3 Things

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath about the Sabarimala Temple Entry case, as a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court re-examines the landmark ruling that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple, and the larger constitutional questions around faith, equality, and judicial intervention.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express’ Amitabh Sinha about why this year’s monsoon forecast is raising concerns, with the India Meteorological Department predicting below-normal rainfall and warning of possible disruptions linked to El Niño. (14:00)

And in the end, we look at how M. K. Stalin has escalated his opposition to the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, framing it as a question of federal balance and political representation. (24:15)
 
Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we remince the beautiful music of Asha Bhonsle with The Indian Express' Suanshu Khurana. She talks about the versatility of her voice, how she experimented with different genres of music, how she managed to gather fans across generations by singing at least 12,000 songs in 20 different languages and what her work says about her as an artist. 

Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Nikhila Henry about the Telangana Employees Accountability and Monitoring of Parental Support Bill, 2026, which the Telangana assembly passed last month. She talks about the bill and highlights that it seeks to hold both government and private employees accountable for supporting their aged, dependent parents. (18:02)

Lastly, we talk about the impact of the war in West Asia on different industries and brands in India. (26:05)

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Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Ichha Sharma, and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt about the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 and how its new certification requirements are raising concerns about access to gender-affirming healthcare, legal identity, and the future of those already in transition.

Next, we turn to Odisha, where protests have erupted in Rayagada district over a bauxite mining project linked to Vedanta Limited. The Indian Express’ Sujit Bisoyi explains the roots of the conflict, the recent clashes, and why local communities continue to resist such projects.

And in the end, we look at how the Gujarat High Court has intervened to restore voting rights to individuals whose names were missing from electoral rolls, raising broader concerns about electoral processes and administrative lapses. 

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava, Niharika Nanda, and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the week by The Indian Express

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Ravik Bhattacharya about an investigation that was conducted by him and The Indian Express' Atri Mitra regarding 11 universities that were established by the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal in 2017 and 2018. Ravik shares what he saw at these universities, the state of affairs, what they lacked and more. 

Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Amitabh Sinha about India changing its mind about hosting the COP33 summit in 2028. In 2023, when the COP summit was held in Dubai PM Modi made an offer to host COP33 in India, however, now it has been learnt that India does not want to go ahead with that. Amitabh shares why that is the case. (14:25)

Lastly, we talk about Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's visit to Qatar amid the Iran war ceasefire. (27:56)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda 
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Anil Sasi about a major milestone in India’s nuclear programme, as the Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam attains criticality, marking a significant step in the country’s long-term three-stage nuclear energy strategy.

Next, we talk to The Indian Express’ Sukalp Sharma about why the West Asia ceasefire has not fully eased the energy shock, especially for import-dependent countries like India, with continued risks around supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. (13:35)

And in the end, we take a look at the first big round of polling across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, as key political contests unfold ahead of results next month. (24:00)

Hosted by Ichha Sharma
Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express