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Showing episodes and shows of
Menaka Rao
Shows
The Suno India Show
Matter of Choice: When seeking abortion is confused for sex selection
What prevents women from seeking safe, legal abortions? Studies show that the awareness about abortion and its legality is very low among people. To add to the confusion, the implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 or PCPNDT Act which makes sex selection illegal gives anti-abortion messages. This is the fifth and final episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Saraswati Sahu, a leader with the Chhatisgarh Mahila Mukti Morcha that works on the rig...
2024-12-05
23 min
The Suno India Show
Matter of Choice: How getting an abortion is linked to contraceptive use
How getting an abortion is linked to contraceptive use How a person seeking abortion is treated often relates to their contraception history. When someone seeks abortion, the health system discriminates against those who take temporary contraceptives or no contraceptives at all. The public health hospitals often deny abortion unless women undergo a permanent sterilisation or at least take a long acting contraceptive such as intrauterine devices. This is the fourth episode of a series 'Matter of Choice', a series that explores how women face. This podcast explores how these systemic denials and attitudes have classist...
2024-11-26
22 min
The Suno India Show
Matter of Choice: The problem with seeking abortion after turning single
This episode explores the barriers faced by women who are pregnant before they turn single, either by widowhood or marital separation, or any other reason. This is the third episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. In this episode, Menaka Rao speaks with a woman whose husband died when she was pregnant, leaving her to make the tough choice. We discuss the legal precedents in relation to women who sought an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy when they were either widowed or separated. ...
2024-11-04
12 min
The Suno India Show
Matter of Choice: Why women seeking abortions in Delhi go from doctor to doctor
This is the second episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. This episode is based in Delhi where despite facilities, women are given a run-around for abortions. In this episode, Menaka Rao speaks to three women who had a hard time seeking abortion in the country’s capital. These women were either treated with disrespect, or asked for very hefty fees in the private sector, often with very little assurance that the provider will provide abortion. Menaka speaks to these women at the non-profit Parivar Se...
2024-10-17
15 min
The Suno India Show
Matter of Choice: Abortions inaccessible, how these women suffered
Abortion is legal in India with certain conditions. But it is hard to access in many parts of the country, especially in rural India. An estimated eight women die everyday from abortions in India. This series called - Matter of Choice- will explore how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortion. In this first episode, Menaka Rao goes to villages in Azamgarh where women have little or no options for legal abortions. Blind alley abortions are common, with unqualified doctors or quacks offering abortion, putting the women’s lives at risk. What is it like to u...
2024-09-19
19 min
The Suno India Show
Year in the life of a former death convict
It has been more than a year since the Supreme court released Narayan Chetanram Chaudhary in March 2023. Narayan was convicted along with his co-accused for gruesome murders in Pune and sentenced to death. But after 28 years of jail, the Supreme court released him as per the Juvenile Justice Act after it was proved that he was just 12 years old at the time of offence. How is he coping with life outside jail? In this podcast, Menaka Rao visited him in his village in Bikaner to understand how Narayan is managing life in society. Se...
2024-08-19
25 min
The Suno India Show
Post-election fallout: Will the mainstream media reform?
Since the 2024 General Election results have been declared, questions have been raised about the way mainstream media had represented the Indian voters’ sentiment. We want to highlight the work of a media collective, ChalChitra Abhiyaan that works in Western Uttar Pradesh, and recorded people’s discontent about the government. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Nakul Singh Sawhney, a documentary filmmaker who made several films including the widely acclaimed Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai on the religious riots that broke out in UP’s Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in 2013. He is the founder of the film and media collectiv...
2024-06-08
21 min
The Suno India Show
Man who turned blind after taking kala azar medicine regain vision after surgery
In April 2024, that is last month, Suno India published the story featuring Iliyas Marandi, a 23-year-old tribal man who lost his eyesight after taking miltefosine drug for Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis, a skin manifestation of the deadly Kala-azar. This May, he underwent a corneal implant surgery at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Iliyas after the surgery, and his doctor, Dr Rakhi Kusumesh. This is Iliyas’s second corneal implant. In 2022, the World Health Organization stated that 83 cases in India had possible links to miltefosine intake. While the government issued guidelines in 20...
2024-05-27
11 min
Adult Child of Dysfunction
Ep. 76: Breathwork Transforms Lives and Helps Healing: Guest Menaka Rao
Today, we have a very special guest joining us on our journey of healing and self-discovery. Please welcome Menaka Rao, a remarkable Transformational Coach and Alignment Mentor, who has a powerful story to share.Menaka's journey from being a Data Analyst to finding her true calling as a coach is truly inspiring. Drawing from her expertise in Human Design, NLP, Energy work like EFT, and Intuitive Coaching, she specializes in guiding empaths through the challenging terrain of narcissistic abuse towards a path of self-empowerment and alignment with their higher purpose.But what sets Menaka apart...
