3 Things

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express’ Amaal Sheikh about The National Human Rights Commission issuing notices to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Delhi Police regarding paid Instagram advertisements that allegedly directed users to Telegram channels offering child sexual abuse material.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Jayprakash S. Naidu about the recent convictions made in the Jhiram Ghati massacre, one of the most audacious attacks carried out by Maoists in the country, which nearly wiped out the entire Chhattisgarh Congress leadership in 2013. (11:36)

And, in the end, we talk about Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the upcoming BRICS Summit with a sizeable business delegation and the expected developments on the sidelines of the summit.   (18:15)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
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’ Deeptiman Tiwary about why the Census has been halted in Manipur, the demand from Meitei and Naga groups for an NRC, and how questions of migration, citizenship and delimitation have deepened existing ethnic divisions.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Tabshir Shams about serious gaps at the Delhi State Cancer Institute, where staff shortages and unused medical equipment are forcing patients to pay privately for essential tests and medicines while facing dangerous delays in treatment. (11:30)

And in the end, we examine the Allahabad High Court’s decision to quash the NSA detention of 25-year-old Aakriti Chaudhary, award her compensation and issue a sharp warning against bureaucratic overreach and the suppression of peaceful protest. (23:30)

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

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Udit Misra and Aanchal Magazine about the rising trend of taking loans in India. They share how easy access to credit is one of the reasons India’s household debt has risen sharply in recent years. And why this is also something the Reserve Bank of India is increasingly concerned about.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Sweety Kumari about Kolkata's RG Kar hospital which was the site for a 31 year old junior doctor's sexual assault and murder two years back. She talks about the hospital, the changes it has seen in the last two years and whether or not the doctors feel safe. (14:43)

And in the end, we talk about a building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan that took multiple lives and critically injured many others. (25:23)

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

Teachers are at the heart of foundational learning. Their role goes beyond delivering lessons, it includes identifying learning gaps, encouraging curiosity and creating a supportive environment for students to grow.


In the last five years of the NIPUN Bharat Mission, the country invested in building awareness about the need for such competencies, creating FLN teaching materials, establishing learning targets, and bringing foundational learning to the centre of the school education discourse. Now, in the next phase of India's foundational learning journey, we need to invest heavily in our teachers.

Today, on the occasion of Teachers' Day, The Indian Express in association with Central Square Foundation brings to you a special episode where we discuss the role of teachers in FLN with our guest Ishmeet Singh, CEO, Central Square Foundation. He shares his insights on supporting teachers through efforts like regular training, access to better teaching tools & resources, mentoring frameworks and manageable classroom workloads.

Hosted and Produced by Niharika Nanda
Edited and Mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express.

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Udit Misra about the controversy surrounding India’s latest GDP figures, how the reported 7.8% real growth was calculated, and whether former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg’s criticism of the data is justified.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Shubham Tigga about an investigation that found BJP booth-level agents seeking the deletion of voters from electoral rolls in Jharkhand’s Godda district, many of them Muslims and migrant workers, and the concerns this has raised during the revision exercise.

And in the end, we look at the month-long strike by sanitation workers in Haryana, why regularisation remains the central point of disagreement, and how the agitation has become politically sensitive for the BJP because of the workforce’s links to the Valmiki community.

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