The Pragati Podcast

Dr. Gullapalli N Rao, Founder of the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, talks about human vision, eye health, and the transformation of eye care in India on Episode 147 of The Pragati Podcast.

Dr. Rao talks to host Pavan Srinath about how myopia is a growing challenge across the world and in India. They discuss how India's opthalmological practice leads the rest of healthcare in various aspects, how eye care in metropolitan India is now comparable to anywhere in the world, and explore how eye care can be made affordable for all Indians across the country.

Dr. Gullapalli Nageswara Rao is Founder and Chairman of the L V Prasad Eye Institute, which he started in Hyderabad in 1987. Returning to India after a successful career in the United States as an academic ophthalmologist, Dr. Rao and other leaders across South India helped revolutionize the quality and access to eye care across cities and states. Dr. Rao continues to be an active researcher and a key advocate of affordable eye care and prevention of blindness in India, and across the world. He was honored with a Padma Shri in 2002, and was elected to the Ophthalmology Hall of Fame in 2017 by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Since Episode 142, The Pragati Podcast is now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more. Visit tinyurl.com/pragati147 and listen to this episode on your web or mobile browser, on or the IVM Podcasts Android App or the Adori iOS App for the full experience.

For all feedback, write in to [email protected] or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead .

Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati . The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF).

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Ameya Naik and host Pavan Srinath discuss long-overdue police reforms and provide a primer on how to reimagine policing in India in the 21st century, on The Pragati Podcast.

Ameya and Pavan record Episode 146 of The Pragati Podcast, at a time when there are daily reports of police brutality on minorities and peaceful protestors in the Black Lives Matter movement. Meanwhile in India, the lathi remains the default instrument of policing during the COVID-19 pandemic and during India's stringent lockdowns. This comes on the heels of many reports of excessive use of force against protestors of the CAA and NRC in late 2019 and early 2020.

Ameya Naik is trained in law, public policy, pyschology and diplomacy, and is a recurring guest on The Pragati Podcast as well as a friend of the show. Ameya is a non-resident Associate Fellow at the Takshashila Institution and wears many other hats besides that

Since Episode 142, The Pragati Podcast is now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more.

Visit tinyurl.com/pragati146 and listen to this episode on your web or mobile browser, on or the IVM Podcasts Android App or the Adori iOS App for the full experience.

Suggested reading & listening:
1. Articles and reports discussed in the episode: tinyurl.com/pragati146
2. Previous episodes of Pragati featuring Ameya Naik: thinkpragati.com/tag/ameya-naik/
3. Pragati Podcast #61: Why do we elect Criminals? ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/tag/vaishnav
4. Pragati #141: A 21st Century Justice Platform for India: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/6/10/ep-141-a-21st-century-justice-platform-for-india
5. Pragati #114: A Bottom-Up Look at India's Judiciary: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/10/2/ep-114-a-bottom-up-look-at-indias-judiciary
6. Pragati #131: The Supreme Court of in 2020: ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/3/11/ep-131-the-supreme-court-in-2020

For all feedback, write in to [email protected] or reach out to host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter: twitter.com/zeusisdead

Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/pragatipod & Twitter: twitter.com/thinkpragati & Facebook: facebook.com/thinkpragati

The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neuroscientist and Science Communicator Shruti Muralidhar is on Episode 145 of The Pragati Podcast to talk about the challenges of science publishing and science communication in 2020. Shruti also talks to host Pavan Srinath about how Scicomm can be transformed in India.

Announcement: The Pragati Podcast will now be releasing new episodes every Thursday morning, India time. The Pragati Podcast is also now available in a new rich and interactive format that goes beyond the audio, and enables listeners to explore contextual links, take polls, and more. Listen to this episode on the IVM Podcasts Android App at https://ivm.today/android , Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp , or listen in on your browser at tinyurl.com/pragati145 for the full experience.

Shruti Muralidhar (@polybiotique) is a neuroscientist and science communicator. By day, Shruti works on learning and memory as a postdoctoral researcher at the Picower Institute at MIT. She is a founding member of IndSciComm along with Abhishek Chari, and IndSciComm is a collective formed to improve scientific awareness in India and help Indian researchers interact with the public. Learn more at https://indscicomm.blog/

Read Shruti's policy memo outlining urgent points of action to improve science communication in India: https://indscicomm.blog/2020/07/12/scicomm-policy-memo-for-stip-2020/

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The Pragati Podcast is made possible thanks to the support of The Takshashila Institution and the Independent Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space Law scholar Dr Ranjana Kaul and space entrepreneur Narayan Prasad discuss space reforms and the recent Indian IN-SPACe announcement with host Pavan Srinath on Episode 144 of The Pragati Podcast.

On June 24, the Cabinet of the Govt of India met to approve the setting up of IN-SPACe, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre. This has been heralded as historic space reforms in India. Ranjana and Narayan discuss what we know about IN-SPACe so far, the role of the private sector in space, what space reforms are necessary for India.

Like Episode 143 of The Pragati Podcast with Kartik Parija (tinyurl.com/pragati143), this is a new, interactive episode that goes beyond the regular audio experience. A request for all listeners: please try listening to the episode on the IVM Podcast App, the Adori iOS app, or on your desktop or mobile browser to get a rich, interactive experience. Regular listening on your preferred podcast app remains the same, and you can switch any time.

Download the IVM Podcasts Android App at: https://ivm.today/android , Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp , or listen in on your browswer at tinyurl.com/pragati144 .

Dr. Ranjana Kaul is Partner in Dua Associates, a leading law firm in India. She specializes in the international law of outer space and related national policies and regulations applicable to space sector and downstream space technology business verticals. She is an affiliate of the International Institute of Space Law, Paris; Space & Satellite Professional International (India), and Women in Aviation International (India).

Dr. Narayan Prasad (@cosmosguru) is a co-founder at https://satsearch.co, a global marketplace for space supported and incubated by the European Space Agency. He is the host of the NewSpace India Podcast, and also serves as a Partner to SpacePark Kerala, a Government of Kerala initiative to develop a dedicated space activities hub in India.

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Podcasts are a modern, new medium for most of us in India, but is the underlying technology stuck in the 2000s? Can we reimagine podcasts as a potentially more interactive medium in 2020? Kartik Parija of Adori Labs joins host Pavan Srinath on Episode 143 of The Pragati Podcast to both tell us and show us how.

This is a special, experimental episode that goes beyond the regular audio. A request for all listeners: please try listening to the episode on the IVM Podcast App, the Adori iOS app, or on your desktop or mobile browser to get a rich, interactive experience. Listening on your regular podcast app is still possible, and you can switch later too.

Download the IVM Podcast App at: ivm.today/android ,
Adori IOS app at tinyurl.com/adoriapp ,
Listen in on your browswer at tinyurl.com/pragati142 .

Disclaimer: Kartik Parija is the co-founder of Adori Labs, which powers IVM Podcasts and The Pragati Podcast. IVM is a customer of Adori Labs, and a part of Adori's Early Access program.

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Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What land reforms does India need in 2020? How can we think about property rights, and a complicated legislative history and ground reality in India?

Shekhar Shah and Pranab Ranjan Choudhury give host Pavan Srinath a masterclass on land and reform on Episode 142 of The Pragati Podcast. They discuss what constitutes property ownership in India, what land reforms have meant between the 1950s and 1980s in India, and what they can mean in 2020. The discussion spans rural land conflicts, weak land record systems, the challenges faced by Adivasis and tribal groups being denied their legitimate rights, land acquisition, the growth of private industries, and more.

Dr Shekhar Shah is an Economist and the Director General of NCAER (@NCAER), the National Council for Applied Research in New Delhi. As a part of their Land Policy Initiative, they released the first edition of a Land Records Services Index in February 2020 and ranked Indian states and union territories. Learn more at http://www.ncaer.org/NLRSI/index1.html

Mr Pranab Ranjan Choudhury (@prchoudhury) works with the Centre for Land Governance in Odisha, and has worked for over 18 years on natural resources management and land governance across India. Read more about his work at http://centerforland.org/prchoudhury/

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Podcasts are all about voices and conversations, but how did India's own voice-over industry evolve? This is a rebroadcast of Episode 83 of Pragati Podcast, where pioneering voice artists Shammi Narang and Dishant Narang share their personal journey from the early days of radio ads in India to the rapidly growing industry that is voice-acting today.