2024-05-17
46 min
The Suno India Show
Kala-azar elimination - A drug treating kala-azar is affecting patients’ eyesight
This is the last episode in the series on Kala Azar reported by Suno India’s Menaka Rao. The Indian government has said that it has hit the elimination target for Kala-azar, a parasitic disease that is life-threatening. But miltefosine, the drug used to treat the skin manifestation of Kala-azar, called Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL), is being linked to eye problems, including blindness. The government has taken steps to try to reduce the side effects in 2021, but not much has been done for those who have lost their eyesight either in one eye or both, poss...
2024-04-20
19 min
The Suno India Show
What turns structures 'illegal' and dooms them to demolition?
On 28th February 2024, Wakeel Hassan, Uttarakhand Tunnel rescue hero once again made headlines when his house was razed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The demolition of Hassan’s house was the most recent in the spate of evictions across the country. There have been questions over why the government disproportionately targets working-class and minority community people such as Wakeel Hassan. Here is an extended cut of an interview with Dr. Ghazala Jamil from an episode of the Suno India Show where Suno India’s Menaka Rao reported on the aftermath of the April 2022 Jahangirpuri riot followed by a...
2024-03-01
27 min
The Suno India Show
Live-in relationships under Uttarakhand’s new law
In this episode of The Suno India Show shorts, we talk about the live-in relationships as defined under Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill that was passed on February 7, 2024. Suno India’s Menaka Rao and Sneha Richhariya discuss the law threadbare and why it should matter to everyone in India. See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
2024-02-19
08 min
The Suno India Show
Kala-azar elimination - The elusive sandfly that continues to fox scientists
Even though Kala-azar is closer to elimination in the country, questions related to how the disease spreads still remain unanswered. Only recently, scientists in India and Bangladesh have understood the dynamics of how Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis or PKDL, the skin manifestation of the disease, spreads kala-azar. For the third podcast in the series on kala-azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr Rahul Chaubey, entomologist at Kala-azar Medical Research Centre, Muzaffarpur to understand the latest in vector research. Reporting for this story was supported by the MSF-DNDi Grant on Neglected Tropical Diseases as part of th...
2024-01-30
25 min
The Suno India Show
Kala-azar Elimination - The impressive decline of the disease in India
Kala Azar was a public health problem in India till recently. In 2023, the disease is close to the elimination target set up by the World Health Organisation. As per the WHO target, there should be less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. In this second podcast in a series on Kala Azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao reports on the key contributions of various stakeholders and policies. She spoke to Dr Shyam Sundar, who runs the Kala Azar Medical Research Centre, in Muzaffarpur, Dr Krishna Pandey, Director of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna, an...
2024-01-30
27 min
The Suno India Show
What India's youth think of Ram temple in Ayodhya?
This was a very sombre Republic Day, coming in a few days after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, churning up questions on the secular nature of our country. The inauguration of the Ram Mandir marks a significant chapter in our country’s history. The temple's construction replaced the 16th-Century Babri masjid, which was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, leading to nationwide riots and the tragic loss of nearly 2,000 lives, after the Supreme court allowed it. This became a national event, even though we have a sizable population of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, among others. Suno...
2024-01-28
38 min
The Suno India Show
Kala-azar Elimination - A doubly neglected tropical diseases poses public health challenge
Kala Azar, a deadly parasitic disease, is very close to elimination in India. As per the World Health Organisation, the definition of elimination is the annual incidence of less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. The last few districts which are on the borderline remain in Jharkhand, and public officials appear confident that this year, the country may achieve the elimination target. The target has to be kept for 3 years for it to receive a WHO tag. Suno India is publishing a series of podcasts related to Kala Azar elimination. Suno India’s Menaka Rao tr...
2023-12-23
28 min
The Suno India Show
How can the internet be a safe space for queer children?
On November 21, Pranshu who is a 16-year old queer child, died of suicide in Ujjain. The school going child was a self taught makeup artist, with nearly 17,000 followers on Instagram. Pranshu posted a reel dressed in a sari, which went viral during Diwali, getting more than 4000 comments, most of which were homophobic in nature. Last year, another class 10 student, Aarvey Malhotra died of suicide. His mother, Aarti Malhotra has alleged that Aarvey was bullied mercilessly in school on account of his sexuality, and that his school authorities were not responsive to their complaints and failed to protect...
2023-12-19
29 min
The Suno India Show
What women want - Can Nirbhaya Centres do better to respond to gender violence?
