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When was the last time you sat down and read an entire book? I know that is a very discomforting question, because for most of us, an increase in screen time has led to a steady decline in focus and concentration in reading books. But, if somebody were to tell you a story, you’d readily listen, won’t you? This is what a podcast does. It tells you a story, sometimes in the form of a dialogue among different people, and sometimes in the form of a monologue about a particular topic of your interest.
So, if you don’t feel like reading after a long work day or week, don’t fret. Here is a list of some of the most amazing podcasts updating you about the day-to-day events occurring in India.
I. The Kashmir Podcast by Ifat Gazia
Contemporary crises in 2020 have highlighted deep-rooted inequalities and injustices in our world. Yet, there is a place that remains in shadow - cloaked behind a veil of miseducation and colonial violence. This place is Kashmir. Have you heard of Kashmir? Do you know where this valley- once known for its beauty, culture and craftsmanship and now for being the world’s most densely militarized land- is? Do you know how its eight million people live? The Kashmir Podcast will delve into the everyday lives of Kashmiris, bringing you first-hand perspectives on their daily struggles & battles for justice, and stories of resistance and resilience in a fight against occupation and colonization. It is a bi-weekly podcast in collaboration with Stand With Kashmir, to bring you stories of resistance and resilience from the people of Kashmir.
You can check out the podcast here.
II. Graamcast: 101 Reporters
101Reporters presents Graamcast, a daily news bulletin that brings you the most important stories from rural India each day. With both curated news stories and original reporting, each concise edition is a window into the goings-on from the lakhs of villages in India that never make the headlines. India’s villages are changing, caught in an osmosis with the outside world even as they attempt to hold onto their way of life, comprising both the good and the bad. Join the 101 journalists as they reacquaint you with the real India and share the stories that emerge from the tensions between the old and the new.
Check out the podcast here.
III. Stalemate in the Himalayas: India-China Relations in 2020
Indo-China relations reached a breaking point when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a bloody brawl with Chinese troops on 15 June, 2020 in the Galwan valley, close to Aksai Chin, an area belonging to India, which it lost to China during the 1962 Indo-China war. This was the worst border clash between India and China in more than 40 years. This podcast offered by The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast host, Ankit Panda is a take on Indo-China relations in the aftermath of the Galwan attack.
Check out the podcast here.
IV. Reporters Without Orders
It is a podcast brought by Newslaundry, bringing together reports on the day-to-day issues plaguing India. Reporters Without Orders has produced podcasts on the farmers’ protests, the recent TRP scam in India, the ‘love jihad’ law, the Baghjan Blowout and many other issues.
You can check out the podcast here.
V. The Polis Project
The Polis Project, Inc is a hybrid research and journalism organisation producing knowledge about some of the most important issues affecting us, by amplifying diverse perspectives from those indigenous to the conflicts and crisis affecting our world today. Its 2 podcast series – Dispatches: Conversations from a Lockdown and the 5 Objects Podcast offer diverse conversations chiefly around the socio-political as well as artistic developments in India, as well as in other nations.
Check out their podcasts here.
VI. BodhiCommons
BodhiCommons is a left and progressive bilingual website in English and Malayalam. Their podcast is a collection of lectures and talks on various topics like Marxian Political Economy, Feminism, Politics of India and Kerala, organised by BodhiCommons during the Corona lockdown in 2020.
Check it out here.
VII. The Sandip Roy Show (Indian Express)
What makes people tick? What are the stories they carry with them? In a world of shouting heads, veteran journalist, radio commentator and novelist Sandip Roy sits down to have real conversations about the fascinating world around us and the people who shape it.
Catch up with these engaging interviews every other Sunday.
VIII. The Pragati Podcast
Take a step back from noisy political debates and tune in to rich conversations on India and the world. The Pragati Podcast is a weekly talkshow on public policy, economics and international relations. Science-geek-turned-policy-wonk Pavan Srinath talks to scholars and experts on everything from India’s unique genetics to why China isn’t really trying to take over the world. New episodes are pumped out every Thursday. The Pragati Podcast is the titular podcast of the online magazine, Pragati.
Check out the podcasts here.
IX. The India Explained Podcast
This podcast is a refreshingly real take on all things Indian, from politics to pressure cookers, from the serious to the absurd. It all started with a Twitter account. Rohit Chopra, an academic based in San Francisco, often shares his views on contemporary issues in India be it media relations, politics, technology or cultural identity. The account grew and developed more traction, leading Rohit to reach out to childhood friend Bunty Bolta, a UK magistrate, who suggested a podcast— and so ‘India Explained‘ was born.
Check it out here.
X. 3 Things (Indian Express)
The 3 Things podcast by The Indian Express is a flagship daily news show where hosts Shashank Bhargava and Snigdha Sharma talk to in-house experts about what is going on and why you need to care about it.
Check out the podcast here.
XI. Every Vote Matters by Padmapriya
Every Vote Matters is a podcast hosted by Padma Priya of podcast network, Suno India. The podcast is supported by Factly, and attempts to take you behind some of the more structural questions that define India’s elections. It features interviews with experts and has tackled issues like how to become a voter, whether Non-Resident Indians and internal migrants can vote and examined the state of women’s representation in politics.
Check out the podcast series here.
XII. Grand Tamasha
Grand Tamasha is a podcast hosted by Milan Vaishnav, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in partnership with the Hindustan Times. Each week, Milan Vaishnav and his guests from around the world break down the latest developments in Indian politics, economics, foreign policy, society, and culture for a global audience.
Check out the podcast here.
XIII. Ganatantra
Ganatantra is a podcast hosted by political scientist, Sarayu Natarajan and policy lawyer Alok Prasanna Kumar, on the IVM network. The show is about politics in India, but steers clear of intrigue and personalities, as well as the daily news cycle. Recent episodes of the podcast have looked at how political violence actually works, what role social media plays and what the farmer’s mobilisation tells us about India’s political discourse.
Check out the podcast here.
XIV. How to Citizen
There is a world of difference between the theory we learnt in school and the reality we experience everyday. This is especially true about Civics. This podcast lays bare the gap between what textbooks preach to school kids about politics and what we actually see in Indian politics. This podcast is hosted by Meghnad S. and Shreyas Manohar.
Check out the podcasts series here.
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