Jaipur Bytes

Devdutt Pattanaik in conversation with Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes. Presented by Why Not Theatre, Shaw Festival and Canadian Opera Company. Join us for a conversation with famed mythologist, author, and illustrator Devdutt Pattanaik and theatre artists and writers Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes for a deep dive into the world of the Mahabharata through the lens of Jain and Fernandes’ stage adapt...

Richard Ovenden and Vickery Bowles in conversation with Sharmila Sen. In Burning the Books, Richard Ovenden, the chief librarian of the Bodleian in Oxford, charts 3000 years of neglect and literary vandalism in libraries across the world and the consequences for human culture and the sum of human knowledge. Beginning with the library of King Ashurbanipal of the Assyrian empire, he journeys us thro...

A special story dramatisation with Rohini Vij, suitable for ages 10 to 12. Telling a story means more than just reading it out. It is a play of dramatic actions, voice modulations, and projection. In this episode of Kahaani Online, storyteller Rohini Vij not only tells you a heart-warming tale about a kind boy and his drum but also teaches you different tricks and tips so that YOU can tell YOUR st...

The digital age is transforming how readers and audiences interpret and consume literary fiction. Ann Cleeves, Anosh Irani, Emma Donoghue, and Devyani Saltzman discuss the creative collaborations that enable the movement from script to screen and how text-driven narratives get transformed into dynamic scripts and immersive moving images. Bestselling author Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope series has bee...

Shashi Tharoor and Simon Winchester in conversation with Supriya Nair. The making of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), under the editorship of James Murray and others, was a monumental 50-year task requiring thousands of volunteers. In his book, The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary, British-American author and journalist Simon Winchester, tells the story of the...

What accounts for success or failure? Writer and philosopher Michael Sandel’s latest book The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? looks deeper into the binaries that have brewed generations of anger, frustration, and polarization in America. Sandel’s timely book examines the need to recognize success in a manner that reaffirms the ethics of solidarity, humility and dignity. In a co...

Luke Harding in conversation with Suhasini Haidar. In an era of kleptocratic governments and modernisation of communist era propaganda for the age of Facebook and Twitter, Luke Harding’s The Shadow State explores the alleged hidden war orchestrated by Russia to reshape the modern world. Detailing accounts of espionage, corruption, and KGB-style murders the book takes us through the murky waters of...

Owen Bennett- Jones and Husain Haqqani in conversation TCA Raghavan. Journalist and author Owen Bennett-Jones’ new book The Bhutto Dynasty: The Struggle for Power in Pakistan is a vivid account of the deeply rooted influence and journey of one of Pakistan’s most powerful families. Drawing on research and unpublished documents spanning across more than two decades, he explores the turbulent years o...

Diasporic writers in the US, Jenny Bhatt and Mimi Lok speak to Neelanjana Banerjee on how displacement, whether physical or cultural or both, has shaped their storytelling and their own identities as writers.  This episode is the audio version of a live online session from #JLFHouston2020.

Bollywood, and the Indian film industry in general, is dominated by men and tends to have an innately masculine bias. However, recent trends have shown films centered around women are slowly and surely making their mark. The spirited, multiple-awardee and popular actor Richa Chadha speaks of searching for the feminine sensibility and the important perspectives it represents. Chadha’s major films i...

‘How Innovation Works: And Why it Flourishes in Freedom ’ by Matt Ridley is a fascinating analysis of innovations across time and history. The Fifth Viscount Ridley is a hereditary peer who has been a member of the British Parliament and also the author of ‘The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge and The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves’. In conversation with scholar, economist...

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and academic W. Caleb McDaniel’s latest book, ‘ Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America ’, is a stirring narrative of Henrietta Wood’s journey from being a twice-enslaved woman to her fierce battle for justice and reparation. In a conversation author and editor Morgan Jerkins, McDaniel examines the unforgettable lessons of Henrietta’...