This December we mark 11 years of the gang rape and death of Jyoti Singh – or Nirbhaya. As a response to the Delhi 2012 incident, the government started the Nirbhaya Fund and Nirbhaya centres across the country. In this episode, we look at what women want versus what they get. Today, there are over 733 Nirbhaya Centres–or One-Stop Crisis Centres–across India; one in every district. However, these centres rarely function as hospital-based crisis centres i.e., they often operate in parallel with the police rather than in coordination with the hospitals. Experts say this is a missed opportunity, as hosp...
2023-12-08
30 min
Flow Rising
The Design of Human Healing-With Menaka Rao
In this episode, I had a lovely conversation with Menaka Rao about how her understanding and implementation of Human Design have been instrumental in her healing journey. Tap one of the links below to connect with Menaka Website: https://thechicway.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menakarao/ Menaka's Podcast - Magical Healing and Awakening: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/menaka-rao ________________ If you or someone you know need help with a domestic violence situation contact the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or online at https://www.thehotline.o...
2023-11-28
44 min
The Suno India Show
Our bodies, their choices
On October 16, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejected the abortion plea of a 27-year-old mother of two boys. She moved the court as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis after her second child. She was more than 6 months pregnant, and had crossed the 24-week barrier that is prescribed in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. This case is significant because a two-judge bench had given an order permitting the abortion. But the case flipped after a doctor from All India Institute of Medical Sciences doctor raised clarifications with the bench seeking a specific directive to s...
2023-10-26
36 min
The Suno India Show
Can journalists be compelled to hand over electronic devices?
On October 3, 2023, the Delhi police arrested the founder and editor-in-chief of Newsclick Prabir Purkayastha, and the Human resources head, Amit Chakraborty -under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). The same day it raided the homes and offices of 46 people including reporters, columnists and commentators associated with the news portal and seized their laptops, phones and other devices for further examination. In a letter to the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud at least 18 press bodies have expressed alarm over the impingement of press freedom and spoken about the need to urgently is...
2023-10-12
33 min
Authentically You Podcast
19: Menaka Rao ON How Narcissistic Abuse Lead her to her Authentic Self
Welcome to the Authentically You Podcast, where we celebrate the beauty of embracing one's true self. Join us as we dive into captivating conversations and inspiring stories that explore the journey to authenticity, self-discovery, and personal growth. Each episode brings you thought-provoking insights, practical tips, and heartfelt discussions, empowering you to live a life that is unapologetically genuine and authentically YOU. Each episode will also leave you feeling inspired and motivated to embrace your true self, unapologetically. Get ready to be inspired, challenged, and uplifted as we embark on this transformative quest together. Tune in a...
2023-10-02
41 min
The Soulful Mind
From Analyst to Transformational Coach with Menaka Rao
Menaka Rao moved to the us when she got married and was very successful at her job. It was a big blow when she lost her job and it first sent her into a dark place, but ultimately cascaded into a spiritual transformation. She has since gone through a divorce and moved back to India being a different person. She now shares her experience to help others through their spiritual awakening.Menaka Rao is a former Data Analyst turned Transformational Coach and an Alignment Mentor. She specializes in Human Design, NLP, Energy work like EFT, and Intuitive...
2023-09-25
30 min
The Suno India Show
Kiran Bedi interview - How to create a civilized prison
The goal of imprisonment is reformation and reintegration within society. From the 50s, prisoners were not seen as individuals with rights and there was barely any focus on their well-being and health, let alone vocational guidance or life skills. In 1993, when Kiran Bedi took over as Inspector General of Tihar Jail in Delhi and transformed it by introducing education, mediation, vocational training, medical aid, improved diet and living conditions. She won the Magsaysay Award in 1994. She established the India Vision Foundation in 1994 after she was conferred the award. The Foundation has various programmes for prisoners- both for...
2023-09-13
13 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
23. Self-Empowerment and Meeting the Archangels with Mary Armendarez
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I have a Special Guest, Mary Armendarez, a Motivational Speaker, an Intuitive Healer, and a Power Retrieval Coach sharing her wisdom. Some of the topics that I got to cover with Mary in this episode are: Mary's journey How to stay empowered in life Meeting the Archangels Meditation If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If...
2023-08-18
54 min
The Suno India Show
Inconvenient facts- How rejecting data sets has become routine
The Central government recently suspended Professor KS James, the director of the International Institute of Population Studies, that works with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to conduct important studies such as National Family Health Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey among others. The government cited irregularities in recruitment as the reason for suspension, as academics came out in support of him. The opposition parties claim that this suspension reflects the government’s uneasy relationship with data-based evidence. In 2019, PC Mohanan from the National Statistical Commission quit saying that one of the reasons was the late rel...
