In Focus by The Hindu
The Hindu
300 episodes
A podcast from The Hindu that delves deep into current developments with subject experts, and brings in context, history, perspective and analysis.
Episodes page 2 of 6
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Freebies or Rights: What is India's approach to welfare spending?
The resilience of a nation’s economy is determined by the quality of its human capital. Other things being equal, a country with a healthy and educated population will grow much faster than one with a semi-literate and…
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Ukraine war: Is Russia testing NATO’s resolve?
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year, the conflict shows little sign of ending. Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify drone and missile attacks, while efforts for a possible diplomatic breakthrough remain…
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More sugar, different labels: How global food brands treat the Indian market
“Do you not want people to be healthy?” That was the question the Supreme Court put to the FSSAI earlier this month, while hearing a case over warning labels on the front of packaged food, for foods high in sugar,…
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Weekend Bonus episode: The Mathematics and Loneliness of DD Kosambi w/Prof. Ram Ramaswamy
This is a special weekend crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Rearview podcast. Did Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi solve the Riemann Hypothesis - one of mathematics's greatest puzzles? Was Kosambi, who wrote one of…
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What a waste: Can India get rid of its garbage mountains?
India has a waste management problem. Though we reportedly collect 90% of our municipal solid waste, nearly 40% does not enter formal processing. Due to this large share that is out of the formal processing system,…
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In Focus-Parley | Is English a foreign language in India?
The Supreme Court has been discussing linguistics this month, while hearing challenges to the CBSE’s three-language formula, which mandates that two of the three must be native Indian languages, a category that does…
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Cash transfers for women: Do they challenge gender norms on unpaid care work?
Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) for women have become extremely popular. So far, more than 14 states have done it, benefiting 120 million women. The monthly payouts range from Rs833 to Rs2,500. State governments…
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Can you get dementia from long-term exposure to traffic noise?
Road traffic noise is a major environmental pollutant. Indian cities are cacophonous. They are not designed to insulate residents from sustained exposure to traffic noise. A new research paper has found a worrying link…
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How water stressed are Indian cities?
This year, residents in several Indian cities -from Mumbai to Bengaluru - have experienced a shortage in water supply. India's big cities are expanding in terms of size and population. This has also meant a strain on…
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Chronic kidney disease: Why has a Parliamentary committee called for mandatory testing?
It’s one of those conditions that has no symptoms during its early stages, meaning that by the time it is diagnosed, it could be very late: chronic kidney diseases, or CKD, has been in the news recently after a…
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Are IAS officers in key positions the biggest hurdle to police reforms?
“The biggest hurdle to police reforms comes from the bureaucracy itself – IAS officers who hold key positions at the Centre and in all departments of the governments and local bodies in the states,” writes Yashovardhan…
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In Focus-Parley | Can free public technology break the private coaching industry?
In his 2026 Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government will roll out free online coaching for competitive exams using India’s digital public infrastructure. The announcement…
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Bonus episode: Yemen explained: How the Houthis shook the U.S.-Saudi axis
In this bonus episode of the In Focus podcast we have an excerpt from Global Faultlines, the Hindu's international affairs podcast. Yemen is no longer just the site of a devastating civil war. The Houthis have emerged…
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Do metro cities have space for pedestrians?
What does it say about our cities when the Supreme Court has to remind governments that people have a fundamental right to walk? The Court’s recent judgment on footpaths has put a very basic question back on the table…
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Why are tribal students still dropping out of school in Kerala?
Kerala is known for its high literacy rate and strong public education system. Yet, several tribal communities in the State continue to face barriers in accessing and completing education. According to the 2011 Census,…
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Three common medicines have been declared carcinogenic. What does this mean for patients?
Last week, startling headlines hit the news. Three commonly prescribed medicines, hydrochlorothiazide, used to treat high blood pressure, voriconazole, an antifungal medicine and tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant were…
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Are Satellite Towns the way ahead to decongest our megacities?
