The Chicken-Neck Podcast

This episode features Team Chicken Neck in conversation with Dr. Rajib Sutradhar, who currently works as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the School of Social Sciences, Christ University Bangalore. 

Dr. Sutradhar has written extensively on several economic aspects relating to Assam over the years, especially on cold storages, food prices, supply chains, supermarkets, and rural inequality. In this episode, we discuss several aspects of his work and questions relating to economic development in Assam and the Northeast and discussed policy issues in several sectors keeping in mind the impact of the pandemic.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://bingepods.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Samyak Ghosh a Ph.D. from Columbia University, is a cultural historian of premodern South Asia. His geographical area of research includes the present-day northeast of India, Indo-Tibetan borderlands, and the Eastern Himalayan Region. He was awarded the Kumkum Chatterjee Memorial Award in Indian History and the Junior Research Fellowship by the American Institute of Indian Studies in 2019-2020. He is currently completing a monograph titled, “Formations of the King: The Practice of Political Culture in the Contact Zones of Hindustan, 1700-1850”. The book intervenes in the fields of kingship studies, premodern South Asia, Mughal studies, court studies, critical caste studies, and South Asian religions.

In this episode, we speak to Dr. Ghosh about the cultural, political, and legal history of the early Brahmaputra Valley. The discussion covers some interesting facts on history, including the formation of kings to the courtly culture in the early Brahmaputra Valley. Subsequently, we also discussed some key policy questions emerging in postcolonial Assam, such as the question of making 'Assamese' a state language as well as the debate over Barak vs. Brahmaputra, which is addressed through the lens of history.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://bingepods.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 11th episode of Season 2, we are joined by Mr. Debajit Das, an advocate at Gauhati High Court. He has been a front-runner of environmental litigation in Northeast India. 

In this episode, we spoke to Mr. Das on the importance of judicial intervention in environmental issues, in light of the Dehing-Patkai Illegal Coal Mining case as well as the Baghjan Gas Tragedy. Further, we also looked into the aspect of Environment Impact Assessment and the liability of government in case of an environmental disaster.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://bingepods.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 10th ep. of Season 2, we are joined by Dr. Jelle J.P. Wouters, who is an author and a social anthropologist, currently teaches at Department of Social Sciences at Royal Thimphu College, Bhutan. Previously he taught at Sikkim Central University and was a visiting faculty at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Germany. Over the years, he has conducted ethnographic and historical research in the Naga highlands, writing about vernacular democracy and elections, political conflict, kinship and identity, and social history. He has written on politics, insurgency, capitalism, and identity in Northeast India, and is the author of 'In the Shadows of Naga Insurgency: Tribes, State, and Violence in Northeast India (OUP, 2018).'

In this episode, we speak to Dr. Wouters on the relationship between state, ethnicity, & territoriality in the Northeast India, more specifically Nagaland. The discussion covers the impact of AFSPA on the Naga society and the repeal of the same in the light of recent Otting killings. It also focuses on the socio-ecological and socio-political corollaries of this region’s rediscovery as a resource and capitalist frontier.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://bingepods.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Link to his books:

1. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42634567-in-the-shadows-of-naga-insurgency?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=QMSF0oMKZB&rank=1
2. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60557315-subaltern-studies-2-0
3. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61741455-routledge-handbook-of-highland-asia?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_10

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 9th episode, we are joined by Mr. Pradyut Bordoloi, an Indian Politician from the state of Assam, currently serving as a Member of Parliament for Nowgong constituency. He served as an MLA of Margherita for three consecutive terms in 2001, 2006 & 2011.

In this episode, we briefly discuss his journey as a politician - wherein he has held significant posts such as a Cabinet Minister in the State of Assam and now as an MP. We discuss his current push for policies, some of which addresses significant problems in the  State such as climate migration and its correlation with climate change; public participation in policy-making; dual time zones for Assam, and integrated flood management. We also discuss with him the recent trends of 'internet shutdowns' in the country and how as a parliamentarian he visualizes such situations.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 8th episode, we are joined by Mr. Karma Paljor, who is an award-winning Indian journalist and entrepreneur who co-founded Atvi Infotainment, a content creation company, in 2018. The business verticals include EastMojo.com, a digital news website that reports extensively on northeast India to bring out the lesser-known stories of life in this otherwise ignored region.

In this episode, we talked about the story of Eastmojo, which emerged as the mouthpiece of the region, with intent to give the 'nation' what it hasn't been represented with till today- 'the eastern opinion'. We also talked about the challenges in journalism in NE, citizen journalism, among many other things.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 7th episode, we are joined by Ms. Tora Agarwala, a journalist with The Indian Express. Ms. Agarwala has been covering and writing on various issues concerning the Northeast for years.  

In this episode, we talk to her about various aspects of modern-day journalism, her own experiences of covering for a national media house, the various interesting feature stories she had worked on in the North East, and much more. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 6th episode, we are joined by Mr. Mrinal Talukdar, a revered senior journalist, award-winning documentary filmmaker, author, and a farmer at heart. 
In this episode, we briefly discuss his journey as a journalist as well as his passion for writing on the contemporary social history of Assam. We discuss his work, some of which addresses significant problems in the state of Assam, such as NRC & CAA, youth employment, rhino poaching along with the recent government steps to burn down the rhino horns to break the myth of its medicinal value. We also look into the policy implications of all such developments. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our 5th episode of Season 2, we are joined by Ms. Pratnashree Basu, an Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata, with the Strategic Studies and Maritime Initiative. Ms. Basu is an expert on "Maritime Geopolitics: Indo-Pacific & South China Sea". 

In this episode, we speak to Ms. Basu on aspects of maritime governance and policy development in the NER. Ms. Basu also talked about the significant challenges that the region face in the maritime domain and how we can build NER as a crucial player in the maritime sector in Southeast Asia. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our fourth episode of Season 2, we are joined by Dr. Manabendra Saharia, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology. Prof. Saharia is an expert on Flood Forecasting, Land Surface Modelling, Radar and Satellite Precipitation, Statistics, and Machine Learning, Human Computation. 

In this episode, we speak to Dr. Saharia about the vulnerability of the region to floods and the impact of climate change on these aspects. Prof. Saharia talked about the scientific factors that could help minimize the impact of floods in the region and how we can be a crucial player in the energy sector. The episode also covers some of Dr. Saharia's professional accomplishments and his views on the employability of the region's youth. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of the individual podcasters. Listener Discretion is advised.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can listen to our show on all streaming platforms by clicking on the link:- https://audiowallah.com/podcast/the-chicken-neck-podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices