Understanding India through Puliyabaazi

My Journey with Puliyabaazi: A Podcast Playlist

In my childhood, while reading the Feynman Lectures on Physics, I often wished I could listen to Feynman himself. His lectures were so well-written, it almost felt like he was teaching me personally. Over the last two decades, I’ve delved into diverse books covering science, history, politics, economics, language, and more. I always longed to hear directly from the authors, understand their lives, and grasp the critical insights behind their works.

Thankfully, podcasts have made this a reality. Podacsts helps to disocver authors and their works ( and costs money, as you end up buying those :D ). I am grateful to Amit Verma (seen and the unseen ) for igniting the podcast revolution in India with his insightful long-form discussions. Yet, as his podcasts grew longer, I found myself drifting towards a Hindi podcast that quickly became a favorite — Puliyabaazi. Hosts Pranay, Khyati, and Saurabh have opened up a world of knowledge, offering engaging and authentic discussions on history, policy, politics, and the constitution, sab kuch muft mai!

I’ve always wanted to promote the episodes that deeply impacted me, but did not find to do it. Now, thanks to the time during solo travel, I’ve pieced together a personal playlist that I urge you to explore. While Pranay has crafted an excellent playlist here, this one is curated from my own listening experience.

1. Constitution

• यह Republic क्या बला है ? What does a Republic mean?
  Pranay Kotasthane and Saurabh Chandra. A deep dive into the idea of a Republic and how it shapes governance. The hosts explore the concept in a broader historical and contemporary context.
• एक जन संविधान. A People’s Constitution.
  Rohit De (@itihaasnaama) — author of A People’s Constitution: The Everyday Life of Law in the Indian Republic
  How democratic ideals translated into the Indian Constitution, turning it into a people-centric framework.
• संविधानवाद: विचार से व्यवहार तक। The History of Constitutionalism Tracing the evolution of constitutionalism from theory to practice in India, and its challenges.
• भारतीय संविधान कैसे बना? Unpacking the Workings of Constituent Assembly ft. Achyut Chetan A fascinating exploration of the Constituent Assembly’s workings, shedding light on debates and discussions that shaped the Indian Constitution. Prof. Achyut is a hidden gem
• आज़ादी की राह: चलो याद करें संविधान की महिला रचयिताओं को। Founding Mothers of the Indian Republic ft. Achyut Chetan
  A tribute to the women who played a pivotal role in the formation of the Indian Republic. You learn so much about these women's contributions, beyond the Constituent Assembly Debates.
• संविधान सभा में महिलाओं का योगदान। Women in the Constituent Assembly
  Reflecting on the contributions of women to the drafting of the Indian Constitution.

2. History

• भारत में बैंकिंग : हुंडी से सरकारीकरण तक. History of Indian Banking Part 1. The evolution of banking in India, from traditional systems like ‘Hundi’ to nationalization.
• 1857 की लड़ाई का आँखों देखा हाल. An Eyewitness Account of the 1857 War. Fascinating account based on Vishnu Bhat Godse Varsaikar’s Maazaa Pravaas. Experience the firsthand account of India’s First War of Independence in 1857.
• अपनी ज़मीन की कहानी। India’s Natural History Ft. Pranay Lal
  A journey through India’s natural history, offering new perspectives on its biodiversity and environmental challenges. His book- Indica is an eye opener on India’s geological and ecological history.
• सिंधु घाटी सभ्यता की परिचित-अपरिचित बातें। The People of the Indus ft. Nikhil Gulati Discover the lives and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization, beyond the textbooks. How do we understand the history and the lives of people without any written documents. After listening to this, I am sure yo would buy the book- The People of the Indus https://www.harappa.com/content/people-indus

3. Languages

• भारतीय भाषाओँ में हमारे अतीत के सुराग़. Clues to our past in Indian languages. Linguist Peggy Mohan discuss clues to our past in our languages: diglossia, bilingualism, creolization, the Hindi-Urdu debate, and more. Peggy’s new book ​​Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story of India through its Languages gives an account of the human interactions that have shaped Indian languages.

4. Public Policy

• भारतीय लोकतंत्र का रिपोर्ट कार्ड। The state of our Democracy ft. Pratap Bhanu Mehta A critical evaluation of Indian democracy, its achievements, and the challenges ahead.
• सरकारी काबिलियत लोकनीति को कैसे प्रभावित करती है? Public Policy in India ft. Ajay Shah The influence of government competence on public policy and its long-term effects.
• भारत के विकास की चाबी। Accelerating India’s Development with Karthik Muralidharan How can India accelerate its development? Insights from Karthik Muralidharan on education and economic policy. Karthik’s insights (in Hindi !) are phenomenal. Compliment to his earlier podcasts with Amit Verma

5. Economy and Labour

• EP250 समस्या रोज़गार या वेतन की? Reducing Regulatory Cholesterol ft. Manish Sabharwal India’s wage problem and the challenges of transitioning from farm to non-farm employment. Manish Sabharwal breaks down the regulatory landscape that impacts job creation. Manish has the art of summarizng comples issues in a witty languages. Who can link — history, economicsm, politcis, labour, migration, … seemlessly.
• भारत, क्षेत्रीय विविधता के नज़रिये से। India is Not 28 States, but 85 Regions ft. Poornima Dore India’s economic analysis is typically state-focused, but significant economic differences exist within states. A more accurate approach is to view India as a collection of 85 distinct regions, each with its own economy, geographic identity, resources, and skills. In this episode, Dr. Poornima Dore, an economist and author of Regional Economic Diversity, discusses what we can learn when we adopt this regional lens to better understand India’s economic landscape.

6. Miscellaneous

• भारतीय पुलिस के हालचाल। The State of Policing ft. Javeed Ahmad An insightful conversation on the state of policing in India and the systemic issues plaguing law enforcement. Nuances of Indian Police and the superman expectations from them. You will become more empathetic to Indian policeman.
• भारतीय मतदाता को कैसे समझें? Understanding the Indian Voter ft. Rahul Verma What motivates Indian voters? Rahul Verma dissects voter behavior and political trends.
• आज़ादी की राह : भारत के सटीक नक़्शे कैसे बनें? The Himalayan task of mapping India The story of how the Himalayan task of taking accurate measurements of India across its length and breadth was conducted by the Survey of India (The Great Trignometric Survey). The project, which was of great scientific importance in its times, attempted to study the shape of the earth and made it possible to accurately calculate the heights of the Himalayan giants.
• हमारी शहरी सरकारें इतनी कमजोर क्यों है? The state of India’s Municipal Finances A look into why India’s urban local governments struggle with finances and governance.

7. Demography (ft. Myself)

• भारत की बदलती जनसंरचना। India’s Demography Decoded ft. Shivakumar Jolad
• In this episode, I discuss the evolving demographic trends in India and their implications for policy and society. (Shameless self-promotion!)
• भारत की बदलती जनसंरचना। India’s Demography Decoded ft. Shivakumar Jolad
• In this episode, I discuss the evolving demographic trends in India and their implications for policy and society. (Shameless self-promotion!)