The Bridge Project

Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

Episode 3, Part 2: Health & Heatwaves: How Cities Cope

The sounds of birds chirping early in the morning. Bustling activity & lively chatter on the streets. The cries of children playing at a maidan. And the grim, incessant honking at traffic signals. These evoke memories of a typical Indian city in our minds. But today, these very cities have been silenced by the ravaging pandemic. While the subject of health occupies a large part of our mindspace today, the looming threat of natural disasters such as heat waves deserve closer attention. We crave for a return to normalcy, which is, in other words, hearing those sounds once again that breathes life into our cities. The answer lies in better preparedness, both from a health and disaster response standpoints.

This episode features Mr. Abiyant Tiwari who is an Assistant Professor & Program Manager at the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management. He is trained as a Master of Public Health with a specialization in Environmental Health Sciences from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mr. Tiwari is also a member of the National Disaster Management Authority of India’s technical experts’ group that develops national guidelines for heatwave adaptation plans. In this episode, he begins by describing the steps taken to improve the healthcare infrastructure in our cities via digital solutions & surveillance apps. In the latter part of the podcast, Mr. Tiwari shares his experiences from working on Ahmedabad’s heatwave action plan, a critical innovation designed to provide early warning updates on those unforgiving temperature rises.

Shownotes:

1. Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan 2019, C40 Knowledge Hub (quote by Dr. Tejas Shah & other expert interviews)
2. ACSyS (Advanced COVID 19 Syndromic Surveillance System), Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM)
3. Quality of Life in Indian Cities, Handbook of Emerging 21st-Century Cities
4. Chapter 3 — Global Warming of 1.5 ºC - IPCC (section on impact of heatwaves on cities)
5. Paper: Deadly Heat Stress to Become Commonplace Across South Asia Already at 1.5°C of Global Warming, Geophysical Research Letters

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Health & Heatwaves: How Cities Cope ", 23 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8570326 

Research Credits:
Prarthana Puthran (Voice-over & Research), Carl Jaison (script)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your feedback!

Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

Episode 3, Part 1: Re-Thinking Local Governance

A rich diversity. Varied landscapes. An indomitable human spirit. Most of all, a simple yet complex idea. This is the India we know of. But how is the governance of this remarkably complex country having a population of 1.3 billion people organised? To be sure, India’s governance systems are every bit as sweeping as the country itself. The administrative levels are constituted by the Central government, State govts and local level governance. This third layer of complexity – the local level - consisting of the urban local bodies and municipalities – is the focus of this podcast.

This podcast features Dr. Anjali K. Mohan an urban and regional planner by profession with a PhD in urban e-governance from International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore. Dr. Anjali helps us understand & explore the various challenges encountered by city governance & the solutions that can be leveraged to better govern these units. We find out how ICT & digital governance solutions are only as good as your city & local urban administrations.

Shownotes:

1. Message from Wu Hongbo for the 2016 UN E-Government Survey, UN DESA
2. Prime Minister Modi's speech at the Economic Times Global Business Summit 2016
3. Seminar Series on ‘The ‘Southern Tilt’ in the urban’
4. Shillong Declaration on E-Governance (2019)

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Re-Thinking Local Governance ", 17 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8519853

Research Credits:
Carl Jaison (Voice-over & Research), Prarthana Puthran (Research)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your feedback!

Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

Episode 2

Global cities are increasingly becoming a crucial part of global climate governance, more so because of their ability to contribute to the journey of achieving the SDGs. Assessing the role of cities in global climate governance becomes an important study as much as studying the role of states in mitigating climate change.  From an international relations perspective as well, there is a connection between the global and the local levels. It is important to look at transnational municipal networks and their contribution to climate governance such as the C40 and what is it that they do to promote technology-based solutions as well as how do they contribute in forwarding the agendas necessary for cities to mitigate climate change. Climate change and technology interface in global environmental politics makes the study of the role of global cities a holistic one.

To discuss on “Global Cities and Global Climate Governance”, we are joined by Dr. Marielle Papin, Postdoctoral Fellow, Political Science department, McGill University and Dr. Ana Carolina Evangelista Maud, Assistant Professor, International Relations Department, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Global Cities and Global Climate Governance ", 04 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8451542 

Research Credits:
Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram (Host), Mrinmoy, Kurnica and Varun (Research)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your feedback!

Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

The Sustainable Development Goals was initiated in 2015 by the Member States at The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Six years since the SDGs were launched, how have global & local economies adopted these goals? Unfortunately, a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic has pushed back progress on many of the goals by decades. As these goals become more important than ever before, how can economies and governments at all levels accelerate their efforts in reaching these goals?

In order to address one of the primary concerns of taking SDGs to those who are most in need, The Bridge Project brings to you a series of podcasts under the theme- ‘Taking SDGs to the Last Mile’. We are delighted to collaborate with the Centre for Climate Studies at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education for this podcast series.

Episode 1

More than half of the world's population live in cities and by 2030, it is estimated that six out of ten people will be city dwellers. Cities have always been the engines of economic growth fueled by the continuous rural to urban migration. However, the capacity of our cities have touched alarming levels with respect to the demand and availability of resources & space. In this context, sustainability needs utmost attention from all stakeholders of society.

To discuss the ‘Action on Cities and Communities’, we are joined by Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, CEO and Founder of Council for Energy, Environment and Water and Melissa Smith, Principal Architect and Urban Planner based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. 

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor and Co-coordinator of the Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Shownotes

What are the Sustainable Development Goals? (2015), UNDP India

Background on the goals (2015), UNDP India



Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Action on Cities and Communities in India ", 04 April, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8268259

Research Credits:
Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram (Host), Mrinmoy and Navya

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your feedback!

Shownotes

1. Amulya Gopalkrishnan, (2020) "Why public space isn't public unless women feel free",  Times of India

2. Laura Bliss, (2014) "The Lack of Equal Bathroom Access for Women Is a Global Design Flaw",  Bloomberg

3. Phadke, S., Khan, S., Ranade,S., (2016)"Give women equal access to public spaces", The Hindu

4. Menon, N., (2017), "Seeing like a Feminist", Zubaan Books

5. Phadke, S., Khan, S., Ranade,S., (2011), "Why Loiter: Women and Risk in Mumbai", Viking

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Reclaiming Public Spaces " (9.0), 18 Oct, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5945599 

Research Credits:
Navya Khanna and Prarthana Puthran (Hosts)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback!

In the latest episode of The Bridge Project, Shekhar Narsimhan offers his take on the upcoming U.S Presidential elections and what it means for the future of America. Narsimhan is the Chairman and Founder of AAPI Victory Fund, an organisation that focuses on mobilizing eligible voters from the Asian American and Pacific Islanders communities and moving them to the ballot box. Narsimhan speaks on a range of issues including the latest on the debate performances of U.S President Donald Trump and Democratic Nominee Joe Biden, the significance of the recent Vice-Presidential Debate, the impact of voting-by-mail, the possibility of violence in the aftermath of the elections and the key issues that matter to the Indian American community. This episode was co-hosted by Rajesh Mehta, an International Consultant & Columnist and Carl Jaison, Co-Founder, The Bridge Project. 

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Exclusive Interaction with Shekhar Narasimhan, Chairman & Founder, AAPI Victory Fund" (8.0), 08 October, 2020, URL: 

Research Credits:
Carl Jaison & Rajesh Mehta (hosts)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback!

Today, the U.S is India’s largest trade partner, with close to $150 billion in two-way trade between the democracies. More than two decades ago, it was just $11 billion. Indo-US defence trade, on the other hand, has risen from close to zero in 2008 to $18 billion today with an array of strategic agreements signed & greater convergence of strategic interests realised than during any other point in their otherwise contentious history. Further, U.S investments add up to around $28 billion in India along with the slew of American firms that hire India’s technical workforce. Even Indian firms have invested around $18 billion to go with its much-celebrated IT outsourcing services. On the cultural front, Indian-Americans now make up the largest PIO community anywhere in the world with estimates showing around 4 million live in the U.S at present. Additionally, the diaspora community is also one of the wealthiest sub-groups by income, a testament both to their relative success and the hallowed tenet of the American Dream. 

Exploring these three pillars – of politics, business and diaspora- this episode seeks to understand the changes and continuities in Indo-US relations over the years, especially with the next U.S Presidential elections just round the corner and what it portends for the relationship between the two countries in the coming years. This makes the India-U.S relationship, certainly, one for the ages.

In this episode, we are joined by Arun M Kumar, Chairman and CEO, KPMG India; Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director, Indiaspora and Rajesh Mehta, an International Consultant and Columnist.

