ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Suhel Seth is a brand guru, author, columnist, and television pundit who can speak without pause on almost any topic. Omesh Saigal is an IITian who joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1964. He has served at every level of governance, from Block Development Officer to Chief Secretary of Delhi and Secretary in the Central Government. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the real reasons behind the crumbling infrastructure in Indian cities. Floods, traffic, garbage, and pollution have become the new normal. India’s crown jewels, Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, face these issues year after year. What needs to change? And how do images of waterlogged roads and piles of garbage harm the 'Brand India' image? 00:00 – Introduction 01:00 – Urban Apathy 08:16 – Lack of Urban Planning 16:17 – Bureaucracy & Urban Planning Gaps 20:44 – Media Coverage of Urban Issues 22:18 – Tech Impact on City Planning 25:19 – Infrastructure Gap in Metro Cities 26:49 – Bangalore’s Traffic Problem 30:20 – Environmental Damage in Hill Stations 33:44 – Influx of Migrants into Cities 35:54 – Community Action on Urban Problems 40:42 – Stray Dog Attacks 47:03 – Problem with RWAs 48:35 – Who’s Accountable for Urban Decay? 51:43 – Rahul & Trump’s Economy Jab 58:50 – New Wave of Emigration 1:02:47 – Stray Dog Care and Colony Policies

Ajeet Bharti is a YouTuber, author, and journalist known for his outspoken views on the BJP and its policies. Pradeep Bhandari is the national spokesperson of the BJP, a psephologist, and a former journalist. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the two discuss a common allegation: Is the BJP becoming the new Congress? They also discuss what the Modi government has achieved in the last 11 years, and whether life has actually become easier for India’s middle class. The conversation also touches on the upcoming Bihar elections, Rahul Gandhi’s political strategy, and the role of Prashant Kishor in Bihar's politics. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:42 – 11 Years of Modi Sarkar 05:53 – Life Becomes Easier for the Middle Class? 08:52 – BJP Too Dependent on Modi? 10:10 – What Do BJP Supporters Feel Today? 15:26 – Modi’s Political Momentum 23:10 – PM Modi's Fan Base 29:21 – BJP MPs & MLAs Missing on the Ground? 32:22 – How BJP Handles Negative Feedback 35:55 – When Police Came to Ajeet Bharti’s House 43:15 – Rahul Gandhi’s Leadership 52:02 – Kanhaiya Kumar and Bihar Elections 55:00 – Modi vs Rahul: Who Connects More with the Public? 1:08:16 – Jagdeep Dhankhar’s Resignation 1:12:56 – Prashant Kishor’s Role in Bihar Polls 1:21:36 – Bihar’s Migration and Debt Issues 1:26:40 – Indore’s Poha-Jalebi & Swachh Bharat Success 1:34:13 – Bond with Hometowns 1:39:09 – Why the Youth Feel Disconnected from Politics

Samir Saran is the President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India’s leading think tank based in New Delhi. He is a well-known voice in the field of diplomacy and is also the curator of the Raisina Dialogue. Samir has written several books and focuses his research on global governance, climate policy, and India’s foreign relations. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he explains how India should deal with US President Donald Trump. He also talks about Operation Sindoor and why it doesn't matter if no country openly supported India. Samir shares why Pakistan continues to maintain strong ties with both the US and China. He also discusses what New Delhi needs to do to become a 10 trillion-dollar economy, including building strong trade ties with China, while staying firm and strategic at the border. He also reflects on how India’s foreign policy has changed over the last decade, and what the road ahead looks like. *Timestamps* 00:00 – Introduction 00:46 – Global Support for India During Op Sindoor 14:22 – Op Sindoor Outreach With All-Party Delegations 17:54 – Trump’s Transactional Approach 19:56 – India and the Trump Administration 21:51 – EU–India Trade Deal 24:32 – Weaponisation of Trade 32:36 – India’s Global South Outreach 38:14 – When China Overtook India 44:26 – China–Pakistan Relations 50:26 – Russia–India–China Grouping 54:59 – AI’s Economic Impact 59:36 – Trump–Asim Munir Meet 1:14:32 – Pressure on India Over Russian Oil 1:17:02 – On His Book ‘GeoTechnoGraphy’

Ami Ganatra is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). Her books 'Mahabharata Unravelled' and 'Ramayana Unravelled' present the epics as they were originally written, without modern retellings or fictional twists. She explains their lessons and meanings in a clear, accessible manner, allowing readers of all backgrounds to understand and appreciate these ancient texts. In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ami Ganatra discusses the war lessons India can draw from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and how they resonate with modern military operations like Operation Sindoor. She explains how wars were fought in the epics, the importance of alliances, and also busts several myths surrounding the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Shri Ram. Timestamps 00:00 – Coming Up 01:36 – Introduction 03:03 – Do Today’s Generation Know About the Ramayana? 05:40 – Ramayana on TV vs Valmiki’s Ramayana 09:44 – Is Ranbir Kapoor Fit to Play Lord Ram? 14:10 – Why Do Actors Playing Lord Ram Face Backlash? 15:49 – War Lessons from the Ramayana and Mahabharata 26:55 – Ramcharitmanas Quote at Operation Sindoor Briefing 32:52 – Why Alliances Mattered in Hindu Epics 40:07 – Lessons from the Epics About Family Conflicts 45:30 – Can There Be Peace After a War? 47:13 – Aftermath of the Ramayana and Mahabharata 01:03:54 – 'Agni Pariksha' for the Indian Armed Forces 01:16:03 – Radhika Yadav Murder Case 01:20:03 – When Maa Sita Gave Lord Ram His Own Agni Pariksha 01:29:04 – How Can Future Wars Be Prevented? 01:38:05 – The End of Fighting Doesn’t Mean the End of War 01:40:10 – History vs Mythology

Pappu Yadav is an independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha six times and has been active in politics since the 1990s. He spent 12 years in jail in the Ajit Sarkar murder case, but was later acquitted. In 2015, he launched his party, the Jan Adhikar Party, which was merged into the Congress in 2024. He is known for his ‘Robinhood’ image, often seen helping the underprivileged and giving financial aid to those in need. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Pappu Yadav discusses his deep affection for the Congress party and explains why the party refuses to acknowledge his long-standing support. He defends the 'bahubali' tag often attached to him, claiming that many of the cases against him were politically motivated. He also shares his views on Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the issue of infiltration in Bihar, and his opinion on Jan Suraj founder Prashant Kishor. 00:00 – Introduction 01:04 – Pappu Yadav joining Jan Suraaj? 03:28 – Manmohan Singh's Tenure in UPA 2 07:31 – Family Background 15:44 – Manmohan Singh and Indo-US Nuclear Deal 19:26 – Congress and Jagjivan Ram 24:40 – Cases Against Pappu Yadav 30:47 – Doctors vs Pappu Yadav 32:44 – Higher Education in Bihar 36:22 – Remarks on Jinnah 39:55 – 'Robinhood of Bihar' 43:38 – Muslim-Yadav Equation in Bihar 48:18 – 'Jungle Raj' Debate 55:56 – Impact of Op Sindoor on 2025 Bihar Polls 1:03:48 – Rising Crime Rate in Bihar 1:12:38 – Congress Leadership in Bihar 1:26:17 – AIMIM & Mahagathbandhan Talk 1:28:17 – Denied Entry to Rahul's Van Row 1:33:07 – Purulia Arms Drop Case 1:35:41 – Snap Reaction Segment