Tilak Devasher is an author, an expert on everything Pakistan and a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board. Yash Sinha is the former High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and also served as India’s Chief Information Commissioner. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the possible consequences Pakistan could face after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty. Yash Sinha talks about the mindset of the Pakistani people and how man...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 294
Lt. Gen. K.J.S. Dhillon (Retd), popularly known as ‘Tiny Dhillon’, is a highly decorated officer with a distinguished career spanning over 39 years. He has served as the Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence). He earned widespread recognition for leading unconventional, people-centric operations during his tenure as the head of the XV Corps in Kashmir. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Lt. Gen. Dhil...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 293
Ajay Bisaria, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), previously served as India’s High Commissioner to Pakistan. Sushant Sareen, also a Senior Fellow at ORF, an expert on Pakistan and security issues in the region. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the two discuss how India should respond to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. They talk about the importance of being precise and strategic if India decides to take military action against Pakistan. Th...
May 03, 2025•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 292
Manjeev Singh Puri is a retired Indian diplomat from the 1982 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, with a distinguished career spanning over 36 years. He last served as India’s Ambassador to Nepal. Over the course of his career, he held key positions in India and abroad, representing the country at major multilateral organisations including the United Nations and the European Union. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Manjeev Singh Puri discusses Nepal’s shifting political lan...
Apr 30, 2025•52 min•Ep. 291
Bilal Lone is a former separatist and the elder son of Abdul Gani Lone, the Hurriyat Conference leader who founded the People’s Conference. Bilal was part of the Hurriyat Conference delegation that met Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in Delhi in 2004. His younger brother, Sajjad Lone, is currently a member of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. Bilal was aligned with the Mirwaiz faction of the Hurriyat when it split into two groups — the so-called moderates led by Mirwaiz and the hardliners led by...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 290
Sundarraj Pattilingam is an Indian Police Service officer currently serving as the Inspector General (IG) of Bastar Range in Chhattisgarh. He is known for his leadership in operations against Maoist insurgents in the region. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sundarraj discusses how Naxalism is coming to an end in Chhattisgarh. He explains how the efforts of security forces and the administration are helping bring Maoists into the mainstream. He also shares some shocking tact...
Apr 26, 2025•56 min
India has faced its worst terrorist attack on civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In Kashmir's Pahalgam, 27 innocent lives were lost and 15 others were injured in an attack backed by Pakistan. Terrorists opened fire at point-blank range, targeting innocent tourists. Four terrorists stormed the popular tourist location, creating chaos for 20 minutes. Will India respond to this attack? What will be New Delhi’s reaction? In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we are joined by L...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 288
Kushal Mehra is an author and podcaster who divides his time between Canada and India. He is known for his sharp insights and first-hand experience of life in Canada. Ajay Bisaria is the former High Commissioner of India to Canada. He is now a strategic advisor and a well-regarded voice on geopolitics, international business, and public policy. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss why the Canadian elections matter to India and how the outcome could affect rel...
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 287
Kiren Rijiju is currently serving as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of Minority Affairs. He has served as the Union Law Minister of India and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports. He is considered one of the most active and respected parliamentarians, with over 90% attendance in Parliament and regular participation in debates and questions on national and international issues. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Kiren Riji...
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 286
How can AI be used to detect lung cancer early? Is there enough funding for healthcare in India? Are we seeing enough medical advancement and technology in the Indian healthcare system? Can AI models identify breast cancer at an early stage? And is AI better than humans regarding cancer diagnosis and therapy? In the latest edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr. Swapnil Rane, Professor of Pathology and AI Research Lead at the Tata Memorial Centre, answers these questions. He also shar...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min•Ep. 285
Arun Sao is currently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. A lawyer by profession, he began his political journey in 1990 as a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Over the years, he steadily rose through the ranks of the BJP, starting out as a booth-level worker. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Arun Sao levels serious corruption allegations against the previous Congress government. He also talks about the BJP government’s efforts to ge...
