In Focus by The Hindu

A recent report released by the World Health Organization, stated something that experts in India have been warning about for years: antimicrobial resistance or AMR in our country the report said, “is a serious and escalating threat, with resistance rates among the highest in the world.” The government is taking this threat seriously: it has now brought out National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR 2.0) — (2025-29) to combat AMR at all levels.

So what is India facing in terms of infections that may not be able to be cured? What sectors does AMR affect outside of hospitals? What are the gaps in the latest AMR plan and how can they be managed? And finally, what can we, as individuals do?

Guest: Dr. Abdul Ghafur, Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospital, Chennai, and Coordinator, Chennai Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance 

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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Every winter, India’s capital city turns into a gas chamber. There is a sharp spike in cases of people reporting respiratory complaints. Children’s schooling is disrupted. They can’t go out and play. The elderly can’t take their morning walks. And the state does very little to address what is evidently a public health emergency.

Beijing had exactly the same problem – but no longer. It took measures to solve it. India has big claims to be a rising power. But our government and bureaucracy have been unable to deliver on the most basic of requirements for life – breathable air.

Why are we in this situation? What can be done?

Guest: Vimlendu Jha, environmentalist

Host: G Sampath

Recorded, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston

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From high-altitude warfare, extreme weather and the shock of Pakistan’s surprise occupation of the heights, to the evolution of artillery tactics that changed the course of the conflict, his memoir Artillery’s Thunder: The Untold Kargil Story recounts the lesser-known, ground-level realities of Operation Vijay. In this conversation, he also reflects the parallels between Kargil and modern precision warfare, and shares insights into the operational challenges faced by soldiers in the world’s highest battlefield. 

What made the artillery’s role so decisive? How did units innovate under fire? And what does this tell us about India’s preparedness for future high-altitude conflicts? 

Guest: Major General (Retd.) Lakhwinder Singh, author of Artillery’s Thunder: The Untold Kargil Story 

Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit, Maharashtra Chief of Bureau, The Hindu 

Produced and edited by Jude Weston

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With the rise in telecom and internet penetration in India, technology-based crimes are on the rise. While financial fraud and digital arrests are the focus of the conversation, a less talked-about issue is that of digital gender-based violence. A new report, titled Experiencing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in India: Survivor Narratives and Legal Responses, highlights testimonies from survivors who have experienced violence enabled by digital tools. The report highlights how digital tools are being used to harass and shame people based on gender or sexuality and shows that online violence is not just a virtual problem, it affects lives and has a profound impact on mental health and personal safety.  

What is TFGBV, and who is most impacted? Why does justice remain out of reach for many survivors, and what systemic and social changes are urgently needed to tackle the issue.  

Guest: Manjusha Madhu of Breakthrough, who is the lead co-author and co-researcher of the report, published by Equality Now and Breakthrough.  

Host: mandira Moddie 

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian 

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Earlier this week, the Department of Telecommunications ordered smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new devices. It also told them to ensure that the app’s functionalities are not disabled. It said this would protect users from cyber-fraud and phone theft.

But within two days, the government revoked this order. It justified the withdrawal by citing a surge in acceptance of the app.

But the revocation was preceded by a tremendous pushback against the original order – from digital rights activists as well as the Opposition. They said it was an attempt to vastly expand the scope of state surveillance.

How do we contextualise this entire episode? Tune in!

Guest: Apar Gupta, founder director of Internet Freedom Foundation.

Host: G Sampath

Produced and edited by Jude Weston

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The rise of Zohran Mamdani as the Mayor of New York City in the United States has brought focus to the lack of visibility of similarly elected civic officials in Indian cities. Why do citizens in urban areas of India have no elected official to turn to in times of crisis or to help improve civic infrastructure and amenities?

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the governing civic body of Mumbai, is set to have elections in 2026 after several years. In Telangana, 27 municipalities are being merged into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has been divided into five corporations. Will these measures help improve governance of cities? Do we need to change how cities are governed in India?

Guests: Thoniparambil Raghunandan, Former IAS officer and a consultant on decentralisation and planning; Anant Maringanti, Director of Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change at the University of Minnesota

Host: Serish Nanisetti

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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December 3 marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an annual observance established by the United Nations in 1992. The 2025 theme is "fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress".

In this episode, we examine India's Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and the principle of reasonable accommodation. Under Section 2(y), reasonable accommodation means "any necessary and appropriate modification and/or adjustment" that enables PwDs to enjoy their rights equally with others, without imposing a "disproportionate or undue burden."Yet despite clear policy mandates, it remains treated as a "nice to have" by many organisations and public institutions. Why do implementation gaps persist? What costs—physical, emotional, and social—do employees with disabilities bear? And what will it take to move beyond tick-box compliance toward genuine inclusion?

Guest: Amran Ali, Executive Director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), and a prominent voice in the disability rights movement.

Host: Vibha B Madhava

Recorded by Jude Weston and Tayyab Hussain

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The 2025 Formula One season has delivered one of the most thrilling championship battles in over a decade. What looked like a straight McLaren shootout between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took a dramatic turn after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where both drivers were disqualified for technical infringements.That stunning twist, combined with Max Verstappen’s late-season surge and seven consecutive podiums, has transformed the fight into a genuine three-way showdown going into the final race at Abu Dhabi.
This episode of InFocus unpacks how the 2025 season shaped up into a captivating three-horse race, the team dynamics that defined McLaren’s back-to-back Constructors’ Championship, as well as a disappointing first year for Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari.

Guest: Rishikesh Ramachandran, former racer and journalist

Host: Reuben Joe Joseph

Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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What is going on with health insurance claims? According to recent data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the volume of claims filed rose 21.8% in the financial year 2025, but the total amount settled by insurers increased by only 12.88 %. This stark mismatch has spilled over social media – where stories of claims going unsettled, settled for lower amounts of being endlessly delayed, are rife.

Adding to this issue is the steep rise in health insurance premiums. Earlier this year, the IRDAI, had directed that premiums for senior citizens not be revised by over 10% a year – this came after senior citizen premiums were going up by 50 or 60% in many cases.

Why is there a growing mismatch between claims filed and settled? How much of an effect does the rising cost of medical services play in this? Do both the insurance sector and private hospitals need better, more stringent regulation?

Guest: Prof. Indranil M., professor and health economist, at OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat

Host: Zubeda hamid

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

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In this weekender episode, we take you back to a time when Mumbai was living under the shadow of the underworld- when extortion calls, gang wars, and contract killings were part of daily life. We are joined by one of the key officers who led the operations that broke the backbone of Mumbai’s mafia networks. As he talks about his book The Brahmastra Unleashed, we unpack what was really happening on the streets, what changed within the police force, and how the city slowly took back control.

What Mumbai looked and felt like during the peak of gang dominance? How the police tracked and tackled major gangs? What’s the truth behind “encounter specialists” versus the myths created by cinema? All in this episode. Tune in.

Guest: D. Sivanandhan IPS (Retd.), Former Police Commissioner of Mumbai

Host: Vinaya Deshpande Pandit, Maharashtra Chief of Bureau, The Hindu

Shot by Emmanual Karbhari and Aditya Shirsekar

Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston

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