The Karnataka Government has been championing a project to build a nearly 10,000 acre Live-Work-Play greenfield city on its outskirts in Bidadi, which has become a political flashpoint as farmers oppose land…
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In Focus-Parley | Are traditional parties unable to understand the grammar of Gen Z politics?
Days after India’s youth-led protests forced the resignation of India’s Union Minister of Education, Members of Parliament found themselves speaking in the language of the protestors. For instance, Shiv Sena’s Shrikant…
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How does India view the Mecca pact?
The Mecca Defence Pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan marks a significant shift in West Asia’s security landscape. What does the agreement mean for India, and could it reshape the regional balance of power?…
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MDR charges on UPI transactions: Necessity or revenue grab?
Indians make around 24 billion UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions a month. The combined value of these payments is nearly Rs30 trillion. UPI is at the heart of India’s digital public infrastructure. The best…
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Girl's death in China: Does gene editing therapy need better regulation?
The scientific world was rocked last month, when the case of a six-year-old girl who died in China, surfaced. The child was believed to have Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by…
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The Ken-Betwa protest: Is there really surplus water to transfer?
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India's first river-linking project, has once again come under the spotlight amid protests by villagers, many from tribal communities, who fear displacement and question the rehabilitation…
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In Focus-Parley | Should the Commonwealth Games be scrapped?
The recently concluded Commonwealth Games were unlike the usual multidisciplinary sporting extravaganzas that we are used to seeing. A late replacement to Victoria as host, the Glasgow Games were more akin to an…
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Why has India's hockey jersey turned saffron?
For decades, blue has been synonymous with Indian sport. So why has Hockey India decided to replace it with saffron as the primary colour of the men's national team's jersey ahead of the FIH Hockey World Cup? The move…
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In Conversation with Neha Bora: Does NEP-2020 aid or destroy GenZ’s dreams?
Neha Bora has emerged as a charismatic student leader and one of the key faces of the Jantar Mantar protests. She is the national president of AISA, the All India Students Association, which is affiliated with the…
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Article 370 abrogation: Seven years on, what has changed in Kashmir?
Exactly seven years ago on August 5th, 2019, the Union government abrogated Article 370, and subsequently, Jammu & Kashmir became a Union Territory, ruled directly from New Delhi. Legislative assembly elections were…
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Is India's consumption story powering growth or hiding risks?
What is the driving force of any economy? It is you and me! It’s the money we work so hard to earn and have fun spending. In fact, private consumption accounts for nearly 61.5% of India's GDP. Last year alone, consumer…
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When livelihoods melt away: Should heat stress be recognised as a human rights issue?
Through three harsh summer months this year, about 40 households across Delhi maintained a 'Garmi Khata' — a handwritten weekly log of what extreme heat did to their health, income and daily routines. That citizen…
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In Focus-Parley | Have fast-track courts delivered on the promise of speedy justice?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to set up fast-track courts to hear paper leak cases has once again brought these specialised courts into focus and revived the debate over whether they are the silver bullet…
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Maharashtra Farm Bill: Does it really empower women farmers?
Maharashtra has become the first state in India to bring about a legislation for the empowerment of women farmers. The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, has been passed by both the Houses. It gives a…
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Right to peaceful protest: Is it being strangled by ‘permission raj’?
The right to assemble peacefully is a fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution of India. But more often that not, this right has diminished into something that can only be exercised with…
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Why did Houthis join war?
Why did the Houthis enter the conflict now? This video explains the group's motivations, its ties with Iran, why it resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping, and how the escalation could reshape the Yemen…
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VB GRAM G vs MNREGA: Which burdens States more?
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (or VB-G RAM G) has replaced the 21-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (or MGNREGA). The VB-G RAM G Act provides a…
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Listening to Cockroaches: Why the ‘GenZ’ Jantar Mantar protest is different from any seen before
“What if all the cockroaches come together?” That was the one-line tweet, put out by Boston-returned Abhijeet Dipke, on May 16, 2026. In less than two months, we are witness to the ‘cockroaches’ – India’s youth --…
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QDENGA: Can the new Japanese vaccine end the dengue menace in India?
