In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder and MD of Drishti IAS, shares his journey from being a civil servant to becoming an educator.

Dr. Divyakirti delves into several important issues affecting the education and examination system in India. He discusses the restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the controversies surrounding the NEET-UG. He offers his insights on the UPSC exams, highlighting biases in the selection of Hindi and English candidates.

Dr. Divyakirti also addresses the reservation system in India, pointing out the loopholes and how they are being exploited. He also shares his views on the Puja Khedkar case.

Dr. Divyakirti also talks about the 2024 Lok Sabha results and how they are going to shape India and what reforms NDA 3.0 can bring.

In 2020, when his father Ram Vilas Paswan passed away, Chirag Paswan faced the biggest challenge of his political career. His uncle took charge of the party, and many thought Chirag's political journey was over. Sidelined by other leaders in his party, he was written off by many. But Chirag Paswan defied the odds. In 2021, he formed the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and now he has secured victory in all five seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Today, Chirag Paswan holds the same Food Processing Industries ministry that his father once looked after under the Modi government. Chirag calls himself "Modi's Hanuman" and is seen as the future of Bihar politics. The BJP also views him as a ''valuable asset''.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Chirag Paswan discusses the importance of Bihari identity and the need to rise above caste lines for a progressive Bihar. He also recalls the tough time when he lost his father and how he navigated his personal and political life.

Chirag also talks about his vision for Bihar, one of India's poorest states. He delves into the nepotism debate and explains why his Bollywood debut failed. Chirag also discusses his friendship with Kangana, who is also a member of Parliament in the 18th Lok Sabha.

(0:00) Introduction

(1:07) Chirag Paswan on Religion

(3:17) The Split in LJP

(7:35) NDA - LJP Alliance in 2014

(11:37) 2024 LS Polls Victory

(14:42) Dalit Politics in Bihar

(17:14) Caste Politics in Bihar

(20:33) Bihar First, Bihari First

(27:08) Bihar Infrastructure Mess

(30:20) Vidhan Sabha Polls in Bihar

(34:29) First 100 Days Plan

(39:11) Pride in Being a Bihari

(40:56) Nepotism Debate

(44:18) Chirag & Tejashwi Spat

(48:01) Why Tejashwi Failed

(51:20) Agnipath Scheme

(54:55) NDA & Its Allies

(56:29) Chirag & Kangana's Friendship

(59:04) Snap Reaction Segment

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, recorded at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi in February 2024, two sessions are featured- "Decluttering the Discourse: Women of Iran."

The first panel features Mojgan Golchin, Head of Department at the International Educational Cooperation Centre for Political and International Studies, Iran, and Neda Raefipour, Diplomat at IPIS, Iran.

The second session includes Zohreh Nosrat Kharazmi, Professor at Tehran University, Fariba Allasvand, Professor at the Women and Family Research Institute in Iran, and Masoomeh Seif Afjehee, Head of the Department of Human Rights and Women's Studies at the Centre for Political and International Studies, Iran.

The experts delve into the women's lives in Iran, including the Mahsa Amini Hijab protests, the impacts of US sanctions on Iran, and the progress of women in post-revolutionary Iran. They also explore diplomatic relations between India and Iran, as well as cultural exchanges between the two nations.