2023-08-18
31 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
22. Understanding the Pulse of Timing for Making Changes and Transitions
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am sharing the replay of the Live video that I did for Understanding the Pulse of Timing for making changes and transitions on Social Media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Some of the topics I am covering in that Live video are: How to strategize before transitioning How to tune in to your body’s internal wisdom when making decisions to transition An EFT Tapping routine to help with transitioning If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a...
2023-07-07
21 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
21. How to Overcome Feelings of Unworthiness
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about How to Overcome feelings of Unworthiness. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: Importance of Self-worth Why one tends to feel unworthy 5 Steps to overcoming feelings of Unworthiness If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show...
2023-06-05
12 min
The Suno India Show
How a 12-year-old was left on his own to face a death penalty
On March 27, 2023 the Supreme Court released a death row convict, Narayan Chetanram Chaudhary on ground that he was a juvenile at the time of his arrest. Narayan convicted for gruesome murders in Pune where eight people were killed in 1994. Despite being on the death row, Narayan decided to educate himself. This journey led him to a path where he realised he was a juvenile at the time of offence, which was finally proved this year. In this episode, Suno India's Menaka Rao speaks with Narayan and his lawyer, Shreya Rastogi. Rastogi who is the founding member of...
2023-05-19
44 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
20. How to identify self-sabotaging patterns + Identify them by Human Design Type
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about How to identify self-sabotaging patterns + Identify them by Human Design Type. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: How to identify self-sabotaging patterns Where these self-sabotaging patterns come from Why we tend to self-sabotage Identify these self-sabotaging patterns by Human Design Type If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao
2023-05-18
16 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
19. Limiting Beliefs in Projectors
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about Limiting Beliefs in Projectors. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: 8 common Limiting Beliefs that tend to hold Projectors back How to overcome such Limiting Beliefs If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show so you...
2023-04-06
17 min
The Suno India Show
What does Rajasthan's Right To Health Bill mean to doctors and patients?
The Rajasthan Right to Health Bill was passed on March 21, 2023. The Bill charts out patient rights and provides a mechanism to ensure proper implementation of the rights. However, private doctors have been protesting this Bill. Suno India’s Menaka Rao tries to understand the discontentment. She spoke to Chhaya Pachauli, a health rights activist in Rajasthan representing Jan Swasthya Abhiyan in Rajasthan, a network of health rights activists and organisations across the country. She also spoke to Dr Tarun Patni, a practising pediatrician from Jaipur and former president of Jaipur Medical Association and Dr Ajay Chaudhary, president of...
2023-04-03
31 min
The Suno India Show
Assam child marriage arrests: Can jailing those violating child marriage laws end the problem?
This is the second episode in the two-part series on the crackdown on child marriages in Assam. Since February 2, the Assam government has arrested more than 3000 people for violating the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Some were also arrested under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 or POCSO that can attract punishment up to life imprisonment. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Bharati Ali about the consequences of this kind of punitive action against child marriage, Bharati Ali a child rights activist based in Delhi. She is the executive director of Haq Centre for...
2023-02-24
34 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
18. Human Design and the Types in it
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about Human Design and the Types in it. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What is Human Design and What it is not Why you should know about it The Types in Human Design If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show so you never...
2023-02-24
15 min
The Suno India Show
How to read budget using a feminist lens
The Union budget is presented every year in February. But how do we know that the budget allocations are equitable? While most budget speeches talk about “empowerment” of women and other marginalised genders, does this translate into policy? To answer these questions, Suno India’s Menaka Rao, spoke to Dr Vibhuti Patel. She is part of the Feminist Policy Collective, an independent network of feminist academic researchers, policy experts, and campaigners. Dr Patel has been with the feminist movement in India for decades, and is the vice-president of Indian Association for Women’s Studies. She retired from the Econo...
2023-02-10
36 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
17. How to Stop Overthinking your Purpose
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about how you to stop overthinking your purpose. I have now launched a New Course called Align with Purpose that is now available on Udemy, so in this episode, I am walking you through what it would look like to take this Course that will not only help you stop overthinking your purpose but also start becoming an energetic match with it. If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG...
2023-01-05
15 min
The Suno India Show
AIIMS cyber attack- How to make institutions more accountable for digital safety
In November, there was a ransomware attack on the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Patients suffered as the cyber systems were completely shut down for a few days and were running only manually. As AIIMS cyber systems are slowly limping back to normal, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr. Muktesh Chander, an IPS officer who was the founder and director of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre that started in 2010. He is an expert on matters related to cybersecurity and spoke about how it is important to consider putting cybersecurity mechanisms in...
