Jahangir is often considered a lightweight Mughal emperor, an ineffectual drunkard sandwiched between his father and his son, Akbar and Shah Jahan. But this is an unfair view. Parvati Sharma joins Amit Varma in episode 147 of The Seen and the Unseen to shed light on not just Jahangir as an emperor, but on his human side, endearing and infuriating in equal measure. Also check out: Jahangir: An Intimate Portrait of a Great Mughal -- Parvati Sharma Women in Indian History -- Episode 144 of The Seen...
Nov 18, 2019•2 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 147
Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code is an archaic law and needs to go. But what is the historical background of our sedition law? What are the political and social contexts in which it evolved and thrived? Chitranshul Sinha joins Amit Varma in episode 146 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his book on the subject, The Great Repression. Also check out: The Great Repression -- Chitranshul Sinha Don't Insult Pasta (2007) -- Amit Varma Hardcore History by Dan Carlin Archive.org The Emergency --...
Nov 11, 2019•2 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 146
Is there such a thing as Indian conservatism? What does it mean and where did it come from? Jaithirth Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 145 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his latest book. Also check out: The Indian Conservative -- Jaithirth Rao Conservatism: Ideas in Profile -- Roger Scruton Why I am Not a Conservative -- Friedrich Hayek The Intellectual Foundations of Hindutva -- Episode 115 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Aakar Patel) Religion and Ideology in Indian Society -- Episode 124 o...
Nov 04, 2019•2 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 145
The history of humanity is more than just the history of men. Historian Ira Mukhoty joins Amit Varma in episode 144 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about going beyond the male gaze to write history. She also discusses Daughters of the Sun, her account of the rich and complex world of Mughal women. Also check out: Daughters of the Sun -- Ira Mukhoty Heroines -- Ira Mukhoty Yuganta -- Irawati Karve Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World -- Ruby Lal Empress : -- Ruby Lal Wolf Hall -- Hi...
Oct 28, 2019•2 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 144
The geopolitics of the West is reasonably well-understood -- but China remains a mystery to many. What drives China? How does it look at India? China expert Manoj Kewalramani joins Amit Varma in episode 143 of The Seen and the Unseen to provide historical context and strategic perspective. Also check out: Modi-Xi Informal Summit: An Indian Interests Agenda -- Manoj Kewalramani Chinese Foreign Policy -- Episode 81 of The Seen and the Unseen Myths About China -- Episode 66 of The Pragati Podcast N...
Oct 21, 2019•2 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 143
We are surrounded by frauds, and are dying to believe them. Vivek Kaul joins Amit Varma in episode 142 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss ponzi schemes, both in India and outside, both by private actors and the government. Also discussed: chit funds and kitty parties, and why we are wired to be deceived. Also check out: Real Estate Prices : Episode 30 of The Seen and the Unseen The Anti-Defection Law : Episode 13 of The Seen and the Unseen 12 Dream Reforms : Episode 138 of The Seen and the Un...
Oct 14, 2019•2 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 142
Vivek Tejuja, known for his writing on books, has just released his memoir of growing up gay in India. He joins Amit Varma in episode 141 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss how he -- and those around him -- came to terms with his sexuality. In the second half of the episode, Vivek and Amit discuss writers they like, and read out their favourite poetry. Also check out: So Now You Know -- Vivek Tejuja Being Gay in India -- Episode 84 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Navin Noronha) Keeping it Queer...
Oct 07, 2019•2 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 141
What exactly is wrong with Indian agriculture? How can we help our farmers? Barun Mitra and Kumar Anand join Amit Varma in episode 140 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the root causes and remedies of this decades-long problem. Also check out: The State of Our Farmers -- Ep 86 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Gunvant Patil, in Hindi). Entry and Exit in Indian Agriculture -- Ep 1 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Pavan Srinath & Karthik Shashidhar) Futures Markets in Agriculture -- Ep 12 of The Seen...
Sep 30, 2019•2 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 140
The recent victories of political Hindutva were enabled by a century-long cultural movement spearheaded by a publishing house based in Gorakhpur. Akshaya Mukul, author of Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India, joins Amit Varma in episode 139 of The Seen and the Unseen. Themes discussed include the relationship between society and the state, Marwari history, cow, temple, gender, caste, Muslims, Communism, and the spontaneous combustion of virtuous Hindu women. Also check out: Gita Press and th...
Sep 23, 2019•2 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 139
Times are bad -- but pessimists can dream! Tired of only talking about problems, Shruti Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Sengupta and Vivek Kaul join Amit Varma in episode 138 of The Seen and the Unseen, to propose solutions! Three each. Many bad jokes and Bollywood songs are thrown in. Also check out: Population Is Not a Problem, but Our Greatest Strength -- Amit Varma. Alone in the City -- Amit Varma Where Are the Jobs? -- Ep 87 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Yazad Jal) Education in India -- Ep 77 of The...
