Shows
From The MarginlandsEp 10: How to tell slow burn environmental storiesThis episode focuses on the importance of environmental storytelling, emphasizing the need to go beyond surface-level reporting and explore deeper narratives that connect individual experiences to broader community and global contexts. Prem and Arati discuss various aspects of crafting compelling environmental stories, including research methods, data collection, and narrative techniques, while highlighting the significance of incorporating historical perspectives and indigenous knowledge. They also stress the importance of balancing crisis narratives with stories of resilience and community solutions, encouraging listeners to contribute to environmental storytelling by sharing their local experiences.Show Notes:2:27: Arati Kumar-Rao's reportage from...2025-07-211h 48
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Episode 9: Ft. Dr Roxy KollIn this episode, Prem and Arati discuss our warming oceans with Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist and winner of the prestigious National Science Award, in 2024. What are the implications of increasingly intense and frequent marine heat waves? Why should we care? Who bears accountability of historical emissions? What does the interconnectedness of oceans and climate mean for tackling this crisis? The conversation emphasizes the need for local adaptation strategies, comprehensive data collection, and the alarming challenges faced in climate science funding. Dr. Koll highlights the urgency of addressing these issues to mitigate the impacts of the rising...2025-07-071h 42
Books and Beyond with Bound8.10 Yuvan Aves: On Losing Nature and Learning to CareWhat if the key to environmental action isn’t outrage, but observation? And what if the real climate crisis is a crisis of attention?In this powerful conversation, nature writer and activist Yuvan Aves talks about his lyrical and politically urgent book Intertidal. Set along Chennai’s disappearing coasts and wetlands, the book prompts readers to notice, remember, and reconnect with the living world around them. Yuvan shares how he teaches children to fall in love with their local ecologies by example rather than instruction and how Indian natur...2025-06-2455 min
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands: Ep 8: The State Of India's EnvironmentIn this episode, Prem Panicker and Arati Kumar-Rao discuss significant updates regarding environmental incidents off the coast of Kerala. The conversation then turns to The State Of India's Environment through Figures, a study released by the Center for Science & Environment (CSE) on June 5, 2025. Prem & arati focus on increasing Air pollution, Forest Diversion, Shrinking Farmlands, and our warming world and its implications.Contact us:Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aratikumarrao/ Prem Panicker on X (Twitter): https://x.com/prempanicker Prem on Substack: https://prempanicker.substack.com/2025-06-231h 36
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Episode 7: Shipwreck off Kerala CoastOn May 23, 2025, the MSC Elsa 3, a 28-year-old container ship, left Vizhinjam Port for Kochi, carrying 640 containers—13 of them packed with hazardous cargo, including calcium carbide, a chemical that can ignite with a spark. Less than 24 hours later, 38 nautical miles off Kerala’s coast, it sent out a distress call after developing a 26-degree list to starboard and flooding in a cargo hold. By dawn on May 25, the ship had sunk 50 meters below the Arabian Sea, taking with it over 450 tonnes of fuel and a trail of debris that’s now choking Kerala’s shores. All 24 crew were saved. But for the...2025-06-092h 58
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Ep 6 Ft. Yuvan AvesIn this episode, Arati and Prem dive into the heart of Bangalore’s flood crisis and the intricate dance between humanity and nature. We unpack the city’s recent flooding woes, echoing themes from our previous conversation with S Vishwanath on urban planning and his six pillars of water conservation. Our guest for this episode is Yuvan Aves, a passionate naturalist, writer and activist, who shares his early adventures in the wild, reflects on the nature of co-existence with creatures that can harm us, and on his collaboration with Robert Macfarlane for the latter's book Is A River Alive? We e...2025-05-271h 43
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands E5 Ft Vishwanath (Zenrainman)In this episode, Arati Kumar-Rao and Prem Panicker explore the intricate relationship between visual storytelling and the narratives behind images, particularly in the context of nature and rivers. They discuss the importance of language in nature writing, emphasizing how evocative prose can connect readers to the land. The conversation shifts to the concept of rivers as living entities, touching on the rights of nature and the challenges of environmental activism. Their guest for this episode is the Founder of the Biome Trust, S. Vishwanath, popularly known as Zenrainman. Together, the trio delve into water conservation efforts, highlighting community involvement...2025-05-121h 23
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Ep4: Ft. Pranay LalIn this episode, Aarti Kumar Rao and Prem Panicker focus on the ongoing extreme heat waves and their implications. They critique the media's coverage of the issue, highlighting a lack of urgency and depth in reporting. The conversation explores the impact of heat on urban planning, the rural workforce, and public health, emphasizing the need for a more interconnected understanding of environmental challenges. The episode features Pranay Lal, biochemist, nature writer, caricaturist, and environmental chronicler. Together, the trio explores the complex interplay between climate change, urban heat islands, and the emergence of new viral diseases. They discuss historical climate...2025-04-281h 36
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Episode 3In this episode, Arati Kumar-Rao and Prem Panicker navigate the complexities of grief following Arati's recent loss of her mother. They reflect on the profound influence of Arati's mother on her life, particularly in storytelling and communication. The conversation transitions into a discussion on environmental issues, focusing on the detrimental impact of development on Mumbai's mangroves and the broader implications for climate change. They emphasize the importance of understanding local ecosystems and the challenges posed by current environmental policies. The episode concludes with a reflection on the state of India's environment, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and action.2025-04-1439 min