2022-12-16
26 min
The Suno India Show
Why IT jobs are precarious
Recently many Information technology-based companies including Meta, Twitter, Byju’s, Unacademy among others announced layoffs. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Aabid Firdausi, a Ph.D. scholar in Sociology at Johns Hopkins University. His focus is on labour relations and unionisation. In 2020, he wrote a paper on unionisation at the IT industry in Kerala after conducting fieldwork at an IT park in Thiruvananthapuram. Aabid spoke about the history of the IT industry in India, and the precarity of the jobs in this sector. Reference (PDF) The IT Industry and Employment in India: A Critical Reasse...
2022-12-12
23 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
16. How to Stop Overthinking Everything
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about how you to stop overthinking everything. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: Why do we tend to overthink What overthinking can lead to 6 ways to help you stop overthinking If you enjoyed this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and...
2022-12-10
18 min
The Suno India Show
How a collective got back jobs of more than 100 IT employees
In November 2022, Edtech firm Byju's announced 2500 layoffs. However, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala after intervention by a welfare organization called Pratidhwani, Byju restored about 150 jobs of those in Thiruvananthapuram. This is the first podcast in a two-part series about IT sector layoffs. This podcast is about specific strategies employed by collectives, such as Pratidhwani and some unions which have been successful in negotiating for IT workers' rights. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Vineeth Chandran, Secretary of Pratidhwani, which is a welfare organization IT employees in Kerala, and Spandan, the general secretary of the Delhi chapter of A...
2022-12-08
23 min
The Suno India Show
How can the state and community take charge of the rising dog menace?
In a complaint from a woman who suffered severe injuries after a pit bull attacked her, a Gurugram district consumer forum banned 11 foreign breeds of dogs in its district. Several cases related to street dogs are being heard both in high courts and the Supreme Court. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks with Neha Panchamiya, an expert on this issue. Neha is the Founder and President of RESQ, Pune, and is an animal rescue specialist and wildlife conservationist. She is also a Managing Committee Member of the Pune District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
2022-11-30
39 min
The Suno India Show
India’s demand for blood comes the most from those with nutritional anaemia
October 1 was National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised a massive drive- #RaktdaanAmritMahotsav- starting from September 17 - which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday all the way up to October 1. The Ministry claimed that they collected a record number of blood units- about 1.68 lakhs in a single day. But how do blood centres cope for the rest of the year? There are 3932 blood banks in the country for more than 700 districts, as per the latest records. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Joy Mammen to understand the universe of b...
2022-10-31
34 min
Science & Us
Why this simple solution helps prevent diarrhoeal deaths
On October 16, 2022, Dr Dilip Mahalanabis died in Kolkata. In 1971, he pioneered the use of oral rehydration therapy in refugee camps near Kolkata saving many lives. This was the first time it was used in a crisis setting. In this episode of Science and Us, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr Rajib Dasgupta about the scientific mechanism of oral rehydration therapy and why it works to save lives during acute diarrhoea. Dr Rajib describes the twists and turns which led to the final acceptance of oral rehydration therapy for diarrhoea treatment at the global level. The sho...
2022-10-29
33 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
15. Trusting your intuition as an Empath
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about trusting your intuition as an Empath. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What exactly is intuition? How to distinguish between your mind's chatter and your intuition Recognizing intuitive signs and synchronicities Why it is harder for Empaths to trust and tune into their intuition Ways through which our intuition speaks to us Tools to strengthen your intuition If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your I...
2022-10-25
22 min
The Suno India Show
In The Red - Why does India have insufficient blood supply
This is the third episode of our miniseries “In the Red” on the blood supply shortage in the country. If you are listening to this episode, do make sure you have heard Part 1 and Part 2 of this mini-series In the Red. In this last episode, we try to understand the universe of blood banking and blood transfusions. Suno India’s Menaka Rao reports from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh trying to understand how voluntary blood donations result in better supply of blood in the country and what measures can be taken to remedy this problem. Menaka speaks with Dr Joy Mam...
2022-10-19
33 min
The Suno India Show
In the red - Many children with blood disorders die as blood bank dry out
While in many parts of the world, a child living with blood disorders such as thalassemia or sickle cell anemia can practically live a normal life, in most of India they may not survive up to adulthood. This is because of a lack of regular blood supply and monitored treatment for these children. In this episode Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to people who suffer from blood disorders such as thalassaemia and sickle cell disease in rural Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, and doctors and experts who work with these children. References Guidelines for Prev...
2022-10-16
40 min
The Suno India Show
In the Red - Desperate patients hunt for blood in rural India
In the Red is a mini-series in the Suno India Show on the blood supply shortages in the country, particularly in rural India. The reporting for this series is supported by Turuga Foundation that awarded Menaka Rao the Narender Revelli National Media Fellowship, 2021. Suno India’s Menaka Rao travelled to parts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to report on how the insufficient supply of blood in the blood bank hampers the health of people living in the district, particularly when there is just a single blood bank in the district. This is the first episode in the...
2022-10-11
35 min
Science & Us
Forensic archeology helps unravel mystery of skeletons found in Punjab
In 2014, skeletons were found in the well in a Gurdwara in Ajnala area of Punjab. Who do the skeletons belong to? While historical records said that these could be Indian soldiers killed by the British during the 1857 armed uprising, there were several other theories about it. How did scientists go about investigating this mystery? We spoke to Dr J S Sehrawat, a forensic anthropologist from Panjab University. This podcast is the story of the fascinating world of forensic anthropology. Reporting and research - Menaka RaoCo-host and audio editing - Rakesh Kamal Additional Reading:
2022-09-30
34 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
14. Do you think you are an Empath or a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am going to be exploring what it feels like to be an Empath or a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). So, if you identify yourself as being one or if you are somewhat unsure of it, this episode is for you! Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What it means to be an Empath or a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Common misconceptions about them Common traits of Empaths & HSPs The different kinds of Empaths 7 tips to thrive as an empath or a...
2022-09-25
21 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
13. Guided Meditation for Stress Relief
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am going to be doing a Guided Meditation for Stress Relief. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: How Meditation can help Relieve your Stress Some benefits of Meditation A Guided Meditation for Stress If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, a...
2022-09-13
15 min
The Suno India Show
Can Twitter curb messages that encourage suicide?
In August 2022, the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University released a report saying that they have detected a community on Twitter that is promoting self-harm. These tweets have graphic photos with bloody depictions of self-harm. The use of some hashtags went up by 500% over the past 11 months, according to the report, despite reporting on it. World Suicide Prevention day falls on September 10. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Shagufta Kamran, Director - Public Policy & Government at Twitter India on Twitter’s policy related such problematic content, and what measures are being taken to address harmful conte...
2022-09-13
20 min
The Suno India Show
How to reduce suicides in India
The World Suicide Day falls on September 10. As per the World Health Organisation, an estimated 703000 people die by suicide every year. The recent data from National Crime Records Bureau or NCRB recorded the highest levels of suicides in the country. Last year 1.64 lakh persons died by suicide- an increase of 7.2 percent from 2020. This is the first time in suicide rates in India has hit 12 per 100000 population since NCRB started collecitng data on suicides in 1967. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Lakshmi Vijaykumar and Dr Soumitra Pathare. Dr Lakshmi is a psychiatrist renowned for her work on...
2022-09-10
34 min
Gasping For Breath
Life After Covid - How I started supporting myself
This is the last reported episode in season 2 of Gasping for Breath. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao has an extended chat with Girish Pasupathy, a software engineer from Coimbatore who is living with Long Covid after nearly a year of sickness. Girish has changed his life and outlook towards the disease and disability over a period of time. He is learning to live with long covid and has learned to advocate for himself. References Episode #47 - Post COVID-19 conditionWhat causes Long Covid? Here are the three leading theories | ScienceCo...
2022-09-07
25 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
12. Managing Stress for a better Health and Well-being
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about Managing Stress for a better Health & Well-being. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: How your unique Human Design can help you Manage Stress Some Signs & Symptoms of Stress My personal journey dealing with Stress 5 Ways to help you Manage Stress If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to...
2022-08-16
23 min
The Suno India Show
Why understanding constitutional debates is relevant today
The Indian Constitution is a result of debates and deliberations by the Constituent Assembly over three years between 1946 to 1959. As a barely formed nation, what were the issues that bothered our leaders and intellectuals and how did they debate these issues. These debates are a reflection of the idea of India as a nation and the country’s aspirations On the occasion of the 75th year of Independence, we at Suno India are releasing a podcast series on the raging Constituent Assembly debates and the Constitution–Contested Nation. It is researched and hosted by the Equals Project. The E...
2022-08-15
33 min
Gasping For Breath
Life after COVID - Is Long Covid a Disability?
In this episode of Gasping for Breath season 2, we raise a question- Is Long Covid a disability? In 2021, the Americans with Disabilities Act recognised Long Covid as a disability. In June, a tribunal in the UK recognised long covid as a disability. This case was filed by a man suffering from Long covid who was sacked from his job and wanted permission to sue his employer. So in this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Amba Salelka, a lawyer working on disability rights and implementation of Convention of Rights of Persons with...
2022-07-30
37 min
The Suno India Show
Should I be worried about monkeypox?
The World Health Organisation has declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. Nearly 70 countries have reported cases of Monkeypox so far. In July, India had its first known case of monkeypox in Kerala when a 35-year old man who returned from the Middle East was detected with the disease. Since then four cases have been detected, including one in Delhi from a person with no travel history abroad. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr Giridhar Babu on this issue. He is a professor and head of Life Course epidemiology at the In...
2022-07-30
21 min
Gasping For Breath
Life after COVID - My body does not feel the same
The second season of Gasping for Breath is about the people who live with Long Covid. About 22 months after the pandemic began, in October 2021, the World Health Organisation defined what they called Post Covid condition or what people living with the condition call Long Covid. A recent study by the Institute of Health Metrics and evaluation which is still in the preprint stage has estimated that there are 144.7 million people suffering from Long Covid globally in 2020 and 2021. The same study estimated that about four crore people suffer from long covid in India. These people have s...
2022-06-30
27 min
Science & Us
How climate change makes lightning our enemy as the no.1 natural killer
At 2000 deaths on an average per year, lightning kills more people than any other natural event or disaster. In this episode of Science & Us, we find out how climate change leads to an increase in lightning strikes, why it is not notified as a national disaster, and how we can protect ourselves from it. Our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to Colonel Sanjay Srivastava, chairman of the climate resilient Observing System promotion Council (CROPC) and convenor of the Lightning Resilient India campaign. She also speaks to Arun Kundu, Secretary of Smart Future Foundation in West Bengal, about his work of...
2022-06-30
30 min
The Suno India Show
In our opinion - What marital rape judgement means to women
In May 2022, the Delhi High Court delivered a verdict on several petitions seeking to remove the marital rape exception in the rape law. Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code excludes sexual intercourse between a married couple. The verdict was split with Justice Rajiv Shakder ruling in favour of removing the exception, and Justice C Hari Shankar dismissing the petition. In this episode, we try to discuss our opinion on the judgement, especially the dissenting verdict which seeks to keep the marital law exception in the rape law. Suno India’s Padmapriya DVL and Menaka Rao discuss the judg...
2022-06-30
58 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
11. Ways to Set Your Boundaries and Protect Your Energy
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about 10 different ways that could use to set your Boundaries and Protect your Energy. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: 10 different ways to set your boundaries Includes ways to protect your energy The way de-conditioning has helped me on my journey If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to...
2022-06-09
17 min
The Suno India Show
The aftermath of a riot and bulldozers in Delhi's Jahangirpuri
Suno India’s Menaka Rao visits Jahangirpuri area where riots broke out and demolition drive took place last month. On May 16, a procession was taken out on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti which resulted in stone pelting and violence in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area. On May 20, Delhi’s civic authorities started a demolition drive in the area, without giving any notice to the property owners.This episode will try to understand how the residents there understand these series of events. The episode also features a discussion with Dr Ghazala Jamil from Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for the Study of...
2022-05-31
29 min
Science & Us
Want to speak with autistic kids? Make it musical
In this episode of Science and Us, we explore how music helps autistic children communicate with others.Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks with Dr Nandini Chatterjee Singh, senior national programme officer, with Unesco Mahatma Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) which works towards developing programmes and products that promote social and emotional learning and with the National Brain Research Centre in Manesar, Haryana. Dr Nandini conducted experiments with autistic children using functional MRI which gives us some understanding of how music and sung speech can open new frontiers for communication in autistic children. We...
2022-05-30
29 min
Pride and Prejudice
Queerness is everywhere but science is biased
In this episode of Pride and Prejudice, hosts Menaka Rao and Suryatapa Mukherjee discuss how the certainty of male-female binary affects the way science is done, with Sayantan Datta. Sayantan is a queer-trans science journalist and communicator who writes for a feminist multimedia science collective, Life of Science. They also teach writing and communication at Krea University, in Andhra Pradesh.This episode was originally published on another Suno India show, Science & Us, as one of a two-part series on how gendered understanding of science affects the way research is conducted. This episode is being republished for Pride a...
2022-05-19
29 min
The Suno India Show
Why Dalits, Adivasis and muslims have a shorter life as compared to upper caste Hindus?
Does our social identity, be it caste, religion, or tribe, affect how long we live? Two papers show that Dalits, Adivasi and Muslims have a disadvantage when it comes to life expectancy as compared to the higher caste Hindus. In this podcast Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to demographers Aashish Gupta, Sangita Vyas, both research fellows at the research institute for compassionate economics or r.i.c.e. While Aashish is a David E Bell Fellow at Harvard University. Sangita is soon-to-be assistant professor at Hunter College, in New York. Menaka also spoke to Anjela Taneja, Oxf...
2022-05-17
28 min
The Suno India Show
Criminal Procedure Bill- Data collection can lead to surveillance by different govt bodies
In April, the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill was passed in both houses of the Parliament. This new law allows law enforcement agencies to collect a range of private information from people arrested under any offence. The information can be stored for 75 years. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao and Suryatapa Mukherjee try to understand the government’s objectives in introducing the law and understand the different dangers that are inherent in the law. Suryatapa talks to Nikita Sonawane, co-founder of Criminal Justice and Police Accountability Project, and Praavita Kashyap, a member of Article 21 Trust and Rethi...