Thanks to Indiaspora & Rajesh Mehta for setting up this conversation with KPMG India.

References

1. Indian Americans Vote 2020 Voter Survey Results, Joint Report by Indiaspora and AAPI Data, 15 September 2020

2. Indian Roots, American Soil, A Survey of Indian Industry's Business Footprint in the United States, CII Report, Sixth Edition 2020

3. Megha Bahree, India Needs 'Regulatory Coherence,' U.S.-India Business Council Says, Forbes India, 10 July 2019

4. Kashish Parpiani, Understanding India–US trade tensions beyond trade imbalances, ORF, 05 February 2020

5. Manjeet Kripalani and Michael Mandel, A New World for India and the United States, Gateway House, 30 July 2020

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Future of US-India Relations: Business, Politics and Diaspora" (7.0), 24 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5584759

Research Credits:
Carl Jaison (host), Research (Mukul Bhatia and Raunaq Puri)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback!

In this podcast, The Bridge Project in association with The Peacebuilding Project, attempts to not just get a better understanding of complex issues related to peace and conflict studies but also understand the work of researchers and practitioners who contribute to this discipline.

We are joined by Rhea Mahanta, Founder & President, The Peacebuilding Project & Civil Affairs Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Dr. Rityusha Tiwary, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi & Visiting Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi.

Why do they research on these issues? Are there different approaches to peace? What is the role of multiple identities in a conflict? Tune in to get answers to these questions.

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Peace and Conflict Resolution" (6.0), 20 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5516137 

Research Credits:
Navya Khanna

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback!

In the third episode of this series, we talk about Pakistan’s strategy of sub-conventional warfare and India's likely response options. We are joined by Pranay Kotasthane, who is Faculty & Head of Research, Takshashila Institution and co-hosts the Hindi podcast Puliyabaazi.

You can follow Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter here: @pranaykotas

Recommendations:

1. B. Raman, The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane, Lancer
2. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
3. Ayesha Siddiqa, Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy, Pluto Press
4. T.C.A Raghavan, The People Next Door: The Curious History of India-Pakistan Relations, HarperCollins
5. Tilak Devasher, Pakistan: Courting the Abyss, HarperCollins

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Pakistan's Sub-Conventional Warfare and India's Options" (5.3), 13 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5414596

Research Credits:
Prateek Joshi (Host), Aishani Jaiswal (Host)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback! 

Afghanistan has been mired in conflict for over 40 years. In February of this year, the signing of the agreement between the US and Taliban marked a milestone in America’s longest war.

However, at present, as the US presence in the country is dwindling, Indian foreign policy in Afghanistan stands at a cross-road. Fear of losing in ‘the Great Game’ has led some to suggest opening a dialogue with the Taliban. Others have pointed out that talking to the Taliban will not serve any purpose since the group is closely tied to Pakistan and still maintains its linkages with the terrorist organisations. In this background, it becomes imperative to discuss the emerging scenario in Afghanistan and what the policy options are likely to be for India after the withdrawal of the US troops from the country.

In the second episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives on “India's National Security Challenges”, we talk about Afghanistan’s peace process and India’s role. We are extremely privileged to have with us Amar Sinha, a member of the National Security Advisory Board and former Ambassador to Afghanistan and Dr. Avinash Paliwal, who is a Senior Lecturer and the Deputy Director of South Asia Institute at SOAS.

In this episode, they discuss the implications of the global war on terror in Afghanistan, the ongoing peace process, Taliban 2.0, India’s policy options, and the role of regional countries.

References

1. Avinash Paliwal, "India must support its allies in Kabul", The Hindustan Times, 24 February, 2020

2. Interview, "India must not give Taliban legitimacy until it joins intra-Afghan talks, says former envoy Amar Sinha", The Hindu, 17 May, 2020

3. Book by Avinash Paliwal, "My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the US Withdrawal", Harper Collins.

4. C. Raja Mohan, "As it ponders talks with Taliban, Delhi should focus on complex geopolitics of the Pashtun lands", The Indian Express, 26 May, 2020

5. Davood Moradian, "India should play an active role in articulating and promoting a peace process in Afghanistan", The Indian Express, 27 June, 2020

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Afghanistan's Peace Process and India's Role" (5.2), 06 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5313844

Research Credits:
Dr Yatharth Kachiar (Host), Navya Khanna (Host)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Write to us at [email protected] with your generous feedback!