Sep 16, 2019•3 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 138
The India of 2019 is a different country from the India of 1989. Social commentator Santosh Desai joins Amit Varma in episode 137 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the many ways in which we have been transformed in this time -- not always for the better. Also check out: 1. Santosh Desai's column archives in The Times of India. 2. Mother Pious Lady: Making Sense of Everyday India -- Santosh Desai 3. The Decline of Collective Trust -- Santosh Desai 4. Surrounded by Screens - Santosh Desai 5. T...
Sep 09, 2019•2 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 137
Data journalism in India is fast coming of age, shedding light on our society and politics. Roshan Kishore joins Amit Varma in episode 136 of The Seen and the Unseen to speak about his profession (data journalism), his passion (political economy) and his dark, mysterious past as a student leader in JNU. Also check out: Roshan Kishore's writings in Hindustan Times. Demystifying GDP -- Episode 130 of The Seen and the Unseen. The Intellectual Foundations of Hindutva -- Episode 115 of The Seen and t...
Sep 02, 2019•2 hr 58 min•Season 1Ep. 136
Mohit Satyanand saw the 2008 crisis coming and put his money where his mouth was. Now he says we're in the middle of another crisis. He joins Amit Varma in episode 135 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain what exactly went wrong in 2008, and what's gone wrong now. Also check out: This is All Because of Rupal Ben -- Episode 5 of The Seen and the Unseen Poker and Stock Markets -- Episode 47 of The Seen and the Unseen DeMon, Morality and the Predatory Indian State -- Episode 85 of The Seen and the...
Aug 26, 2019•2 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 135
Kashmir is in lockdown, and Article 370 is history. What does this mean for Kashmir -- and for India? Historian Srinath Raghavan joins Amit Varma in episode 134 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the historical, geopolitical, ideological and moral questions at the heart of the Kashmir problem. Also check out: War and Peace in Modern India -- Srinath Raghavan The Geopolitics of the Bangladesh War -- Episode 113 of The Seen and the Unseen. Understanding the India-Pakistan Conflict -- Episode 11...
Aug 19, 2019•2 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 134
We live in a world besieged by falsehood -- but there is a growing resistance movement. Pratik Sinha of Alt News joins Amit Varma in episode 133 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about disinformation, misinformation and why the truth will prevail. Also check out: Alt News Truth of Gujarat India Misinformed -- Pratik Sinha and co-authors The Alt News App for Android The Facts Do Not Matter -- Amit Varma Public Opinion -- Walter Lippmann This episode is powered by Storytel: https://www.storytel.c...
Aug 12, 2019•2 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 133
There is a crisis in India today. There are not enough women taking up paying jobs -- and their unpaid labour at home continues to be taken for granted. Journalist Namita Bhandare joins Amit Varma in episode 132 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about the state of women in India today. Also check out: Namita Bhandare's homepage . Namita Bhandare in the Hindustan Times . Why Indian Workplaces Are Losing Women -- Namita Bhandare (The IndiaSpend series) Namita Bhandare at Sheroes . Metrics of Empo...
Aug 05, 2019•2 hr 58 min•Season 1Ep. 132
Political Ideology in India Description: The usual spectrum of left and right does not apply to Indian politics. But does that mean that our politics is based on identity and patronage, and not ideology? Not quite, says political scientist Rahul Verma, as he joins Amit Varma in episode 131 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain the two ideological cleavages that divide India. Also check out: Ideology and Identity -- Pradeep K Chhibber and Rahul Verma Religious Practice and Democracy in India -- P...
Jul 29, 2019•2 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 131
In recent times, the GDP has become less of an economic measure and more of a political tool. Economist Rajeswari Sengupta joins Amit Varma in episode 130 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain what the GDP is, what it is good for, what it is not good for and what the fuss over this figure in India is all about. This episode has immeasurable value. Also check out: Rajeswari Sengupta's writings. GDP – A Brief but Affectionate History -- Diane Coyle Gross Domestic Problem -- Lorenzo Fioramonti The ...
Jul 22, 2019•2 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 130
Like cricket and cinema, the annual budget brought out by the central government has become a national obsession. Vivek Kaul. the Shah Rukh Khan of Economics, joins Amit Varma, the Govinda of Podcasting, in episode 129 of The Seen and the Unseen to demystify the budget. Much fun is had. Blockbuster guaranteed. Also read: The Sholay Redux -- Vivek Kaul Easynomics: Why high-income tax hurts -- Vivek Kaul How ₹1.7 trillion has gone missing -- Vivek Kaul The State of Our Farmers -- Episode 86 of The...
Jul 15, 2019•2 hr 42 min•Season 1Ep. 129
India is a nation on the move, and migration is in our DNA. Economic historian Chinmay Tumbe joins Amit Varma in episode 128 of The Seen and the Unseen to present the rich history of migrations into, out of and within India. Also check out: India Moving -- Chinmay Tumbe The Story of Our Ancestors -- Episode 112 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Tony Joseph) Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon -- Patanga You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the new and improved IVM Podcast App on Android: https:...
Jul 08, 2019•2 hr 49 min•Season 1Ep. 128
Indian history is wild fun. Historian Manu Pillai joins Amit Varma in episode 127 of The Seen and the Unseen to regale him with stories from his latest book. The subjects discussed include caste, gender, narrative manipulation, mad elephants and men blown out of cannons. Also check out: The Courtesan, the Mahatma and the Italian Brahmin -- Manu Pillai The Deccan Before Shivaji -- Episode 98 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai) When Gandhi was Mohandas -- Episode 104 of The Seen and the Uns...
Jul 01, 2019•3 hr 40 min•Season 1Ep. 127
Can India ever be a sporting nation? What will it take to get there? Joy Bhattacharjya, who started up Kolkata Knight Riders, brought the u-17 Football World Cup to India and is CEO of the Pro Volleyball League, sure thinks so. He joins Amit Varma in episode 126 of The Seen and the Unseen to share his passion and vision for Indian sport. Also check out: Bindra's Wishlist (2005) -- Amit Varma Opportunity, Choice and the IPL (2008) -- Amit Varma The IPL is Here and Here Are Six Reasons to Celebrat...
Jun 24, 2019•2 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 126
People often talk of the world of Finance as a giant casino, where sociopathic bankers gamble with the livelihoods of real people. Economist Ajay Shah joins Amit Varma in episode 125 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain why this is a misconception, and why Finance is at the heart of our progress. Also check out: Why I Loved and Left Poker -- Amit Varma, from his poker column, Range Rover. Zombie Firms and Creative Destruction -- Episode 118 of The Seen and the Unseen. Futures Markets in Agricul...
Jun 17, 2019•49 min•Season 1Ep. 125
What is the role of religion in Indian society? What is conservatism like in India? Suyash Rai joins Amit Varma in episode 124 of The Seen and the Unseen for a wide-ranging free-wheeling chat on these subjects. Also check out: The Intellectual Foundations of Hindutva -- Episode 115 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Aakar Patel) What is Libertarianism? -- Episode 117 of The Seen and the Unseen (w David Boaz) You're From the Mutton Lobby -- Episode 49 of The Seen and the Unseen (Amit Varma solo, on ou...
Jun 10, 2019•2 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 124
As the recent sexual harassment case indicates, all is not well with the Supreme Court of India. Constitutional economist Shruti Rajagopalan joins Amit Varma in episode 123 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain why the Supreme Court has gone wrong on both ends of the tradeoff between Independence and Accountability. Also read: Justice Is Dead, Long Live the Justices -- Shruti Rajagopalan Imagine No Possessions -- Episode 26 of The Seen and the Unseen Fixing Our Judicial System -- Episode 62 of T...
Jun 03, 2019•2 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 123
Elections in India are madly complex, and defy simple explanations. Sadanand Dhume joins Amit Varma in episode 122 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the Age of Modi, and what these elections mean for India, the BJP and the Congress party. Also check out: Sadanand Dhume's bio and archives The Questions That Election 2019 Leaves Us With -- Amit Varma Beware of the Useful Idiots -- Amit Varma Amit Varma's writings+podcasts on DeMon, in one twitter thread The Intellectual Foundations of Hindutva...
May 27, 2019•2 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 122
Governments consist of people, and people respond to incentives. For this reason, there is no better way to understand government than through the tools of economics. Episode 121 of The Seen and the Unseen is a rerun of an old episode of The Pragati Podcast, in which Amit Varma introduces Pavan Srinath to the mindblowing insights of Public Choice Theory. Also check out: What Does It Mean to Be Libertarian? -- ep 64 of The Seen and the Unseen Public Choice: A Primer -- Eomonn Butler Politics With...
May 20, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 121
Conventional wisdom holds that there are three ways to respond to injustice by the state: we may leave, complain, or comply. Philosopher Jason Brennan joins Amit Varma in episode 120 of The Seen and the Unseen to argue that there is a fourth option: to resist. Also check out: When All Else Fails -- Jason Brennan The Milgram Experiment You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the new and improved IVM Podcast App on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios...
May 13, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Despite being a Congress spokesperson, economist Salman Soz was hopeful in 2014 that the Modi government would be good for India. As the title of his new book indicates, that turned out to be quite The Great Disappointment. Soz joins Amit Varma in episode 119 of The Seen and the Unseen to elaborate on the many economic failures of the Modi government. He also tackles tough questions on the Congress party. Also check out: The Great Disappointment -- Salman Soz India's Lost Decade -- Ep 116 of The...
May 06, 2019•2 hr 50 min•Season 1Ep. 119
The Indian economy has the seeds of a horror film, with zombies stalking the landscape. Air India is one. Jet could have been another had it been rescued. Economist Ajay Shah joins Amit Varma in episode 118 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain the importance of creative destruction, and why failing firms should be allowed to die. Also discussed: price controls and market failure. Do check out: Making Sense of Airline Troubles -- Ajay Shah Lessons from the RCom Mess -- Ajay Shah A Great Churning...
Apr 29, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 118
