The Takshashila Podcast

The Indian state has long witnessed separatism, often backed by militancy, in various regions across the country. We have had periods of militancy in Punjab, the North Eastern states, and Jammu Kashmir as well as Naxalite movements in Central India. In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS and DGP of the State of Uttar Pradesh) speaks to Shrikrishna Upadhyaya regarding the unique challenges of policing in conflict zones, tactics employed by police forces, civilian counterinsurgency forces, and more.

Kingshuk Saha and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the evolution of the Canada-India crisis and discuss how it has not only impacted the bilateral relations between both countries but also has cast a shadow on Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

In February 2023, the Tom Tom traffic index found Bengaluru to be the world’s second-most traffic congested city. In September, the city experienced massive traffic congestion with lakhs of commuters stranded for hours. October saw the Namma Metro's Purple Line fully operational to help ease traffic. But will the metro really suffice as the solution for Bengaluru's long-term traffic needs? Or are there other factors at play? In this episode, Ananya Desai and Rohan Pai discuss Namma Metro's role in solving Bengaluru's traffic problem.

In this episode, Kingshuk and Dr. Nithyanandam delve deeply into the most recent events in the Doklam region, as reported in the most recent news article from Takshashila Geospatial Bulletin. Join them as they unravel the complexities surrounding the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and their strategic moves in this critical border area.

India's Electric Vehicle ecosystem has grown remarkably in the last few years. However, questions arise about the sustainability of this growth and potential challenges. In this All Things Policy episode, Sarthak Pradhan engages in conversation with Manish Bhandari and Ashwin Kak, both current students of Takshashila's 48 week Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy, where they share their insights on the state of affairs in India's Electric Vehicle sector.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar and Bharat Sharma speak to Anushka Saxena about the recent Indo-US 2+2  ministerial dialogue. They discuss deepening defence and security cooperation between India and the US, what it means for the Quad, and how it affects its agenda. Finally, they also discuss the China factor in the relationship, and what role China plays in the context of deepening technology cooperation between the two countries.  Edited

A recent report suggested that Indian men outrank women as organ recipients. Meanwhile, women are far more likely to donate their organs to male counterparts within their families. Further, the proportion of organ donations from deceased persons is minuscule as opposed to living donors. In this episode, Saurabh Todi and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya discuss the reasons behind the gender disparities in organ transplants in India and certain solutions to solve the demand and supply mismatch in the organ transplantation market. Reading: 4 of 5 living organ donors in India are women, 4 of 5 recipients men: Study | Pune News

Many scientists and policymakers around the world are standing up and highlighting the potential harm that AI can do but Sridhar Krishna and Rijesh Panicker bring a different perspective and suggest AI can actually support the growth of liberal democracy. Readings: AI and its potential impact on liberal democracy, FRANCIS FUKUYAMA interview New UN Advisory Body aims to harness AI for the common good How Generative AI can help boost democracy HBR - 10 ways AI will change democracy Future does not have to be dystopian. Boston Review Rishi Sunak & Elon Musk: Talk AI, Tech & the Future

Rapid urbanization presents a pressing challenge for solid waste management as burgeoning cities generate increasing amounts of waste, necessitating innovative and sustainable solutions to handle the growing volume of solid waste. Effective solid waste management practices are crucial to maintaining urban hygiene, reducing environmental pollution, and ensuring urban populations' well-being in the face of urban expansion. Mubeena Mubarak and Malathi Renati speak about solid waste management's nuances and best practices.

The journey of education is a combination of many experiences put together. What goes into the nuts & bolts of the Australian education system? Josiah Neal is in conversation with Sowmya Prabhakar to give us a fair idea about it from a student’s perspective.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena discusses with Manoj Kewalramani and Amit Kumar tensions in US-China relations, and whether the upcoming Xi-Biden meeting at the APEC Summit signals a thaw in relations. Manoj and Amit also highlight the significance of the high-level diplomatic dialogue that has taken place between the two sides in the past few months, and its role in creating stability and guardrails in a largely tenuous relationship.

Hours after the horrific terror strike on Israel by Hamas on October 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced unequivocal support to Israel in its hour of grief. Within days, India reiterated its stand on the two-state solution, and clearly differentiated between Hamas and the Palestinian people. On October 19, Modi spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Takshashila's Sachin Kalbag and Yusuf Unjhawala break down the unique position that India is in, and how it could use its diplomatic skill to get a place in the global high table.

According to a 2021 census, 710,380 Indian-born people were living in Australia, effectively making them the second-largest migrant group in the country after those born in England. The Department of Home Affairs (Australia) granted 382,000 student visas between July 2022 and February 2023. This is a 41.3 percent increase compared to the same period of 2019-2020. Should immigration continue to be encouraged in Australia? What draws Indian students to Australia, as opposed to the US and the UK? In this episode of the All Things Policy, Rohan Pai and Josiah Neal engage in a discussion on MATES, or The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme, set up between India and Australia. They delve into a plethora of topics including the history of immigration in Australia as well as the widespread controversy of violence against Indian students in Australia.

Energy access can greatly impact healthcare, education, and quality of life. What seen or unseen policy issues exist at the interplay between energy and development? Join Akansha Saklani and Satya Sahu as they discuss the critical role energy access plays in fostering the development of rural and underserved communities worldwide.

As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 3.42 lakh people are still missing and untraced in India as of 2021. A vast majority of missing persons are women. In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS and DGP of Uttar Pradesh) speaks to Shrikrishna Upadhyaya on the various reasons behind missing persons, kidnapping and abduction, human trafficking, enforced disappearances, and the urban-rural divide in terms of people going missing. Readings: Where do most people go missing in India? Bengal & MP. Kerala best in tracing them, Punjab worst NCRB Report on Missing Women and Children Confessions of a killer policeman | India | The Guardian

In this episode, Amit Kumar talks to Anushka Saxena about some elements of India's cybersecurity policy and priorities, including the nature of the threat the country faces, its domestic policy imperatives, and its engagement with the multilateral fora on the issue of responsible cyber behaviour.

In the episode of All Things Policy, Shambhavi Naik and Saurabh Todi discuss the recent news from China where scientists have successfully restored hearing in kids born deaf. They discuss the consequences of this achievement and the ethics of gene therapies.

Deep technologies involve scientific and technological advancements that serve as the foundation for innovative products or services. In this episode of All Things Policy, Vishnu Rajeev, investment principal of VC firm Speciale Invest, talks about the deep tech industry and why he's so excited about its future in India. Bharath Reddy and Satya Sahu from Takshashila join him in the conversation.

The UPI has come as a boon to Indian consumers making receiving and paying money easy at every level. But how does this interface fare with visitors from other countries? What can India do to make it easier for visitors? Suman Joshi talks to Josiah W Neal about his experiences in India. Reading: UPI: The world needs India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, but can’t see the benefit

Kingshuk Saha discusses with Aditya Ramanathan and Bharat Sharma the Israel-Hamas crisis that has engulfed the Middle East. They talk about how it affects India’s interests and its response to the emerging challenge. (As it is a developing event, please note that the podcast was recorded on October 20, 2023)