Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra is a former fighter pilot who served in the Indian Air Force for more than 39 years. In January 2025, he took charge of the Western Air Command, one of the IAF’s most important operational commands. Just months later, he led the command during Operation Sindoor.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Air Marshal Mishra explains how India blinded Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and achieved air superiority, gaining the ability to strike anywhere inside Pakistan.

He also speaks about the operational freedom given to the Indian Air Force and the role of women pilots in striking terror hubs in Pakistan. The conversation also covers drones, indigenous weapons and whether India is ready for Operation Sindoor 2.0.

00:00 – Introduction

01:36 – IAF’s Planning for Op Sindoor

06:16 – IAF’s Precision Strikes

11:37 – Op Sindoor’s Target Selection

17:21 – Women Pilots in Op Sindoor

21:25 – Mental Makeup of IAF Pilots

28:09 – Decision-Making Behind Op Sindoor

32:44 – Psyche of Pakistan’s Military

39:00 – IAF’s 314-km S-400 Strike

45:42 – Blinding Pakistan’s Air Defences

54:30 – PM Modi’s Adampur Visit

58:27 – IAF’s Core Team for Op Sindoor

1:03:48 – BrahMos

1:08:06 – Drone Warfare

1:18:37 – Operation Safed Sagar

1:29:58 – Pakistan’s Attempts to Find S-400

1:29:58 – Narrative Warfare

1:42:26 – Track 2 Diplomacy

IAS Rajit Punhani is the CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the organisation responsible for setting food-safety standards and regulating the country’s food industry.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Punhani explains what the FSSAI mark on a product actually means and why it does not mean that every product has been tested or certified by the regulator.

He addresses concerns surrounding fake paneer, misleading food labels, excessive sugar in packaged drinks and baby food, palm oil, synthetic colours, protein supplements and ultra-processed food.

Timestamps

0:00 – Introduction

1:29 – What FSSAI Logo Means

8:31 – Misleading Food Labels

14:14 – Drinks in Europe vs India

20:57 – Palm Oil Reality

25:27 – Sugar in Baby Food

30:04 – Indian Thali

32:54 – Nutrition Labels

37:05 – ‘Zero Sugar’ Meaning

39:36 – Food Industry Lobbying

42:54 – Fake Paneer and Food Adulteration

50:08 – Quick-Commerce Apps

53:58 – Dark Stores and Cloud Kitchens

58:17 – Street Food and Reused Cooking Oil

1:00:27 – Shortage of Food Safety Officers

1:04:16 – Food Recalls and Unsafe Products

1:08:10 – Protein Supplements

1:10:43 – Ultra-Processed Food

1:14:06 – Synthetic Colours in Food

1:16:53 – How Consumers Can File a Complaint

1:21:10 – Conclusion

Sanjeev Sanyal is a historian, economist and author. He currently serves as a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he explains why India’s education system is failing its youth and why Indian degrees no longer guarantee jobs. He also speaks about India’s large population, the future of the economy, the falling rupee, AI and income tax.

The podcast also explores the story behind INSV Kaundinya and India’s forgotten maritime and civilisational history.

Timestamps

0:00 – Introduction

1:00 – India's Education System

4:28 – How China Conducts Exams

9:36 – Youth Unemployment

25:16 – Theory vs Real-World Skills

29:04 – India's Economic Outlook

32:01 – India's Private Investments

36:08 – GDP Growth vs Consumption Gap

39:22 – Foreign Media Narratives

47:47 – India-US Trade Deal

51:03 – Fall of the Rupee

57:35 – India's Growth Story

1:02:43 – Are Indians Overtaxed?

1:05:47 – Global Birth Rate Crisis

1:17:43 – INSV Kaundinya

1:25:21 – Indian History

1:29:27 – What's Next for Sanyal?

Stepping out of the ANI Podcast Studio, The ‘Real’ Samosa Caucus is back with Edition 9.0, Part 2, this time from Dorabjee & Sons in Pune.

The 150-year-old Parsi restaurant has been serving generations of Punekars and is now run by the fifth generation of the Dorabjee family.

