Episodes

  • In Focus-Parley | Is this the end of the road for the INDIA bloc?

    In Focus-Parley | Is this the end of the road for the INDIA bloc?
    May 14 2026
    Following the recent electoral setbacks faced by two of the largest constituents of the INDIA bloc, the DMK and the TMC, there is renewed debate over the future of Opposition politics in India. Do these developments signal a turning point for the INDIA bloc, or are they part of a longer structural shift in Indian politics? T Is this the end of the road for the INDIA bloc? Here, we discuss the question. Guests: Prof. KK Kailash, Professor and former HOD of Political Science at the University of Hyderabad; Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder-Director of C-Voter Host: Sobhana K Nair Producer: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • What's behind PM Narendra Modi's austerity call?

    What's behind PM Narendra Modi's austerity call?
    May 13 2026
    For the second time in a couple of days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for the public to take some austerity measures: reduce fuel consumption, defer gold purchases, reduce foreign travel and consume less edible oil and fertilisers. “The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” he said while addressing an audience in Vadodara on May 11, 2026. On May 10, 2026, he called for collective participation to help the country withstand global economic uncertainties, supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures. He asked the public to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, promote the use of metro rail and public transport, car-pooling, and railway transport for freight movement, besides wider adoption of electric vehicles. He also spoke about strengthening India’s economic resilience and promoting responsible living. How worried should we be? Guest: Prof. B. Bhagwan Das, Former Associate Professor of Economics, Loyola College, Chennai Host: Nivedita V Producer and editor: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Do India’s badminton stars deserve more recognition after Thomas Cup bronze?

    Do India’s badminton stars deserve more recognition after Thomas Cup bronze?
    May 12 2026
    Former India coach and Olympian U. Vimal Kumar joins the podcast to discuss India’s Thomas Cup campaign, player recognition, squad depth concerns and badminton’s new scoring system. India returned from the Thomas Cup in Denmark with a bronze medal, its second podium finish in the last three editions of badminton’s premier men’s team event. But despite another strong campaign on the world stage, the achievement received surprisingly little attention back home, prompting sharp reactions from players about the lack of recognition for their sporting achievements in India.In this episode of In Focus, we look into India’s Thomas Cup run, the rise of young talent like Ayush Shetty, concerns over squad depth in singles and doubles, and the controversy surrounding the semifinal match order against France. We also discuss the Badminton World Federation’s decision to introduce the new 15-point scoring system from 2027 and whether it is actually good for the sport. Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Hantavirus explained: The science behind the scare

    Hantavirus explained: The science behind the scare
    May 11 2026
    A new health scare made headlines this week, after three persons died and several others fell sick aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The infection in this case, was hantavirus, something most people have not heard of. Passengers from the stricken ship disembarked today after it docked at the Canary islands, and are flying back to their home countries, many of which are imposing quarantine requirements. The World Health Organization, which has been keeping tabs on this situation has recommended, but not mandated a 42-day quarantine once the passengers have landed. It has also said there is no cause for panic as this not another Covid-19 like situation and the overall risk to the general public is low. But what is hantavirus, who is at risk of contracting it and how is it treated? Guest: Dr Neha Rastogi Panda, senior consultant, infectious diseases, Fortis Hospital, Gurugram Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer & editor: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    16 mins
  • India-UK FTA: Does it pack enough to increase bilateral trade?

    India-UK FTA: Does it pack enough to increase bilateral trade?
    May 8 2026
    In this episode of In Focus podcast, London’s Lady Mayor Dame Susan Langley speaks with The Hindu’s Maharashtra Chief of Bureau Vinaya Deshpande about her maiden visit to India, the voices she heard from the financial and insurance service industry, and the opportunities for both the countries in view of the India – UK Free Trade Agreement. She is only the third woman to hold the Lord Mayor’s Office in its 837-year history, and she is the first to go by the title of Lady Mayor. She is the global ambassador for the UK's financial and professional services. The Lady Mayor’s key observation is that regulation can be simplified in India. She also highlighted that there is a lack of understanding in the UK about the potential of the Indian markets. Beyond the implementation of the FTA, she thinks there is need to lead conversations about successful case studies and real stories of businesses from both the sides, to make people invest. Terming her visit to UIDAI as one of the most interesting meetings in India, she said she was impressed with India’s Aadhaar roll-out. She said that though UK wants to look at a universal ID system, she was not sure if the country will follow up on Aadhaar. Batting for diversity and inclusion in the financial services, she put the onus equally on women to step up and seek challenging roles. Guest: Dame Susan Langley, lady Mayor of London Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Video: Aditya Shirsekar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    15 mins
  • In Focus-Parley | Do abortion laws in India need overhauling?

