The Pragati Podcast

Krish Ashok and Pavan Srinath explore the science, knowledge, and the wonder of Indian home cooking, on Episode 157 of The Pragati Podcast. Krish Ashok (@krishashok on Twitter) reimagines the future of work and workspaces by day, but has done a range of incredible things in his free time. He has been one of India's funniest bloggers over the last two decades: Doing Jalsa & Showing Jilpa -- www.krishashok.me . He is a composer and performer of music -- www.soundcloud.com/krishashok . Over the last few years, he has been exploring and explaining food science and Indian home cooking from a fresh perspective. Ashok has written his first book, Masala Lab: The Science of Indian Cooking, published by Penguin India in December, 2020. It is available at https://amzn.to/3qXxi3P For more links to books, articles, and podcast episodes related to the discussion, please visit tiny.cc/pragati157 For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kaushiki Sanyal explains how bills become laws in India, on Episode 156 of The Pragati Podcast. Kaushiki Sanyal and host Pavan Srinath discuss how legislative agendas are decided, and the varying paths that are taken in an issue giving rise to a draft bill or amendment, how that moves through the Indian legislative system, gets passed as an Act, and eventually becomes the law of the land. They also discuss the roles played by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in this process, the role of parliamentary Standing Committees and other committees, the Speaker, and more. Dr. Kaushiki Sanyal is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sunay Policy Advisory, a public policy research and training consultancy and is a Senior Fellow at Policy Research and Management Network (PRAMAN), a think tank based in Gurgaon. Kaushiki has over 15 years of experience in the field of public policy and has worked with NDTV, PRS Legislative Research, and the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business. She has co-authored three books, including Oxford India Short Introductions: Public Policy in India (2017), and Shaping Policy in India: Alliance, Advocacy, Activism (2018). For more links to books, articles, and podcast episodes related to the discussion, please visit tiny.cc/pragati156 For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Gautam Menon talks to host Pavan Srinath about the Nobel Prize, what they mean for scientists, and how they shape science. In episode 155 of The Pragati Podcast, Gautam and Pavan discuss the outsized role that the Nobel Prize plays in being an aspirational goal for young scientists, how they create role models, the work, and the people who win the awards, and the dynamics at play. Gautam I Menon (@MenonBioPhysics) is a Professor of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University. Prior to joining Ashoka, he was a Professor with the Theoretical Physics and Computational Biology groups at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, where he was the founding Dean of the Computational Biology group. He works on biophysical problems and the modeling of infectious diseases. He is an initiating member of the Indian Scientists' Response to COVID-19 (ISRC). Before working on biological problems, he worked in the broad fields of statistical physics and soft condensed matter physics. Visit tiny.cc/pragati155 for detailed episode notes and links to the Nobel winners and research who are discussed in the episode. For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economist Viral Acharya talks to host Pavan Srinath about his tenure as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. This is the second of two episodes on The Pragati Podcast with Viral Archarya. He recently published his book, The Quest for Financial Stability in India. The book can be purchased at SAGE’s BIG Book Festival Sale: https://stealadeal.sagepub.in/quest-for-restoring-financial-stability-in-india-viral-acharya-9789353884895.html On Episode 154, Viral talks about his role as a deputy governor and his mandate while in office. He also discusses macroeconomic in India both within and outside the RBI, and the important public role that central bank leaders have in steering important conversations around the future of the national economy. Viral V. Acharya is the C.V. Starr Professor of Economics in the Department of Finance at New York University Stern School of Business (NYU-Stern) and an Academic Advisor to the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and Philadelphia. Viral was a Deputy Governor at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) between January 2017 and July 2019, and was in charge of Monetary Policy, Financial Markets, Financial Stability, and Research. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactive episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati154 for a richer experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya talks to host Pavan Srinath about understanding and fixing India's persistent Bank NPA problem. This is the first of two episodes on The Pragati Podcast where Viral Archarya talks about his new book, The Quest for Financial Stability in India. The book can be purchased here: http://tiny.cc/viralacharya-book On Episode 153, Viral unpacks the problem of NPAs or Non Performing Assets. He discusses how Indian banks continue to suffer from having bad loans on their balance sheets, and how it can halt India's economic progress. He also explores the idea of Fiscal Dominance, and how it has become a 'theory of everything' in India. Viral V. Acharya is the C.V. Starr Professor of Economics in the Department of Finance at New York University Stern School of Business (NYU-Stern) and an Academic Advisor to the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and Philadelphia. Viral was a Deputy Governor at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) between January 2017 and July 2019, and was in charge of Monetary Policy, Financial Markets, Financial Stability, and Research. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactive episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati153 for a richer experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether in 1980 or in 2020, the idea of a good, assured pension is an incentive like few others. Economist Renuka Sane talks to host Pavan Srinath on Episode 152 of The Pragati Podcast on pensions, their roles, types, and their evolution in modern India. Renuka Sane is an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP). Her research interests are in household finance, especially on household choice in financial instruments such as credit, pensions, insurance, and equity markets, as well as consumer protection in finance. Renuka and Pavan discuss government pensions in India and how they have evolved, the National Pension System, the Employees' Provident Fund, One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP), and more. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactives episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati152 for the full experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AP Ashwin Kumar returns to The Pragati Podcast to discuss traditions, how to understand them better, and confronts the challenges of reform. The Pragati Podcast is a weekly talk show on public policy, economics, and international relations hosted by Pavan Srinath. AP Ashwin Kumar is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Learning Futures at Ahmedabad University and has previously been a guest on both Pragati and the Thale-Harate Kannada Podcast. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactives episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati151 for full experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For further listening: Pragati Podcast #99: Questioning Nationalism. https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/6/13/ep-99-questioning-nationalism Thale-Harate Kannada Podcast #77: ಸಂಪ್ರದಾಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸುಧಾರಣೆ. Tradition and Reform. https://ivmpodcasts.com/harate-kannada-podcast-episode-list/2020/9/5/ep-77-tradition-and-reform For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign policy wonk and podcaster Hamsini Hariharan returns to Episode 150 of The Pragati Podcast to discuss China's internal issues and news in 2020. While Indian news outlets cover the ongoing Chinese aggressions in Ladakh and the India-China border conflict, Hamsini helps listeners take a peek at what is happening within China since the Coronavirus pandemic started, how the Chinese economy and politics are faring, and explores what else is occupying China's foreign policy today. Hamsini Hariharan started the Pragati Podcast along with Pavan Srinath in April 2017 and was a co-host for close to 70 episodes. Currently, Hamsini is the host of States of Anarchy – a weekly podcast on global affairs and foreign policy. She also writes a weekly column for CNBC News-18 on Chinese politics and policy. She is a visiting faculty at the Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication. She is on @HamsiniH on twitter and @lady_baritone on Instagram. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactives episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati150 for full experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For further listening: States of Anarchy Podcast: https://ivmpodcasts.com/states-of-anarchy Pragati Podcast #112: The 2019 Hong Kong Protests: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/9/11/ep-112-the-2019-hong-kong-protests For all queries and feedback, email us at pragatipod@gmail.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

V Ravichandar returns to The Pragati Podcast to talk about the dire need to create more public spaces and social infrastructure in Indian cities. He talks to host Pavan Srinath on Episode 149 about the role that governments, citizens, and the city elite can play in making urban lives richer. Ravichandar is the Honorary Director of the Bangalore International Centre and Chairman, Feedback Consulting. He has been active in urban reforms and governance for the last two decades, most recently as a part of the 3-member Government Expert Committee tasked with reimaging governance and administration for Bengaluru. Apart from his role at the Bangalore International Centre, Ravi helped start the Bangalore Literature Festival, the Chennai International Centre, and other public-oriented initiatives. Disclaimer: Host Pavan Srinath works with Ravi and the Bangalore International Centre in running the BIC Talks Podcast. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactives episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to the episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from www.tiny.cc/pragati149 for the full experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For further listening: Pragati Podcast #95: Working with Government: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/5/9/ep-95-working-with-government See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shipra Deo and Devendra Damle talk to host Pavan Srinath about the long struggle for women to secure property rights and land ownership in India. On Episode 148 of The Pragati Podcast, they discuss what progress has been made over the last century, and the vast pending scope of legal and societal challenges. Shipra Deo is the Director of Women's Land Rights, India, at Landesa, and Devendra Damle is a consultant researcher at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP). Don't miss Narayan Prasad's brief update on IN-SPACe and India's space reforms during the break, of developments since Episode 144 of The Pragati Podcast. Since Episode 143, The Pragati Podcast has been releasing interactives episodes with in-audio links, polls, references, and more that go beyond the usual podcast experience. Listen to the episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App, the Adori iOS App, or from tinyurl.com/pragati148 for the full experience. You can access all links and references within the app or web players. For further listening: Pragati Podcast #143 Land and Reforms in India, with Shekhar Shah and Pranab Ranjan Choudhary. https://www.thinkpragati.com/podcast/the-pragati-podcast/8787/land-and-reforms-in-2020/ For all feedback, write in to podcast@thinkpragati.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Gullapalli N Rao, Founder of the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, talks about human vision, eye health, and the transformation of eye care in India on Episode 147 of The Pragati Podcast. Dr. Rao talks to host Pavan Srinath about how myopia is a growing challenge across the world and in India. They discuss how India's opthalmological practice leads the rest of healthcare in various aspects, how eye care in metropolitan India is now comparable to anywhere in the world, and explore how eye care can be made affordable for all Indians across the country. Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao is Founder and Chairman of the L V Prasad Eye Institute, which he started in Hyderabad in 1987. Returning to India after a successful career in the United States as an academic ophthalmologist, Dr. Rao and other leaders across South India helped revolutionize the quality and access to eye care across cities and states. Dr. Rao continues to be an active researcher and a key advocate of affordable eye care and prevention of blindness in India, and across the world. He was honored with a Padma Shri in 2002, and was elected to the Ophthalmology Hall of Fame in 2017 by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Since Episode 142, The Pragati Podcast is now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more. Visit tinyurl.com/pragati147 and listen to this episode on your web or mobile browser, on or the IVM Podcasts Android App or the Adori iOS App for the full experience. For all feedback, write in to podcast@thinkpragati.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead . Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati . The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ameya Naik and host Pavan Srinath discuss long-overdue police reforms and provide a primer on how to reimagine policing in India in the 21st century, on The Pragati Podcast. Ameya and Pavan record Episode 146 of The Pragati Podcast, at a time when there are daily reports of police brutality on minorities and peaceful protestors in the Black Lives Matter movement. Meanwhile in India, the lathi remains the default instrument of policing during the COVID-19 pandemic and during India's stringent lockdowns. This comes on the heels of many reports of excessive use of force against protestors of the CAA and NRC in late 2019 and early 2020. Ameya Naik is trained in law, public policy, pyschology and diplomacy, and is a recurring guest on The Pragati Podcast as well as a friend of the show. Ameya is a non-resident Associate Fellow at the Takshashila Institution and wears many other hats besides that Since Episode 142, The Pragati Podcast is now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more. Visit tinyurl.com/pragati146 and listen to this episode on your web or mobile browser, on or the IVM Podcasts Android App or the Adori iOS App for the full experience. Suggested reading & listening: 1. Articles and reports discussed in the episode: tinyurl.com/pragati146 2. Previous episodes of Pragati featuring Ameya Naik: thinkpragati.com/tag/ameya-naik/ 3. Pragati Podcast #61: Why do we elect Criminals? ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/tag/vaishnav 4. Pragati #141: A 21st Century Justice Platform for India: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/6/10/ep-141-a-21st-century-justice-platform-for-india 5. Pragati #114: A Bottom-Up Look at India's Judiciary: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/10/2/ep-114-a-bottom-up-look-at-indias-judiciary 6. Pragati #131: The Supreme Court of in 2020: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/3/11/ep-131-the-supreme-court-in-2020 For all feedback, write in to podcast@thinkpragati.com or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neuroscientist and Science Communicator Shruti Muralidhar is on Episode 145 of The Pragati Podcast to talk about the challenges of science publishing and science communication in 2020. Shruti also talks to host Pavan Srinath about how Scicomm can be transformed in India. Announcement: The Pragati Podcast will now be releasing new episodes every Thursday morning, India time. The Pragati Podcast is also now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App at https://ivm.today/android , Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp , or listen in on your browser at tinyurl.com/pragati145 for the full experience. Shruti Muralidhar (@polybiotique) is a neuroscientist and science communicator. By day, Shruti works on learning and memory as a postdoctoral researcher at the Picower Institute at MIT. She is a founding member of IndSciComm along with Abhishek Chari, and IndSciComm is a collective formed to improve scientific awareness in India and help Indian researchers interact with the public. Learn more at https://indscicomm.blog/ Read Shruti's policy memo outlining urgent points of action to improve science communication in India: https://indscicomm.blog/2020/07/12/scicomm-policy-memo-for-stip-2020/ Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space Law scholar Dr Ranjana Kaul and space entrepreneur Narayan Prasad discuss space reforms and the recent Indian IN-SPACe announcement with host Pavan Srinath on Episode 144 of The Pragati Podcast. On June 24, the Cabinet of the Govt of India met to approve the setting up of IN-SPACe, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre. This has been heralded as historic space reforms in India. Ranjana and Narayan discuss what we know about IN-SPACe so far, the role of the private sector in space, what space reforms are necessary for India. Like Episode 143 of The Pragati Podcast with Kartik Parija (tinyurl.com/pragati143), this is a new, interactive episode that goes beyond the regular audio experience. A request for all listeners: please try listening to the episode on the IVM Podcast App, the Adori iOS app, or on your desktop or mobile browser to get a rich, interactive experience. Regular listening on your preferred podcast app remains the same, and you can switch any time. Download the IVM Podcasts Android App at: https://ivm.today/android , Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp , or listen in on your browswer at tinyurl.com/pragati144 . Dr. Ranjana Kaul is Partner in Dua Associates, a leading law firm in India. She specializes in the international law of outer space and related national policies and regulations applicable to space sector and downstream space technology business verticals. She is an affiliate of the International Institute of Space Law, Paris; Space & Satellite Professional International (India), and Women in Aviation International (India). Dr. Narayan Prasad (@cosmosguru) is a co-founder at https://satsearch.co, a global marketplace for space supported and incubated by the European Space Agency. He is the host of the NewSpace India Podcast, and also serves as a Partner to SpacePark Kerala, a Government of Kerala initiative to develop a dedicated space activities hub in India. Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcasts are a modern, new medium for most of us in India, but is the underlying technology stuck in the 2000s? Can we reimagine podcasts as a potentially more interactive medium in 2020? Kartik Parija of Adori Labs joins host Pavan Srinath on Episode 143 of The Pragati Podcast to both tell us and show us how. This is a special, experimental episode that goes beyond the regular audio. A request for all listeners: please try listening to the episode on the IVM Podcast App, the Adori iOS app, or on your desktop or mobile browser to get a rich, interactive experience. Listening on your regular podcast app is still possible, and you can switch later too. Download the IVM Podcast App at: ivm.today/android , Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp , Listen in on your browswer at tinyurl.com/pragati142 . Disclaimer: Kartik Parija is the co-founder of Adori Labs, which powers IVM Podcasts and The Pragati Podcast. IVM is a customer of Adori Labs, and a part of Adori's Early Access program. Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What land reforms does India need in 2020? How can we think about property rights, and a complicated legislative history and ground reality in India? Shekhar Shah and Pranab Ranjan Choudhury give host Pavan Srinath a masterclass on land and reform on Episode 142 of The Pragati Podcast. They discuss what constitutes property ownership in India, what land reforms have meant between the 1950s and 1980s in India, and what they can mean in 2020. The discussion spans rural land conflicts, weak land record systems, the challenges faced by Adivasis and tribal groups being denied their legitimate rights, land acquisition, the growth of private industries, and more. Dr Shekhar Shah is an Economist and the Director General of NCAER (@NCAER), the National Council for Applied Research in New Delhi. As a part of their Land Policy Initiative, they released the first edition of a Land Records Services Index in February 2020 and ranked Indian states and union territories. Learn more at http://www.ncaer.org/NLRSI/index1.html Mr Pranab Ranjan Choudhury (@prchoudhury) works with the Centre for Land Governance in Odisha, and has worked for over 18 years on natural resources management and land governance across India. Read more about his work at http://centerforland.org/prchoudhury/ Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Podcasts are all about voices and conversations, but how did India's own voice-over industry evolve? This is a rebroadcast of Episode 83 of Pragati Podcast, where pioneering voice artists Shammi Narang and Dishant Narang share their personal journey from the early days of radio ads in India to the rapidly growing industry that is voice-acting today. Shammi and Dishant Narang run Pindrop Media in New Delhi, and Shammi Narang is the Hindi voice of all Metro rail services in India today. Starting his voice career with Voice of America Hindi in the 1970s, he is a celebrated Doordarshan anchor from the 1980s, and has been a leader in the voice-over industry in India since then. If you have any questions or comments, write to us at podcast@thinkpragati.com, or talk to our host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter. We would love to hear from you. Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leah Verghese and Surya Prakash from Daksh India talk to host Pavan Srinath about how a 21st-century justice platform can transform access to justice for Indians. In 2020, it is impossible for migrant workers who have gone back to their home states to go to court over unpaid salaries and wages. It is impractical for a startup to file a civil case to recover pending payments from a large company. India is also an outlier country where in many states, there are more criminal cases than civil cases in district courts. On Episode 141 of The Pragati Podcast, Leah and Surya discuss how torturous it is for people to seek legal remedies in India in 2020, how digitisation and ICT efforts have fared thus far. They then present how a truly modern justice system can be envisaged, where a legal recourse is accessible, inexpensive, faster and better for all Indians. Leah Verghese is Research Manager, and Surya Prakash BS is Fellow & Programme Director, at Daksh India, a Bangalore-based nonprofit that works on judicial reform. Daksh recently published whitepaper series on developing a 'Next Generation Justice Platform', which imagines a new way of dispensing civil and criminal justice in India. More details at: https://dakshindia.org/next-generation-justice-platform/ Also listen to: Pragati Podcast #114: A Bottom-Up Look at India's Judiciary: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/10/2/ep-114-a-bottom-up-look-at-indias-judiciary Pragati Podcast #131: The Supreme Court in 2020: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/3/11/ep-131-the-supreme-court-in-2020 Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can India's courts protect the country's environment? The Pragati Podcast revisits the topic on World Environment Day 2020 with returning guest and Supreme Court Lawyer Ninad Laud. Ninad was previously on Episode 73 of The Pragati Podcast to discuss the legal history of environmental challenges in India from the 1990s to 2018. This episode includes sections of Episode 73, which explore how well Public Interest Litigations and the National Green Tribunal have done justice to environmental causes in India. Ninad Laud returns on Episode 140 to talk to host Pavan Srinath about how has the National Green Tribunal, India's premier adjudicating body on environmental issues, has changed in the last few years. They also discuss a recent Environmental Impact Assessment Notification released during the nation-wide lockdown, in March 2020. If you have any questions or comments, write in to podcast@thinkpragati.com, or talk to our host Pavan at @zeusisdead on Twitter. We would love to hear from you. Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod & Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati & Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. M.R. Rajagopal of Pallium India talks to host Pavan Srinath about Palliative care, what it means and how we can ease suffering and pain across India, on Episode 139 of The Pragati Podcast. Palliative care focuses on quality of life of patients, especially those facing life-threatening illnesses, with a focus on treating pain, alleviating suffering and managing other challenges. Palliative care is a distant priority in India, where even primary and preventive care take a back-seat to curative, hospital-centric, and disease-oriented treatment. India has changed its draconian laws that have prevented deserving patients from accessing pain medication like Morphine, but the changes remain in theory, and inexpensive opioid pain relief remains a distant dream for most Indians, often in the name of preventing abuse. Dr. M.R. Rajagopal is the founder-chairman of Pallium India and director of Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences, which is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Policy on Access to Pain Relief. Dr. Rajagopal has worked through the length of his career to establish palliative care and its importance in India, provide relief to innumerable Indians both directly and indirectly. He was honoured with a Padma Shri by the Republic of India in 2018 for his efforts. Visit https://palliumindia.org/ to learn more. If you have any questions or comments, write in to podcast@thinkpragati.com, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.