Joining the podcast 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

Darius Dorabjee

Dallas Dorabjee

In this episode, the panel talks about how the Parsis made India their home, the evolution of Parsi food and culture, and what it takes to carry forward a 150-year-old restaurant legacy.

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0:00 – Introduction

0:34 – History of Dorabjee & Sons

1:50 – Parsi Quirkiness

3:49 – Parsi Food

6:29 – Parsi Families and Marriage

15:06 – What Independence Day Means

24:21 – Exploring Parsi Food

28:27 – Parsi Traditions and Attire

32:50 – Iconic Parsi Dishes

33:17 – Why Dorabjee & Sons Never Expanded

35:48 – How Much Money Is Enough?

47:27 – India’s Obesity Crisis

49:10 – Protein vs Carbohydrates

54:37 – Stray Dog Debate

59:07 – Tukaram Mundhe’s Restaurant Crackdown

1:11:14 – Fitness and Healthy Living

1:25:50 – Wealth Creators

1:27:29 – Workweek Debate

1:28:08 – China’s Education Model

1:31:11 – AI-Driven World

1:39:11 – Is India Falling Behind in AI?

1:42:10 – Pakistan’s ‘Islamic NATO’ Proposal

1:46:51 – India–US Relations

1:57:45 – Trump and US Midterm Elections

2:03:05 – China’s Lead Over the US

2:11:11 – Manufacturing in India

2:18:40 – India’s Broken Systems

2:20:16 – Delhi’s Governance Problems

2:28:54 – Government Schools

2:32:09 – Visas and India’s Foreign Policy

2:34:30 – Conclusion

The ‘Real’ Samosa Caucus is back with Edition 9.0, Part 1 — bigger debates, sharper arguments and absolutely no filters.

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

In this episode, the panel discusses the rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), anger among the youth, protests in Jharkhand, ethanol blending in petrol, the Ramayana and The Odyssey, and much more.

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Timestamps

0:00 – Introduction

4:03 – E20 Debate

7:03 – Birth of CJP

12:54 – BJP’s Political Moves

18:35 – Cockroach Janta Party

26:48 – NEET Protest

29:42 – Traditional vs Social Media

31:33 – Sonam Wangchuk

35:24 – BJP vs Congress

45:24 – Jantar Mantar Effect

48:13 – FCRA Bill

53:50 – Gen Z vs Political Parties

55:02 – Bihar Bypoll

59:58 – UP 2027 Polls

1:00:46 – UGC Rules

1:02:55 – Gen Z Debate

1:07:26 – Digital Footprint

1:20:11 – Politicians Who Adapt

1:29:05 – E20 Blending

1:39:39 – India’s New Consumption Story

2:07:28 – Cinema

Govinda is one of Bollywood’s biggest superstars of the 80s and 90s. Known for his unique comic timing, energetic dance moves, colourful style and unforgettable performances, he became one of the most loved entertainers of his generation.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Govinda talks about his rise to superstardom, his work with David Dhawan and Kader Khan, highs and lows of his career, and memories of legends like Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.

This is Govinda like you have never seen him before - candid, emotional and completely unfiltered.

00:00 – Introduction

01:07 – 90s Stardom

03:42 – Dilip Kumar’s Advice

10:27 – Memories of Rajesh Khanna

14:26 – Mother’s Influence

21:20 – ‘Outsider’ Tag in Bollywood

25:29 – Flop Movies

32:18 – Working with David Dhawan

34:49 – Upcoming Films

37:53 – Love Affairs & Relationships

41:14 – Suicide Attempt & Spirituality

46:57 – Underworld Threats

50:34 – Pairing with Kader Khan

53:34 – Iconic Dance Style

58:00 – Chemistry with 90s Leading Heroines

1:03:34 – Global Fashion Trendsetting

1:05:52 – Tips to Salman Khan

1:07:58 – What’s Next for Govinda?

Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist, election analyst, author and commentator. He is the founder of Vote Vibe and a regular columnist and television panellist. Mallika Bajaj is a digital transformation expert who studies how technology affects the way people learn, behave and think.

In this live edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, they discuss what Gen Z wants and why there is a disconnect between the government and young people. They also explain how algorithms work and why Instagram is becoming the next major platform for election campaigns.

