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.

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (retd.) is the former Chief of Air Staff, a highly decorated officer with a distinguished career spanning over four decades. He previously served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) at Southern Air Command. During his tenure as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he played a pivotal role in the Rafale negotiations. He has joined the BJP right before the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.

In this edition of the ANI podcast with Smita Prakash, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (retd.) defends the Agnipath schemes introduced by the NDA government in 2022. He emphasises that the Agnipath scheme was the result of extensive discussions among the armed forces, government departments, and paramilitary forces over two years.

He asserts that the scheme is not merely about reducing pension liabilities but about adapting to evolving technology and combat threats. He explains that the scheme aims to create a younger, more technologically adept force, with 25% of Agniveers being retained for permanent service.

Bhavish Aggarwal is the Chairman and Managing Director of OLA. He is an experienced entrepreneur who founded Ola Cabs in 2010, which is now India’s most popular ride-hailing service with over 50% market share.

In 2021, Bhavish started Ola Electric, a company focused on electric vehicles. Within three years, Ola Cabs and Ola Electric together are valued at over $13 billion.

His latest venture, Krutrim, launched in April 2023, became India's first AI unicorn. Krutrim is developing a full AI computing stack, including cloud infrastructure, and advanced silicon for data centers.

Bhavish graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, with a degree in Computer Science.

In this edition of the ANI podcast with Smita Prakash, Bhavish shared his vision for India's tech future, critiqued Western tech dominance, and advocated for greater autonomy and data sovereignty in India's AI efforts.

With plans for an IPO and expansions into EVs, Bhavish envisions India leading in technology and societal change. He emphasized the importance of India developing its own tech and cultural paradigms to maintain national data and narrative control.

(0:00) Introduction

(1:17) Tech Giants’ Attire

(3:54) Oats vs. Ice Salvo

(9:13) Lithium Tech Sustainability

(13:41) Supply Chain Importance

(21:59) Taiwan: Computing Industry Hub

(24:21) Krutrim: India’s Own AI

(31:09) American CEO vs. Indian CEO

(37:39) Who Owns Digital Data

(42:01) Ola vs. Uber

(44:21) Childhood Story

(49:20) Working Hours Debate

(53:27) Job Creation Business

(56:21) India’s Startup Boom

(58:09) From Ola Cabs to EVs

(1:08:14) Women Workforce

(1:10:29) Ola IPO Launch

(1:12:09) Cost-Effective EVs

(1:21:37) Ola Bikes

(1:25:53) Krutrim Competitors

(1:30:29) Govt Support to EV Industry

(1:34:15) True & False Segment

(1:46:07) Snap Reaction Segment

Chandrashekhar Azad has secured a seat in Parliament by garnering over 50% of the votes from the Nagina Constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Dalit leader clinched victory amidst stiff competition from opponents such as the SP, BSP, and BJP. This comes at a time when the national party BSP failed to win any seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls. Chandrashekhar Azad is a lawyer, chief, and co-founder of the Bhim Army. He is also the national president of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram). In February 2021, Azad was featured in Time magazine's annual list of 100 Emerging Leaders who are Shaping the Future.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Azad explains what this victory means for his community and the future of Dalit politics in India. He also discusses why he chose to enter active politics and the challenges he faced to reach this point. Azad shares his views on BSP Supremo Mayawati and analyzes what went wrong for the BSP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Azad claims to be the hope of the Dalit community and vows to advocate for their rights in Parliament. He strongly advocates for reservation in the private sector, emphasizing the need for adequate representation for the Dalit community. Azad also discusses why he is not part of the INDIA alliance and what strained his ties with the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav.

In 2020, Azad was arrested for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens in Delhi. He was previously arrested for allegedly inciting caste-based riots in Saharanpur in 2017. In this episode, he also recounts his ordeal in police custody.

