The Suno India Show

Even though Kala-azar is closer to elimination in the country, questions related to how the disease spreads still remain unanswered. Only recently, scientists in India and Bangladesh have understood the dynamics of how Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis or PKDL, the skin manifestation of the disease, spreads kala-azar. For the third podcast in the series on kala-azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spea...

Kala Azar was a public health problem in India till recently. In 2023, the disease is close to the elimination target set up by the World Health Organisation. As per the WHO target, there should be less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. In this second podcast in a series on Kala Azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao reports on the key contributions of various stakeholders and policies. S...

This was a very sombre Republic Day, coming in a few days after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, churning up questions on the secular nature of our country. The inauguration of the Ram Mandir marks a significant chapter in our country’s history. The temple's construction replaced the 16th-Century Babri masjid, which was  demolished  by Hindu mobs in 1992, leading...

Kala Azar, a deadly parasitic disease, is very close to elimination in India. As per the World Health Organisation, the definition of elimination is the annual incidence of less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. The last few districts which are on the borderline remain in Jharkhand, and public officials appear confident that this year, the country may achieve the elimination targ...

On November 21, Pranshu who is a 16-year old queer child, died of suicide in Ujjain. The school going child was a self taught makeup artist, with nearly 17,000 followers on Instagram. Pranshu posted a reel dressed in a sari, which went viral during Diwali, getting more than 4000 comments, most of which were homophobic in nature. Last year, another class 10 student, Aarvey Malhotra died of suicide....

The Silkyara tunnel, in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, has been in the news since November 12, when one of its under-construction sections collapsed, trapping 41 workers. After the rescue of these workers, this entire episode has been portrayed as a story of triumph.  But, why exactly did the tunnel at Silkyara collapse? The 4.53-kilometre-long tunnel between Silkyara and Barkot is part of the...

This December we mark 11 years of the gang rape and death of Jyoti Singh – or Nirbhaya. As a response to the Delhi 2012 incident, the government started the Nirbhaya Fund and Nirbhaya centres across the country. In this episode, we look at what women want versus what they get.  Today, there are over 733 Nirbhaya Centres–or One-Stop Crisis Centres–across India; one in every district. However, these...

After an exhaustive 400-hour operation, a collective sigh of relief swept through the nation as rescuers successfully reached the 41 workers who had been trapped in the Uttarkashi tunnel since November 12. The Char Dham National Highway Project, launched in December 2016, aimed to improve connectivity to the pilgrimage sites of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri—all nestled in the Himal...

In this episode, three MTEs talk about their training, their lives before they took on the role, the state of science education in India, and societal perceptions about blindness. Most importantly, they reflect on what they contribute to society and how training as an MTE has altered their lives. Listen to Meenakshi Gupta, Neha Suri and Neetu Garg who work as MTEs in Delhi and Gurgaon. Also featur...

In 2005, German gynaecologist Dr Frank Hoffmann, started his quest for a suitable medical assistant to conduct clinical breast exams for his clinic in Duisburg in Germany. By 2010, he had set up a social enterprise called Discovering Hands that trains blind and visually impaired women to conduct specialised routine breast examinations called tactile breast examinations. Today, Discovering Hands is...

The alarming situation in Gaza has now entered its fourth week leaving over 8000 Palestinians dead, of which 3000 are estimated to be children. The harrowing situation began on October 7th when an attack by the armed rebel group Hamas which launched an unprecedented attack on Israel left nearly 1400 Israelis dead and many hundreds taken hostage.     On 27th October, The United Nations General Asse...

In a country as diverse and culturally rich as India, discussions around sexuality and sexual health often remain shrouded in silence. This lack of open dialogue has led to a myriad of problems, from high rates of teenage pregnancies to the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Sex education isn't just about teaching anatomy or discussing contraception. It's about empowering young people with...

On October 16, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejected the abortion plea of a 27-year-old mother of two boys. She moved the court as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis after her second child. She was more than 6 months pregnant, and had crossed the 24-week barrier that is prescribed in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.  This case is significant because a two-judge bench...

  On October 3, 2023, the Delhi police arrested the founder and editor-in-chief of Newsclick Prabir Purkayastha, and the Human resources head, Amit Chakraborty -under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). The same day it raided the homes and offices of 46 people including reporters, columnists and commentators associated with the news portal and seized their laptops,...

The Union cabinet has approved the Women’s Reservation Bill 2008 to provide reservations for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Attempts to create a quota for women have been ongoing since the mid-1990s. Since then, the Women's Reservation Bill has witnessed a long journey in the Parliament. Now, as this bill is passed, India stands facing chances of foreseeable changes in its political lan...

The goal of imprisonment is reformation and reintegration within society. From the 50s, prisoners were not seen as individuals with rights and there was barely any focus on their well-being and health,  let alone vocational guidance or life skills.  In 1993, when Kiran Bedi took over as Inspector General of Tihar Jail in Delhi and transformed it by introducing education, mediation, vocational trai...

The Central government recently suspended Professor KS James, the director of the International Institute of Population Studies, that works with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to conduct important studies such as National Family Health Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey among others. The government cited irregularities in recruitment as the reason for suspension, as academics cam...

Welcome to the third episode of "Chinatown Fading," an engaging mini-series where reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee continues her exploration of Kolkata's dwindling Chinese-Indian community. In this episode, she delves into the captivating world of cultural preservation through the eyes of martial arts and lion dance teacher, James Liao.   Join in as we uncover the remarkable art of lion dancing, a che...

"Chinatown Fading" is a captivating mini-series where our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee delves into the vanishing stories of Kolkata's Chinese-Indian community. In the second episode of “Chinatown Fading,” she embarks on a culinary exploration that goes beyond flavours.  The episode traverses the evolving landscape of Chinese-Indian cuisine, witnessing its widespread popularity across the nation. F...

"Chinatown Fading," is an enchanting mini-series that unravels the forgotten stories of the Chinese-Indian community in the heart of Kolkata. It delves deep into the alleys of history, guided by the poignant tales of those who remain. Join our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee on a journey through time.  In the first episode, Surya's conversation with Lawrence Ho, a resident of Tiretti Bazaar, guides u...

In this episode, we delve into the recent events surrounding the internet shutdown in Manipur, India, which lasted a staggering 83 days, raising critical questions about the impact of such measures on law and order. On Tuesday, July 25th, 2023, the Manipur government finally issued a conditional order lifting the internet ban, but with significant restrictions. Initially enforced on May 3rd for a...

To all the questions on deforestation for development projects, the Central government’s repetitive response has been compensatory afforestation. Land in the Yamuna floodplains has been used for compensatory plantation. If the ecological premise of the government's restoration projects rest much on compensatory afforestation, are there enough studies to show whether the floodplains are the best pl...

In this episode of The Suno India Show, join Suno India's Editor-In-Chief Padma Priya as she delves into the alarming decline of press freedom in India, highlighted by the recent World Press Freedom Report. Ranking 161st among 180 countries, India's safety of journalists category hit a staggering low at 172. Padma engages in an insightful discussion with Joel Simon, a senior American journalist, p...

In the middle of June this year, temperatures in several parts of Uttar Pradesh had ranged between 42C and 47C during mid-June. The media reported that in Ballia and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, 119 people have died from ‘heat-related ailments’. But what exactly is meant by ‘heat-related ailment’? How are heat wave deaths actually reported? How does the doctor medically certify a heat wave d...

In May, a wave of violence engulfed Manipur, leading to the displacement of thousands and severely disrupting the education of countless young individuals in the region. To delve into this critical issue, Suno India co-founder Rakesh Kamal spoke with Dennis Lallienzuol Hmar, an indigenous development professional, distinguished climate leader, and a survivor of conflict. In this discussion, he sha...