The Big Story by The Quint

07.01.2023

What Happens Years After a Cyclone Hits? (ft. Ruhie Kumar & Surabhi Gajbhaye)

Cyclones are a characteristic feature of the Indian coastline and every year we see a few cyclones create severe damage to the east as well as the west coast. As we deal with the havoc left by Cyclone Biparjoy, on...

06.15.2023

Can AI Revolutionise Mental Healthcare? Experts Answer (ft. Dr. Samir Parikh and Dr. Megha Gupta)

Are AI apps the future of mental health support? Can these applications truly understand and address the complexities of our emotional well-being? What can a user expect when they get on such an application? And perhaps the most provocative question...

06.01.2023

The Truth About HEATWAVES & Climate Change in India (ft. Aditya Pillai)

Heatwaves. Literally and metaphorically the “hottest” topic in climate change research. While heatwaves are becoming more and more common in India, are they still dismissed without proper knowledge? More than what we can as individuals do to save ourselves, what...

05.15.2023

Karnataka Results Analysis: Hindutva, Corruption & Local Leaders

What will be the consequence of Congress’ victory in the Karnataka elections? What are the prominent factors that lead to BJP’s setback in the south? What issues mattered to the voters? We are joined by Fatima Khan, principal correspondent with The...

05.01.2023

Are We Spending More Money Because of UPI? (ft. Ateesh Tankha)

In this episode of The Big Story, our hosts Anjali and Prateek talk about money. Now, we don't have a lot of money, but we do have a lot of questions about money. About UPI, precisely. Are we spending more...

04.15.2023

Understanding the Problems with the Indian Education System (ft. Ratna Vishwanathan and Neeti Bhalla Saini)

Do you sometimes look back at your schooling years and wonder if its changed at all? Do you wish you were taught differently? Have you ever considered the role a child’s environment plays in their education? And how different really...

04.01.2023

Will Microplastics Enter the Human Brain? (ft. Shreya Sharma & Sadhika Tiwari)

Did you know microplastics are intentionally added in our products? Or the fact that neither non- vegetarians nor vegetarians are safe from microplastics being found in their food? And why did we discuss Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants? We bet you’re...

03.15.2023

Jaggery, Keto, and Other Food Myths Debunked (feat. Krish Ashok & Dr. Priyanka)

Have you been wondering if you should switch from white sugar to jaggery? Is fast food actually harmful? Do diets like Keto and Paleo work? In this episode of The Big Story, we try to find the answers. We discuss the changing...

02.28.2023

How Media Trials Weaken Journalism & Judiciary (feat. Satish Maneshinde & Manisha Pande)

In the second episode of The Big Story, our hosts, Anjali and Prateek discuss media trials with Manisha Pande, the Executive Editor of Newslaundry, and Satish Maneshinde, a lawyer with more than forty years of experience. Media trials involve using the...

02.15.2023

We Are Worried About The Wrong AI (feat. Shamim Mokles & Anupam Guha)

If you've spoken to a friend or a colleague for over an hour in the past month, it is highly likely that the words Artificial Intelligence (AI) have come up. While we have been hearing about these technologies for a...

02.12.2023

The Big Story 2.0 (Trailer) - New Hosts, New Formats, Bigger Stories

The Big Story is back with a second season! The news culture of our times is noisy, crowded, and honestly so confusing. This is why we are coming every fortnight on your podcast platforms to help you make sense of the...

05.20.2022

Nikhat Zareen's Journey to Gold and What it Means for Indian Boxing

After the marvelous Thomas cup win, India has another reason to celebrate as Telangana-born boxer Nikhat Zareen bagged the gold medal in the 52-kg category at the Women's World Boxing Championship after defeating Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas in the fly-weight final...

05.19.2022

How Can Hardik Patel & Sunil Jakhar's Exit Impact The Congress?

On 18 May, Hardik Patel who gained popularity during the Patidar agitation, quit the party. Taking swipes at senior leaders, he accused the party of lacking strong leadership both at the state and central levels. He said that Congress only plays...

05.18.2022

India's Rationale Behind Banning Wheat Exports & Its Impact On Markets

After enforcing a ban on wheat exports, India announced some relaxations on 18 May. The surprise decision had led to a lot of chaos as hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wheat were reportedly left stranded at Gujarat’s Kandla Port after...

05.17.2022

Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath Dispute: How It Started & Where It Stands Now

The decades-old Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath dispute has sprung back in the news once again. While there are several chapters to this long-drawn dispute, which goes back as far as 1991, let's look at the recent developments first. On Monday, 16 May,...

05.16.2022

Underdogs to Winning Thomas Cup — How Indian Men's Badminton Team Made History

15th May was not just any Sunday, it was a historic Sunday for Indian sports as the Indian men's Badminton team defeated 14-time winners – Indonesia, to clinch their first ever Thomas Cup title in Bangkok. Praise is still pouring in...

