2024 has already been defined as the year of elections: from Russia through the EU to the US, autocracies, dictatorships and democracies, billions of people are going to the polls. And one of the biggest upcoming elections is due in India: with 968 million registered voters, 15 million elections officials and 1.2 million polling booths, it will be the largest exercise in logistics and democracy the world has ever seen.

But there are problems — in India, and many other democracies. Dr. Radha Kumar, renowned Indian policy analyst, public intellectual and writer specialised in ethnic conflicts and peace processes, who recently convened the Delhi Democracy Convention, joins Ilana Bet-El in an exploration of India’s democratic crossroads. From inter-ethnic tensions to political power plays and media freedom, the flowing conversation explains much about the sub-continent, and the state of democracies far beyond.

Recorded on 18 March 2024

Mentions

• Delhi Declaration (Democracy Convention 2024) & articles in Frontline ; The Wire and The Hindu
• Radha’s inspiration: Dhruv Rathee’s Youtube channel (Hindi with English subtitles)
• Radha’s book recommendation: Waves Across the South by Sujit Sivasundaram
• Radha’s books and follow her on Twitter for the next one published in May!

Follow

• Instagram @women_leaders_podcast
• Our partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook
• Our partner European Leadership Network website
• Ilana Bet-El

Credits

Production: Florence Ferrando

Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!)

Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations

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