He's that Blackstratblues guy. He's done rock, blues, sessions work for Bollywood, and you can't put him in a box. Indie music legend Warren Mendonsa joins Amit Varma and guest co-host Chuck Gopal in episode 273 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about his career, how he only aims to make music that makes him happy, and the common thread that binds us all. Also check out : 1. Warren Mendonsa on Instagram and Twitter . 2. Blackstratblues music and community . Also, on YouTube and Spotify . 3. Anu...
Apr 18, 2022•3 hr•Season 1Ep. 273
Our freedom fighters didn't just fight the British. They also grappled with each other in the marketplace of ideas and actions. Shruti Kapila joins Amit Varma in episode 272 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe how so many of our founders were also innovative political philosophers -- and how we still fight their battles today. Also check out : 1. Shruti Kapila at Cambridge , The Print and Twitter . 2. Violent Fraternity: Indian Political Thought in the Global Age -- Shruti Kapila. 3. An Intel...
Apr 11, 2022•3 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 272
Deepak Shenoy wants to ask Amit Varma about the creator economy. Amit wants to talk to Deepak about finance and his new book. Episode 271 of The Seen and the Unseen is a crossover episode with the Capital Mind Podcast in which Amit and Deepak get a jugalbandi going. Also check out : 1. Deepak Shenoy on LinkedIn and Twitter . 2. Money Wise: Timeless Lessons on Building Wealth -- Deepak Shenoy. 3. Capitalmind , Deepak Shenoy’s investment research and wealth management company. 4. The Capitalmind P...
Apr 04, 2022•4 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 271
Things are bad -- so bad that he's written two books about it. Aakar Patel joins Amit Varma in episode 270 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss politics, the media and his reasons for being hopeful in spite of all the doom and gloom. Also check out : 1. Aakar Patel on Twitter , Amazon , Deccan Chronicle , Business Standard and the Times of India . 2. Our Hindu Rashtra: What It Is. How We Got Here -- Aakar Patel. 3. Price of the Modi Years -- Aakar Patel. 4. The Intellectual Foundations of Hindu...
Mar 28, 2022•3 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 270
A lifetime in diplomacy gave Nirupama Rao an inside view of the making of the first draft of history. She joins Amit Varma in episode 269 of The Seen and the Unseen to share her life lessons -- and what still keeps her buzzing every day. Also check out : 1. Nirupama Rao on Twitter , Substack , Instagram and her own website . Her bio and work are here . 2. The Fractured Himalaya -- Nirupama Rao. 3. A Life in Diplomacy -- Nirupama Rao's talk at Claremont McKenna College. 4. Selected episodes of Th...
Mar 21, 2022•4 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 269
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not just a seminal moment in world history, but a teachable one. Pranay Kotasthane and Nitin Pai join Amit Varma in episode 268 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss concepts and frameworks of foreign policy that can help us make sense of this turmoil. If this subject interests you, consider signing up for Takashshila's GCPP: Defence & Foreign Affairs course . Registration is open for the May Cohort. Also check out : 1. Pranay Kotasthane Talks Public Policy --...
Mar 14, 2022•3 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 268
Indian mainstream media tends to see our country with the gaze of a privileged North Indian man. That is changing. Dhanya Rajendran joins Amit Varma in episode 267 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about her journey in setting up The News Minute, and in deepening our journalism and the conversations we have. Also check out : 1. Dhanya Rajendran on Twitter , Instagram and The News Minute . 2. Support The News Minute . 3. Cut the Clutter . 4. The Life and Times of Abhinandan Sekhri -- Episode 254...
Mar 07, 2022•3 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 267
Historians write about the lives of others -- but what about their own journeys? Ramachandra Guha joins Amit Varma in episode 266 of The Seen and the Unseen to reflect on his notion of home, how he got from there to here, and the strange dreams that sometimes come. Also check out : 1. Rebels Against the Raj -- Ramachandra Guha. 2. Savaging the Civilized -- Ramachandra Guha. 3. A Functioning Anarchy?: Essays for Ramachandra Guha -- Nandini Sundar and Srinath Raghavan. 4. Ramachandra Guha on Amazo...
Feb 28, 2022•2 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 266
Life is beautiful, but we are too busy to notice. Writing is one way to capture the world, and to make our journey memorable. Amitava Kumar joins Amit Varma in episode 265 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe his journey as an author, journalist, artist, Instagrammer -- and to explain the joys of slow-jamming the news. Also check out: 1. Amitava Kumar on Instagram , Twitter , Amazon , Vassar and his own website . 2. The Blue Book: A Writer's Journal -- Amitava Kumar. 3. Husband Of A Fanatic --...
Feb 21, 2022•3 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 265
Intellectuals need to get out of their ivory towers and take their ideas to the people, learning from them in the process. Barun Mitra joins Amit Varma in episode 264 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss what he learnt from his decades combining reflection and activism. Also check out : 1. Barun Mitra on Twitter , and at The Print , Indian Express and Pragati . Also, a bio . 2. India's Agriculture Crisis -- Episode 140 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Barun Mitra and Kumar Anand). 3. The Anti-Defe...