    In Focus-Parley | Do abortion laws in India need overhauling?
    May 7 2026
    The Supreme Court of India recently asked the Central government to amend the abortion law to remove the time limit on medical terminations of unwanted pregnancies in the case of minor rape victims. While this was observation was made while hearing the case of a 15-year-old rape survivor to terminate a 30-week pregnancy, it throws up broader questions of abortion access in India. While in general there is a belief is that abortion is legal and easily available, the ground reality is a little different. Abortion is legal only under certain circumstances and given certain conditions – it is not freely available to anyone who chooses to have it. Access to it is also uneven and patchy across the country. It also not permitted, unless there is severe foetal anomaly or a risk to the mother’s life, beyond 24 weeks. Over the past decade or so, hundreds of cases have ended up in court seeking terminations on unwanted pregnancy. Why is this happening? Is there a case to be made to lift time limits altogether? And do we, in India, need to move from a criminal framework for a health service to a health and rights -based framework? Guests: Prof Dipika Jain, Executive Dean & Professor of Law, Director, Centre for Justice, Law and Society, Jindal Global Law School; Dr Alka Barua, Abortion Theme Lead and Steering Committee member, CommonHealth India Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 mins
  • Tamil Nadu Election Results 2026: Can TVK break the DMK–AIADMK Duopoly?

    Tamil Nadu Election Results 2026: Can TVK break the DMK–AIADMK Duopoly?
    May 6 2026
    The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election has delivered a verdict few anticipated. A political landscape long defined by the alternating dominance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has been decisively disrupted. At the centre of this churn is the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by C. Joseph Vijay, which has emerged as the single largest party in its electoral debut, falling short of a majority, but clearly ahead of both Dravidian majors. The scale of the upset is hard to overstate. The sitting Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin, has lost his own seat. The AIADMK has ceded ground even in its traditional western strongholds. And the Bharatiya Janata Party, despite its national prominence, has seen its presence in the State shrink dramatically. What we are witnessing is not just a reshuffling of seats, but a deeper churn in voter preferences, one that appears to cut across caste, region, and established party loyalties. So how should we read this verdict? Is this simply a wave election driven by anti-incumbency and a charismatic new entrant, or does it signal a more fundamental realignment in Tamil Nadu’s politics? Are we looking at the weakening of identity-driven mobilization that has long underpinned Dravidian parties, or its reinvention through a new political vehicle? And what does this mean for the future of the State’s political order? Guest: R. Kannan, political analyst and author of MGR: A Life, The DMK Way, and The Life and Times of C. N. Annadurai Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    28 mins
  • Assembly poll results: How do they alter the political calculus in India?

    Assembly poll results: How do they alter the political calculus in India?
    May 5 2026
    The assembly election results have sharply changed the political landscape in India, with the BJP set to form a government on its own for the first time in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee, the three-term chief minister often spoken of as the ‘real’ Opposition leader to the BJP, has ended up losing her own seat. In Tamil Nadu, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) a two-year-old political start-up, has emerged as the single largest party, leaving both the Dravidian behemoths, DMK and the AIADMK, in the dust. TVK chief and actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay is expected to become the next Chief Minister, though questions remain about government formation. While the Congress-led UDF returned to power in Kerala, the NDA retained power in Assam and Puducherry. How do we read these mandates? What do the outcomes mean for the BJP, for the Opposition, and the Indian polity as a whole? Guest: Anand Mishra, Political Editor, Frontline. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer and Editor: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 mins