India has finally approved a vaccine for dengue. This is significant because India, in the last five years alone, has recorded over 1 million cases and at least 1,500 deaths due to dengue. Dengue is hyperendemic in…
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In Focus-Parley | Is corruption the biggest threat to India's future?
Corruption has shaped elections, toppled governments and sparked some of the biggest public protests in independent India. Digitalisation has transformed the way citizens interact with the government. The Right to…
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Spain wins the World Cup, but did FIFA favour Argentina?
Spain are world champions once again after a dominant FIFA World Cup campaign, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final. But beyond the result, the tournament has sparked fierce debate over contrasting footballing…
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Fuelling a pushback: Is India mismanaging the switch to E20 petrol?
The nationwide rollout of E20 petrol has become a political issue. As people complain of engine damage and lower mileage, the Opposition has accused the government of forcing E20 petrol on people. Citizens and…
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Bonus episode | How the war on Iran changed the Gulf security order
The war on Iran may be over, but its consequences are only beginning to reshape the Persian Gulf. For decades, Gulf monarchies have balanced security partnerships with the United States, pragmatic engagement with Iran,…
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When Africa Comes to America: How will rising Black Immigration transform US
A new book by Neeraj Kaushal, Professor of Social Policy at Columbia University, titled When Africa Comes to America: How the Next Wave of Immigrants Will Transform the United States’, argues that “the future of the…
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How has the use of VAR impacted FIFA World Cup 2026?
In 2016, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which oversees the laws of the game, approved trials for video referees. This edition marks the third time that VAR has been used in World Cups starting…
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In Focus-Parley | Does national recognition come belatedly for south Indian artistes?
Are South Indians overlooked for the Padma Awards and national awards. The issue regained prominence following the death of legendary playback singer S. Janaki, who had declined the Padma Bhushan, arguing that the…
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El Nino again: How to climate-proof Indian agriculture?
The El Nino phenomenon is back this year, which means, a deficient monsoon in India. This, in turn, means a challenging time for Indian farmers. Less rainfall is bad news for India on multiple fronts -- it dampens…
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Bonus episode | Did India read the war on Iran wrong?
Since October 7, West Asia has witnessed a cascade of crises, from the war in Gaza, attacks on Red Sea shipping, to the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and direct military confrontation between Israel and Iran.…
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B'lore abuse: Why is early childhood care an unregulated space in India?
Allegations of abuse and mistreatment of children at a daycare facility run on the campus of a tech company in Bangalore have sent shockwaves across the country. Videos of children allegedly being forced into washing…
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How does the Opposition's role change in an ‘electoral autocracy’? with Yogendra Yadav
In recent years, democracy research institutes have been categorising India as a ‘partly free’ democracy, with the V-Dem Institute of the University of Gothenburg classifying India as an “electoral autocracy” from as…
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In Focus-Parley | Should India restart dialogue with Pakistan?
India and Pakistan have not been in a dialogue since 2016 when talks broke after the terror attacks at Pathankot and subsequently at Uri. The previous twelve years have witnessed major attacks at Pahalgam (2025) and…
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Are the U.S. and Iran returning to full-scale war?
President Donald Trump has declared the Iran ceasefire 'over', casting new doubt on the future of the June 17 agreement. With nuclear negotiations stalled, tensions rising across West Asia, and questions over…
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Is digitalisation aiding land grab from Dalit and tribal farmers?
The Indian state has been digitalising land records across the country for many years now, and more aggressively since 2016 as part of the Digital India Initiative. There is growing evidence, however, that rather than…
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Who is accountable for mistakes in the IVF sector?
A recent case of assisted reproduction hit the headlines a couple of weeks ago, after a couple from Gurugram alleged publicly that their twin babies, born through IVF, were not genetically theirs. The case has created…
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