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands: Ep2 Ft. Nilanjana RoyFrom The Marginlands hosts Prem & Arati scour the mainstream India newspapers to find news about the environment and then sit down with acclaimed author Nilanjana Roy to discuss writing landscapes. Contact us:Email the PodcastArati Kumar-Rao on Instagram Prem Panicker on X (Twitter) Prem on SubstackFrom The Marginlands on Instagram2025-03-311h 22
From The MarginlandsFrom The Marginlands Episode 1 Feat. Paul SalopekAbout us:Arati Kumar-Rao, photojournalist and author of Marginlands: InstagramPrem Panicker, journalist and editor: X and SubstackFrom The Marginlands on SubstackOn why we are doing this podcastOur email: marginlands@gmail.com Headlines:05:06: WWF helps facilitate trade in polar bear fur, investigation reveals06:37: Ammonia level rises in Yamuna yet again, may hit water supply and related: Why Yamuna in Delhi has high ammonia levels08:28: Is the Ganga self-cleaning? Here's what science says 09:28: Fo...2025-03-1756 minFrom The MarginlandsIntroducing From The MarginlandsIn From The Marginlands, we -- Prem and Arati -- explore storytelling and elemental connections between us and the world around us. We will converse with carefully curated guests on the art of telling stories about the environment and on climate change as it manifests around the world.Contact us:Email the PodcastArati Kumar-Rao on Instagram Prem Panicker on X (Twitter) Prem on SubstackFrom The Marginlands on Instagram2025-03-1406 min
Say Again?! With Amrita TripathiEp 10 - Uncovering Local, Hidden Wisdom with Nat Geo Explorer Arati Kumar-RaoIn this week’s episode of #SayAgain, Nat Geo Explorer Arati Kumar-Rao shares the hidden beauty of local wisdom, from 40 names for clouds, to how her local friend and guide shared the inherent wisdom and knowledge of how to find water even in the harsh dunes of a desert. The power of wonder underscores all that she does. Through her work as a writer, artist, and environmental journalist, Arati discusses her journey behind Marginlands: Landscapes on the Brink, a pivot from corporate life, and her approach to slow journalism documenting fragile ecosystems. Join host Amrita Tripathi for an...2024-09-0947 min
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaArati Kumar-Rao Took a One-Way TicketShe gave up a corporate career to live a slow life: to travel, to immerse, to write, to learn to see. Arati Kumar-Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 383 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about her writing, her photography and the lessons she has learnt by standing still and looking. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Arati Kumar-Rao on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and her own website. 2. Marginlands: Indian Landscapes on the Brink -- Arati Kumar-Rao. 3. The Peepli Project. 4. The Prem Panicker Files — Episode 217 of The Seen and the Unseen. 5. Killers of the Flower...2024-05-273h 24
The ConversationWomen documenting climate change in picturesBeatriz De La Pava Hucke talks to two women telling the stories of communities threatened by the environmental impact of rising seas, flood damage and increasing temperatures. They're using photography, poetry and literature to express the realities of climate change in communities around the world.Arati Kumar-Rao is a National Geographic Explorer, environmental photographer, writer and artist. She chronicles the changes in landscape caused by climate change, and she’s currently reporting on human migration in India. Her book is called Marginlands.Professor Christina Gerhardt founded the Environmental Humanities Institute at the University of Hawai’i at...2024-02-1927 min
Grassroots NationDr Madhav Chavan and Dr Rukmini Banerji (Part 2): Go to the people. Love them, learn from them.We continue our journey with pioneers in literacy and learning in India, Dr Madhav Chavan and Dr Rukmini Banerji of the Pratham Education Foundation. In this episode we dive deep into the story of Pratham and the ASER survey.
Pratham is one of India’s best known non governmental organizations and was established in 1995 by Madhav Chavan and Farida Lambe. Since then the organisation has striven to improve literacy amongst India’s children with the mission ‘Every Child in School Learning Well’. Pratham conducts the Annual State of Education Report (ASER) Survey, a nationwide household survey on the state of educatio...2023-10-2052 min
Tough Girl PodcastArati Kumar-Rao - From National Geographic Explorer to Environmental Chronicler, documenting the slow violence of ecological degradation, inspiring us all to take a closer look at our changing world. Author of Marginlands: Indian Landscapes On The Brink. Arati Kumar-Rao is an exceptional National Geographic Explorer, independent environmental photographer, writer, and artist dedicated to documenting the slow violence of ecological degradation. With unwavering passion, she traverses the South Asian subcontinent, embarking on captivating journeys that span seasons and sometimes years. Through her profound storytelling, Arati chronicles the ever-changing landscapes, climate, and their profound impact on livelihoods and biodiversity in South Asia. Arati's profound impact is not confined to her lens or pen; she employs a multidimensional approach, utilising the power of photos, long form narratives, and art to communicate her insights. Recently, she unveiled her...2023-10-1045 min
The Bookshop PodcastTrilogy Curated Bookshop & LibrarySend us a textIn this episode, I chat with Ahalya Naidu about Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library which she owns with her partner Meethil Momaya about why they opened a bookshop and library, the importance of books in translation, local authors in Mumbai, and where to get the best chai in India!Trilogy Curated Bookshop and Library, located in Bandra West, Mumbai, is owned by Ahalya Naidu and Meethil Momaya. The name Trilogy symbolizes a coming together of the writer, the reader, and the book. It’s a warm and cozy place where you can spe...2023-08-2149 min
The Hindu On BooksArati Kumar-Rao on her new book 'Marginlands' | The Hindu On Books podcastIn this episode of On Book Podcast with The Hindu, we are joined by Arati Kumar-Rao, an artist, photographer and author of 'Marginlands', a book that chronicles a decade of travels to fringes of the subcontinent that journalism often leaves unexplored: the mangroves of the Sundarbans, the Thar desert and the tidepools of Goa. In this podcast, Kumar-Rao talks about how she discovers a desert full of water, about the 40 names for clouds the people of the Thar have, how Tagore and Satyajit Ray inform her work, and her form of slow journalism.2023-06-1515 min