In Focus by The Hindu

Making sense of TVK's victory: Why and how did Vijay win? | Part 1 02.06.2026 59min

In part one of this two-part interview, Pon Vasanth B.A., senior assistant editor with The Hindu, asks V. Geetha, feminist historian, translator and publisher, about her reading of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's victory in the 2026 Assembly election that stunned many. She shares her thoughts on how Vijay's win represents a "contingent moment", the shortcomings of the DMK and the AIADMK, the shrewdness of the TVK's campaign and other factors that played a role in this electoral outcome. Host: Pon Vasanth B.A., senior assistant editor, The Hindu Guest: V. Geetha, feminist historian, translator and publisher Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IPL 2026 review: What defined a season of records, runs and repeat champions? 31.05.2026 30min

The 2026 Indian Premier League season ended with Royal Challengers Bengaluru becoming only the third team in tournament history to successfully defend their title, with a dominant victory over Gujarat Titans in the final.But beyond RCB's emergence as the league's newest powerhouse, the season also sparked debates about the balance between bat and ball, the diminishing impact of spin on increasingly flat pitches, and the growing challenge of keeping contests competitive in a high-scoring era. At the same time, teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi emerged as the breakout star of the tournament, while veterans Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar showed their enduring value on the biggest stage. In this episode of In Focus, we discuss the biggest talking points of the 2026 IPL season. Guest: Amol Karhadkar, deputy editor, sports Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are a trauma survivor, what does it take to heal? 30.05.2026 42min

Do you have frequent panic attacks? Are there behaviour patterns that you know you need to change but you can’t? Is your day to day life ruled by fear? Then it’s possible – though not a certainty – that you’re displaying symptoms of trauma. According to govt estimates, more than 15 crore live with a mental health condition, and four out of five receive no treatment. Trauma, in particular, is a silent epidemic in India. What is trauma? How does it impact life and relationships? And what are the pathways to healing? A new book, titled ‘Trauma Nation: Fighting India’s Silent Epidemic’ explores all these questions. It also includes detailed – and inspiring -- case studies of trauma survivors. We speak with the author of ‘Trauma Nation’, Nishtha Lamba, Associate Professor of Psychology at Middlesex University, Dubai. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can India's open prisons unlock that conventional jails never have? 29.05.2026 25min

"Prisoners do not cease to be bearers of constitutional rights upon incarceration." — The Supreme Court, in a February 2026 order, was pointed in its language as it directed States and UTs to develop a time-bound protocol for filling vacancies in Open Correctional Institutions (OCIs). The Delhi government has since been tasked to start work on an implementation strategy to restructure the open prison model in the national capital. The apex court's mandate came on a PIL addressing prison overcrowding, but in doing so, it opened a larger question about what punishment itself means in a constitutional democracy. If India were to finally scale up and reform its open prison model, could it meaningfully dent the overcrowding crisis? Or is the more urgent question whether OCIs need to be seen as far more deliberate spaces where the metrics go beyond just occupancy? Guest: Medha Deo, Director, Fair Trail Programme (Square Circle Clinic) Host: Vibha B. Madhava Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is increasing the Supreme Court’s sanctioned strength an effective way to reduce pendency? 28.05.2026 1h 3min

On May 17, the President promulgated an ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges. The ordinance is expected to be tabled during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The move came just days after the Union Cabinet approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, stating that the addition of four judges would enable the apex court to function more efficiently and facilitate “speedy justice”. According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid, pendency before the apex court currently stands at a staggering 93,966 cases. Is increasing the Supreme Court’s sanctioned strength an effective way to reduce pendency? Guest: Prashant Reddy T. and Swapnil Tripathi discuss the question in a conversation Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta's encryption rollback: what's the scope for privacy on Instagram and beyond now? 27.05.2026 36min

Meta has ended support for end-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram, effective May 8, 2026. The policy reversal, citing low adoption, comes against a backdrop of mounting regulatory pressure worldwide to crack down on illegal content — terrorism, piracy, child abuse material — exchanged through encrypted channels. The implications stretch well beyond one platform or a rarely-used feature. When private messages are plaintext, the questions of who can access them and under what circumstances become critical. This episode also unpacks what it means for ordinary users, beyond the privacy-versus-safety framing. Guest: Mishi Choudhary, technology lawyer and founder of Software Freedom Law Centre (sflc.in) Host: Vibha B. Madhava Producer: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CBSE's On-Screen Marking fiasco: An evaluator and a parent explain how it unfolded 26.05.2026 39min

The CBSE has been facing flak for its re-evaluation process for Class 12 Board exams this year. Parents and students have complained of a dysfunctional website, blurred answer sheets, and missing pages. At the heart of the controversy is the newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM), with thousands of complaints of unfair evaluation and faulty marking. The education minister has announced that the CBSE will engage IIT experts to address the technical challenges. But are technical glitches the only problem? We get to the bottom of the controversy in this episode, and joining us today are two special guests – a CBSE evaluator, and a parent. Guests: Kavita Sharma (name changed), is a teacher in a government CBSE school who worked as an evaluator this year using On-Screen marking. On Kavita’s request, to protect her identity, we have not used her real name or her video in this episode. Mohit Tomar, parent of a Class 12 student, has spent much of last week trying to get his son’s exam papers re-evaluated. Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heat stress: Why are Indian cities the world's hottest? 25.05.2026 53min