05.13.2022

Inflation at 8-Year High of 7.79 Percent – Who Will It Hurt the Most?

The RBI’s unscheduled hike in repo rates on 5 May confirmed that the central bank was behind the curve in controlling inflation and now new data released by the National Statistical Office on 12 May shows exactly how behind. Retail inflation...

05.12.2022

Marital Rape Case: What Next After Delhi High Court Split Verdict?

On the long-standing question of criminalising marital rape, the Delhi High Court on 11 May delivered a split verdict in a batch of petitions challenging the exception provided to marital rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Justice Rajiv Shakdher of...

05.11.2022

IndiGo Incident Shows Why We Need To Raise Awareness Around Disabilities

Are we as a society practicing inclusivity and showing sensitivity towards people with disabilities? A video from Ranchi airport that went viral on social media platforms recently is raising this question. This said video captured an incident where a teenage boy...

05.09.2022

Girls Out of School - The Faces Behind The Stark Numbers on School Dropouts

This time around marks a year to the deadly second wave of Covid. While officially 5.42 lakh people lost their lives to the virus in India since 2020, there have been many repercussions of the pandemic. This episode of The Big...

05.06.2022

Unpacking the Main Takeaways From PM Modi's Europe Visit

In the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his first foreign visit of the year to Europe on 5 May with visits to Germany, Denmark, and France. PM Modi’s first port of call was Berlin,...

05.05.2022

What Explains RBI's Sudden Hike in Repo Rate? Rising Inflation or Catch Up?

In a surprise move on Wednesday, 4 May, the Reserve Bank of India hiked the benchmark repo rate for the first time in four years by 40 basis points to 4.4 percent. Alongside this, the central bank also raised the...

05.04.2022

LIC IPO Listing: What Are The Pros and Cons of Investing?

The wait is over! India’s biggest ever Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) kicked off for subscription for retail institutional investors today, that is on 4 May. Since it's completely an offer for sale, all the...

05.02.2022

Unpacking the State of Freedom of Press in India

A month after taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's "democracy will not sustain if we can't guarantee freedom of speech and expression". However, 8 years on, the freedom of one of the fundamental pillars of democracy –...

04.29.2022

'Hoping for More': Fans Speak on MI, CSK, KKR Performance in IPL 2022

The IPL 2022 saw quite a few overhauls- two new teams being added, the mega auction where teams splurged close to Rs 550 crore for 204 players to construct some new squads. We also saw iconic names going missing and...

04.28.2022

Explainer: Why India Is Witnessing Power Outages in a Heatwave

If you, like me, have caught yourself multiple times a day complaining about how this year is hotter than the last, you are not alone. March 2022 has been India’s third warmest March since 1901 and there have been at least...

04.27.2022

Looking at Virat Kohli's IPL 2022 Dry Spell Through a Mental Health Lens

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for Virat Kohli as his poor performance continues to haunt him in the ongoing IPL 2022 as he got out on the first ball for the second straight match and scored...

04.26.2022

Is Elon Musk’s Idea of 'Freedom of Speech' Right for Twitter?

Only a few days ago, Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter was thought to be long shot but his offer has ben accepted by the social media platform. The billionaire will now pay a cool $44 billion to take the...

04.25.2022

What Does Macron's Close Win Say About France's Changing Political Landscape?

Assured of another five years in office, French President Emmanuel Macron made history on Monday, 25 April, by beating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen. This was the second straight fight between the two politicians and Le Pen’s third shot at...

04.22.2022

India-UK Relations: Unpacking Main Takeaways from Boris Johnson's India Visit

In his first visit to India since being elected United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson on 22 April said the relationship between the two countries is stronger than ever. It has taken three attempts for Johnson to finally arrive in India,...

04.21.2022

How Jahangirpuri Demolitions Went On Despite Supreme Court Orders

Hit by communal violence just days before, Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on 20 April saw seven bulldozers roll into the neighbourhood accompanied by heavy police deployments as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation razed parts of shops, carts, tin...

04.20.2022

Will Congress Give Prashant Kishor The Mandate Over Election Strategy?

It’s been a busy few days at 10 Janpath with political strategist Prashant Kishor meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders, with the former reportedly looking to join the party full time. With three high level meetings since...

04.19.2022

COVID-19 Cases Rise in Delhi: Should the Mask Mandate Return?

After close to a two-month decline in COVID-19 cases, as we were getting back to our pre-pandemic lives with state governments lifting restrictions, the rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital has started to sound alarm bells once again. Since...

04.18.2022

What Led to Communal Tensions in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri?

On Saturday, 16 April, violence broke out in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri following a Shobha Yatra organised to mark Hanuman Jayanti. The Delhi Police have so far arrested 24 people and apprehended two juveniles in connection with communal clashes that broke out...

04.14.2022

Karnataka Politics: Unpacking KS Eshwarappa's Surprise Resignation from Office

In a big development in Karnataka politics, State Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj KS Eshwarappa announced his resignation from office on Thursday, 14 April, after allegations of corruption and his alleged role in the suicide of a contractor...

04.13.2022

Unpacking the Big Takeaways From India-United States 2+2 Dialogues

In the backdrop of big geopolitical developments in Ukraine, the United States and India held their fourth 2+2 dialogue on 12 April in Washington DC. These focused discussions between two countries' foreign and defence counterparts have become a regular affair since...

04.12.2022

As Shehbaz Sharif Becomes the New Pakistani PM, What Does It Mean for India?

On 11 April, Shehbaz Sharif became the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after his predecessor Imran Khan was booted off unceremoniously through a no-confidence vote. After 3 years and 8 months in office and a lot of attempts to stay in...

04.11.2022

Understanding Why the Occasion of Ram Navami Has Turned Communal

Several instances of violence, stone pelting, and arson rocked many states of India on the occasion of Ram Navami on 10 April. Reports of unrest and violence emerged from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat West Bengal, Goa, Mumbai, and New Delhi, where...

04.08.2022

What’s Next for Imran Khan if Ousted as Pakistan's Prime Minister?

All is not well for Imran Khan as he faces an unprecedented no-confidence motion against him in the Pakistan National Assembly on 9 April The chess pieces were set for what seemed like a sure ouster by the country’s Opposition on...

04.07.2022

How SDMC Mayor’s Attempt To Shut Meat Shops Did Nothing but Create Confusion

In an unprecedented move on 4 April, the Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) proposed to shut meat shops under his jurisdiction during the Navratri festival, which will last till 11 April. In a letter to the South Delhi...

04.06.2022

Will the Atrocities in Bucha Be a Turning Point in the Russia-Ukraine War?

In a scathing speech at the United Nations on 5 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of a litany of horrors and atrocities and challenged the UN to act immediately or dissolve itself altogether. This outrage comes in the aftermath...

04.05.2022

What Does the Merger of HDFC, HDFC Bank Mean for the Financial Sector?

In a big announcement on Monday, 4 April, the board of HDFC Limited and HDFC Bank announced the biggest merger in Indian corporate history, with a combined balance sheet of a whopping Rs 17.87 trillion. The merger, which is expected to...

04.04.2022

Unpacking the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' Event and Attacks on Journalists

Less than three months after getting arrested for making Islamophobic remarks and instigating violence at the Haridwar 'Dharma Sansad' in December 2021, controversial Hindu leader Yati Narsinghanand is at it again. On 3 April, an event called the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' was...

04.01.2022

Understanding Significance of AFSPA Being Lifted & Assam-Meghalaya Peace Pact

In a significant move, the Centre on 31 March reduced the footprint of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from several parts of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. This decision is significant as the calls for repealing the Act have...

03.31.2022

Unpacking the Recent Developments in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

It's Day 36 of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and a lot has happened in just the past week. This includes Russia and Ukraine coming to the negotiating table in Istanbul, Russia announcing for the first time that it would reduce military...

03.30.2022

Decoding The New Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill & Concerns it Raises

In 1920, when the British were still in power, they introduced a law named the “Identification of Prisoners Act.” This allowed the police to take and store footprints and fingerprints of conflicts. Now, 102 years later, this bill has not only...

03.29.2022

With a No-Confidence Vote in Sight, Are Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Days Numbered?

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing the biggest threat to his political career – a unified Opposition coalition and a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly on 31 March. The political temperature in the country has been on...

03.28.2022

What Does a Unified MCD Mean for Delhi Citizens & Does it Help BJP Politically?

The deference of the Delhi civic polls has left the AAP-led Delhi government at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre. At the heart of the delay is The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that seeks to merge the North, East and...

03.25.2022

Delhi Riots Case: Same Court That Gave Bail to Ishrat Denies It to Umar – Why?

Delhi’s Karkardooma Court rejected the bail plea of activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid, on 24 March, in connection with the Delhi Riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case. This comes after the court deferred the pronouncement of the order three times...

03.24.2022

Debts, Covid & Bad Policies: A Breakdown of What Led to Sri Lanka's Economic Crisis

With severe shortage of food, cooking gas, and other essential items, sky-rocketing fuel prices and record-high inflation, Sri Lanka is battling its worst economic crisis in over several decades. A critical shortfall of foreign currency had led to a massive reduction...

What's The Big Story about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Big Story episodes: