MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL

The conclusion of our conversation with Zahra Joya — Afghan journalist, TIME Woman of the Year, and founder of Rukhshana Media — recorded for Beyond Borders Podcast in collaboration with Asia Democracy Chronicles, an online publication of the Asia Democracy Network that focuses on human rights and democracy across the region. In Part 2, the conversation moves from Zahra's personal story to the harder political questions. She explains what real solidarity looks like versus performative attention, why she insists the Taliban's rule is gender apartheid, and why she believes the world — including Afghanistan's own neighbours — has looked away. She speaks about Malala, about how the Taliban distort Islam to justify their rule, and about the international community's reluctance to hold them accountable. It's also where she opens up most personally: living in the Taliban's shadow, losing everything, and her message to the women of Afghanistan — please don't give up. She closes by discussing her memoir, The Vanishing Girl of Kabul (co-written with Amie Ferris-Rotman), out now in hardback, eBook, and audio.

Missed Part 1? Watch it here: https://youtu.be/GaST0wqWwt4?si=_uAx8sXQi2s04PYS

⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – What real solidarity looks like 04:55 – On Malala, and who goes silent 08:05 – Does engagement legitimise the Taliban? 10:10 – Why only Russia recognises the regime 12:40 – "Does Islam mean what the Taliban is doing?" 20:10 – Betrayed by the world — and by neighbours 21:30 – "It's none of my business" 27:25 – A life lived in the Taliban's shadow 29:45 – "Please don't give up": a message to Afghan women 31:05 – The Vanishing Girl of Kabul The Vanishing Girl of Kabul by Zahra Joya (with Amie Ferris-Rotman) — available now in hardback, eBook, and audiobook.

Asia Democracy Chronicles: https://adnchronicles.org/

Asia Democracy Network: https://adnasia.org/

#ZahraJoya #TheVanishingGirlOfKabul #RukhshanaMedia #Afghanistan #Taliban #AfghanWomen #GenderApartheid #WomensRights #AsiaDemocracyChronicles #Democracy #HumanRights #PressFreedom #Malala #BeyondBordersPodcast #AakritiDhawan 🌍 Beyond Borders Podcast is a show about South Asia, told from a global lens — honest conversations that go beyond the headlines.

Hosted by award-winning journalist Aakriti Dhawan, each episode brings together journalists, activists, policymakers, academics, and changemakers to talk politics, human rights, gender, migration, media, and culture — the conversations mainstream coverage too often skips. What this channel stands for: press freedom, gender equality, and the idea that the people closest to a story deserve to tell it. If you want thoughtful, independent dialogue over noise and hot takes, you're in the right place.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the channel. This podcast exists to encourage informed discussion and respectful dialogue.

MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL

Afghan journalist Zahra Joya — founder of Rukhshana Media, TIME Woman of the Year, and author of the new memoir The Vanishing Girl of Kabul — on what it really takes to report the truth under Taliban rule, and the price of fighting for the most basic human rights.

In Part 1 of this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast, host Aakriti Dhawan sits down with Zahra to trace her journey from a tiny Hazara village to running one of Afghanistan's most important newsrooms in exile.

Growing up in her Hazara community, Zahra had to pretend to be a boy named Mohammed just to go to school. She shares the weight of carrying that secret, her journey from dreaming of becoming a lawyer to becoming a journalist, and the discrimination that pushed her to start Rukhshana Media — named after a young woman stoned to death by the Taliban in 2015.

Zahra opens up about running a hidden newsroom, documenting sexual violence against women in prison, and why the Taliban's rule is nothing less than gender apartheid. She also speaks candidly about feeling betrayed by Western governments negotiating with the Taliban, and why international promises so often fall short for women on the ground.

Stay tuned for Part 2, coming next week.

⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Cold open 00:45 – Growing up Hazara: becoming a boy named Mohammed 03:36 – Dreaming of law, becoming a journalist 10:45 – Founding Rukhshana Media & the girl stoned to death in 2015 12:37 – Inside a hidden newsroom under the Taliban 18:30 – Documenting sexual violence against women in prison 19:47 – "I lost everything": the cost of the work 21:05 – The worst place in the world to be a woman 26:00 – Betrayed by the West 29:50 – What has to change (to be continued…)

📖 The Book: The Vanishing Girl of Kabul by Zahra Joya (with Amie Ferris-Rotman), published by Robinson on 23 July 2026 — available in hardback, eBook, and audiobook. Get your copy: https://www.amazon.in/Vanishing-Girl-Kabul-Betrayal-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B0FTVHM39R

🔔 Subscribe to Beyond Borders Podcast for Part 2 and new episodes every week. If this moved you, like, comment, and share it — it genuinely helps these stories reach more people.