00:00 – Introduction

00:58 – BJP Lost Gen Z Support?

06:22 – Algorithms & the Digital Divide

14:04 – BJP's Social Media Edge

19:58 – Q&A with Gen Z

20:51 – Foreign Apps & Data Leaks

26:39 – Need for Younger Politicians

34:08 – Fake Information in AI Age

42:10 – Gen Z's Political Grammar

45:35 – Job Creation

49:28 – CJP's Future Role

51:21 – Youth Representation in Parliament

56:41 – Legacy vs Independent Media

1:01:08 – Gen Z's Electoral Influence

1:06:02 – Political Labels

1:07:58 – Traditional Media

1:11:46 – The Right Way to Protest

1:17:26 – Political Influencers

1:21:19 – CJP's Political Ambitions

Pavan Malhotra is one of Hindi cinema’s finest actors, known for his powerful performances across films, television, theatre and OTT. In a career spanning over 45 years, he has delivered memorable roles in films like ‘Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro’, ‘Black Friday’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and ‘Jab We Met’.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Pavan Malhotra talks about his journey in cinema, working with legendary actors and directors, Bollywood’s PR culture, typecasting, political films and changing approach of new actors.

00:00 – Introduction

00:54 – Working On ‘Gandhi’ Film

05:32 – Theatre’s Marxist Influence

11:40 – Political Films & Selective Outrage

15:34 – ‘Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro’ Story

22:06 – Indian Parallel Cinema

27:04 – Amrish Puri’s Advice

31:36 – ‘Black Friday’ & Anurag Kashyap

38:52 – BTS of ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’

46:10 – Bollywood’s New-Gen Actors

49:46 – Legacy Of Om Puri

54:20 – Bollywood PR Culture

57:42 – OTT vs Theatre

1:02:23 – Rakesh Bedi’s Bollywood Journey

1:07:33 – Making Of ‘Punjab 1984’

1:12:05 – Art Of Storytelling

1:19:48 – Indian Culture & Traditions

Ronnie Screwvala wears many hats: entrepreneur, investor, film producer and philanthropist. He built UTV into one of India’s biggest media companies, co-founded upGrad and established the Swades Foundation.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ronnie Screwvala speaks about the student anger, paper leaks and what is wrong with India’s education system.

He also discusses degrees versus skills, unemployment, AI, India’s competition with China, entrepreneurship, start-ups and why India must become a “no-collar nation”.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:45 – AI Bubble

02:54 – China in AI Race

06:54 – India’s Service Economy

09:48 – Entrepreneurial Journey

14:41 – Rang De Basanti

16:46 – Licence Raj & Liberalisation

22:30 – Education and upGrad

26:39 – Quick Commerce

30:02 – Advertising Agencies

32:30 – India’s Television Revolution

38:47 – Did OTT Save Indian Cinema?

44:34 – Will AI Make Our Minds Dull?

47:38 – Education & Rural Digital Divide

52:56 – India’s Untapped Tourism

55:52 – Student Protests & Education Reform

1:03:15 – AI & Entry-Level Jobs

1:07:31 – Blue-Collar Work

1:13:11 – AI, Agriculture & Farming

Mahesh Jethmalani is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India and a former Rajya Sabha MP. He has represented the BJP in several high-profile legal battles over the past four decades.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Mahesh Jethmalani speaks about his father Ram Jethmalani's legacy.

The conversation also covers 2002 Gujarat riots, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, judicial reforms, anti-defection law, Vande Mataram debate and NEET student protests.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:54 – NEET protests

10:51 – Anti-defection law

22:35 – Article 370 & Ram temple

29:20 – Ram Jethmalani's legacy

39:20 – High-profile cases

43:45 – LK Advani's leadership

48:13 – 2002 Gujarat riots

1:00:20 – 26/11 terror attacks trial

1:05:16 – 'Cockroach' remark by CJI

1:11:17 – Ram Jethmalani's courtroom drama

1:15:19 – Handling BJP cases

1:18:11 – Modi-Trump relationship

1:27:30 – Indus Waters Treaty

1:31:28 – Judicial reforms

1:43:19 – Vande Mataram debate

1:49:06 – Harshad Mehta case