The Sandip Roy Show
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What makes people tick? What are the stories they carry with them? In a world of shouting heads, veteran journalist, radio commentator and novelist Sandip Roy sits down to have real conversations about the fascinating world around us and the people who shape it. Catch these engaging interviews every other Sunday
153 Episodes
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Despite the frequent buzz around new book releases and the increasing popularity of literary festivals, one glaring absence in the country remains: free public libraries. Join host Sandip Roy this week as he engages in a conversation with Mridula Koshy and Rituparna Neog, community activists part of the Free Libraries Network (FLN), to discuss India's dearth of public libraries and what can be done about it.Koshy, an award winning writer, founded The Community Library Project in Delhi in 2015 and is the member of the FLN's steering committee. Neog, a queer rights activist and a library educator, is the founder-director of the Akam Foundation.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
During a time when India's economy is on the rise, a new book called Unequal: Why India Lags Behind Its Neighbours by Swati Narayan argues that this growth hasn't automatically translated into the empowerment of the poor or an improvement in their social mobility. When compared with its less prosperous neighbors such as Bangladesh and Nepal, India still falls behind in numerous human development indexes. However, is it fair to compare India to these other countries, or are there additional complexities to consider? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Swati to find out.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
As summer sweeps in, we find ourselves once again inundated with reports of record-breaking temperatures, unprecedented heat waves, and other climate disasters. As adults, one question to consider is: How do we talk about climate change with young people, who will ultimately inherit this warming planet? And how can we do so in a manner that is not terrifying or depressing, but rather engages and encourages them to care?In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Bijal Vachharajani and Rohan Chakravarty, who regularly grapple with these questions in their work.Bijal is a children's book author, climate warrior and commissioning editor at Pratham Books. And Rohan is a cartoonist, illustrator, wildlife enthusiast, and the creator of Green Humour.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Veteran journalist and contributing editor of The Indian Express, Neerja Chowdhury, in her book 'How Prime Ministers Decide,' recounts the stories of what transpired behind the scenes as Indian Prime Ministers made some of the most monumental decisions of their tenure, and sometimes opted not to make them.In this episode, leading up to the crucial Lok Sabha polls, she joins Sandip Roy to discuss some of the decisions that altered India and the processes through which they unfolded.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Last month, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by street dogs in central Delhi’s Tughlaq Lane. In response, the National Human Rights Commission directed authorities to submit a detailed report within six weeks and to control the population of street dogs. However, within days, some animal welfare organizations stated that there is no evidence implicating street dogs in the incident, citing the gated nature of the toddler's home which made it inaccessible to dogs in the area.This incident underscores the swift polarization between animal welfare advocates and those concerned for public safety. Some regard those who feed street dogs as good Samaritans, while others believe they only exacerbate the problem.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with ecologist Abi T Vanak about the management of street dogs and what actions authorities should take. Vanak is the Director of the Centre for Policy Design at ATREE.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Varanasi holds sacred significance for many Hindus who believe that being cremated at its famous Manikarnika ghat will grant them Moksha or salvation. However, most of us know little about the lives of the Doms who work at these ghats.In this episode, Sandip Roy is joined by journalist Radhika Iyengar, who spent several years documenting the lives of the Doms of Varanasi through many ups and downs. Her book, 'Fire on the Ganges', delves into the dreams and aspirations of this community, whose job is to help others attain salvation.Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika NandaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Krish Ashok, the author of the bestselling book "The Masala Lab," has become hugely popular on social media as the man who demystifies the science behind our cooking. In this episode, he joins Sandip to debunk myths about the Indian thali.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
The provocatively titled book, "The Colonial Constitution," examines how we got the Constitution we did and argues that, despite being crafted by the individuals who secured India's independence, it ultimately embodies strong colonial influences.On the occassion of Republic Day, Sandip speaks to its author, Arghya Sengupta, who is the Research Director at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
For two decades, Sanjay Patel served as an animator and storyboard artist for Pixar, contributing to beloved films such as Ratatouille, Cars, and Toy Story 2. Notably, he also wrote and directed "Sanjay's Super Team," a short film released in 2015 that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film.In this episode, Sandip speaks to Patel, delving into his illustrious career, exploring how he drew inspiration from the Ramayana, discussing his response to criticism, and uncovering the factors that led him to pursue a career as an animator.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
What makes Indian secularism so unique? Why is it so often misunderstood? And what challenges does it face at the moment? In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Rajeev Bhargava, the Director of the Parekh Institute of Indian Thought at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, who addresses all this and more in his book, 'Reimagining Indian Secularism’.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed Suresh Pawar
They could be the biggest pop stars you've never come across. Absent from your social media feed, yet integral to the pop culture consumed by millions. Meet some of Hindutva's prominent pop stars who say they are on a mission, spearheading a cultural revolution.In this episode, Sandip speaks to journalist Kunal Purohit who in his book, 'H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars', profiles key figures in Hindutva Pop, and delves into the motivations behind the audience's consumption of their 'daily dose of bigotry'.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Even though Rahul Gandhi is the guardian of the Nehru-Gandhi holy flame, at times it seems that his real mission is to reinvent his own party. On the other hand, many supporters of his party feel that the real stumbling block to its reinvention is Rahul Gandhi himself, who neither wishes to renounce it nor lead it from the front with gusto.Joining host Sandip Roy in this episode is journalist and author Sugata Srinivasaraju, who explores the politics and predicaments of Rahul Gandhi in the book, Strange Burdens.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
After the Supreme Court’s disheartening verdict on same-sex marriage, it appears that we are still struggling to make progress in this regard. However, if we were to look just beyond our northern border, we would realise that Nepal is actually several steps ahead of India on this issue.In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Sunil Babu Pant, one of the country's best-known LGBTI activists, about the lessons that India can learn from Nepal.Hosted, written and produced by Sandip RoyEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
India-Canada relations are currently at an all-time low. And it all started after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged active connections between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Pro-Khalistan leader.In this episode host Sandip Roy speaks to Ujjal Dosanjh, the former Premier of British Columbia and federal minister, to explore how this controversy is unfolding in Canada, what Trudeau aims to achieve through it, and why Khalistan is a ‘western’ movement now.Produced by Utsa Sarmin and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
Over the past decade, India's top courts have presided over numerous landmark cases, including those related to Aadhar, Sabarimala, the Hijab row, anti-defection laws, privacy, Section 377, and the UAPA. While each of these cases holds significant importance individually, does a different narrative emerge when considering them collectively? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to lawyer and constitutional scholar Gautam Bhatia regarding his latest book, 'Unsealed Covers,' and what the past decade of India's top court decisions reveals about the country's trajectory.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
When ISRO launched its Mars orbiter, it drew attention to the women working at the space agency. And the recent Chandrayaan-3 landing also celebrated this idea. However, the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prizes, which were announced after a one-year hiatus, had 12 winners, none of whom were women. It appears that something is amiss.In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks with Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj, who have been profiling the stories of women and non-binary individuals in science in India through their website, thelifeofscience.com. Their recently released book, "Lab Hopping," reveals the obstacles these individuals face and their extraordinary efforts to rectify a seemingly broken system.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar(In the episode image: Indian Space Research Organization scientists and other officials cheer as they celebrate the success of Mars Orbiter Mission at their Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network complex in Bangalore.)
From hosting and producing popular shows like Quiz Time and Mastermind India to becoming the producer-director of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Siddhartha Basu is widely regarded as the father of Indian quizzing. In this episode, he talks to host Sandip Roy about his journey, how quizzing has evolved in the country, and what knowing the right answer means in the era of Google.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
With Priyanka Chopra starring in ‘Citadel’ (an American spy thriller TV series) and Alia Bhatt starring in ‘Heart of Stone’ (an American spy thriller film), has Bollywood finally made the crossover? Was Irrfan Khan India's first genuine crossover star? And in an era when stardom is increasingly becoming global, does it even matter?In this episode, host Sandip Roy is joined by Indian Express film critic and columnist Shubhra Gupta to discuss all of this and more, including her recently released book, ‘Irrfan: A Life in Movies.’Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
There is a mystery surrounding Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh. Over the past decade, the Bahujan Samaj Party's Dalit voter base appears to have been co-opted by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is often perceived as an upper-caste Hindu party. Surprisingly, this shift has occurred despite the fact that atrocities against Dalits by the upper castes have not decreased in the state.In their new book titled 'Maya, Modi, Azad: Dalit Politics in the Time of Hindutva' authors Sudha Pai and Sajjan Kumar attempt to shed light on this conundrum. In this episode, Sandip Roy is joined by both of them to discuss the insights gained from their research for the book.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Abhishek Kumar
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta joins Sandip Roy to talk about his latest TV series, Scoop, which is based on journalist Jigna Vora's book 'Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison.' In the book, she shares her experience of being accused, arrested, and tried in court for journalist Jyotirmoy Dey’s killing, before ultimately being acquitted of all charges. During their discussion, they delve into the making of the show, the state of journalism, the differences between writing for a film and writing for OTT, and how Mehta confronts his demons through his characters.Produced by Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
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