Tags: #ZahraJoya #TheVanishingGirlOfKabul #RukhshanaMedia #Afghanistan #Taliban #AfghanWomen #GenderApartheid #WomensRights #Journalism #BeyondBordersPodcast #Aakriti Dhawan #HumanRights #Hazara #WomenInJournalism #Podcast🎧 Listen on Spotify & all audio platforms

Beyond Borders is a podcast about South Asia, told from a global lens, with honest conversations that go beyond the headlines.

Hosted by award-winning journalist Aakriti Dhawan

What this channel stands for: press freedom, gender equality, and the idea that the people closest to a story deserve to tell it. If you want thoughtful, independent dialogue over noise and hot takes, you're in the right place.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.c...

📸 Instagram: / beyond_borderspod

💼 Business & media enquiries: [email protected]

⚠️ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the channel. This podcast exists to encourage informed discussion and respectful dialogue.

MINI SERIES: NOTHING IS APOLITICAL

In this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast, host Aakriti Dhawan is joined by Najib Faizi, a nurse, teacher, activist, and the first-ever Afghan drag queen living in Germany. Together, they dive into a deeply moving conversation about identity, survival, and what it truly means to fight for the freedom to be yourself.

Fleeing Kandahar at just eleven years old, Najib survived childhood abuse, bullying, and the heavy weight of family expectations. He opens up about finding his voice, balancing his dual life as Najib and his drag persona, Najiba, and navigating the realities of being a queer Afghan on the global stage. From debunking painful misconceptions about the drag community to sharing his dream of one day making India his home, Najib reflects on the struggle of being silenced, the constant search for safety, and how society’s fear of the unknown so often gets in the way of basic human empathy.

This is a conversation about resilience, the courage to speak when you've been silenced, and the universal search for belonging.

00:00 - 01:20 Introduction

01:21 - 02:05 Najib Faizi, Afghanistan’s First Drag Queen

02:06 - 03:41 Growing Up in Kandahar: Early Life & Childhood Memories

03:42 - 05:20 Fleeing Afghanistan at 11 Years Old: The Turning Point

05:21 - 10:37 Becoming 'Najiba': Finding the Drag Queen Within

10:38 - 12:12 Religion, Islam, and Homophobia: Addressing Misconceptions

12:13 - 13:37 Expectation vs. Reality: Seeking Freedom in Western Countries

13:38 - 16:37 Rising Extremism & Safety: Comparing the Taliban and Germany's AfD

16:38 - 18:08 Beyond Drag: Balancing Life as a Nurse, Teacher, and Activist

18:09 - 20:43 Najib vs. Najiba: Understanding Dual Identity

20:44 - 23:47 Debunking Common Myths About the Drag & LGBTQ+ Community

23:48 - 25:57 Dreams & Future Goals: What Lies Ahead in the Next 5 Years

25:58 - 31:20 Personal Struggles: Facing Discrimination and Brutal Realities

31:21 - 33:51 Communication Gap with Parents: Social Stigma and Family Dynamics

33:52 - 35:29 The Role of South Asian Nations: How Regional Neighbors Can Support Afghanistan

35:30 - 38:02 Geopolitics & Unity: Why South Asia Needs Local Solutions, Not Western Intervention

38:03 - 40:29 Beyond Borders: Najib's Final Message and Advice for the World

🎧 Listen on Spotify & all audio platforms

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#BeyondBordersPodcast #NajibFaizi #Najiba #AfghanDragQueen #Afghanistan #SouthAsia #India #QueerVoices #LGBTQ #RefugeeStories #Resilience #IndoGerman #PodcastForChange #AakritiDhawan #GlobalPerspectives #HumanRights #IdentityAndBelonging #QueerStories #DragQueen #FreedomToBeYou #CulturalExchange

Disclaimer: This content is created for educational and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and aim to promote empathy, understanding, and open discourse.

Aakriti Dhawan is a journalist and storyteller bridging India and Germany. Her podcast brings raw, thoughtful conversations on politics, gender, culture, human rights, and the world we live in.

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🎧 Listen on Spotify: [https://open.spotify.com/show/3EdImNjwzf4NsLeVWDDAMy?si=mCMqKgv9SaWHh3SlEm2b7w&utm_source=copy-link]

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What happens when a political researcher, filmmaker, and activist decides to stop waiting for change — and becomes the voice of a movement?

