The Seen and the Unseen, hosted by Amit Varma, features longform conversations that aim to give deep insights into the subjects being discussed. Timeless and bingeworthy.
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He is best known for writing The Family Man and Farzi , but his journey to being a storyteller was far from smooth. Suman Kumar joins Amit Varma in episode 444 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the highs and lows of his life, as well as the craft of writing, directing and telling stories. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Suman Kumar on IMDb , Instagram , LinkedIn and his own website . 2. The Family Man -- Season 1 :: Season 2 :: Season 3 . 3. Guns and Gu...
An Indian lawyer in 2000 could not have recognised the legal ecosystem of today. One firm took India marching forward into a new world. Akshay Jaitly joins Amit Varma in episode 443 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe the rise of the firm he founded, Trilegal -- and the lessons he learnt during that journey. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Akshay Jaitly on Twitter , Linkedin and Nicheless . 2. Trilegal: The Making of a Modern Indian Law Firm -- Akshay Ja...
We keep using the terms 'regulation' and 'deregulation' -- and now it's time for a primer. Shruti Rajagopalan joins Amit Varma in episode 442 of The Seen and the Unseen go discuss first principles AND get into the weeds. What is regulation? When do we need it? When do we not? What's India's journey been like? And finally, why is deregulation both important and difficult? (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out 1. Shruti Rajagopalan on Twitter , Substack , Instagram , h...
He's one of India's great artists, and a Renaissance man you cannot put inside a box. Ravikumar Kashi joins Amit Varma in episode 441 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about life and art. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Ravikumar Kashi on Instagram , LinkedIn and his own website . 2. Flexing Muscles -- Ravikumar Kashi. 3. Engaging With Visuals -- Ravikumar Kashi's 15-part lecture series. 4. Handmade Paper Making Process (English parts one and two; Kannada ...
We are shaped by the people we let into our lives -- and sometimes only realise this in hindsight. Ramachandra Guha joins Amit Varma in episode 440 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about some of the friends who changed his life. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Ramachandra Guha on Amazon , Twitter and his own website . 2. Ram Guha Writes a Letter to a Friend -- Episode 371 of The Seen and the Unseen. 3. Ram Guha Reflects on His Life — Episode 266 of The Se...
She is a thinker and doer who takes on difficult problems, whether it's maternal care in India or a dangerous ideological cult. Janhavi Nilekani joins Amit Varma in episode 439 of The Seen and the Unseen to chat about her work in healthcare -- and her gender-critical thinking. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Janhavi Nilekani on Instagram , Twitter , Substack and Aastrika . 2. Aastrika Foundation . 3. Aastrika Midwifery Centre . 4. Janhavi Nilekani's Substac...
What can one man do for a city in a lifetime of work? A lot! V Ravichandar joins Amit Varma in episode 438 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his life, his times and what he has learnt as a civic evangelist for Bangalore. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. V Ravichandar on Instagram , Twitter , LinkedIn and Feedback Consulting . 2. Reforming Urban Governance — Episode 48 of The Seen and the Unseen (w V Ravichandar). 3. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act ....
He studied law, found success as an entrepreneur, and has since spent almost two decades in the social sector trying to make the world a better place. Gautam John joins Amit Varma in episode 437 of The Seen and the Unseen to share his reflections on society, technology, gender, friendships, fatherhood, the crisis of masculinity and his journey towards figuring out the world and himself. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Gautam John on LinkedIn , Twitter , IDR...
The world is complex, India contains multitudes, and we need more numbers, better numbers, to make sense of it all. Rukmini S joins Amit Varma in episode 436 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about Data For India -- and to share some surprising insights. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Rukmini S on LinkedIn , Twitter and Instagram . 2. Data For India . 3. Whole Numbers And Half Truths — Rukmini S. 4. The Importance of Data Journalism — Episode 196 of The S...
Amit Varma and Manoj Kewalramani delve into China's multifaceted history, from its imperial dynasties and philosophical traditions like Confucianism and Legalism, through the "century of humiliation" and the transformative eras of Mao and Deng. The discussion covers China's internal diversity, external influences, and the pragmatic yet often ruthless consolidation of power under Xi Jinping, including its evolving worldview, social challenges, and relations with the US and India. The episode concludes by examining common misconceptions and future scenarios for the rising global power.
Enough serious talk about economics and geopolitics. As the year draws to an end, it's time to sit and chill with friends -- and let the mind meander. Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane join Amit Varma in episode 434 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about friendship, horses, second acts -- and more! (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Shruti Rajagopalan on Twitter , Substack , Instagram , her podcast, Ideas of India and her own website . 2. Pranay Kotas...
India's policy ecosystem was once a desolate landscape, stuck in bad ideas of the past. One institution shook it all up. Nitin Pai and Pranay Kotasthane join Amit Varma in episode 433 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe their journey building the Takshashila Institution. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Nitin Pai on Twitter , LinkedIn , his own website and the Takshashila Institution . 2. Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter , LinkedIn , Amazon and the Takshashil...
He's been working in AI since the late 1970s, and started a pioneering machine learning hedge fund in the 1990s. Now he's a professor, a podcaster, a Substacker, a yoda -- and has just written a cracking book on the subject. Vasant Dhar joins Amit Varma in episode 432 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the life and times of AI through the life and times of Vasant Dhar. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Vasant Dhar on Twitter , LinkedIn , Google Scholar and...
Our Hindi Heartland has more people than the USA and Western Europe combined -- and is arguably more diverse. Ghazala Wahab joins Amit Varma in episode 431 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe her research into those states -- and much else, including being an outspoken Muslim woman in India, and the future of warfare. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Ghazala Wahab on Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , LinkedIn , Amazon , the Wire and Force . 2. The Hindi He...
When it comes to Hindustani music, he is both a doer and a thinker. A great tabla player, he has written books about the history and theory of music. Aneesh Pradhan joins Amit Varma in episode 430 of The Seen and the Unseen to chat about his life, his music and this world we inhabit. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Aneesh Pradhan on Instagram , Twitter , LinkedIn , YouTube , Scroll , Amazon , Spotify and his own website . 2. Chasing the Raag Dream: A Look i...
He wrote the definitive history of Indian wrestling. His longform reportage has taken him into strange territories. He embedded himself with the Delhi police and has now come out with his first crime novel. Rudraneil Sengupta joins Amit Varma in episode 429 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about he throws himself into both his life and his work. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Rudraneil Sengupta on Instagram , Twitter , Mint and Amazon . 2. The Beast With...
Writing biographies is solitary and difficult -- even when the subject is way more interesting than anything you could make up. Narayani Basu joins Amit Varma in episode 428 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss writing, friendship, hustling, ageing, intentionality and the subject of her latest book, the impossible KM Panikkar. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Narayani Basu on Twitter , Instagram , LinkedIn and Amazon . 2. A Man For All Seasons: The Life Of ...
Cricket isn't just what happens across 22 yards, and great cricket writers always go beyond the boundary. Vijay Lokapally joins Amit Varma in episode 427 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the joys and heartbreaks of a lifetime of writing about cricket -- and much else. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Vijay Lokapally on Amazon , Twitter , Instagram , LinkedIn , Wikipedia , The Hindu and Sportstar . 2. Pen, Paper and Podcast -- Vijay Lokapally's podcast. ...
She's straddled the worlds of Hindustani classical and popular music, and is a legend in both spaces. Shubha Mudgal joins Amit Varma in episode 426 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her life, her music and this changing world. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Shubha Mudgal on Spotify , Instagram , Twitter , Wikipedia and her own website . 2. Looking for Miss Sargam: Stories of Music and Misadventure -- Shubha Mudgal. 3. Kavitha Rao and Our Lady Doctors —...
He reached the top of the corporate world -- and then gave it up to become a writer, with books that probed our deepest questions, and influenced millions of people. Gurcharan Das joins Amit Varma in episode 425 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his life and learnings. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Gurcharan Das on Amazon , Wikipedia , Twitter , LinkedIn , Times of India and his own website . 2. Another Sort of Freedom -- Gurcharan Das. 3. India Unbou...
Trained as a journalist, but driven by a desire to make a difference, she spent over a decade working with sex workers in Delhi to understand and improve their lives. Gitanjali Babbar joins Amit Varma in episode 424 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her learnings about GB Road -- and our strange and twisted society. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out 1. Gitanjali Babbar on LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram . 2. Kat Katha (also on Facebook and Instagram .) 3. D...
He founded the iconic organisation Yuva 50 years ago when he was in his early 20s, pioneered social work in India, and went on to drive change for the UN and Amnesty. Minar Pimple joins Amit Varma in episode 423 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about his life, his learnings and the ceaseless tumult in our society. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Minar Pimple at Yuva and Instagram . 2. An ISDM case study of Yuva . 3. Sudhir Sarnobat Works to Understand the...
Cricket is the most unusual of games with the most unusual of histories -- which can reveal so much about our society and our times. Tim Wigmore joins Amit Varma in episode 422 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the history of Test cricket -- and how the game is changing today. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Tim Wigmore on Twitter , LinkedIn , Amazon , Cricinfo and the Daily Telegraph . 2. Test Cricket: A History -- Tim Wigmore. 3. Cricket 2.0: Inside t...
Too much of our history is looked at through either a colonial lens or a patriarchal one. Ira Mukhoty joins Amit Varma in episode 421 of The Seen and the Unseen to share her gaze on India's history, and all that it has taught her. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Ira Mukhoty on Instagram , Twitter , Goodreads and Amazon . 2. Women in Indian History -- Episode 155 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ira Mukhoty). 3. The Lion and The Lily: The Rise and Fall of Awadh...
Circumstance made him a legend of the quizzing world, but Siddhartha Basu is a man of many parts. He joins Amit Varma in episode 420 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about life, India, the art of asking questions and the answers he has found. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Siddhartha Basu on Wikipedia , Twitter , Instagram and I MDb . 2. Tree of Knowledge, DigiTok . 3. Quizzitok on YouTube. 4. Middlemarch -- George Eliot. 5. The Gita Press and Hindu Nati...
Firms are the means of economic progress. India's micro, small and medium enterprises have been hobbled for decades, and flounder even today. Sudhir Sarnobat and Narendra Shenoy join Amit Varma in episode 419 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss this landscape -- and Sudhir's brilliant new venture that aims to tackle this. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Sudhir Sarnobat on Twitter and LinkedIn . 2. Naren Shenoy on Twitter , Instagram and Blogspot . 3. How ...
Why did the attacks in Pahalgam happen? What took place in the skirmishes after that? What have we learnt about geopolitics and our military preparedness? Pranay Kotasthane and Aditya Ramanathan join Amit Varma in episode 418 of The Seen and the Unseen to try to clear some of the fog of war. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter , LinkedIn , Amazon and the Takshashila Institution . 2. Aditya Ramanathan on Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagra...
Data is apolitical and always useful, right? Then why is the caste census so controversial? Pranay Kotasthane and Raghu S Jaitley join Amit Varma in episode 417 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss its history, context and implications. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter , LinkedIn , Amazon and the Takshashila Institution . 2. Anticipating the Unintended — Pranay Kotasthane and Raghu Sanjaylal Jaitley's newsletter. 3. Missing In A...
The most astonishing men lie in the far, forgotten corners of history. Kavitha Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 416 of The Seen and the Unseen to shed light on the life and times of two magnificent failures, Chatto and Roy. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Kavitha Rao on Twitter , Instagram , Amazon and her own website . 2. Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy -- Kavitha Rao. 3. Lady Doctors : The Untold Stories Of India's First W...
He observed our society from up close as an advertising man -- and then became an iconic storyteller on Twitter. Ramakrishna Desiraju aka Ramki joins Amit Varma in episode 415 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about his journey, and all that it taught him. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out: 1. Ramakrishna Desiraju aka Ramki on LinkedIn and Twitter . 2. Cartwheel Creative Consultancy . 3. Selected legendary threads by Ramki. 4. Ramki's commercial for Kotak Mahind...