Apr 15, 2025•46 min
Vijay Sharma is the MLA from the Kawardha constituency and currently serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He had served as the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. Over the years, he has been actively involved in several protests, including those related to paddy procurement and ration card distribution. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Deputy CM Vijay Sharma speaks about the recruitment of minors by Naxal groups, the overall law and order si...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 283
O.P. Choudhary cracked the UPSC exam at the age of 23 and was part of the 2005 batch of the Chhattisgarh cadre, the first batch after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. In 2018, he joined the BJP. During his 13-year career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the former Raipur Collector earned a reputation as a simple, hardworking, and dynamic officer. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, O.P. Choudhary talks about whether Nava Raipur can outperform cities like ...
Apr 14, 2025•57 min•Ep. 282
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai joins the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash in Raipur during the 'Vichaar for Viksit Chhattisgarh' Conclave. Mr. Sai has had a long political journey. He served as an MLA from 1990 to 1998 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Raigarh constituency in 1999. In 2006, he became the Chhattisgarh BJP president and later served as a Union Minister of State. He is also known to have close ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In this episode of the...
Apr 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 281
Abhijeet Bhattacharya is one of the most iconic voices in Bollywood, having lent his voice to several memorable tracks for Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, and Salman Khan. His voice became synonymous with Shah Rukh Khan in many hit songs. He won the Filmfare Award and the Screen Award for Best Singer for his song "Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon" from Yes Boss. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Abhijeet discusses what's wrong with the music industry, as Auto-Tune and artificial intelligen...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 280
Sonal Man Singh is a former Rajya Sabha MP, an Indian classical dancer and a Guru in Bharatanatyam and Odissi dance styles. She received the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2003. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sonal Man Singh shares untold stories about Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and the challenges artists faced during the 1975 Emergency. She also discusses whether art can be separated from the artist. She also speaks about today's cancel culture, how s...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 279
Tigmanshu Dhulia is a filmmaker, actor, screenwriter, and casting director, best known for Paan Singh Tomar (2012) and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011). His films, often critically acclaimed and explore human relationships, social issues, and the nuances of Indian culture. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Tigmanshu takes a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his childhood in Allahabad- now known as Prayagraj- and what makes the city so special to him. He reflects on his ...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 278
Raza Murad comes from a family of actors and is known for his astounding voice. He started his career with the film 'Ek Nazar' in 1972 and became famous for his versatility, especially in villain roles. He has worked in over 200 films and has been featured in several popular Bollywood films, including Prem Rog, Henna, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, and Ram Lakhan. He continues to leave his mark with roles in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi, Padmaavat, Jodhaa Akbar, and Bajirao Mastani. In this Mumbai edit...
Mar 30, 2025•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 277
Yogi Adityanath's government has completed eight years in Uttar Pradesh, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister in the state's history and the only one to serve two consecutive terms. In this ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Yogi Adityanath discusses his government's achievements over the past 8 years and shares his vision for making Uttar Pradesh a one-trillion-dollar economy. He also defends his bulldozer action, stating that strict measures are necessary to eliminate 'Mafia Raj' in the ...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 276
The recent train hijacking and the Noshki convoy attack have raised serious questions about Pakistan losing control of Balochistan. Is the Baloch insurgency entering a new phase? Can Pakistan’s army crush the rebellion? Is China pressuring Pakistan to act harshly to protect CPEC? Is India secretly involved, as Pakistan claims? What exactly do the Balochs want? To answer all these questions, the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash is joined by Tilak Devasher, an author, expert on Pakistan, and a membe...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 275
Rakesh Roshan began his career as an assistant director on the film Anjaana (1969) and later went on to direct the action drama Khudgarz (1987). With films like ‘Karan Arjun,’ ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai,’ ‘Koi... Mil Gaya,’ and the Krrish franchise, Rakesh Roshan has earned his place as a seasoned filmmaker across multiple genres in the Hindi film industry. In the latest edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rakesh reveals the magic behind filmmaking and his unique style of directing Bollyw...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 274
Get ready for the much-awaited episode of the 'Real' Samosa Caucus! Edition 5.0 is here and it's all about raw, uncensored, no-holds-barred discussions. Joining the chat are: Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow at ORF Tehseen Poonawalla, TV personality and political analyst Anand Ranganathan, author and scientist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies This episode dives into some topics, including the Ranveer Allahbadia-Samay Raina controversy, the Shama Moham...
Mar 14, 2025•2 hr 37 min•Ep. 273
Komal Nahta is a film trade analyst, the Editor-in-Chief of 'Film Information', and a well-known television show host. With decades of experience in the film industry, he is regarded as one of the most trusted voices in box office analysis. Bharathi Pradhan is a columnist, film critic, and author. She hosts podcasts and Lehren TV and writes a Sunday column for The Telegraph. She has been reviewing films since the 1970s, making her one of the most respected critics in the industry. In this episod...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 272
Kiran Rao began her career as an assistant director on the iconic film Lagaan and later went on to direct Dhobi Ghat (2010) and the critically acclaimed box office success Laapataa Ladies (2024). She graduated with a degree in Economics from Sophia College for Women, Mumbai, in 1995, and later pursued her Master’s at AJK Mass Communication Research Center, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Kiran Rao delves into the intricacies of storytelling...
Mar 08, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 271
Ruchi Ghanashyam joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1982. Over her 38-year career, she served at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and as High Commissioner to Ghana, South Africa, and the UK, where she retired in 2020. She was also a Counsellor at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan. Shaina NC is a fashion designer, politician, and social worker. She is the daughter of former Mumbai Sheriff Nana Chudasama. In 2024, she left the BJP and joined Eknath Shinde’s ...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 270
In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we take a deep dive into Babasaheb Ambedkar’s legacy and how it continues to shape Indian politics. Joining the conversation are Dr. Guru Prakash Paswan, National Spokesperson of the BJP with a deep understanding of Dalit issues, and Kushal Mehra, a podcaster and author known for his sharp takes on politics and society. They discuss the role of Dalit votes in elections, how Ambedkar’s vision is understood today, and the political battles fought ...
Mar 01, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 269
Pullela Gopichand is the second Indian to win the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championship (2001). A former Olympian, he coached Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu to Olympic success. Honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1999, Gopichand is often called the ‘Dronacharya of Indian Badminton.’ Since 2004, he has been running an academy in Hyderabad, where players like Srikanth Kidambi, Parupalli Kashyap, H.S. Prannoy, Sai Praneeth, and Sameer Verma have trained and brought glory to India. In this e...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 268
Born in Srinagar, Kunal Kemmu comes from a family of actors. He began his career as a child actor, appearing in films like Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Raja Hindustani (1996), and Zakhm (1998). Kunal made his debut as a lead actor in Kalyug (2005) and went on to star in several films, including the Golmaal franchise, Go Goa Gone (2013), and intense dramas like Traffic Signal (2007) and Blood Money (2012). In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Kunal opens up about the Kashmiri Pandi...
Feb 22, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 267
General Upendra Dwivedi is currently serving as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army. He previously served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command. Before that, he was the Deputy Chief of Army Staff for Information Systems and Coordination and the General Officer Commanding of the IX Corps. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the Army Chief shares his views on several key issues. He discusses how the situation of militancy in Jammu and...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 266
Jaya Kishori started her spiritual journey at the age of seven. Raised in a spiritual environment, she developed a deep love for spiritualism, leading her to become a motivational and spiritual speaker. Her mission is to instill faith, positivity, and the importance of family, emphasizing that good parenting shapes successful and virtuous individuals. She ensures her teachings are simple and relatable for all ages. In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Jaya Kishori speaks about find...
Feb 16, 2025•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 265
