In Focus by The Hindu

Nearly 40 years ago, 14 patients died at Mumbai’s J.J. hospital, as the medication they took was contaminated with diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent that is toxic to human beings. Over the past few weeks, at least 16 children, a majority of them in Madhya Pradesh and a few in Rajasthan have died, and their deaths are suspected to be because of the same issue: a cough syrup, given to them for treatment, contained diethylene glycol. The issue of medicines being contaminated is not new – how it happens and how it can be stopped are both well known. And yet, India, which accredits itself as the pharmacy of the world, providing generic drugs to many parts of the globe, cannot seem to ensure that medicines for its own children are safe. What are the issues plaguing the drug regulatory system? Why do these deaths continue to take place with little accountability? And are cough syrups necessary at all for children? Guest: Anant Phadke who is with the All India Drug Action Network, a national network that advocates for rational and affordable drug policies in India Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston For more episodes of In Focus: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, the Supreme Court of India issued guidelines with regard to DNA samples in criminal cases. These guidelines, issued to preserve the integrity of such samples, highlighted the need for chain of custody documentation as well as for proper procedures to be put in place for the collection, packaging of transportation of such samples. DNA samples can play a tremendously important role in criminal investigations, but in several cases, the evidence has been rejected by the court due to quality control and procedural issues. How is DNA evidence collected and analysed in India? How do our forensic labs work and what are the gaps that need to be plugged to make such evidence reliable and error-free? Guest: Shreya Rastogi, Director of Death Penalty Litigation and Forensics, The Square Circle Clinic, NALSAR University of Law, Delhi. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a July morning in 1960, Jane Goodall stepped off a boat onto the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. She was 26, untrained by universities, armed only with binoculars, a notebook and patience. What she saw in the forests of Gombe in East Africa altered science itself: chimpanzees who shaped tools, who mourned, who loved. She gave them names and with that simple act, insisted on their individuality. But Goodall did more than open a window into the lives of chimpanzees. She opened doors for women. In an era when female scientists were almost absent, she, alongside gorilla researcher Dian Fossey and orangutan expert Biruté Galdikas, staked a claim in a field dominated by men. Reluctant at first, passionate in time, she traded the intimacy of the forest for activism on world stages, becoming a gentle but firm voice for nature and for children who would inherit it. On Wednesday (October 1, 2025), Jane Goodall died at 91. She was still on tour, still speaking for the wild. Will we carry her hope and continue the path she opened for women in science? In this weekender episode, we talk about how Goodall’s life reshaped research, storytelling and the role of women in conservation. Guests: Catherine Crockford, primatologist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, Lyon; Neha Sinha, wildlife biologist, conservationist, and author, based in Delhi Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adding a page to the history of the Israel-Palestine question, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia now formally recognise a Palestinian state. However, data show that the share of people surveyed in the UK who support this decision has decreased since the same time last year. On the other hand, according to a YouGov poll, the share of Americans backing Israelis in this conflict has reached a 25-year low. Both sets of opinions represent a shift away from their respective governments’ stances. Guest: Stanly Johny, the International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Nitika Francis Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 24, Ladakh witnessed unprecedented violence and protests which left four persons dead in police action. Two days later, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was sitting on a hunger strike with 15 others, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and taken to Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan. The government accused the activist of instigating the violence, a charge denied by Wangchuk. A year after it was turned into a Union Territory in 2019, the region, with a population of around three lakh, has been protesting for constitutional safeguards, the two major demands being statehood and tribal status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The government is engaged in talks with two civil society groups, the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, representing the Leh and Kargil regions, respectively, for the past three years. The talks led to few outcomes regarding policies on reservation and domicile status, but this was not acceptable to the groups as the two core demands remained unmet. Should Ladakh get statehood? