EP-415 | Ramayana & Mahabharata in Urdu, and Art of Storytelling | Fouzia Dastango

EP-424 | U.S.-Iran Deal, Hezbollah, Trump, Pakistan & India-Israel Ties | Israeli Envoy Reuven Azar

Reuven Azar is Israel's Ambassador to India. A career diplomat, he has held several key positions in Israel's foreign service and has been closely involved in shaping his country's foreign policy and international relations. In this edition of the ANI Podcast, Reuven Azar speaks to Smita Prakash about the Iran–U.S. peace deal, Israel's position on Lebanon, the future of the Middle East, and whether the region is moving towards peace or another phase of conflict. He also discusses India-Israel ties and what has changed under the leadership of PM Modi. 00:00 – Introduction 00:55 – U.S.–Iran Peace Deal 07:45 – What Israel Wants Next 09:22 – Defence vs Aggression 18:00 – Trump & Netanyahu Relationship 19:47 – Iran’s Nuclear Program 24:32 – Strait of Hormuz Crisis 29:05 – Buffer Zones in Gaza, Lebanon & Syria 35:02 – Netanyahu Under Pressure? 43:04 – Humanitarian Cost of War 46:35 – Two-State Solution 51:50 – India–Israel Relations 53:10 – Israel’s Wartime Economy 55:24 – Modi’s Visit & Iran Strikes 59:18 – Six Shared India–Israel Values 1:03:21 – Trade & Investment Future 1:08:23 – Pakistan as a Mediator

EP-423 | CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran on India's Economy, AI, Rupee, Freebies & China | ANI Podcast

Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran is the Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India. He is also a writer, author, and teacher. He has taught at several business schools and management institutes in India and Singapore. He was a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India from 2019 to 2021. In this edition of the ANI Podcast, Dr. Nageswaran speaks to Smita Prakash about the future of the Indian economy, the impact of the West Asia crisis, the outlook for the rupee, and whether AI is a bubble. He also explains why he believes the era of the MBA is over. 00:00 - Introduction 00:56 - Foreign Investors 04:14 - Rupee-Dollar Debate 08:24 - Rupee Stability 14:20 - Foreign Banks 20:07 - Critics of India's Economy 28:20 - China's Manufacturing 33:09 - Unemployment in India 35:09 - Freebies Debate 44:24 - India's Aging Population 50:41 - Demographic Dividend 58:36 - The Skill Gap 1:00:21 - Artificial Intelligence 1:05:55 - India's Economic Strength 1:09:52 - Myths About Indian Economy 1:12:00 - India in 2047 1:18:22 - Per Capita Income 1:22:56 - Viksit Bharat Target 1:27:59 - Vision for India 1:36:42 - Old Economic Beliefs 1:38:07 - India's Economic Mindset 1:44:52 - Advice vs. Execution in Govt 1:48:40 - Fake News

EP-422 | Pawan Kalyan Unfiltered: Politics, Spirituality, Gen Z, Movies, Modi & More | ANI Podcast

Pawan Kalyan is the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, the founder and chief of the Jana Sena Party, an actor, and a philanthropist. He is the younger brother of Telugu cinema megastar Chiranjeevi. Over the years, he has carved a unique place for himself in Andhra Pradesh politics and has become one of the biggest stars in Telugu cinema, with a devoted fan following that extends far beyond the silver screen. In his first-ever podcast appearance, Pawan Kalyan opens up about his journey from movies to politics, his plans for Telangana, his days in Srinagar, his spiritual beliefs, and several untold stories from his life. He also shares his views on Gen Z, nationalism, language politics, governance, and the future of India. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:48: - Story Behind His Name 02:37 - Re-Entering Telangana Politics 07:03 - Telangana Expansion Plan 09:17 - "Outsider" Tag in Telangana 12:36 - North-South Debate 17:25 - Tax Allocation Debate 20:17 - Cockroach Janta Party 27:53 - Spiritual Journey 45:19 - Freebies Debate 48:54 - Hindi Imposition 57:54 - Plans for IT Jobs 1:00:15 - Brain Drain 1:08:47 - Special Status for Andhra 1:10:07 - Telangana Roadmap 1:14:27 - What's Next in Life? 1:16:59 - South vs North Films 1:21:54 - Fitness Routine

EP-421 | Where is India's Economy Heading Amid West Asia Crisis? | Economist Neelkanth Mishra

Neelkanth Mishra is an Economist and a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. He has recently been appointed India’s Executive Director at the World Bank. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Mishra breaks down India’s current economic position amid the West Asia crisis. He discusses the impact of the falling rupee, energy problem, capital flows, and concerns around foreign investors leaving India. 00:00 – Introduction 1:09 – India's Economic Growth Outlook 7:37 – Are Foreign Investors Leaving India? 12:27 – Innovation Challenge in India 22:29 – India's Energy Vulnerability 25:41 – Economic Impact of West Asia Crisis 32:47 – US Tariffs on India 36:32 – Rupee’s Fall 48:31 – RBI’s Gold Reserves Position 53:02 – Why Gold Overtook US Bonds 57:29 – Domestic Demand vs Export-Led Growth 1:05:38 – 3 Key Policy Advice for India’s Growth 1:19:14 – Lessons from Global Capital Giants 1:25:23 – RBI’s Hold on Repo Rate 1:28:26 – Tax Exemption on Government Securities 1:32:38 – India’s Next Phase of Economic Expansion

EP-420 | Falling Rupee, Inflation, AI, Foreign Investment & India's Growth Story | Dr Shamika Ravi

Dr Shamika Ravi is a Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister and a Secretary to the Government of India. Her research focuses on development economics, with a special emphasis on finance, healthcare, urbanisation, gender equality, welfare, and poverty. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr Shamika Ravi discusses how the West Asia crisis impacts India's economy. She responds to critics who argue that India's growth story is over and shares her views on foreign direct investment, India's position in the artificial intelligence race, the falling rupee, rising inflation, and the country's economic outlook in 2026. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:48 – India's Economic Future 04:29 – Foreign Direct Investment 07:11 – India's Approach to AI 11:09 – Indians' Purchasing Power 15:13 – Nuclear Reactors 17:28 – COVID-Like Crisis Coming? 19:56 – Advice for Investors 22:09 – India's Economic Growth 25:16 – Freebies and Welfare Politics 29:24 – Rural vs. Urban Consumption 30:52 – Economic Reforms 40:43 – PM's Advice Against Buying Gold 44:43 – World Abandoning Free Market? 48:43 – Market Privatisation in India 50:26 – Market Solutions for New-Age Problems 56:20 – India's Demographic Dividend 1:06:03 – Demographic Change in India 1:10:06 – Women's Reservation 1:18:24 – PM Modi's Economic Vision for 2047