of today, is to ‘save Indian democracy’, and ‘save the Constitution’, by fighting to protect the ordinary Indian’s right to vote. It has announced plans to continue this protest campaign until the demands are met. This raises some key questions: does the SIR issue resonate with the masses? Can we really be sure that today’s protesters, despite all their grievances, will not go back and vote for the BJP come election time? Can we read bigger and bigger protests as a setback for the Hindutva project? Or, is the BJP-RSS juggernaut resilient enough to survive expressions of large-scale dissent? Joining us today is Ajay Gudavarthy, Associate Professor in Political Science at the Centre for Political Studies, JNU. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Starlink, Jio and the battle for India’s satellite internet

    Starlink, Jio and the battle for India’s satellite internet
    Oct 14 2026
    Over a year after Jio Platforms and SpaceX announced a deal to bring Starlink satellite internet to India, multi-billionaire Elon Musk has taken a public swipe at the Ambani family and the Indian government. In a sarcastic post on X, the billionaire described Mukesh Ambani as India’s prime minister and the country’s “real boss,” reigniting debate over Starlink’s delayed entry into one of the world’s biggest internet markets. But beyond the social media sparring lies a bigger battle over competition, market power and regulation. Why is Starlink’s India launch taking so long? Is the government’s cautious approach to satellite internet protecting national interests, or limiting competition? And what could the tussle mean for Jio Platforms as it prepares for an IPO? In this episode of The Hindu’s In Focus, Technology Editor John Xavier unpacks the political and business stakes behind the Musk–Ambani feud, examining India’s approach to satellite internet, the regulation of monopolies, and the competing interests shaping the country’s digital future. Host: Sahana Venugopal Camera: Thamodaran Producer & editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • Anti-SIR protests: Springboard for an Opposition comeback?

    Anti-SIR protests: Springboard for an Opposition comeback?
    Oct 13 2026
    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said there are “no parallel protests”, there is only one protest – demanding the rollback of SIR, and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Leaders from almost every INDIA bloc party joined the Congress-led march to the Supreme Court on Monday, drawing massive crowds from all over the country. Has the alleged ‘vote chori’ issue finally managed to unite the entire Opposition? What’s really at stake on the question of whether Gyanesh Kumar stays or resigns? And how do these protests compare with the one in July, that sought the resignation of the then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan? To unpack the political ramifications of the ongoing protests, we are joined today by Anand Mishra, Political Editor with Frontline magazine. Host: G Sampath Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • New research has linked 12% of cancer cases to infections: what does this mean?

    New research has linked 12% of cancer cases to infections: what does this mean?
    Oct 12 2026
    We’re used to thinking of cancer as something for which there is no known cause and we know that risk factors include using tobacco and excessive alcohol as well as obesity. And while of these factors are true, what we may not have realised is that infections could also, in some cases, lead to cancers. A new study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC, has now found that infections were responsible for 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024, or 12% of the total cases globally that year. What infections? A bacterium and several viruses were linked cancer cases, and what is significant is that a large proportion of these cases were found in low- and middle-income countries. What are the cancers caused by infectious agents, and how common are they? Could vaccines eliminate these sorts of cancers? Are there vaccines available for all the viruses and bacteria that cause cancers? What kind of screening programmes and preventive measures should we take? Guest: Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Convener Research Cell Kerala State IMA Physician and gastroenterologist Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Central Delhi lockdown: How did Jantar Mantar turn a protest site?

    Central Delhi lockdown: How did Jantar Mantar turn a protest site?
    Oct 10 2026
    All roads, it seems, lead to the good old Jantar Mantar. Or do they, considering many of them are closed these days. Built in 1724, Jantar Mantar was not always the preferred site for anyone with a prayer, petition or protest on mind. The protest sites at various times in the past were at Boat Club where one remembers anti cow slaughter protests some 50 years ago followed by those during the Babri Masjid-Ramjanambhoomi stir. Then the Ramlila grounds became the place where thousands would gather to vent their anger against the government. It was here that the India Against Corruption protest caught the common man's imagination. As for Jantar Mantar, for ages it was an observatory where schools brought the youngsters to imbibe scientific spirit. Today it throbs with the soul of democracy, from the Cockroach Janata Party to the Congress to the entire INDIA Bloc, Jantar Mantar is the place to be as the Opposition seeks the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. So what is it about Jai Singh's 18th Century creation that draws everyone to it? Telling us this and more is noted historian Ruchika Sharma who runs a hugely popular YouTube show and is renowned as one of the more frank and fearless voices on matters of history. Host: Ziya Us Salam Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • Election Commission Controversy: Who authorised the modified Form 6?

    Election Commission Controversy: Who authorised the modified Form 6?
    Oct 9 2026
    The big Election Commission of India (ECI) story that made headlines this week is the Form 6 controversy. Who authorised the modifications to Form 6, which is used for enrolling new voters? The Election Commission has been claiming all along that the changes had the Supreme court’s approval. But on October 5th, the Supreme Court clarified that it had not approved any Form 6 modifications. Does this mean the Election Commission had mislead the nation, as is being claimed by the Opposition parties? Also, two out of the three election commissioners had objected to these changes, with one of them calling it “unauthorised and illegal”. Does the CEC have the power to override their objections? So, who authorised the Form 6 modifications? What happened to the written objections of the other two Election Commissioners? Given that a great many eligible voters were affected by these changes, should the entire SIR be annulled? Guest: Vipul Mudgal, a Trustee of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Director of Common Cause, non-profits working for electoral reform 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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    36 mins