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Rangarajan R, former IAS officer and author of Courseware on Quality Simplified, and Sajjad Kargili, member of the Kargil Democratic Alliance. Host: Vijaita Singh Produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Asia Cup has never been straightforward. Scheduled every two years, it often slips away — undone by border tensions and government quarrels. This year, despite tensions between India and Pakistan, the tournament managed to be held.The young Indian team, missing the usual veterans, went unbeaten. Pakistan made the final a nail-biting contest: a reminder of why this rivalry endures and is eagerly awaited by people of two countries that were once one.Sadly, the clashes between these famed rivals were overshadowed by fighter-plane gestures and snubbed handshakes. India lifted nothing but an imaginary trophy. They had won every match but refused the silverware from the Pakistani head of the Asian Cricket Council. Why do the shadows of politics so often creep onto a field made for sport? To make sense of this, we turn to KC Vijaya Kumar, Sports Editor of The Hindu, who has spent decades tracing this much-cherished rivalry on the pitch and behind the scenes. Guest: KC Vijaya Kumar, Sports Editor, The Hindu Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last decade, "Make in India" has been at the heart of the Centre's economic policy and increasing defence manufacturing is a important part of that goal given India is one of the largest importers of defence equipment in the world. The sector, plagued by bureaucratic delays, budgetary constraints, and corruption, was opened to the private sector. The government streamlined procedures, earmarked weapons and platforms that will be manufactured domestically and allowed more FDI in the sector. Now, domestic manufacturing is booming. Defence expenditure increased from ₹2.53 lakh crore in 2013–14 to ₹6.81 lakh crore in 2025–26. In 2024–25, defence production touched a record ₹1.50 lakh crore, more than triple the 2014–15 level. Defence exports grew thirty-four times over the last decade, reaching ₹23,622 crore in 2024–25. What does this mean for our defence preparedness? Guest: Dinakar Peri, a fellow in the Security Studies program at Carnegie India Host: Nivedita V Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent analysis in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia, found that one in five deliveries in India are now by Caesarean section. From 2005, when the rate of C-section was 8.5%, it has risen to 21.5% as of 2021, the analysis said. International bodies such as the World Health Organization discourage high rates of C-section, as they are associated with longer hospital stays and higher healthcare costs, burdening both patients’ families and the healthcare system. So what is driving the rates up in India despite the fact that C-sections, in general, cost more? Is patient preference a factor? Is this an area that could do with guidelines or regulations? Guest: Dr A. Jaishree Gajaraj, senior obstetrician and gynaecologist based in Chennai Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fringed by China and Pakistan, Ladakh is India’s high-altitude borderland. For years now, locals led peaceful protests demanding statehood and constitutional protections for land, jobs, and identity. But last week, that peace broke. Violence erupted in Leh city in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Wednesday (September 24, 2025), several protesters were killed as security forces launched a heavy crackdown. At the centre of it all is Sonam Wangchuk — an engineer, climate activist, and one of Ladakh’s most respected voices. He was arrested under the National Security Act, a law that allows detention without trial for up to 12 months. What triggered this escalation? Why did peaceful protests turn deadly? And what does Wangchuk’s detention mean for the future of Ladakh’s struggle? Guest: Peerzada Ashiq, Kashmir-based journalist with The Hindu Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent times, India has seen a sharp spike in the popularity of IB schools. In fact, having your kid in an IB school has become something of a status symbol, although that may or may not be the primary motive for most parents. But many parents, regardless of their reasons for choosing an IB school, face a number of confusing questions and dilemmas. For instance, how does the pace of learning for an IB student compare with that of a child in a CBSE school? Will an IB curriculum help a child who wants to sit for IIT or Medical entrance exams in India? If the idea is to prep the child for higher education abroad – when do you decide, how do you figure which stream, which country, and which university? Guests: Nayantara Handa, who leads the careers and university guidance team at The British School, New Delhi, and Sobhana K Nair from The Hindu’s Delhi Bureau. Host: G. Sampath Edited and Produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the World Wrestling Championships in Croatia, India’s Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat was shockingly disqualified ahead of his opening bout on September 14. At the official weigh-in before his match, Aman was found to be 1.7kg over the 57kg limit. The Wrestling Federation of India on September 22 served a show-cause notice to Aman, asking his staff to explain his disqualification. This is the third time in just over a year that an Indian wrestler has failed to make weight, beginning with Vinesh Phogat’s infamous miss at the Paris Olympics. Neha Sangwan, who is just 18, was the other wrestler to not make weight at the U20 world championships. She was suspended for two years. Why does this keep happening despite the money and resources poured into Indian wrestling? What does it say about the system, and how will this episode affect a young star like Aman Sehrawat? Guest: Y.B. Sarangi from The Hindu sports bureau Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 19, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order, raising the H-1B visa fee to $1,00,000. Many fear that this will disproportionately impact Indian workers, especially those with lower median salaries. Although the White House has clarified that the fee applies only to new applicants