ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Social activist and politician Swati Maliwal currently serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing Delhi. She participated in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement led by social activist Anna Hazare. Swati was the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) from 2015 to 2024. During her tenure, she demanded greater accountability from the Delhi police, leading to f...

In the latest episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we bring you a perfect blend of humour, fun, and candid discussions. Joining the conversation are Senior Fellow at the Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, and Author & 'The Cārvāka Podcast' host Kushal Mehra. The duo delves into discussions around the country's socio-political landscape amidst the 2024 Lok Sabha el...

Kapil Sibal is an Indian lawyer and politician. A designated Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, Sibal earned the reputation as one of the country's prominent lawyers. He also serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. Sibal served as a minister under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, holding various portfolios. In this role, he led Indian delegations at international forums. His...

From ABVP's national secretary to the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Jagat Prakash Nadda's journey is that of a commoner from Himachal Pradesh who rose through the ranks to the top. Nadda has served the organization while holding crucial positions at different levels in the party. Currently, he leads one of the biggest political parties globally, with over 10 crore members. In t...

Known for her fiery speeches, Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani in the latest ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash revealed dark side of ‘Parivarvad’ politics in the constituency. Without mincing words, Smriti Irani attacked Gandhi siblings (Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi) and levelled startling allegations. With shocking claims, Irani recounted alleged insult and humil...

Piyush Vedprakash Goyal is an Indian politician and chartered accountant who serves as a cabinet minister in the Government of India. He oversees portfolios including the Minister of Textiles, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. He is currently a Member of Parliament for Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra and serves as the Leader of...

The world's biggest festival of democracy is underway in India. Drama, spectacle, colour, jibes, and exuberant noise—India is witnessing everything. But what about its neighbours? How are they watching the Indian Election 2024? Who do they want in power: a strong independent government or a coalition one? How will the 2024 India General election shape neighbours' foreign policies? We will get all...

Nara Chandrababu Naidu, also known as Chandrababu Naidu or CBN, is a veteran Indian politician who currently holds the position of the leader of the opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and has been the president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) since 1995. Chandrababu Naidu also served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004 and is acknowledged for his role in the de...

Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao, widely recognized as KTR, is a Member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly and the son of K Chandrashekar Rao, the first Chief Minister of Telangana, created after bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. Previously, he served as cabinet minister for IT, Municipal Administration & Urban Development in Telangana's second assembly. He continues to represent the Sircilla assembly con...

Sachin Pilot is a senior Congress leader and former Union Minister who has also served as Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan. He also held the position of President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee and played a major role in building the Congress Party's cadres in the state. Coming from a political family, his father, Rajesh Pilot, was a senior Congress politician and Union Minister as...

Hardeep Singh Puri, a former diplomat and current Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Modi Government. He is also the longest-serving Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs in India's history. An Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1974 batch, Puri served as Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. During this...

Prof. Dilip Mandal is anauthor and a seasoned journalist. He is the former managing editor of India Today Hindi Magazine, and has authored books on media and sociology.  Often known for talking about the plight of dalits in India, Mandal has often seen himself in controversies for voicing out strong opinions on social media sites like X.  In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the seni...

Asaduddin Owaisi, a barrister and four-time Member of Parliament, is the Chief of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). He ranks among the 500 most influential Muslims globally. Representing the Hyderabad constituency in the Lok Sabha, Owaisi is campaigning for re-election against BJP's Madhavi Latha, known for her outspokenness. In the latest episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, O...

Praful Patel is a Rajya Sabha MP, former Union Aviation Minister, and the working president of the NCP. He is also a former president of the All India Football Federation and also served as a member of the FIFA Council. Patel inherited his passion for politics from his father Manoharbhai Patel, who was a senior leader of the Congress in Maharashtra. In the latest episode of the ANI Podcast with Sm...

Shashi Sekhar is the former CEO of Prasar Bharati, India's public broadcaster. He assumed office in 2017 and served a five-year term till 2022. An alumnus of IIT-Bombay, he was the youngest and first non-bureaucrat to hold the public office since its creation in 1997. In the latest episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, former CEO of Prasar Bharati opens up about the Western media's 'obses...

28-year-old Akash Anand is the National Coordinator of the Bahujan Samaj Party. Nephew of BSP supremo Mayawati, Akash joined the party in 2016 and rose through the ranks, to become the the second most important leader in the party. In December 2023, Mayawati also known as 'Behenji' named him as her political successor at a party meeting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In this episode of the ANI...

Dr. Cholenahally Nanjappa Manjunath, known as Dr. C N Manjunath, is a renowned cardiologist, who was the director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research for 18 years, the largest Heart Care Centre in Southeast Asia. Under his leadership, the institute introduced 'Treatment First and Payment Next', praised by former U.S. President Barack Obama for providing high-quality car...

HD Kumaraswamy, known as the 'kingmaker' of Karnataka politics, served as Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2018 to 2019 and from 2006 to 2007. He is contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Mandya constituency, which his son Nikhil lost to actor Sumalatha in 2019. The son of former Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy is also a Kannada film producer and actor. He has produce...

Rajeev Gowda wears many hats - he is an academician, spokesperson, professor, and social worker. Formerly a Rajya Sabha MP, he is now a Congress candidate for the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency, a Vokkaliga stronghold. He is contesting against BJP's Shobha Karandlaje, also a Vokkaliga. Currently, Rajeev serves as Chairman of the Congress Research Department. Previously, he was the Director...

Tejasvi Surya, the dynamic BJP MP representing Bengaluru South in the 17th Lok Sabha is also the President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha since September 26, 2020. At just age 33, the youngest BJP MP in the 17th Lok Sabha is a captivating speaker, and a fitness enthusiast. Tejasvi holds a Bachelor of Academic Law and an LLB from Bangalore Institute of Legal Studies and is proficient in Carnat...

China's global influence has expanded rapidly, not only economically but also through its extensive networks of technology, and information dissemination, triggering street protests across the world, like Black Lives Matter in the US and pro-Palestine protests in Europe. This episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash was recorded at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi in February 2024. The exper...

Rajnath Singh is serving as the 29th Defence Minister of India since 2019. He is also the Deputy Leader of the House of the BJP since May 30, 2019. Singh also held the post of BJP President from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2014. Additionally, He served as the 19th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2000 to 2002. In the latest edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rajnath Singh d...

Ashwin Sanghi is among India’s highest-selling English fiction authors. He has written several bestsellers in the Bharat Series (including The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant, The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga, Keepers of the Kalachakra, The Vault of Vishnu, and The Magicians of Mazda) and two New York Times bestselling crime thrillers with James Patterson. He has been included by Forbes India in t...

Sujan R. Chinoy is a former Indian diplomat with over 37 years of experience. He currently serves as the Director General at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), India's top think-tank focusing on defense, security, and international relations, located in New Delhi. He also chaired the Think20 engagement group during India’s G20 Presidency. During his career, Amb...

Gopal Bedi, popularly known by his screen name Ranjeet, has worked in over 200 films. He embarked on his journey in 1970 and carved a niche for himself as a versatile character actor, excelling in villainous roles. Some of his notable performances include appearances in films such as 'Sharmeelee', 'Bandhe Haath', and 'Namak Halal'. He continues to leave his mark, as evidenced by his roles in 'Behe...