interviews and discussions on politics, news and human rights
Can India rise from Poverty to power?
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Past few years everyone seems to be talking about India as the next superpower. What once seemed like a distant dream is now increasingly real. But poverty continues to be our biggest hurdle. How do we move ahead, without leaving anyone behind? #g20
The dollar has been the king of global currency for decades. And it continues to hold onto its premier position, despite calls to end its hegemony. India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a pact allowing bilateral trade to be settled in local currency. It will save us both time and money. The Dollar is not going away anytime soon, but this is perhaps a small step towards De-dollarisation.
Raging rivers and broken roads, we have all seen the devastating images on our screens for past few days. The rivers are overflowing and thousands are displaced.
There is an urgent need to invest in early flood warning systems. Only a third of the people exposed to extreme flood events are covered by these systems. We need more.
There aren't many of us who actually know much about the north-eastern part of our country. I spent many years as a child in the mountains, and yet I struggle to understand the history, the cultural context and the subtle and the obvious differences between the states, its tribes and the various ethnic groups. This is just a small fragment of my interview with i24 News a few days ago. Don't have much because of a technical glitch, but while doing this show I realised how much I want to go back to the seven sisters, and get to know them better.
Are we enemies or can we move ahead? The summer of 2020 fundamentally altered the dynamics of the India China relationship. The military posturing continues, but how can we expect an Asian Century if both giants keep fighting.
​Cat and mouse games continue - A man on the run, and hundreds of policemen on his tail. Despite all the drama and disguises over the past few days, Sikh leader Amritpal Singh is still missing. Most of us had not heard of him till a few months ago, and today he is India's most wanted man.
The demand for Khalistan can be traced back to the partition of India. But it finds a resonance, especially with the Indian diaspora abroad. Who is Amritpal Singh, and why is he running?
Can Love be Arranged? A question that we all grapple with at some point or the other. The whole love vs arranged marriage discussion is always interesting, and relevant. Does love and marriage go hand in hand? Are dating apps really any different from an arranged match? Had a great fun discussion with David (i24NEWS) - we were objective, analytical and all that jazz... but the truth is, it is really not up to us. :)
Life is precious. I wrote these words a few days ago as a reminder to myself, to be more aware, and to keep the momentum against Death Penalty going.
This video was made for the World Congress Against Death Penalty (Berlin) 2022.
“Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders.” - Albert Camus
Geo politics is a shape shifter. I2U2 is an unlikely collection of countries, (India, Israel, USA, UAE) but with a common agenda. My interview for a French show with i24 news
India and the UAE have strong ties built over centuries of trade, and cultural and religious exchange. In the recent past, we seem to be deepening the relationship with a slew of announcements - a bilateral trade agreement, investment projects, I2U2 and facilitating the movement of people.
Being a young adult in India comes with a set of expectations. First is the pressure to get married. And once that's done, it is quickly followed by questions like - when do I get to see my grandchild? We are all familiar with the drill...but who would go to court on this! This interview with i24 News talks about the strange case that has been making headlines across the world. The pressure to have children is certainly very common in India, but suing your children is not. This is a bizarre one-off case, is certainly not reflective of our society in general.
It has been a long, painful battle for justice, and for Bilkis Bano it is still not ending. The case has been political from the start, and even now the agenda is being hijacked by different groups. A pregnant woman went through hell and back. Her religion is incidental. She was a victim of a horrific crime, something no woman should ever be subject to. This is about humanity.
When you're pulled out of a get-together to do a light interview on Diwali. Super fun, but one of those where there was absolutely nothing substantial to say :) except Happy Diwali!!
Interview that talks about the continuing controversy over the remarks made by BJP leader Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad
How does a growing country like India secure its energy needs, and its vast hunger for oil without upsetting its friends? Short term considerations might have prompted buying of discounted Russian oil, but India values its long term economic ties with the Middle East.
It is not just married women who have sex. It is about time the law on abortion adjusts itself to include all categories of women. The Supreme Court judgement allowing single women to terminate their pregnancy till the 24th week, is a step forward. We must have the right over our own bodies, and take decisions without compromising on our dignity, safety or confidentiality.
Have you watched Mumbai Mafia? There have been so many books and movies, but the gangster story still manages to catch our attention. What is it that we like about the bad boys.
My interview with i24 News – it is not just the Russians, or the Italians, Indian mafia seems it is generating enough interest abroad too.
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I grew up imagining Persia to be a never ending colourful, crowded bazaar, with hawkers selling pearls and parrots with clipped wings, with misty eyed poets wandering the dusty streets, and beautiful girls who told a thousand and one stories at night. Persia is a part of our collective fantasy, and part of our shared past. Which is the reason why I was delighted to be invited to talk on an Iranian news channel on the cultural connect between the two countries. We have a long, complex and rich history with Persia (now Iran). Our ancient connection has seen us learn and grow with each other, and sometimes without.