and not those up for renewal or already in the country, there are concerns, especially against the backdrop of immigration control and protectionism. Is the American Dream dead for Indians? Here, we discuss the question. Guest: Arjun Appadurai and Ajay Srivastava Host: Saptaparno Ghosh Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a new defence deal. It’s called the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA). Under this deal, “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”. There are also vague indications that Saudi Arabia will get the benefit of Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities but in what is not clear. What triggered this deal? What’s in it for Saudi Arabia, which is already under the US security blanket? What does this deal mean for India, especially in the context of ongoing tensions with Pakistan? And what does it mean for our relations with Saudi Arabia? Guest: Bashir Ali Abbas, Senior Research Associate at the Council for Strategic and Defence Research, New Delhi. Host: G Sampath Shot, produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

90% of the world’s natural diamonds are cut and polished by about 5000, largely family run businesses out of Surat in Gujarat, but the recent 50% US tariffs on India has led to deep anxieties about the very survival of this sector, which is part of the country’s sprawling gem and jewellery industry. Kunal Shankar, The Hindu’s Deputy Business Editor discusses the repercussions of the steep tariffs on the sector with Lalatendu Mishra who covers markets, finance and all things business for The Hindu, based out of Mumbai. Guest: Lalatendu Mishra, Senior Deputy Editor, The Hindu Host: Kunal Shankar Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Through a new executive order, President Donald Trump has added 100,000 US dollars to the annual fee for H1B visa applicants. H1B is a visa programme for skilled foreign workers. So far, the biggest beneficiaries of this visa have been Indian-origin IT workers, employed by American and Indian companies in the US. President Trump has justified this move by citing abuse of the H1B visa programme to the detriment of American workers. He has also said that through this humongous fee, he wants to raise the cost of hiring foreign workers for jobs that could be filled by local workers. Is there any merit to Trump’s claims regarding the abuse of H1B program? Has it really led to higher unemployment among American IT graduates, as Trump claims?? And how will this impact Indians currently in the US on an H1B visa? Guest: Tanul Thakur, an independent journalist and author of Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians, and the Systemic Abuse of the H1-B Programme, due for publication later this year. Host: G Sampath Recorded, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Goods and Services Tax — or GST — was rolled out in 2017, it was billed as one of India’s biggest tax reforms. It replaced a maze of indirect taxes like excise duty, VAT, and service tax, with the promise of creating a single, unified market. It was meant to create a simpler, fairer, and more transparent system. GST is what’s known as a destination-based tax, levied on every stage of value addition — a system designed to be simpler, fairer, and more transparent.Nearly eight years later, the system has seen major reforms. In its 56th meeting, the GST Council revamp the tax structure into a primarily two-rate system of 5% and 18%, and a 40% “special rate” on sin goods such as tobacco and luxury items such as large cars, yachts, and helicopters. The government is stated that this rationalise will help both businesses and also put more money in the hands of the public. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the changes will put nearly ₹2 lakh crore back into the hands of people. The government hopes that this extra money will boost domestic consumption. What this means for businesses, consumers, and the economy at large? Guest: Dr Sacchidananda Mukherjee, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sample Registration Survey’s Statistical Report, released last week had some significant numbers. One, India’s total fertility rate has dipped – it has gone down from 2.0 and now stands at 1.9, as of 2023. The second significant number was that for the first time, the total fertility rate in rural India has reached replacement levels. Replacement level is the average number of children each woman needs to give birth to for one generation to replace the other. There are, of course, wide regional disparities – some States in the country have fertility rates much below replacement levels of 2.1, while others continue to have higher numbers. India’s crude birth rate is declining, while at the same time, the report found an increase in the number of people aged over 60. How is the dipping fertility rate going to impact India’s population going forward? Will some States continue to grow population wise, while others see a steep fall? What does this mean for population stabilization and decline in the future? And how fast is our country ageing? Guest: Sonalde Desai, Professor at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland, U.S. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of India stayed certain provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Among the provisions stayed are the one requiring a person intending to create a Waqf, to prove that he had been practising Islam for five years. It also paused the provision granting District Collectors the power to determine the status of a disputed waqf property, and capped the non-Muslim representation in Waqf boards. At the same time, it has upheld the deletion of waqf-by-users, another contentious issue flagged by the petitioners. But this is only an interim order, and the case will be heard on merits sometime in the future. But for now, the government is free to implement the new law except for the stayed provisions. So what are the implications of this interim order, and how will it change things on the ground? Guest: Tasneem Ahmadi, eminent advocate Host: G Sampath Recorded. produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his much-anticipated visit to China. Mr. Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. The two leaders decided to restart bilateral trade and air connectivity, and underlined the importance of peace and tranquility along the border. These decisions were significant as they were made five years after the deadly border clashes between the two neighbours in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh; and months after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan (at the time, China supported the Pakistani military forces). Both leaders reaffirmed that the two countries were “development partners and not rivals, and their differences should not turn to disputes,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement after the meeting. Should India overlook boundary issues while normalising ties with China? Here we discuss the question. Tune in! Guest: Vivek Katju, former Indian diplomat and Antara Ghosal Singh, fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Host: Kallol Bhattacherjee Produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington’s latest tariff hike isn’t just a line in a policy paper. In India, it shows up in half-finished orders, idle machines, and nervous exporters. The U.S. says the penalties are for Russian oil, for blocking American goods, for standing firm with BRICS. While medicines and electronics may be spared, engineering firms — makers of auto parts, steel castings, heavy machinery — are already feeling the strain. In this episode, we discuss what the tariff war means for factories and the people who run them. Guest: Pankaj Chadha, Chairman of the Engineering Exports Promotion Council of India (EEPC) Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, containers of frozen shrimp left Indian ports bound for the United States. By the time they were halfway across the ocean, U.S. tariffs had spiked, prompting buyers to cancel orders. The result: millions of rupees worth of seafood stranded at sea. The impact goes far beyond trade figures. Fishermen in Andhra Pradesh must decide whether it’s worth taking their boats out, while women in Mumbai’s Sassoon Dock who peel prawns by hand worry if there will be work tomorrow. In this episode, K.N. Raghavan walks us through how a decision in Washington is reshaping Indian fishing villages, markets, and homes—and what it means for the future of India’s seafood exports. This episode is part of Tariff Watch, a special series from In Focus examining how U.S. trade policy is affecting Indian industries and the people who depend on them. Guest: K.N. Raghavan, Seafood Exporters Association of India Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Forest Rights Act (FRA) came into being in 2006. As we touch 20 years of its existence as a tool for tribal empowerment, the United Nations Development Programme, or the UNDP, has come out with a comprehensive new report, titled ‘Securing rights, Enabling Futures: Policy Lessons from Forest Rights Act and Future Pathways’. We know that the Forest Rights Act seeks to remedy a historical injustice against forest-dwelling communities, who have paid the heaviest price for ‘development’ through displacement and dispossession. This law restores the rights of these communities to live on forest land, and to use forest resources. While this sounds great in principle, it has run into many challenges in practice – including resistance from the forest bureaucracy itself. Recently, in a shocking development, thousands of forest rights titles disappeared from the records of the Chhattisgarh government. And in a stance that, on the face of it, would alarm forest-dwelling communities, the UNDP report suggests building a consensus for a ‘sunset clause’ that provides an ‘end date’ for the recognition and vesting of rights under the FRA – what does it mean? Why do we need a sunset clause for forest rights? Also, how can thousands of forest rights titles disappear all of a sudden? More broadly, how effective has been the implementation of the FRA so far, and what is required to make it more effective? Guests: Kanchi Kohli, well-known expert in environment and forest policy who has co-authored the UNDP report, and Abhinay Lakshman, who covers the FRA for The Hindu. Host: G Sampath Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men’s tennis has always been defined by legendary rivalries. For nearly two decades, the Big Three – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic – treated us to unforgettable clashes on the sport’s biggest stages. That era has finally passed, and a new duopoly is taking centre stage. In this weekender episode, we delve into the exciting rivalry between World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who most recently clashed in the U.S. Open final. They became the first men in history to contest three major finals in a single calendar year. What makes this rivalry so compelling? How do they compare to the Big Three? And will their dominance shape the ATP tour for years to come? Guest: N. Sudarshan from The Hindu’s sports bureau Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On september 9, 2025, Israeli forces launched an attack in Qatar in what is being seen as an unprecedented escalation beyond the Gaza conflict. The strike rattled Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’s political office for years and positioned itself as a key mediator in ceasefire and hostage negotiations. While Israel claims the strike was aimed at Hamas’s leadership, it has triggered wider concerns — about violations of sovereignty, the safety of negotiators, and the future of diplomacy in West Asia. So, what does this escalation mean for Qatar’s role as mediator? How does it affect the future of negotiations with Hamas? Is Israel signalling a new phase in its regional strategy, and what might this mean for U.S. allies and European powers navigating the fallout? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington’s new tariff regime, an extra duty on India-origin imports and the end of the $800 de minimis exemption, is already rippling through India’s textiles and apparel supply chain. Export margins are being squeezed, small businesses have maxed out working capital loans and inventories have piled up as orders have stalled, and mills are facing a major shortage of cotton. In the next part of a series on In Focus, looking at the impact of the United States’ 50% tariffs on goods imported from India, we unpack who gets hit, how jobs are affected, and what policy support could cushion the blow for the textiles and apparels sector – a sector for which close to a third of its export orders come from the U.S. Guests: Soundariya Preetha M, Deputy Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Thivya Rakini, State President, Tamil nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) Host: Kunal Shankar Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nepal is the most politically unstable democracy in the world since 1990 with 30 government tenures in 35 years. In this episode, we’re going beyond the breaking news regarding the recent upheaval in the country using numbers: What do they tell us about inequality, youth anger, and the failures of Nepal’s political class? And what reforms might actually make a difference? Click here to listen to Part 1 Guest: Srinivasan Ramani, Deputy National Editor, The Hindu Host: Nitika Francis Recorded by Thamodharan B and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 8 September 2025, the quaint Himalayan town Kathmandu saw violent scenes. A ban on 26 social media platforms sparked protests that turned anti-corruption rallies deadly—19 people including school children were shot. The next day, offices of political parties, ministers’ homes and parliament itself were attacked. Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli resigned. How did it come to this? Why are young Nepalis losing patience? What does this mean for the country’s future? Guest: Roman Gautam, Editor, Himal Southasian Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private coaching in India has grown into a parallel education system. It is no longer just extra help after school, but the backbone of learning for millions of students. In the last seven years, tuition has surged across all levels - from primary to higher secondary. Among rural girls in higher secondary, the rise is especially sharp, while States in the east like West Bengal, and Odisha are seeing some of the highest numbers, with coaching starting as early as Kindergarten. In some cases, families are spending more on tuition than on school itself. The podcast explores the factors contributing to this dependence on private tuition in the east. What does it say about the state of our schools? And how is this reshaping education in India? Guest: Sabir Ahamed, Programme Director at the Pratichi Institute Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Rajetha Damisetty explains how the entry of unqualified practitioners and a lack of regulatory oversight is impacting patient safety when it comes to skin and hair procedures being performed in India. The wellness sector is booming in India. Aesthetic, skin and hair clinics are everywhere, social media feeds are filled with advertisements and procedures such as hair transplants, skin lightening, botox and others are becoming increasingly common. In a few cases that have been reported in the news however, some of these treatments have gone horribly wrong – in May this year, two men from Kanpur died after botched hair transplants and another man in Kerala contracted a serious bacterial infection. Experts say that the problem is the lack of regulatory oversight – who is supposed to be able to perform these procedures and who is actually performing them in India? Are clinics where these procedures take place fully licensed and equipped to deal with emergencies? Are misleading claims and exaggerated advertisements contributing to the problem? And what is being done to ensure patient safety? Guest: Rajetha Damisetty, a senior dermatologist based in Hyderabad and national chairperson of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) Anti-Quackery, Legal and Ethics Committee. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s rocks hold an extraordinary record of life: the earliest traces of plants, dinosaur bones, and even fossils of ancient horses, whales, and humans. This wealth comes from the subcontinent’s geological journey after it broke away from the supercontinent Gondwanaland and later its collision with Asia that formed the Himalayas. Yet today, fossils face mounting threats: theft, commercial trade, and the absence of strong legal safeguards. In this weekender episode, we explore how India became such a rich ground for fossils, why these discoveries matter for both our past and our future, and what it will take to preserve them. Guest: Professor Ashok Sahni, one of India’s most distinguished palaeontologists, whose discoveries have reshaped our understanding of India’s ancient world. Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday morning, a 45-year-old man died in Kerala of amoebic meningocephalitis. This is the fourth death reported in Kerala in less than a month of this rare but deadly infection, colloquially known as brain-eating amoeba. This year alone, over 40 cases have been reported in the State, with 11 people undergoing treatment in hospitals at present. The Health Department has invoked the Kerala Public Health Act to launch preventive and control measures, as it emerges that perhaps all waterbodies — wells, ponds, canals, swimming pools, water theme parks — could be a potential source of amoebic infection for people using them, unless these are regularly cleaned and maintained in good condition. What is this brain-eating amoeba? Why is a rare infection being seen in dozens of people across one Southern state? How is it diagnosed and treated? And how can water be used safely? Guest: Dr Aravind Reghukumar, Head of department of infectious diseases, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaConvenor of Kerala State Medical Board Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, the United States let low-value parcels enter duty-free under a rule called the de minimis exemption—literally “too small to matter.” By 2016, the limit had risen to $800, among the highest in the world, opening doors for Indian exporters to sell cheaply to American buyers. Now that rule is gone. The U.S. says it was abused, hurting local businesses and even enabling shipments to make synthetic drugs. With India’s government-run postal system halting most parcels, what was once too small to matter is now a big question for India’s small businesses: how will they cope? Guest: Movin Jain Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 25, 2025, the Supreme Court urged the Union government to frame guidelines for regulating social media, noting that influencers often commercialise free speech in ways that may offend the sentiments of vulnerable groups. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed that these regulations be drafted in consultation with the National Broadcasters and Digital Association. The order stemmed from an intervention application filed by a non-profit representing persons with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which alleged that comedians Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar had made derogatory remarks about those living with the disorder. Should commercial speech on digital platforms be regulated? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Apar Gupta and Jay Vinayak Ojha Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik. Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parliament last month enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for India’s rapidly expanding online gaming sector. The legislation, which received the President’s assent on August 22, seeks to regulate segments such as e-sports and social gaming, while simultaneously imposing a blanket prohibition on all money-based online games. The stated rationale for this prohibition is the “serious social, financial, psychological and public health harms, particularly among young individuals and economically disadvantaged groups,” associated with real-money gaming. Even before the law has taken effect, several petitions have been filed in the Karnataka High Court challenging its validity. The Court has issued notice to the Union government on an interim plea seeking a stay on the Act’s application to online games of skill. Can the new legislation withstand constitutional scrutiny? What are its broader implications? Does it run contrary to established judicial precedents that distinguish between games of skill and games of chance? Note: This episode was recorded before petitions challenging the law were filed in the Karnataka HC. Guest: Deepak Joshi, Advocate-On-Record at the Supreme Court of India Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit China for the first time in seven years. He had a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping, which assumes significance in the context of the ongoing dissonance in India-US relations over tariffs. How do we read the Modi-Xi meeting – does it signal a shift toward normalisation of in bilateral ties? How important is this particular summit in the history of the SCO and the challenges it faces today? And what tangible benefits can India expect from greater engagement with SCO and with China? Guests: Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu’s Diplomatic Affairs Editor, and Ananth Krishnan, Director at The Hindu Group and former Beijing correspondent. Host: G. Sampath Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Ananth Krishnan has just curated a new e-book for The Hindu on China, titled, ‘China: India Perspectives on China’s Politics, Economy and Foreign Relations’. It is an anthology of 12 outstanding essays by reputed China scholars and experts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India has several policies designed to support persons with disabilities. Yet, data shows that many are still unable to access these benefits. A major reason is the lack of a Unique Disability ID Card, which has become essential for availing government schemes and entitlements. The Unique Disability ID card is an important document for people with disabilities. It serves as proof of their disability status and helps them access a range of government benefits and schemes. At the same time, it enables the government to maintain an accurate count of persons with disabilities, so that resources and support can be better planned and allocated. Yet, the data shows a stark gap — on average, only about 39% of people with disabilities in India actually have a Unique Disability ID card. Guest: Shashank Pandey, a lawyer and founder of Politics and Disability Forum, who works on political representation of Persons with Disabilities. Host: Nitika Francis Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coffee is more than a beverage—it’s a sensory ritual. But in 2025, global coffee prices are at a fifty-year high, sending shockwaves down to Indian households. Even long-trusted South Indian brands, staples of middle-class homes, are becoming costlier. Will the “ordinary” filter kaapi or takeaway latte soon feel like a bigger luxury? In this weekender episode, we explore the reasons behind rising prices, how it’s reshaping consumption, and whether there’s a way to hold on to our morning lifeline. Guest: Divya Jaishankar, founder of a specialty café in Chennai and master roaster Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Camera: Thamodharan B and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent years, Sri Lanka has endured fuel queues, protests and the fall of the Rajapaksa political dynasty. Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped in and steadied the economy but angered many with austerity and loyalty to the old elite. Now, in a historic first, he’s been arrested for misusing state funds on a UK trip. At the helm is President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This son of a farmer and reformist leader has promised honesty and a clean break from the past. So what does this turning point mean for Sri Lanka’s democracy, economy and its place between India and China? Guest: Meera Srinivasan, Sri Lanka Correspondent, The Hindu Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India-China relations have been bogged down by two major irritants: the border issue, and China’s close military collaboration with Pakistan. But now, both India and China are looking for a reset in bilateral ties. This assumes significance especially in the context of the Trump administration’s 50% tariffs on Indian exports. India doesn’t want its growth trajectory derailed by these tariffs, and wants to explore all options for protecting its economic interests. Prime Minister Modi is meeting President Xi Jinping in Tianjin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, and greater economic cooperation is very much on the agenda. Given the historical tensions and trust deficit between the two countries, can India benefit from a pivot to China? And if the answer is yes, how would it work? Guest: Cameron Johnson, Senior Partner, Tidalwave Solutions, Shanghai and former Vice Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. He is a leading expert on Chinese manufacturing, economy, trade, and supply chain management. Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “Deepavali gift” to the people in the form of next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms. The Ministry of Finance subsequently said that a large part of these reforms involved moving GST from the current four-tier system to a two-tier structure of 5% and 18%, along with an overall lowering of the average tax rate. What impact will this proposal have on revenues? And should the States be compensated for revenue loss? Here we discuss the question Guests: Manoj Mishra, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat; Pratik Jain, Partner at Price Waterhouse & Co LLP Host: T.C.A. Sharad Raghavan Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Banks and fintechs use Artificial Intelligence to detect fraud in credit scoring, but with new opportunities come new risks, including that of bias and accountability. The Reserve Bank of India recently released a report called Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of AI (FREE-AI) to regulate the use of AI in the financial sector. The report has seven 'sutras' or guidelines and 26 recommendations to encourage innovation in this space. The report has seven 'sutras' or guidelines and 26 recommendations to encourage innovation in this space. Guest: Prof. Prasanna Tantri, Associate Professor of Finance and the Executive Director of the Centre for Analytical Finance at the Indian School of Business Host: Nivedita V Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT made an important change to its popular app: ChatGPT will now avoid offering specific advice on personal issues and it will also prompt users to take breaks in cases of lengthy conversations. These changes were brought in after the company admitted that ChatGPT fell short of recognising signs of emotional dependency or delusions. An increasing number of people across the world, are beginning to turn to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for mental health help. And increasing number of professionals are cases of users whose mental health has been badly affected after the use of chatbots. What is going on with chatbots and the world of mental health? Is it safe to turn to chatGPT for therapy? What are the risks involved with excessive use or personal disclosures? And how can people use chatbots safely in a world where they are increasingly becoming tools for daily use? Guest: Soumitra Pathare, director, Centre for Mental Health, Law & Policy, Pune Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatausbramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since October 2023, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza, a Palestinian territory that has seen extensive destruction, displacement and death. More recently, on August 10, 2025, an Israeli drone strike killed seven reporters in a media tent in Gaza City—underscoring the dangers of telling these stories. With food, water and medicine scarce, and press freedom under siege, the question remains: how can the world protect those who continue risking everything to report the truth? Guest: Sarah Qudah, Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, Committee to Protect Journalists Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India is one of the most unequal places in the known universe. It combines extreme inequality with extreme exploitation like nowhere else. And yet, the exploited, the poor working classes, have not really risen up in revolt, and it seems like they never will. Why is this so? In this weekender episode of In Focus, we are joined by Manu Joseph who has come out with a book-length answer to this very question. The book is called, coincidentally, Why The Poor Don’t Kill Us. The conversation is about this mystery, and also, among other things, the psychological dimension of poverty, the austerity of the rich, and the pointlessness of owning a small dog. Guest: Manu Joseph, Journalist and Author Host: G Sampath Shot, edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The singles main draw of the US Open kicks off on August 24. Who are the favourites? Who are the dark horses? Can Jannik Sinner sustain his hard court dominance? Or, will Carlos Alcaraz avenge his defeat at Sinner’s hands in Wimbledon this year? Is a Sinner vs Alcaraz final a foregone conclusion, or can the old fox Novak Djokovic crash their party? On the women’s side, can Aryna Sabalenka defend her crown or will Iga Swiatek add to her growing tally of majors? And what’s with the new mixed doubles format being launched at this year’s US Open – is it unfair to the doubles pros on the ATP/WTA tour? We speak with former pro player and top coach Nandan Bal, who has the rare distinction of having both played for India in the Davis Cup and coached the Indian Davis Cup team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and two allied Bills that extend its applicability to Union Territories and Jammu and Kashmir, were tabled by the government in Parliament yesterday, and they have sparked massive resistance and outrage in the Opposition ranks. The Bills enable the removal of Central and State Ministers, as well as the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, if they are arrested on serious criminal charges. If the Bills become law, any CM arrested on serious criminal charges will be out of office within 31 days of arrest. The government has justified these Bills as necessary to bring in political morality in public office. The Bills have now been referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, which will have to submit its report by the Winter session of Parliament. What is the rationale behind these Bills? Are they anti-federal and anti-democratic? And does the government have a realistic of chance of passing them in Parliament? Guest: Sanjay Hegde, Senor Advocate at the Supreme Court Host: G. Sampath, Podcast Editor, The Hindu Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A proposal to restructure the World Test Championship (WTC) into a two-tiered system, potentially dividing the 12 Test-playing nations into two groups of six teams, or into two groups of seven and five teams, is gaining traction. While some argue that this system could improve the quality of matches and increase competitiveness by having top teams play each other more often, others worry that lower-ranked teams will get fewer opportunities to play. Will a two-tiered WTC do more harm than good? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Deep Dasgputa, former Test cricketer, and cricket broadcaster; Jatin Paranjape, ODI cricketer-turned-sports marketing professional and member of the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee Host: Amol Karhadkar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Modi government proposed the biggest overall of the goods and services tax since its rollout in 2017. Aiming to collapse the current 4 slab structure into a simpler 2 slab regime with a special slab for what the government is called. As sin goods. The move, expected to reduce prices across essentials and consumer durables, comes amid US tariff headwinds and concerns about domestic demand. Guest: Sharad Raghavan, Business and Economy Editor, The Hindu Host: Kunal Shankar, Deputy Business Editor, The Hindu Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court, in an interim order on Thursday (August 14, 2025), directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh electors who were excluded from the draft electoral roll released on August 1 as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the list must specify the precise reasons for exclusion, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration. The petitioners have argued that the poll body has failed to observe the basic principles of natural justice while carrying out the exercise. They have also questioned the “hasty” manner of its implementation. What is the constitutionality of the SIR exercise, and does it risk disenfranchising voters? What are the implications of the interim order? To what extent does the order address the contentious debate over whether Aadhaar can serve as valid proof of identity and residence in the electoral process? Guest: Shah Rukh Alam, advocate practising at the Supreme Court Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that it would cancel nearly USD 500 million of funding for mRNA vaccine projects. The reason, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, was safety and efficacy concerns.mRNA or messenger RNA vaccines hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic when the world was desperately trying to create vaccines in order to save lives. mRNA vaccines for Covid were developed rapidly, given to thousands of people and are believed to have saved numerous lives.Like all vaccines that we have today, rare cases of adverse effects are possible – but the benefits, say experts far outweigh the risks.How are mRNA vaccines different from the others we have? How effective and safe are they? Can they help with other diseases as well? And what does the cut in funding mean for vaccine development and research worldwide? Guest: Dr Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices