ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Ami Ganatra is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). Her books 'Mahabharata Unravelled' and 'Ramayana Unravelled' present the epics as they were originally written, without modern retellings or fictional twists. She explains their lessons and meanings in a clear, accessible manner, allowing readers of all backgrounds to understand and appreciate these an...

Pappu Yadav is an independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha six times and has been active in politics since the 1990s. He spent 12 years in jail in the Ajit Sarkar murder case, but was later acquitted. In 2015, he launched his party, the Jan Adhikar Party, which was merged into the Congress in 2024. He is known for his ‘Robinhood’ image, often seen helping the underp...

Nishikant Dubey is a member of the BJP representing Godda constituency in the Lok Sabha. He is known for his fierce criticism of the opposition and his outspoken, no-nonsense style. In Parliament, he is seen as one of the most vocal and assertive voices from the BJP benches. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Nishikant Dubey discusses Prime Minister Modi’s succession plan and t...

Between May 6 and May 10, India set a new benchmark in Asia’s war strategy. In a bold and unprecedented move, New Delhi struck Pakistan-backed terror infrastructure and targeted air bases and radar sites deep inside the country. This podcast offers a detailed analysis of the events leading up to Operation Sindoor, from the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, to...

Jibesh Kumar is currently serving as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing in the Government of Bihar. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the impact of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bihar ahead of the upcoming polls, the role of the INDIA alliance, and Tejashwi Yadav's "tired" claims about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The conversation also touch...

Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the Minister of Road Construction in Bihar and is also the BJP State In-Charge for Chhattisgarh. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about the Bihar Voter Roll Revision Controversy. The conversation covers issues such as NDA’s CM face, road construction, bridge collapses, and the development agenda in Bihar. 00:00 – Coming Up 01:34 –...

Vijay Kumar Sinha is the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. He currently oversees two departments: Mines and Geology, and Agriculture. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about the rising crime rate in Bihar and what the state government is doing to control it. The conversation covers issues such as unemployment, migration, the healthcare system, and the development agenda...

Sanjay Kumar Jha is a member of the Rajya Sabha and serves as the National Working President of Janata Dal-United. He is also the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture. He led an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation to convey India's message on Operation Sindoor. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sanjay Jha Jha explains how Op S...

Manjinder Singh Sirsa is a minister in the Delhi Government, holding the Industries, Food & Supplies and Environment, Forest & Wildlife portfolio. The Rajouri Garden MLA is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Formerly with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sirsa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021 and was appointed National Secretary of th...

Nityanand Rai is a Member of Parliament from Bihar and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He currently serves as the Minister of State for Home Affairs. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the surge in crime in Bihar and shares what the government is doing to strengthen law and order in the state. He also shares his views on the Rohingya issue, Operat...

Dilip Kumar Jaiswal is the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar. He plays a key role in shaping the party’s strategy and leadership in the state. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Jaiswal refers to Prashant Kishor as "Paisa Kishor" and challenges him to name even one significant contribution he has made to Bihar. The conversation covers crucial issues lik...

Kanhaiya Kumar is the All India Congress Committee in-charge of NSUI and a youth leader in the Congress party. Tasked by Rahul Gandhi with strengthening the party’s presence in Bihar, he recently led a padyatra in the state. He is also a former president of the JNU Students’ Union. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Kanhaiya Kumar talks about the Congress party’s future in Biha...

Sanjay Yadav is a Member of the Rajya Sabha and is widely known as the political advisor and close aide to Tejashwi Yadav. Often referred to as the ‘Chanakya’ of the RJD, many believe that nothing moves in the party without his approval. He hails from Mahendragarh in Haryana. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sanjay Yadav defends what many critics call the ‘jungle raj’ era of...

Ashok Choudhary is the Minister of the Rural Works Department in Bihar. He is known to be close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and also serves as the National General Secretary of the Janata Dal (United). He is considered one of the most influential ministers in the Bihar cabinet. Before joining JD(U), he was the Bihar Congress chief. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ashok Ch...

Poonam Dhillon, a timeless icon of Indian cinema, began her journey as a model and rose to fame after being crowned second runner-up at Miss India 1977. She debuted at 16 with the blockbuster Trishul, and later went on to act in popular movies like Noorie, Red Rose, and Teri Kasam, she shared the screen with legends such as Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor, becoming a beloved figu...

In this power-packed episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, filmed in Patna, Bihar, we dive into the heart of Bihar’s political landscape with two key figures: Samrat Choudhary, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, who kicks off with a defense of Nitish Kumar’s NDA government, crediting it for transforming Bihar with better roads, electricity, and women’s self-help groups generating ₹60,000 cror...

Prashant Kishor is a well-known political strategist who has worked with many top leaders, including Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee, and MK Stalin, and with parties across India. He was born in Bihar and is now trying to make a mark in his home state through his own political party, Jan Suraaj. Can Prashant Kishor challenge or end the long-standing political dominance of Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kuma...

Rahul Bose is an actor, director, and writer who has worked in more than 55 films in different languages. He is famous for picking meaningful roles. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, The Japanese Wife, and Chameli show how he prefers strong and thoughtful characters. Rahul is more than just a film personality. He was also a national-level rugby player and is currently the President of Rugby India. He...

Tejashwi Yadav is a former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and the de facto chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. He currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the state. Before entering politics, Tejashwi was a professional cricketer. Today, he is seen as the political heir to Lalu Prasad Yadav's legacy and a key figure in shaping Bihar’s politics. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with...

Rajesh Kumar Singh took over as Defence Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in November 2024. He is a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and has held several key positions in the Government of India. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the Defence Secretary clears the air around the India-Pakistan ceasefire, laying out the full sequence of events and stating that it w...

Chandan Roy was born and brought up in Bihar. He studied mass communication in Patna and Delhi before moving to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting. He rose to fame with his role as Vikas in the popular web series Panchayat. In this edition of the ANI Podcast, Chandan Roy shares what audiences can expect from Panchayat Season 4 and how it will be different from previous seasons. He also talks abou...

Khan Sir is a well-known teacher from Bihar, famous for his unique and engaging style of teaching, especially on topics related to current affairs. In 2020, he started his YouTube channel, Khan GS Research Centre. His honest and straightforward approach quickly gained popularity, and today, the channel has over 2.5 crore subscribers. He is admired for providing an affordable and comprehensive lear...

Reuven Azar is the Ambassador of Israel to India. He previously served as the Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel. He has also held several key positions in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Azar speaks about Israel’s recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. He claims that Iran was assembli...

Get ready for the much-awaited episode of the 'Real' Samosa Caucus! Edition 6.0 is here, and it’s all about raw, uncensored, no-holds-barred discussions. Joining the panel are: Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow at ORF Tehseen Poonawalla, TV personality and political analyst Anand Ranganathan, author and scientist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies...

Sonali Bendre began her career as a model before transitioning into the Indian film industry. She made her debut at the age of 19 with the film Aag. Over the years, she has acted alongside top stars like Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan. Known for her roles in films like Major Saab and Hum Saath Saath Hain, Sonali Bendre remains one of the most familiar and beloved faces in...