According to a global heat map that recently went viral, almost 95 of the world’s 100 hottest places were in India. This summer, Indian cities are recording higher temperatures than even the deserts of West Asia and Africa. How come? Climate change is certainly a factor. But it doesn’t exhaust the explanation for why India is so much hotter in April – even before the start of peak summer. Though there is global warming, there is evidence that a lot of the warming is specific to India, and to the way India does development – through reckless tree-felling and deforestation, unchecked ecocide, and stacking up tree-scarce cities with cement, concrete, asphalt and glass to produce ‘urban heat islands’. What exactly is the relationship between poor planning and heat stress in India? And what does it mean to incorporate heat resilience into urban planning? Guest: Environmental expert Karthik Ganesan, Fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Delhi Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 years of Disability Rights Act: Where does India stand on digital inclusion? 21.05.2026 41min

India has 30-35 million people with disabilities. It’s now ten years since the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Yet, accessibility remains a challenge – not only in the real world, but even in the digital one. Most government websites have accessibility issues – meaning people with disabilities can’t fully use them. As India digitalises across public services, finance, education, and employment, inclusion cannot be an afterthought. Yet, inaccessible platforms and non-inclusive systems continue to limit equitable participation of persons with disabilities. On the eve of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 21), we discuss what digital inclusion really means in today’s AI-led digital landscape. What are the gaps that the disabled face in India, and what will it take to build inclusion into systems from the get go? Guest: Diwakar Menon, Member of the Board at the Association of People with Disability, Bengaluru. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Focus-Parley | Should the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) be decentralized? 21.05.2026 52min

The cancellation and retest of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 has exposed deep cracks in India’s examination system. Allegations of paper leaks, corruption and repeated lapses by the National Testing Agency (NTA) has pushed lakhs of aspirants into uncertainty, stress and emotional exhaustion, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability and the credibility of national competitive exams. The Hindu looks at whether this high-stake, single day, single shift, all- India exam for admission to all medical courses in India should be decentralized. Guests: Dr. G.R. Ravindranath, founder and general secretary, Doctors’ Association for Social Equality & Balaji Sampath, founder, AhaGuru, prepares students for NEET, JEE and Board exam through online courses. Host: Bindu Shajan Perappadan Producer: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cockroach Janta Party: What does it mean to represent India’s ‘cockroaches’? 20.05.2026 31min

Abhijeet Dipke, a student of public relations in the US, woke up from uneasy dreams one morning and found himself transformed into a ‘gigantic cockroach’. He then founded the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), as a joke. But it quickly acquired a momentum of its own. In less than four days, it notched up more than 1.6 lakh members and 2 million followers on Instagram. What makes the CJP interesting is its popularity and connect among India’s Gen Z. Can it develop into a platform that gives voice to the grievances of India’s youth? Is it a flash in the pan? Can it make a political impact? We speak with the man behind the CJP phenomenon, Abhijeet Dipke. Guest: Abhijeet Dipke, Founding President - Cockroach Janta Party Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer: Shiksha Jural and Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the IPL losing its appeal? 20.05.2026 29min

As the 2026 IPL heads toward its playoffs, questions are growing around whether the tournament still holds the same cultural grip it once did. While the league remains hugely valuable and widely watched, concerns around viewer fatigue, repetitive contests, lack of international superstars and the changing audience habits have sparked debate about the IPL’s evolving appeal. In this episode of In Focus, we examine how IPL consumption patterns have changed over the years — from television to streaming, from full-match viewing to highlights and short-form content. Are flatter pitches and content saturation affecting fan engagement? And what must the IPL do to stay fresh in an increasingly crowded entertainment landscape? Guest: Jasdeep Pannu, broadcast expert and analyst Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Trump is in a strategic gridlock over Iran? 19.05.2026 31min

President Trump’s latest remarks on Iran and the sudden shift in U.S. messaging have once again placed West Asia on edge. Reports suggest key Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, played a role in pushing for diplomacy over immediate military escalation. But is this a temporary pause or the beginning of a larger geopolitical confrontation? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Smriti Sudesh Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can CBT prevent future NEET paper leaks? 18.05.2026 18min

India’s largest medical entrance examination, NEET, is once again at the centre of a national discussion. Conducted for more than 20 lakh aspirants in a single sitting, the exam represents one of the biggest logistical exercises in India’s education system involving the printing, transport and storage of millions of physical question papers across thousands of centres. For years, the National Testing Agency defended the single-shift pen-and-paper format as the “fairest” method of assessment. But recurring allegations of paper leaks and organised cheating networks have raised serious questions about whether the very scale of the system has now become its biggest vulnerability. Following the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 and the announcement of a re-examination, the Union Education Minister has said the exam will shift to a fully computer-based format from next year. But will CBT actually solve the deeper structural problems behind examination leaks? Is India prepared for a transition of this scale? And why do students continue to bear the emotional burden of institutional failures? In this episode, we unpack these questions and examine the growing debate around examination security, public trust, accountability and the future of high-stakes testing in India. Guest: Dr. Bibhu Anand, Chief Adviser, Federation of All India Medical Association Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What were the biggest breakthroughs of the Trump-Xi Summit? 16.05.2026 18min

The two-day Trump–Xi summit in Beijing marked the first U.S. presidential visit to China in nearly nine years, bringing global attention to the future of U.S.-China relations.In this discussion, we break down the key takeaways from the summit, from trade and technology tensions to Iran, Taiwan, rare earth supplies, and the larger geopolitical implications for India and the Indo-Pacific. Guest: Ananth Krishnan, China Correspondent, The Hindu' Host: Smriti Sudesh Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How has India’s approach to FTAs evolved over the years? 15.05.2026 36min

After years of slow-moving negotiations, India’s trade policy has shifted gears. Over the past three and a half years, the country has signed a string of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to increase market access for Indian goods and services. The latest, with New Zealand, may appear modest in isolation, but it is significant when looking at what has been happening over the last five to six years. While it is true that New Zealand accounts for less than 1% of India’s total trade, this FTA comes on the back of a series of successful trade deals with several countries. India has signed, or closed trade negotiations, seven other trade agreements in the past three and a half years or so. These include agreements with Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, the EFTA nations, the U.K., the EU, Oman. New Delhi has also sealed a trade deal with the U.S. Taken together, these agreements suggest a shift from earlier FTAs, especially after the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and wider geopolitical tensions. Older deals, such as those with South Korea or ASEAN economies, tended to involve broader tariff cuts across sectors, with the expectation that greater openness would increase trade. The newer agreements are more focused on sectors where India is competitive, along with revised tariff structures and stricter rules of origin. They also place greater emphasis on services, professional mobility, investment, and supply-chain diversification. Guest: Arpita Mukherjee, Professor, ICRIER Host: Nivedita Varadarajan Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Focus-Parley | Is this the end of the road for the INDIA bloc? 14.05.2026 40min

Following the recent electoral setbacks faced by two of the largest constituents of the INDIA bloc, the DMK and the TMC, there is renewed debate over the future of Opposition politics in India. Do these developments signal a turning point for the INDIA bloc, or are they part of a longer structural shift in Indian politics? T Is this the end of the road for the INDIA bloc? Here, we discuss the question. Guests: Prof. KK Kailash, Professor and former HOD of Political Science at the University of Hyderabad; Yashwant Deshmukh, Founder-Director of C-Voter Host: Sobhana K Nair Producer: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's behind PM Narendra Modi's austerity call? 13.05.2026 39min

For the second time in a couple of days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for the public to take some austerity measures: reduce fuel consumption, defer gold purchases, reduce foreign travel and consume less edible oil and fertilisers. “The West Asia crisis is one of the worst in the decade; just as we overcame the COVID-19 pandemic, we will come out of this also,” he said while addressing an audience in Vadodara on May 11, 2026. On May 10, 2026, he called for collective participation to help the country withstand global economic uncertainties, supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures. He asked the public to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, promote the use of metro rail and public transport, car-pooling, and railway transport for freight movement, besides wider adoption of electric vehicles. He also spoke about strengthening India’s economic resilience and promoting responsible living. How worried should we be? Guest: Prof. B. Bhagwan Das, Former Associate Professor of Economics, Loyola College, Chennai Host: Nivedita V Producer and editor: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do India’s badminton stars deserve more recognition after Thomas Cup bronze? 12.05.2026 39min

Former India coach and Olympian U. Vimal Kumar joins the podcast to discuss India’s Thomas Cup campaign, player recognition, squad depth concerns and badminton’s new scoring system. India returned from the Thomas Cup in Denmark with a bronze medal, its second podium finish in the last three editions of badminton’s premier men’s team event. But despite another strong campaign on the world stage, the achievement received surprisingly little attention back home, prompting sharp reactions from players about the lack of recognition for their sporting achievements in India.In this episode of In Focus, we look into India’s Thomas Cup run, the rise of young talent like Ayush Shetty, concerns over squad depth in singles and doubles, and the controversy surrounding the semifinal match order against France. We also discuss the Badminton World Federation’s decision to introduce the new 15-point scoring system from 2027 and whether it is actually good for the sport. Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Producer: Shiksha Jural Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hantavirus explained: The science behind the scare 11.05.2026 16min

A new health scare made headlines this week, after three persons died and several others fell sick aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The infection in this case, was hantavirus, something most people have not heard of. Passengers from the stricken ship disembarked today after it docked at the Canary islands, and are flying back to their home countries, many of which are imposing quarantine requirements. The World Health Organization, which has been keeping tabs on this situation has recommended, but not mandated a 42-day quarantine once the passengers have landed. It has also said there is no cause for panic as this not another Covid-19 like situation and the overall risk to the general public is low. But what is hantavirus, who is at risk of contracting it and how is it treated? Guest: Dr Neha Rastogi Panda, senior consultant, infectious diseases, Fortis Hospital, Gurugram Host: Zubeda Hamid Producer & editor: Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices