Shows / In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus by The Hindu
A podcast from The Hindu that delves deep into current developments with subject experts, and brings in context, history, perspective and analysis.
Episodes
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Are lower MRPs on cancer drugs translating into affordable care?
While the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) recent trade margin rationalisation has reduced the prices of several anti-cancer medicines, experts…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Agarkar to Ojha: how much power do Indian selectors have?
With Ajit Agarkar departing his role as the chief selector of the Indian men's cricket team, Pragyan Ojha now leads a reconstituted five-member selection…
- In Focus by The Hindu
From the Archives | Can India make cancer care more affordable?
(This episode was aired on October 5.) From November 9, 2026, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is implementing a 30% cap on trade margins…
- In Focus by The Hindu
How Private Equity Is Driving Up Your Hospital Bills
For most Indians, the bulk of their medical expenses come out of pocket. In such a scenario, rapidly rising healthcare costs are no less dangerous than any…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Stem cell therapy for autism: Why has the Supreme Court stepped in?
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court asked the Central government to issue a clear public protocol to curb malpractice in stem cell therapy for autism…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Are youth worried they will be worse off than their parents?
Europe is seeing a wave of protests against economic inequalities and poor living standards. The immediate causes vary across countries, from the housing…
- In Focus by The Hindu
AI and religion: Are AI chatbots conscious?
In May, Pope Leo XIV published his first encyclical, titled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), on safeguarding human dignity in the age of AI. He…
- In Focus by The Hindu
When a Hindu BC converts to Islam: Why SC said no automatic quota benefits
The Supreme Court, in a judgement on October 15th, declared that a Hindu who converts to a “non-Hindu” social order cannot claim the benefits of reservation…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Sahil Wakode’s death: How rife is caste discrimination in IITs?
The death by suicide of Sahil Wakode, a second year B.Tech student at IIT, Bombay, has sparked protests, allegations of caste discrimination, and demands for…
- In Focus by The Hindu
What makes Real Madrid vs Barcelona football's greatest rivalry?
As José Mourinho's Real Madrid returns to the Camp Nou to face Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, we look at the history, identity and drama behind the Clásico Real…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Should children be involved in political campaigning?
Tamil Nadu recently went through a game-changing election that threw up a surprise. The TVK won largely on the strength of its appeal among young people; the…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Nobel Economics Prize 2026: How can Hall and Woodford’s ideas help tackle today’s economic challenges?
This year’s Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to an American duo – Prof Robert Hall of Stanford University and Prof Michael Woodford of Columbia University…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Why are Indian cities still inaccessible to people with disabilities?
Indian cities have undergone rapid urbanisation over the past few decades. Yet, accessibility continues to evade the design and planning priorities. Despite…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Plague case in Siberia: what we know and what we should know
This month, a word that has not been in the news for decades perhaps, suddenly erupted: the death of a lab worker in Siberia, sparked concerns, rumours online…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Can wildlife thrive in India without active human intervention?
How should India balance wildlife conservation with development, local livelihoods and the need for scientific research? In this discussion, Prof Qamar…
- In Focus by The Hindu
SIR row: Are ‘vote chori’ protests a setback to the Hindutva project?
October 10th witnessed a massive display of state repression in the national capital. Brutal violence was unleashed against journalists, students, activists…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Starlink, Jio and the battle for India’s satellite internet
Over a year after Jio Platforms and SpaceX announced a deal to bring Starlink satellite internet to India, multi-billionaire Elon Musk has taken a public swipe…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Anti-SIR protests: Springboard for an Opposition comeback?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said there are “no parallel protests”, there is only one protest – demanding the rollback of SIR, and the resignation of Chief…
- In Focus by The Hindu
New research has linked 12% of cancer cases to infections: what does this mean?
We’re used to thinking of cancer as something for which there is no known cause and we know that risk factors include using tobacco and excessive alcohol as…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Central Delhi lockdown: How did Jantar Mantar turn a protest site?
All roads, it seems, lead to the good old Jantar Mantar. Or do they, considering many of them are closed these days. Built in 1724, Jantar Mantar was not…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Election Commission Controversy: Who authorised the modified Form 6?
The big Election Commission of India (ECI) story that made headlines this week is the Form 6 controversy. Who authorised the modifications to Form 6, which is…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Are legal guarantees insufficient in abolishing untouchability?
In August this year, the performance of a "purification" ritual by certain Hindu groups in Uttarakhand, at the location where Congress President Mallikarjun…
- In Focus by The Hindu
From AI to Super Intelligence: Trump's new American AI Agenda
On September 29, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the country's top technology business leaders as he embarked on a project to rename artificial intelligence…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Is NCERT Rewriting Medieval Indian History for Class 9?
Last week the NCERT revised its book on medieval history for Class 9 students. The book, Understanding Society: India and Beyond, presents a long span of 700…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Can India make cancer care more affordable?
The Supreme Court has called out the rampant profiteering in the healthcare sector, including cancer medication. Terming the overpricing of essential cancer…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Kaziranga’s Eco-sensitive Zone: What could a smaller buffer mean for wildlife and development?
Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is at the centre of a debate over how much protection should extend beyond its boundaries. The Assam…
- In Focus by The Hindu
U.S.-China : A new superpower détente?
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met last week for a summit aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies. The…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Should ECI take action against those filing forms for mass deletions?
As Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls Phase 3 unfolds, a surge in Form 7 applications, the mechanism for seeking deletion of names, in Karnataka has…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Can India’s cities rise to the looming demographic challenge?
India is entering a demographic window of opportunity. For the next 15 years or so, our ratio of our working age population to the dependent population will be…
- In Focus by The Hindu
India vs Brazil: Is the spectacle worth the cost?
Joy Bhattacharjya discusses the scale and cost of organising the fixture, India’s decision to prioritise Brazil over the ASEAN Cup and the wider debate over…
- In Focus by The Hindu
From KYC to AI models: Is India losing its digital sovereignty?
Technology, and especially AI, are no longer just a tool for humans. Today they control our choices, shape our daily routines, and determine how we invest our…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Weekend Bonus episode | Where have the birds gone? with Asad Rahmani
In this special weekend bonus episode, we have a crossover with the Hindu's Rearview podcast. Common birds are no longer common. Rural landscapes now host…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Should ongoing SIR be junked and pre-SIR voter rolls restored
From the beginning, civil society and section of political parties have questioned an exercise of such enormous scale, one that was presented as an effort to…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Should permanent membership and veto powers of the UN Security Council be abolished?
In the ongoing session of the UN General Assembly, France has made a proposal to enhance the functioning of the UN, especially in dealing with the requirement…
- In Focus by The Hindu
How will the tussle within the Tata Group play out?
The Tata Group is facing its most consequential governance crisis in decades. N. Chandrasekaran, who had announced his departure, has now been reappointed by…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Can India Keep Buying Russian Oil Amid US Pressure?
Why is India continuing to buy Russian crude despite growing pressure from the United States? And what happens if Washington imposes steep tariffs on Indian…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Bonus episode: How the UAE projects power across the Gulf and beyond
In this special bonus episode at In Focus we have a special crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast with Sharmada Venkatasubramanian…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Longing for an Elsewhere: the cultural impulses of our Development Model
In this episode of In Focus Weekend Podcast, we speak to Chandan Gowda, a noted sociologist. He is currently the Dean of School of Liberal Arts, Vidyashilp…
- In Focus by The Hindu
2026 Asian Games: Can India improve on its best ever medals tally from 2023?
The 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou saw India’s best ever performance – we came back with 107 medals, including 28 gold medals, and we finished fourth on the…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Does the BRICS summit signify a shift for Indian foreign policy?
With a strong pushback against unilateral western sanctions; criticism of Israel over the killing of civilians, the attacks on Lebanon, and the forced…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Saving the Western Ghats | Part 2
The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a biological treasure trove with a high degree…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Is BRICS coming of age?
The recent BRICS summit in New Delhi, held under India’s presidency, brought together an expanded grouping at a time of major geopolitical and economic shifts…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Exclusive | Is the United Nations broken?: Antonio Guterres on reforming the world body
The Security Council is paralysed, and Superpowers haven’t recognized there are limits to their power says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in his most…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Hugging Face attack: Can ‘rogue agents’ bring about AI Armageddon?
Doomsday scenarios of an ‘AI takeover’ have been part of popular lore for a long time. Skynet, Terminator, and Agent Smith are fictional icons of this…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Iran takes escalation dominance
The Iran war has entered another dangerous phase, with the confrontation between Tehran and Washington increasingly spilling into the Persian Gulf. Iran has…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Should the use of Gen AI be banned among younger students in schools?
Recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools for public school students through Class 8 for the 2026-27…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Saving the Western Ghats
The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a biological treasure trove with a high degree…
- In Focus by The Hindu
OBC reservations: Should ‘creamy layer’ be junked in favour of sub-categorisation?
The implementation of the creamy layer doctrine for OBC reservations has been beset with complications. A Supreme Court judgement on March 11 essentially held…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Bonus episode: Is Israel winning?
This is a special bonus episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast where Sharmada venkatausbramanian is in conversation with Stanly Johny. Israel…
- In Focus by The Hindu
What are cancer 'vaccines' and will they revolutionise treatment?
There’s been a lot of excitement in the cancer research field recently. Preliminary results from a trial with patients who had melanoma or skin cancer, showed…
- In Focus by The Hindu
From 3rd at Olympics to 8th at World Cup: What’s ailing Indian hockey?
Much was expected from the Indian men’s hockey team after back to back bronze medals at the highest level of the sport – the Olympic Games. The core of the…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Are brands overreacting to manufactured outrage?
Last week, jewellery brand Giva withdrew an advertisement it made for Raksha Bandhan after netizens criticised actress Kriti Sanon’s outfit as too revealing…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Freebies or Rights: What is India's approach to welfare spending?
The resilience of a nation’s economy is determined by the quality of its human capital. Other things being equal, a country with a healthy and educated…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Ukraine war: Is Russia testing NATO’s resolve?
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year, the conflict shows little sign of ending. Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify drone and missile attacks…
- In Focus by The Hindu
More sugar, different labels: How global food brands treat the Indian market
“Do you not want people to be healthy?” That was the question the Supreme Court put to the FSSAI earlier this month, while hearing a case over warning labels…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Weekend Bonus episode: The Mathematics and Loneliness of DD Kosambi w/Prof. Ram Ramaswamy
This is a special weekend crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Rearview podcast. Did Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi solve the Riemann Hypothesis - one of…
- In Focus by The Hindu
What a waste: Can India get rid of its garbage mountains?
India has a waste management problem. Though we reportedly collect 90% of our municipal solid waste, nearly 40% does not enter formal processing. Due to this…
- In Focus by The Hindu
In Focus-Parley | Is English a foreign language in India?
The Supreme Court has been discussing linguistics this month, while hearing challenges to the CBSE’s three-language formula, which mandates that two of the…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Cash transfers for women: Do they challenge gender norms on unpaid care work?
Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) for women have become extremely popular. So far, more than 14 states have done it, benefiting 120 million women. The…
- In Focus by The Hindu
Can you get dementia from long-term exposure to traffic noise?
Road traffic noise is a major environmental pollutant. Indian cities are cacophonous. They are not designed to insulate residents from sustained exposure to…