Feb 14, 2022•4 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 264
Mrinal Pande, older than our republic, was writing from a time when it was felt that "a woman writing was like a dog walking on two hind legs." She joins Amit Varma in episode 263 of The Seen and the Unseen to share her learnings from a life in literature. Subjects discussed include our society, our languages, gender, politics and the state of our media. Also check out : 1. Mrinal Pande on Twitter , Amazon , Indian Express and Scroll . 2. The Other Country -- Mrinal Pande. 3. A Conservative Rebe...
Feb 07, 2022•3 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 263
There was a time when our leaders dived into the public discourse and embraced the world of ideas. Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain join Amit Varma in episode 262 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe four debates that Jawaharlal Nehru entered with Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Sardar Patel and Syama Prasad Mookerjee. These old debates matter today, because those ideas are still being contested. Also check out : 1. Nehru: The Debates that Defined India -- Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel H...
Jan 31, 2022•4 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 262
You may think you have India figured out -- but do you? Rukmini S joins Amit Varma in episode 261 of The Seen and the Unseen to speak about the many layers of India she has uncovered by looking closely at data, and the stories that lie beneath. Also check out : 1. Whole Numbers and Half Truths -- Rukmini S. 2. The Importance of Data Journalism -- Episode 196 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rukmini S). 3. The Loneliness of the Indian Woman -- Episode 259 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shrayana Bhatt...
Jan 24, 2022•3 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 261
What we mean by art has changed in modern times -- and there has never been a better time to be an artist. Nishant Jain aka Sneaky Artist joins Amit Varma in episode 260 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about his journey, and to share his insights on the creator economy. Also check out : 1. The Sneaky Artist -- Nishant Jain's website. 2. The Sneaky Art Post -- Nishant Jain's newsletter. 3. The Sneaky Art Podcast on Apple and Spotify . 4. Nishant Jain on Twitter , Instagram and Linktree . 5. Ea...
Jan 17, 2022•5 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 260
Indian women are lonely in the bedroom, lonely in the kitchen, lonely in the workplace. Shrayana Bhattacharya joins Amit Varma in episode 259 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the interior and exterior lives of these unseen millions. Also check out 1. Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence -- Shrayana Bhattacharya. 2. Select Shah Rukh Khan films: Baazigar , DDLJ , Dil Tho Pagal Hai , Kal Ho Naa Ho , Dilwale , Mohabbatein . 3. Sh...
Jan 10, 2022•3 hr 58 min•Season 1Ep. 259
There has never been a better time to be a creator -- but you need to be productive to make use of it! Deepak Gopalakrishnan aka Chuck Gopal joins Amit Varma in episode 258 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about his journey, and to share his learnings on creation and productivity. Also check out : 1. Earlier episodes of The Seen and the Unseen on the creator ecosystem with Roshan Abbas , Varun Duggirala , Neelesh Misra and Snehal Pradhan . 2. Chuck Gopal on Twitter , Instagram , LinkTree and h...
Jan 03, 2022•4 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 258
The world is what it is -- but no one knows what that is, and we all see different worlds. Designer and art historian Annapurna Garimella joins Amit Varma in episode 257 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe her passage of seeing, remembering, reflecting. Also check out: 1. Annapurna Garimella on Amazon . 2. Sara Rai Inhales Literature -- Episode 255 of The Seen and the Unseen. 3. Memories and Things -- Episode 195 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Aanchal Malhotra). 4. Lord of the Flies -- William...
Dec 27, 2021•3 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 257
Data has no ideology, and journalists should always be guided by skepticism. Pramit Bhattacharya joins Amit Varma in episode 256 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe his journey learning the craft and the values of analytical journalism. Also check out : 1. Pramit Bhattacharya's writings in Mint . 2. The Importance of Data Journalism -- Episode 196 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rukmini S). 3. Data Journalism and Indian Politics — Episode 136 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Roshan Kishore). 4. In...
Dec 20, 2021•3 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 256
In India, we inhabit many worlds, and we live in many languages, many literatures. Sara Rai joins Amit Varma in episode 255 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about her rich life learning to write, learning to read, learning to live. Also check out : 1. Sara Rai on Amazon . 2. “You will be the Katherine Mansfield of Hindi” -- Sara Rai's essay in Caravan . 3. Other Skies -- Sara Rai. 4. Wilderness -- Sara Rai. 5. Premchand's Kazaki And Other Marvellous Tales -- Munshi Premchand (translated and wi...
Dec 13, 2021•2 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 255
He carried cables on a film set. He teamed up with friends named Arvind and Manish to save Delhi. He started a media company that said Boo to advertisers. Abhinandan Sekhri joins Amit Varma in episode 254 of The Seen and the Unseen to speak about the many things he's learned during his rich and unconventional life. Also check out : 1. Abhinandan Sekhri on Twitter , Instagram and Newslaundry . 2. Subscribe to Newslaundry . 3. PG Wodehouse on Amazon. 4. War and Peace and The Thorn Birds . 5. The R...
Dec 06, 2021•3 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 254
A democracy is not just about voting, The rules of the game have to protect individuals, and institutions have to keep the government accountable. MR Madhavan joins Amit Varma in episode 253 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his efforts at empowering MPs and MLAs with knowledge -- and why we should not lose hope in our nation. Also check out: 1. PRS Legislative Research . 2. When You Could Only Buy Two Litres of Milk -- MR Madhavan. 3. The Functioning of the Indian Parliament -- MR Madhavan....
Nov 29, 2021•3 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 253
Winter is here.The pandemic has receded, but our economy was already in bad shape before Covid struck, which made it plummet further. Where do we stand now? Can we recover? Puja Mehra and Mohit Satyanand join Amit Varma in episode 252 of The Seen and the Unseen to take stock. Also check out : 1. The Lost Decade -- Puja Mehra. 2. Gimme Mo -- Mohit Satyanand's newsletter. 3. India's Lost Decade -- Episode 116 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Puja Mehra). 4. This is All Because of Rupal Ben -- Episode...
Nov 22, 2021•3 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 252
History is often told in such a boring way that it might as well not have happened. And then, there are those who bring it so alive that the present seems so much clearer. Amit Schandillia joins Amit Varma in episode 251 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about how his historical storytelling made him a Twitter sensation -- and why both history and storytelling matter in these times. Also check out : 1. Select Twitter threads by Amit Schandillia: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ...
Nov 15, 2021•3 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 251
Narendra Shenoy and Mr Narendra Shenoy are cult figures who transcend the universe of ordinary podcast guests. One of them, a renowned storyteller, joins Amit Varma in episode 250 of The Seen and the Unseen. Which one? Who knows? Schrödinger's Shenoy. Also check out : 1. Simblified , co-hosted by Narendra Shenoy. 2. Why Are My Episodes so Long? -- Amit Varma. 3. The Hunter Becomes the Hunted -- Episode 200 of The Seen and the Unseen. 4. EconTalk (hosted by Russ Roberts) and Conversations With Ty...
Nov 08, 2021•3 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 250
C is for Cricket. C is also for Creator. Snehal Pradhan, former fast bowler for the Indian team and current superstar creator, joins Amit Varma in episode 249 of The Seen and the Unseen to share her insights on both these ecosystems. Also check out : 1. Snehal Pradhan's website , newsletter , YouTube Channel , Instagram and Twitter . 2. An Equal Hue -- Senhal Pradhan, Karunya Keshav and Sidhanta Patnaik. 3. The Fire Burns Blue: A History of Women's Cricket in India -- Karunya Keshav and Sidhanta...
Nov 01, 2021•2 hr 58 min•Season 1Ep. 249
The Congress Party once dominated Indian politics. Today, it's on the outside looking in. Rahul Verma joins Amit Varma in episode 248 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the complex social and political factors behind this massive decline. Also check out : 1. Political Ideology in India -- Episode 131 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rahul Verma). 2. Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India -- Pradeep K Chhibber and Rahul Verma. 3. Taking Stock of Our Republic -- Episode 157 of ...
Oct 25, 2021•3 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 248
Our political parties suck at governance but excel at narratives, as that's what wins them elections. Shivam Shankar Singh joins Amit Varma in episode 247 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe his experiences at the heart of different political machines. Also check out : 1. How to Win an Indian Election -- Shivam Shankar Singh. 2. The Art Of Conjuring Alternate Realities -- Shivam Shankar Singh and Anand Venkatanarayanan. 3. LAMP Fellowships . 4. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha websites. 5. Why I...
Oct 18, 2021•3 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 247
Over the last few decades, India has changed, cricket has changed, our media has changed -- and one man has seen it all. Ayaz Memon joins Amit Varma in episode 246 of The Seen and the Unseen to reflect on some of what he has seen and learnt. Also check out : 1. Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947 -- Edited by Ayaz Memon. 2. Cricket-related episodes of The Seen and the Unseen with Harsha Bhogle , Sharda Ugra , Ramachandra Guha , Prem Panicker and Gideon Haigh+Prem Panicker . 3...
Oct 11, 2021•4 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 246
When we pick up medicine from our nearby chemist, we assume that we are getting what we pay for. That trust may be misplaced. Dinesh Thakur joins Amit Varma in episode 245 of The Seen and the Unseen to share the story of the Ranbaxy fraud, and the shoddy state of Indian pharma today. Also check out : 1. Dinesh Thakur's foundation , blog and Twitter . 2. Bottle of Lies : Ranbaxy and the Dark Side of Indian Pharma -- Katherine Eban. 3. The Impact of Regulatory Structure on Quality of Medicines in ...
Oct 04, 2021•3 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 245
India's Maharajahs get a bad rap. Both the British empire and our freedom fighters pushed wrong stereotypes about them. Manu Pillai joins Amit Varma in episode 244 of The Seen and the Unseen to chat about the multitudes of our maharajahs -- and much else that matters. Also check out : 1. Manu Pillai's Website , Twitter and Instagram . 2. False Allies: India’s Maharajahs in the Age of Ravi Varma -- Manu Pillai. 3. Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore -- Manu Pillai. 4. Rebel Sultan...
Sep 27, 2021•3 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 244
