Center for New Economics Studies

In an increasingly fast-paced world, many beautiful things are often forgotten to be appreciated. In such a context, this second episode of InterLinked once again pauses to look at art, and the artist, in such a world. Nandini Pandey continues her conversation with Poonam Girdhani, a film and theatre actress, to delve into the magical realms of the recently revived art of Dastangoi.

Being one of the few Dastango’s of India herself, Ms. Poonam Girdhani reflects further on what Dastangoi really is, its rich history and the story of its rebirth. The two through this continued conversation, explore the sphere of the theatre itself, exploring the role of both the artist, and the audience, and how it creates an experience of storytelling so unique, and so filled with histories.

In an increasingly fast-paced world, many beautiful things are often forgotten to be appreciated. In such a context, this first episode of InterLinked takes a moment to pause and look at art, and the artist, in such a world.

Nandini Pandey engages in a conversation with Poonam Girdhani, a film and theatre actress, to delve into the magical realms of the recently revived art of Dastangoi. Being one of the few Dastango’s of India herself, Ms. Poonam Girdhani describes what Dastangoi really is, its rich history and the story of its rebirth. The two through this conversation, explore the sphere of the theatre itself, exploring the role of both the artist, and the audience, and how it creates an experience of storytelling so unique, and so filled with histories.

We are aware of what rural development is and what it does. But where does it come from? Who generates the funds to help communities and how do they do it? What motivates them?

These are exactly the questions this episode seeks to answer with a conversation between Nandini Pandey and Sanjay Jain, the founder of Yatra Foundation, an Australian based organisation funding multiple schools in India over decades.

The two dive into how such funds are generated, how people are motivated, and where this thought of philanthropy origins. It further explores the work of Yatra Foundation itself, the kind of work the organisation has done in India, and its experience in trying to help so many.

In this episode of Interlinked hosted by Meddhya Singh, we sit down with Dr. Yogesh Kulkarni, Executive Director of Vigyan Ashram, a modern-day Gurukul in Pune, Maharashtra that has been reimagining education since 1983. From his early years as a mechanical engineer and corporate professional to his decades of leadership at Vigyan Ashram, Mr. Kulkarni has dedicated his life to proving that “development through education and education through development” is not just an idea, it’s now a working model.

We explore Vigyan Ashram’s unique philosophy of Rural Development through Education System (RDES), how it’s using technology to its benefit, and how its programs are shaping a new generation of entrepreneurs and problem-solvers.

The episode delves into a conversation between Shankar Maruwada, former entrepreneur who turned to the world of education and development, starting the EkStep Foundation, committed to reaching over 200 million children, and host Nandini.

The conversation explores the role of technology in the advocation of education in an Indian context. India is a country much poverty stricken, and proper education becomes a concept for many, unreachable. In this context, the episode looks at how technology may allow education to be both widely received and properly expressed. By providing us an idea on the technological advancements in India, Mr. Shankar allows us to look at a changing India in a light we have scarcely seen before. The possible impacts of such changes on factors like efficiency, quality, and variety of education are put on display.

The dialogue through exploration of Mr. Maruwada’s personal experiences further provides opportunity to the listeners to understand perspectives on the scales at which one can make important and necessary impacts.

In the Vichaar segment, in conversation with Professor Stellina Jolly, we explore how climate-induced mobility intersects with international law, human rights, and national policy in the Global South. It examines how nearly 90% of India’s internal displacement in 2024 was linked to natural disasters, yet legal and policy frameworks remain mitigation-centric, sidelining rights and adaptation. It highlights the gaps in instruments like the Paris Agreement and India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), which fail to center vulnerable communities, and underscores the need for granular, intersectional data to build responsive legal mechanisms. By situating these issues within the broader gaps of international refugee law and the securitization of migration, the segment calls for a rights-driven framework that prioritizes those least responsible for, yet most affected by, climate change.

What happens after the unthinkable? In this episode, Geetaali Malhotra speaks with Prof. Juan Vallejo, Assistant Professor at O.P. Jindal Global University and expert in international criminal law and humanitarian law, about how international legal systems confront the aftermath of atrocity.

They explore the legal architecture surrounding genocide, the legacy of tribunals like the ICTY and ICTR, and the evolving role of the International Criminal Court. The conversation unpacks difficult questions: Who gets prosecuted and who doesn’t? From the politics of accountability to the limits of international law, this episode critically examines what justice really means in the wake of mass violence and how it must ultimately evolve for the future.

In this episode of InterLinked, we delve into the fragile intersections of identity, tradition, and urban change in Kashmir, exploring how communities rooted in place are negotiating the pressures of modernity. Shivali Yadav is in conversation with Najam Us Saqib, a researcher whose work brings together urban governance, participatory ethnography, and the lived realities of marginalized communities in Srinagar.

Together, they unpack how development initiatives like the Smart City Mission impact traditional occupations, from the Hanji community’s deep ties to Dal Lake, to the Pathans' shifting linguistic identity. The conversation traces how assimilationist policies and top-down planning can lead to cultural erasure, and asks what it would mean to truly center community voices in imagining the future of the city.

Drawing from his fieldwork and storytelling, Saqib reflects on the role of inclusive research in inculcating traditional forms of knowledge, and offers a grounded vision for how urban policy can engage with diversity rather than overwrite it. Tune in for a conversation that explores whose knowledge gets counted, whose identities are protected, and what it takes to make cities more just.

In this episode of InterLinked, hosted by Geetaali Malhotra, we delve into the complex world of Khap Panchayats-traditional caste councils rooted in North Indian society. Joined by Ms. Prachy Hooda, Lecturer at the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, O.P. Jindal Global University, we examine the shifting dynamics of these institutions at the intersection of law, gender, and governance. From legal judgments and ADR debates to gender politics and the optics of empowerment, this conversation unpacks the socio-political forces that continue to shape Khap power in modern India.

In this episode of Vichaar (Azaad Awaaz), in conversation with renowned human rights activist Mr. Nirmal Gorana, delves into the expanding phenomenon of bulldozer justice in India and its devastating effects on marginalized communities. Mr. Gorana, convener of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour and key figure in the Mazdoor Awas Sangharsh Samiti, shares critical insights into how forced evictions displace informal workers, violate constitutional rights, and worsen socio-economic disparities. Drawing from landmark judgments and on-ground experiences, he exposes the systemic failures in policy implementation and the increasing use of state machinery to suppress dissent. He also emphasizes the urgent need for collective resistance, legal awareness, and active civic engagement to uphold the rights of the displaced.