In this episode of Beyond Borders, host Aakriti Dhawan sits down with Vijeta Dahiya — political researcher, author, filmmaker, and spokesperson for the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) — for one of the most unfiltered conversations on Indian politics you'll hear this year.

This isn't a conversation about party lines or political optics. This is about the ground realities that mainstream media won't touch — caste discrimination, exam paper leaks, unemployment, farmer abandonment, and a generation of young Indians who are done being silent.

Vijeta and Aakriti go deep on the ideology behind the CJP movement, the uncomfortable relationship between religion and politics, why the caste system continues to rob millions of basic dignity, and what "so-called liberals" are getting dangerously wrong. They also address the allegations head-on — transphobia, sexism, female representation — with honesty and nuance rarely seen in public discourse.

If you believe that real change starts with uncomfortable conversations, this one is for you.

📌 WHAT WE COVER:

00:00 - 01:20 Introduction 01:20 - 02:07 From Engineering to Creative Arts: The Early Jump 02:07 - 02:55 Political Advocacy, Research, and a Five-Year Vision 02:55 - 04:48 Making Haryanvi Films and the Pivot to Activism 04:48 - 05:50 Sudden Rise and Becoming the CJP Spokesperson 05:50 - 07:03 The Ideology Behind the Cockroach Janata Party Movement 07:03 - 08:22 Sonam Wangchuk's Alliance with the CJP Mission 08:22 - 09:15 The Silence of Social Media Influencers and Public Voices 09:15 - 10:18 Navigating the Association and Bond with Dhruv Rathee 10:18 - 11:39 Can You Only Question Indian Politics From Abroad? 11:39 - 17:12 Addressing the Transphobia Allegations and LGBTQ+ Rights 17:12 - 19:44 Clearing the Air: Addressing Allegations of Sexism 19:44 - 21:32 Confronting the Lack of Female Representation in the CJP 21:32 - 23:31 Religion, Caste, and the State of Modern Indian Politics 23:31 - 24:58 The Road Map to Eradicating Casteism and Jaatiwaad 24:58 - 28:20 Questioning the Narrative: Are You Anti-Liberal? 28:20 - 30:35 Debating Classism and the Modern Liberal Stance 30:35 - 35:40 Views on Reservation Quotas and the 2016 Jat Andolan 35:40 - 38:09 Clarifying the Viral Statement on Brahmanwaad 38:09 - 39:52 The Core Difference Between Hinduism and Hindu Nationalism 39:52 - 41:52 Has 'Jai Shri Ram' Shifted From a Religious to a Political Slogan? 41:52 - 46:32 Three Direct Pieces of Advice for Every Indian 46:32 - 47:52 The Final Verdict: Will Vijeta Dahiya Ever Enter Active Politics?

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations that challenge comfort zones 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EdImNjwzf4NsLeVWDDAMy?si=Jh_-5qONReSmIQf4w9ad_Q 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @beyond_borderspod

#BeyondBorders #VijetaDahiya #DharmendraPradhan #NEETPaperLeak #NarendraModi #BJP #Congress #AAP #DhruvRathee #SupriyaShrinate #AbhijeetDipke #CockroachJanataParty #BhagatSingh #Gandhi #Brahmanvaad #IndianPolitics #EducationReform #CasteSystem #ReservationQuota #Reservation #Religion #EqualityForAll #IndianFarmers #GroundRealities #SecularIndia #Democracy #PodcastIndia #RealStories #IndoGerman #GlobalPerspectives #ConversationForChange

Disclaimer: This content is created for entertainment and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and considerate.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Surya Kumar Bose — grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, IT veteran of Siemens and Cap Gemini, and President of the Indo-German Association in Hamburg — we get into the raw realities that no one talks about.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian students are now choosing Germany over the US, UK, and Canada. But what actually awaits them? The opportunity is real — but so is the backlash, the language wall, and a job market that doesn't always play fair. Surya has watched this story unfold for nearly fifty years, from the inside.

We go deep on Germany's systemic failures in integration, the misleading "chance card" that trips up Indian graduates, the uncomfortable fairness dilemma in hiring — and what Surya, who himself pivoted from physics to IT and consulting, would genuinely tell young Indians dreaming of a life here.

This is one of the most candid Indo-German conversations you'll hear — from a man who carries one of India's most iconic names, and has spent a lifetime building bridges between two worlds.

Missed Part 1? Watch it here: https://rss.com/podcasts/beyondborderspod/2742769

⏱️ CHAPTERS

0:00 – Introduction 1:00 – The Massive Rise of Indian Students in Germany 3:00 – The Indo-German Paradox: Opportunities vs. Backlash 9:42 – Systemic Flaws in Germany's Adaptation 12:27 – The Language Barrier & The "Misleading" Chance Card 13:48 – Job Market Realities and the Fairness Dilemma 19:27 – Pivoting from Physics to IT & Consulting 22:57 – Five Decades at Siemens: Evolution of the Workplace 29:19 – Advice for Indians in Germany and Aspiring Emigrants

In this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast, our host Aakriti Dhawan is joined by Debarati Guha, Director of Programs for Asia at DW (Deutsche Welle). Together, they discuss issues that deeply affect women in everyday life, often ignored, as well as the fairness of the media in 2026.

From being gifted a sewing machine instead of a bicycle as a young girl to constantly having to fight to make a place for herself in professional spaces, Guha reflects on the subtle ways patriarchy continues to shape women’s lives even today. The conversation also touches on workplace inequality, women not being taken seriously in media spaces, how empowerment is often spoken about without real shifts in power truly being accepted, and the unsafe realities many women still face, from rape threats and domestic violence to female foeticide and the lack of basic dignity and safety that still exists for women in many parts of society.

This is a conversation about feminism, patriarchy, and womanhood.

0:00 - 1:27 Introduction

1:28 - 5:00 Growing up in an orthodox family

5:01 - 9:49 Being a "headstrong" woman at work

9:50 - 13:11 How to raise boys to respect women

13:12 - 19:21 Surviving orthodox DW language services

19:22 - 29:07 Periods, pain, and career survival

29:08 - 35:38 The pay gap & the "child vs. career" trap

35:39 - 39:14 Is women's empowerment just fake branding?

39:15 - 41:57 How the West misinterprets South Asia

41:58 - 44:13 The privilege debate: Caste & class in media

44:14 - 48:27 Does newsroom orthodoxy still exist?

48:28 - 53:44 Indian media & the death of democracy

53:45 - 56:52 How WW2 history shapes German media

56:53 - 59:35 What global news is missing

59:36 - 1:01:31 Correcting the Western narrative

1:01:32 - 1:03:00 The DW project representing South Asia

1:03:01 - 1:04:22 Final advice to go Beyond Borders

Listen on Spotify & all audio platforms

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.

#Podcast #Feminism #WomenInMedia

Disclaimer: This content is created for entertainment and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and considerate.

Our host, Aakriti Dhawan is a journalist and storyteller bridging India and Germany.

Her podcast brings raw, thoughtful conversations on politics, gender, culture, animals, and the world we live in.

#DebaratiGuha #DeutscheWelle #BeyondBordersPodcast #WorkplaceInequality #WomenEmpowerment #Patriarchy #GenderEquality #WomenLeaders

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Follow us on Instagram: @beyond_borderspod

In this episode of the Beyond Borders Podcast, our host Aakriti Dhawan is in conversation with Surya Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Together, they dive into themes of politics, pre-independence India, the chapters of Indian history that most of us were simply never told and the present Indo-German connection that ties it all together

“Can you ever truly belong to two worlds, or are you forever caught in the friction between them?" From the streets of Berlin to the heart of the Indian freedom struggle, Surya Kumar Bose navigates a dual identity that challenges everything we know about the meaning of "home.

"He reflects on the claim that pre-independence, Mohammad Ali Jinnah stated that If Subhash Chandra Bose returns to India, he would drop the idea of partition and pakistan, discusses the relationship of Hitler and Netaji and reveals the truth about the declassification of Netaji secret files in 2015 and it's real political connection with Mamata Banerjee and touches on Indian history, the erasure of the Mughal period from textbooks, and what it means to carry a legendary name in a foreign land.

Surya Kumar Bose speaks about the chapters of history that textbooks choose to skip, and hearing them from someone who grew up in the shadow of this legacy gives you clarity and a new lens for looking at history that you didn't know you needed.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2

This is a conversation about history, identity, and the courage to look at the past without filters.