Ajume H. Wingo, Christophe Jaffrelot, Gideon Levy, Makarand R. Paranjape and Mukulika Banerjee in conversation with Milan Vaishnav. While the notion of democracy had its birth in Ancient Greece and gained currency in the 18th century revolutions in France and America, it was in the 20th century that it became a global aspiration. Yet each nation that professes allegiance to democracy has a shiftin...

As society waits for a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, a timely conversation on social realities and medical roots to help the world exit the limbo it finds itself in. Scientist, author, and philanthropist William Haseltine is the founder of two academic research departments, the Division of Biochemical Pharmacology and the Division of Human Retrovirology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Hi...

What does it mean to be Indian? Retired diplomat, politician, and celebrated author Shashi Tharoor's latest book, The Battle Of Belonging: On Nationalism, Patriotism, And What It Means To Be Indian, evaluates the historical and current political trends that are impacting the “idea of India.” Tharoor explores the changing interpretations of nationalism, patriotism, citizenship, and belonging, as we...

Eric Cornell in conversation with Priyamvada Natarajan. The notion of imperfection usually carries negative implications and the idea of defect. But what is the significance and implication of the concept of imperfections in the field of physics? How did it impact our universe? Eric Cornell, Professor of Experimental Physics from the University of Colorado and Nobel Laureate for Physics in 2001, s...

The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi in conversation with Mayank Shekhar. Running Towards Mystery by The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi is a vivid account of a life dedicated to the path of truth, devotion, and human connections across all barriers. The revered monk and teacher is also the President and CEO of The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT. In conversation with journa...

David Abulafia in conversation with William Dalrymple. Oceans and seas across the world have played a pivotal role in the development of world history. They stand not just as a testament to political and economic change but also play an integral role in the spread of ideas and religion across the planet. They have recently found themselves under scrutiny as major drivers of change in human affairs...

Hussain Zaidi and Vikram Chandra in conversation with Jenny Bhatt. Introducing us to the inner world of noir, celebrated authors Vikram Chandra and Hussain Zaidi embark on a journey around the various aspects of the genre, the craft and techniques of building plot and character, and developing narrative styles. Chandra is the bestselling author of books such as Sacred Games, Red Earth and Pouring...

Taking us on a journey through his layered and multifaceted literary process, Booker Prize-winning author Yann Martel talks about the liberating power of the written word. Martel is the bestselling author of books such as Beatrice and Virgil and Life of Pi . In a conversation with writer and author Diksha Basu, Martel explores the inspirations and essence of his work, and talks about his journey a...

Bee Rowlatt, Edward Chancellor, Nick Robins, Swapan Dasgupta, William Dalrymple and Zareer Masani discuss the age of iconoclasm with Mukulika Banerjee in the closing debate of #JLFLondonAtBL2020 Britain is full of statues of men once regarded as imperial heroes, many of whom are responsible for acts of loot and pillage that would now be classified as war crimes. This house believes the time has no...

What are the responsibilities of the writer, to themselves, to their readers, to the narratives they share? Bestselling writers Amish, Vikas Swarup and Shrabani Basu speak to one another on their commitment and belief in words and of the dharma of the storyteller. This episode is the audio version of a live online session from #JLFLondonAtBL2020.

Writer, politician and public intellectual Shashi Tharoor is the award-winning author of over 20 books of fiction and non-fiction. His predilection for long words has also created a sub- genre of #Tharoorisms . On #JLFLondonAtBL2020 , Tharoor speaks with author & journalist James Crabtree of his latest book ‘Tharoorosaurus’ and shares some whimsical anecdotes behind his vocabulary. This episod...

Award-winning foreign correspondent Christina Lamb has worked extensively in war-torn areas and combat zones for over 30 years. She speaks to fellow journalist Taran N. Khan about her latest book ‘Our Bodies, Their Battlefield’, a groundbreaking examination of how women experience sexual abuse in modern conflicts. This episode is the audio version of a live online session from #JLFLondonAtBL2020.

Deepa Anappara’s debut novel ‘Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line’ journeys to the heart of childhood and painful loss of innocence. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts and the founder-trustee of Salaam Balaak Trust, she discusses the impact of poverty and religious violence on the education of children.  This episode is the audio version of a live online sessio...