Pankaj Mishra is a multiple award-winning Indian writer, essayist and novelist who has been challenging traditional ideologies for over 30 years.

His latest book ’Bland Fanatics: Liberals, Race and Empire’ argues that modern democracies are heading towards moral and ideological bankruptcy and coronavirus is the latest example.

He tells Krishnan why democracy is unravelling, the importance of open debate and why we all need a dose of seriousness.