Shammi and Dishant Narang run Pindrop Media in New Delhi, and Shammi Narang is the Hindi voice of all Metro rail services in India today. Starting his voice career with Voice of America Hindi in the 1970s, he is a celebrated Doordarshan anchor from the 1980s, and has been a leader in the voice-over industry in India since then.

If you have any questions or comments, write to us at [email protected], or talk to our host Pavan Srinath at @zeusisdead on Twitter. We would love to hear from you.

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Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere.

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Leah Verghese and Surya Prakash from Daksh India talk to host Pavan Srinath about how a 21st-century justice platform can transform access to justice for Indians.

In 2020, it is impossible for migrant workers who have gone back to their home states to go to court over unpaid salaries and wages. It is impractical for a startup to file a civil case to recover pending payments from a large company. India is also an outlier country where in many states, there are more criminal cases than civil cases in district courts.

On Episode 141 of The Pragati Podcast, Leah and Surya discuss how torturous it is for people to seek legal remedies in India in 2020, how digitisation and ICT efforts have fared thus far. They then present how a truly modern justice system can be envisaged, where a legal recourse is accessible, inexpensive, faster and better for all Indians.

Leah Verghese is Research Manager, and Surya Prakash BS is Fellow & Programme Director, at Daksh India, a Bangalore-based nonprofit that works on judicial reform. Daksh recently published whitepaper series on developing a 'Next Generation Justice Platform', which imagines a new way of dispensing civil and criminal justice in India. More details at: https://dakshindia.org/next-generation-justice-platform/

Also listen to:
Pragati Podcast #114: A Bottom-Up Look at India's Judiciary: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2019/10/2/ep-114-a-bottom-up-look-at-indias-judiciary

Pragati Podcast #131: The Supreme Court in 2020: https://ivmpodcasts.com/the-pragati-podcast-episode-list/2020/3/11/ep-131-the-supreme-court-in-2020

Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod &
Follow Pragati on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinkpragati &
Follow Pragati on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thinkpragati

Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can India's courts protect the country's environment? The Pragati Podcast revisits the topic on World Environment Day 2020 with returning guest and Supreme Court Lawyer Ninad Laud.

Ninad was previously on Episode 73 of The Pragati Podcast to discuss the legal history of environmental challenges in India from the 1990s to 2018. This episode includes sections of Episode 73, which explore how well Public Interest Litigations and the National Green Tribunal have done justice to environmental causes in India.

Ninad Laud returns on Episode 140 to talk to host Pavan Srinath about how has the National Green Tribunal, India's premier adjudicating body on environmental issues, has changed in the last few years. They also discuss a recent Environmental Impact Assessment Notification released during the nation-wide lockdown, in March 2020.

If you have any questions or comments, write in to [email protected], or talk to our host Pavan at @zeusisdead on Twitter. We would love to hear from you.

Follow The Pragati Podcast on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pragatipod &
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Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on IVM Podcasts App, iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. M.R. Rajagopal of Pallium India talks to host Pavan Srinath about Palliative care, what it means and how we can ease suffering and pain across India, on Episode 139 of The Pragati Podcast.

Palliative care focuses on quality of life of patients, especially those facing life-threatening illnesses, with a focus on treating pain, alleviating suffering and managing other challenges. Palliative care is a distant priority in India, where even primary and preventive care take a back-seat to curative, hospital-centric, and disease-oriented treatment.

India has changed its draconian laws that have prevented deserving patients from accessing pain medication like Morphine, but the changes remain in theory, and inexpensive opioid pain relief remains a distant dream for most Indians, often in the name of preventing abuse.

Dr. M.R. Rajagopal is the founder-chairman of Pallium India and director of Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences, which is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Policy on Access to Pain Relief. Dr. Rajagopal has worked through the length of his career to establish palliative care and its importance in India, provide relief to innumerable Indians both directly and indirectly. He was honoured with a Padma Shri by the Republic of India in 2018 for his efforts. Visit https://palliumindia.org/ to learn more.

If you have any questions or comments, write in to [email protected], we would love to hear from you.

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Subscribe & listen to The Pragati Podcast on iTunes, Saavn, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, AudioBoom, YouTube, or any other podcast app. We are there everywhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.