A New York Times editorial has declared it “A New Chapter for America and India.” India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a point to reach out to the United States and will visit America for a second time at the end of September 2015. Does Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or “BJP,” also spell a new chapter for the world’s most populous democracy? What role does religion play in everyday Indian politics? And how does India—with a rising population and facing serious environmental issues—view itself on the world stage? Join guests Mytheli Sreenivas and Wendy Singer and hosts Leticia Wiggins and Patrick Potyondy as they explore the past and present of India.

An in-text version of this episode can be found:https://origins.osu.edu/historytalk/politics-india