The Hathras stampede, which claimed 121 lives has brought into focus again the lack of safety measures at religious gatherings. A study showed that between 2001 and 2014 more than 2,421 people died in over 3,000 stampedes in India, most of them at religious events. Another said that 79% of all stampedes in India occur at places of worship. Several studies have blamed the tragedies on lack of crowd control systems and poor planning. How can we make religious gatherings safer in India? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

The latest controversy over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET, shows how broken India’s entrance exam system is. Paper leaks and corruption are common, calling into question the effectiveness of the process and where it leaves aspirants. So routine is the leak of papers and release of incorrect results that they have been connected to several student suicides. What’s wrong with India’s entrance examination system and how do we fix it? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Birsa Munda, the legendary tribal rebel who died more than 120 years ago, is at the center of a heated political battle. Sangh Parivar outfits are using his memory to co-opt Adivasi identities into the saffron fold while demanding that tribals who have converted to ‘non-indigenous’ religions, such as Christianity, be excluded from the Scheduled Tribes list. Adivasis maintain that they are distinct from Hindus with their own religious and cultural identity. Central to this battle is Birsa Munda’s legacy. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Impact investing, which aims to achieve positive social or environmental results alongside financial returns, is considered a big opportunity in India. Impact funds usually earn a market rate of return, which flies in the face of the belief that investing in social or environmental priorities is important but not profitable. Avishek Gupta, MD and CEO of Caspian Debt, speaks to All Indians Matter about the impact investment landscape.

There are several structural problems with the way exit polls are conducted in India – from inadequate sample sizes to the blending of irrelevant historical data into the projection, an improper understanding of the demographics, voters withholding their true choices from researchers and many more. Also, inadequate budgets mean pollsters cut corners.

It’s a flawed exercise and even harmful at times, as we saw with the stock market surge based at least partly on exit poll results and the subsequent crash on counting day.

Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

The data shows that India’s roads are among the most unsafe in the world. In 2022, more than 4.6 lakh accidents were reported in which 1.68 lakh people lost their lives and nearly 4 lakh were injured. The impact of accidents is felt well beyond the tragedy itself – the economic loss alone is equivalent to 3.18% of the GDP, or Rs 8.17 lakh crore in 2022-23. Such incidents strain the healthcare system and result in a loss of productivity. Often, it’s families’ breadwinners who perish. So, road safety is not just about saving lives but also protecting families, better healthcare and boosting the economy. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

It is estimated that India’s digital lending market will grow to an astounding $515 billion by 2030. While there are serious challenges such as data privacy and predatory practices, the RBI has stepped in to protect consumers. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

An estimated 12,000 Indians die every day due to blood shortage. What’s more, access to safe blood is not a given in the country. As we observe Blood Donor Day on June 14, India has a great gap to bridge when it comes to blood safety and supply. Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, Member Secretary of the Thalassemia Patient Advocacy Group and a respected voice on blood safety, speaks to All Indians Matter.