In this episode of Chats over Chai Ambassador Vohra and CEO Lisa Singh unpack India’s journey since independence, how its relationship with Australia has evolved since that time, and the incredible future for India and its people. 

Ambassador Vohra's remarkable journey as the Indian High Commissioner to Australia has left an indelible mark on the bilateral relationship. Appointed to role in April 2021, his role in Canberra has been at a crucial time as the world grappled with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with the Australian government, he helped restore two-way mobility, advocated for the return of Indian students and reinforced the strong educational bond between our nations.

In this episode of Chats over Chai, we're celebrating the International Day of Yoga! Join us for a special conversation with Alan Goode, the Director of Yoga Mandir in Canberra, as we dive into his yoga journey. Hosted by Dr. Surjeet Dhanji, Director of Cultural Diplomacy at the Australia India Institute, this episode explores Alan's experiences, teachings, and profound reflections on the transformative power of yoga.

As we commemorate the International Day of Yoga under the theme of "Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" - One Earth, One Family, and One Future - we invite you to listen to Alan's inspiring stories and insights. Uncover the origins of yoga in Australia, Alan's connection with BKS Iyengar, and the practical application of yoga philosophy in our everyday lives.

In this episode of Chats over Chai, Dr Surjeet Dhanji, Director of Cultural Diplomacy at the Australia India Institute interviews Poornima Garg, the Country Director of Room to Read India. Room to Read is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to improving literacy and promoting gender equality in education. With a focus on early childhood literacy, Room to Read empowers teachers to teach children to read and write during their early school years, laying a strong foundation for future learning. They also provide support to at-risk girls, ensuring they complete secondary education and acquire essential life skills.

The discussion looks at Room to Read's efforts in India, a country where education and gender equality remain critical challenges. Poornima sheds light on the collaborative approach that Room to Read adopts, working closely with local communities, governments, and other stakeholders to drive sustainable change. Tune in to gain inspiration from her personal journey and the transformative power of education in the lives of women and children in rural communities.

In this special episode of the Australia India Institute’s podcast, we explore the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi with Professor Bindu Puri, one of the foremost Gandhian scholars in the world. As part of the Institute’s Visiting Fellows Program, Professor Puri visited Australia from Jawaharlal Nehru University for a conversation with Lisa Singh titled ‘Gandhi: on the Good Human Life’ hosted at the Australia India Institute on 20 April 2023.

In this live recording, Professor Puri shares her valuable insights on the continuity between Gandhi’s ideas and classical Indian philosophy and how these ideas can be applied in the modern world. With global uncertainty, displacement, conflict, and change in the world order, Professor Puri’s talk is more relevant than ever before.

Join us as we explore the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi with one of the foremost scholars in the field, and discover how his ideas can continue to inspire us in our modern world.

In this episode of Chats over Chai, Lisa Singh interviews Nitin Pai, co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution – an independent think tank and school of public policy based in Bangalore.  

Nitin delves into high tech in geopolitics, Australia-India tech cooperation, U.S-China competition, what AUKUS means for India and the importance of open-source technologies in today’s Information Age.

 In this episode of the Australia India Institute’s Chats over Chai podcast, Surjeet Dhanji interviews Ateev Dang, a multilingual stand-up comedian based in Melbourne. Dang shares his experience as a Hindi-speaking comedian in Australia and gives insights into his creative process for writing and performing new material. Join Surjeet and Ateev for a conversation on the importance of stand-up comedy in the diaspora, and find out more about Ateev's upcoming Hindi stand-up comedy show in Melbourne.  

In this episode of Chats over Chai, Sarah Whyte, Head of Strategic Communications, interviews Mr. Manish Gupta on his tenure as Consul General of India in Sydney. CG Gupta shares the extraordinary growth in the bilateral relationship during his posting, the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic brought to both nations and his newly acquired appreciation of the Australian coastline.

In this episode of Chats over Chai, Dr Surjeet Dhanji, Director of Cultural Diplomacy and Manager of Victorian Government Projects at the Australia India Institute, interviews Shwetali Sawant, founder of the Indian Bazaar. The Indian Bazaar is a social enterprise that supports small businesses through events, exhibitions, and pop-up markets.

During the interview, Shwetali discusses her background as an entrepreneur and the inspiration behind starting the Indian Bazaar. Shwetali recognised a need for a platform for small business owners and women entrepreneurs who were promoting their products on social media but lacked a physical space to showcase them. The Indian Bazaar was created to address this issue and unite the Indian community through cultural exchange and commerce.

This podcast is part of the Institute's Cultural Diplomacy program, which aims to foster positive public opinion and cross-cultural understanding between Australia and India.

In this podcast, the Institute's CEO Lisa Singh sits down with the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs in Australia, Hon. Tim Watts MP at his office in Parliament House to discuss the role of technology in enhancing the bilateral relationship between Australia and India. 

In this episode, Assistant Minister Watts shares the importance of projecting a modern Australia in India through new tech platforms. He also discusses the strength of the bilateral relationship both at a high strategic level and at a grassroots level through local communities in both Australia and India and how inspiring the younger generations of both nations are.

In this first Chats over Chai podcast for 2023, disability reformer Professor Bruce Bonyhady and disability advocate and researcher Professor Nathan Grills, share valuable perspectives on how Australia and India can work together to improve the lives of people with disability. 

They explore the economic benefits of investing in people with disability in both countries, and how innovative solutions can be found to create truly inclusive societies, as well as sharing their personal perspectives on the field. 

We also discuss how the Melbourne Disability Institute has come to work closely with the Indian Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to empower people with disabilities.