Timestamps:

00:00 - 01:15 Introduction

01:15 - 04:30 Why Surya Kumar Bose Speaks About Netaji's Legacy

04:30 - 08:00 Netaji's Vision for India: Planning, Casteism & What Could Have Been

08:00 - 11:30 Indo-German Relations & Netaji's International Alliances

11:30 - 15:00 Netaji's Core Values: Religion, Secularism & Leading by Example

15:00 - 18:30 The Temple Story, The Tika & One Kitchen for All

18:30 - 21:30 Language, Hindustani & The Roman Script Netaji Wanted

21:30 - 25:30 Partition, Jinnah & The Mistake That Divided India

25:30 - 29:00 Mamata Banerjee, The Declassification & The RTI

29:00 - 33:00 The Shanawaz Commission & Nehru's Role in Suppressing the Truth

33:00 - 36:30 Surya Kumar's Father Carrying Secret Letters & The Risk of Execution

36:30 - 39:00 Netaji, Hitler & The Nazi Gas Chambers

39:00 - 40:00 India, The Holocaust & What We Refuse to Learn from History

40:00 - 41:00 Social Media, Gaza & WhatsApp University

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#NetajiSubhasChandraBose #SuryaKumarBose #Jinnah #Partition #BoseFiles #IndianHistory #SubhasChandraBose #BeyondBorders #Independence #Hitler #MamataBanerjee #TMC #BJP #India #Podcast #elections #westbengal #modi #pakistan

Disclaimer: This content is created for entertainment and conversational purposes only. We do not intend to hurt, offend, or target any individual or group. All views expressed are respectful and considerate.

Our host, Aakriti Dhawan is a journalist and storyteller bridging India and Germany.

Her podcast brings raw, thoughtful conversations on politics, gender, culture, animals, and the world we live in.

#BeyondBordersPodcast #PodcastForChange #InspiringStories #IndoGerman #GlobalPerspectives #Conversation #IndiansInGermany #HistoryUncut #MeaningfulConversations

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[https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YR7..]

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Women's Day Special: Raga D'silva shares her journey of coming out in her late 40s, navigating stigma, resilience, and ultimately embracing her truth. From surviving trauma and discrimination to building platforms like Speaking Minds and Older Queer Voices, Raga's story is one of courage, feminism, and advocacy. LETS CELEBRATE TOGETHER

This episode discusses themes including abuse, identity, violence, and personal transformation. Some listeners may find parts of this conversation emotionally sensitive.

00:00 – Introduction

01:15 – Coming out at 49: the first public declaration

04:30 – Labels: lesbian, bisexual, or simply authentic

07:20 – Early struggles, family trauma, and stigma in New Zealand

12:45 – Balancing career achievements with identity

16:30 – Founding Speaking Minds and the power of storytelling

21:00 – Feminism explained: etiquette vs. equality

26:15 – Resilience against hate and online abuse

30:40 – Creating Older Queer Voices podcast

35:00 – Reflections on living two lives and embracing truth

38:20 – Advice for anyone going beyond borders

#LGBTQPodcast #womensday #feminism #strong #abuse #cominghout #marriage #women #indianwomen #freedom #lgbtq #community

Beyond Borders Podcast X Birmingham City University,

Aakriti Dhawan sits down with an award-winning filmmaker and Senior Lecturer at BCU, Meera Darji for a powerful conversation on the lived realities of India’s trans community — the search for belonging, the gaps in public understanding of gender, and the impact of viewing Indian trans identities through a Western/UK lens.

The discussion explores how conversations around gender in India are often shaped either by silence or by imported frameworks that don’t always reflect local histories and cultural contexts. From identity and visibility to policy, media narratives, and everyday belonging, this episode examines what gets misunderstood — both within India and abroad.

This is a nuanced, honest conversation about community, dignity, and the need to build gender awareness beyond binaries and beyond borders.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/1iCK3rTLGlE?si=VjMg2_ArWwpmqfQD

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#TransCommunity #LGBTQIndia #GenderIdentity #TransRights #Belonging #QueerVoices #India #BeyondBorders

In this episode of Beyond Borders Podcast X The Wire, Aakriti Dhawan speaks with the Palestinian Ambassador to India, Abdullah Abu Shawesh, on the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, the politics of “ceasefire,” and the role of international actors. The Ambassador challenges the language used around the conflict, shares personal accounts from his family in Gaza, and outlines the scale of destruction — with reconstruction estimated at $57 billion.

The conversation also examines India’s position on the two-state solution, its diplomatic leverage with Israel, divisions within Palestinian politics, and whether meaningful peace is still possible. Referencing international law, UN Resolution 181, and global anti-colonial struggles, this interview brings a direct Palestinian perspective to Indian audiences in an urgent and deeply political moment

Youtube: https://youtu.be/ISlqktwPyqI?si=RTafpN6SMY146cIy

. #beyondborderspodcast #Gaza #GazaWar #Palestine #IsraelPalestine #HumanitarianCrisis #Ceasefire #TwoStateSolution #MiddleEast #IndiaForeignPolicy #GlobalPolitics #WarInGaza

/ @thewirenews