(0:00) Introduction

(0:35) Journey to Parliament

(4:09) Who's the Inspiration

(6:120 Swearing-in as MP

(10:15) Alliance & Nagina's Development

(13:18) Bid to Defeat Azad

(18:22) Dalits and Their Rights

(19:51) Why Electoral Politics

(21:57) Revolutionary Life

(26:40) Minorities & Political Power

(29:32) NSA Against Azad

(36:14) NDA or INDIA?

(44:10) Biggest Dalit Leader

(52:28) Azad's Support Base

(57:45) Controversies on Castes

(1:05:50) Constitution

(1:08:20) Equal Representation

In the old city of Hyderabad, child marriages remain a significant challenge even in the 21st century. What's even more shocking is the practice of multiple marriages of these girls in exchange for money, with a majority belonging to the Muslim community.

Hyderabad-based poet and activist Jameela Nishat is the founder of the 'Shaheen Women's Resource & Welfare Association,' which aims to assist girls trapped in these customs and help them rebuild their lives.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Jameela Nishat delves deeper into this issue and exposes an alleged 'child bride' racket running in Hyderabad. She reveals how young girls are married off to much older men using fake marriage certificates for short periods, only to be remarried to other older men later on.

Additionally, she discusses how these girls often become victims of trafficking, predominantly to Gulf countries. Jameela also talks about the reasons why families choose to marry minor girls to sheikhs for the sake of money. She categorizes these marriages as fake, emphasizing the complicity of "qazis" who perform such marriages in violation of all rules. Jameela also explains the role of agents in this racket.

(0:00) Introduction

(1:40) Hyderabad's Child Marriages

(6:03) Illegal Marriage Process

(8:19) Taking Women to Gulf Nations

(9:32) WhatsApp Marriages

(10:32) Ameena Case

(11:26) Young Girls Being Sold

(13:58) Shaheen Women's Resource & Welfare Association

(14:20) Domestic Violence

(15:06) Triple Talaq & Polygamy

(16:41) Attack on Jameela Nishat

(19:09) Abandoned Muslim Women

(21:08) Migration of Young Girls

(23:47) Education is the Solution

(24:47) Fatwa

(26:54) Awareness & Poetry

Life for Dalits in India is often marked by significant challenges. Being a Dalit in India means facing discrimination and social exclusion based on their caste status. They encounter difficulties in various aspects of life such as employment, education, and social interactions. Rahul Sonpimple, a Dalit activist with a PhD in Sociology from JNU, and formerly a leader of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association, hails from Nagpur and currently heads the All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association.

In the recent episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rahul Sonpimple discusses the lifelong struggles faced by Dalits in India. He emphasizes Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's teachings and the effectiveness of reservations in fostering social harmony. Sonpimple highlights the severe underrepresentation of Dalits in politics and top national institutions. He advocates for extending reservations to the private sector.

Sonpimple alleges that SC/ST reservations in government jobs have consistently gone unfilled since independence. He also discusses the impact of Uttar Pradesh's first Dalit Chief Minister, Mayawati, and her reforms for the Dalit community. Sonpimple proposes policy-level changes to improve the quality of life for Dalits.

(0:00) Introduction

(0:55) Activism vs Politics

(9:50) Caste System in India

(19:26) Caste Discrimination

(24:20) Mayawati: An Icon of Dalits

(29:25) Reservation in Private Sector

(32:20) Lived Dalit Experience

(36:25) Anti - Brahminism

(40:30) Reservation in India vs USA

(47:40) Dalits in Political Parties

(52:30) Dalit Tokenism in Politics

(56:25) Malnutrition Among Dalit Kids

(1:00:22) Dalit Movements and Buddhism

(1:02:46) Dalit Buddhist Movement

(1:06:05) Hygiene & Attire in Dalits

(1:11:50) Literature on Dalits

(1:15:38) Caste Census

(1:19:00) Terminologies for Dalits

(1:25:20) Hope from Govt

(1:28:42) Merit vs. Quota' Debate