In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Naor Gilon, Israeli Ambassador to India, discusses the ongoing Israel-Hamas War.

He provides insights into Israel's stance on a potential ceasefire against Gaza and the hostage release deal, as well as Qatar's role in mediating the conflict due to its influence over Hamas.

He further addresses the issue of misinformation and propaganda from Hamas concerning casualty figures and examines the impact of Middle Eastern funding on the U.S. universities and its influence on perceptions of Israel.

Ambassador Gilon also shares the trade ties between India and Israel, highlighting the significance of their bilateral relationship.

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