2022-04-30
32 min
The Suno India Show
Why India and WHO are divided over how many covid-19 killed
The World Health Organisation is in the midst of coming up with COVID-19 excess mortality estimates for all the 194 countries that are its members. The Indian government has been placing objections on the way this exercise is being done for a few months now. After a few reports came out on the subject, the Indian government responded in a press release saying that they have a quarrel with the methodology of the WHO. To understand this entire controversy, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Amruta Byatnal who broke the story on this issue on March 30. She is a...
2022-04-29
20 min
The Suno India Show
Why most of India's TB patients aren't getting treatment
On March 24, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey in India 2019 – 2021. The last such survey took place in 1955-58 after independence. The survey shows that 312 persons per 100000 people in the country have tuberculosis of all forms. The survey also has information on risk factors related to tuberculosis such as malnutrition, diabetes, alcoholism etc and the kind of expenditure a tuberculosis patient undertakes during his or her treatment. To understand more about this survey and its relevance, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Sriram S from National Institute of Tuberculosis Resear...
2022-04-25
24 min
Science & Us
Queerness is everywhere but science is biased
This is the second in the two-part series on how gendered understanding of science affects the way research is conducted. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Sayantan Datta about how the certainty of male-female binary affects the way science is done. Datta is a queer-trans science journalist and communicator who writes for feminist multimedia science collective, Life of Science. They also teach writing and communication at Krea University, in Andhra Pradesh. Menaka Rao, and Suryatapa Mukherjee hosted this episode.See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.
2022-03-31
29 min
Science & Us
The invisible influence of sexism on science
March 8 is International Women’s day. We have two episodes this month on how gendered understanding of science affects the way research is conducted. The first episode describes the protests led by feminist organisations on the unethical trials on contraceptive injections starting from the 80s till more recently. Conversely, we also discuss how there are very few women and almost no transgender persons enrolled in clinical trials which gives a very limited understanding of the impact of new drugs. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr Vineeta Bal, Dr Sunita Bandewar and S...
2022-03-31
29 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
10. Boundaries let people know how to treat you and What to do when your Boundaries are not honored
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about Boundaries that are a means to let people know how to treat you and What to do when your boundaries are not honored. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What are boundaries What happens when you ignore your boundaries Why boundaries are important My personal story around boundaries being crossed What to do when your boundaries are not honored - sharing from my personal experience If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it...
2022-03-01
21 min
The Suno India Show
#HijabBan - What's being missed in the debate on Karnataka schools?
In the second episode of the series on the hijab issue in Karnataka’s schools, we talk about how it adversely affects education. As per the recent surveys, there has been an uptick in the number of Muslim girls and women seeking education in schools and colleges across the country. But Muslim girls still have to face prejudice of being conservative, of not being interested in education, among others. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Saba Hussain, assistant professor in Education and Social Justice, at the University of Birmingham in the UK. She...
2022-02-25
34 min
The Suno India Show
#HijabBan - Hijab as a bone of contention will lead to more discrimination
The hijab controversy has engulfed Karnataka, Many schoolgirls and teachers are not being allowed to enter classrooms with their hijabs on. The Karnataka High Court who is hearing the petitions filed by some Muslim students is asking the question- whether hijab is an essential garment for Muslims. We have a two-part series on this issue. This is the first episode. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Heba Ahmed, a PhD student from Jawaharlal Nehru University who strongly defends her right to wear a hijab. She also spoke to Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, a repu...
2022-02-23
25 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
9. People Pleasing and Why it is not a great quality to have
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about People pleasing and why it is not a great quality to have. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What people-pleasing is Where people-pleasing tendency comes from The effects of people-pleasing How to break free from people-pleasing If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the show...
2022-02-09
17 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
8. Trauma Bonding & How to Heal from it
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking about Trauma Bonding & How to Heal from it. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What is trauma bonding Why does trauma bonding happen What situations can lead to trauma bonding The impacts of a trauma bond How to heal from trauma bonding If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure t...
2022-01-29
17 min
Pride and Prejudice
Garima Greh: How the policies of the Centre’s new trans shelter impact residents
Garima Greh is the Central government’s pilot program for trans people. In collaboration with Community Based Organisations (CBOs), the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has opened thirteen Garima Greh shelters across the country. Trans people can stay at a Garima Greh shelter for up to a year, during which they undergo studies and training so they can get a work placement at the end of their stay. In this episode of Pride & Prejudice, reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee and contributing editor Menaka Rao visit Kolkata’s Gokhale Road Bandhan and Delhi’s Mitr Trust, to find out how the...
2022-01-28
27 min
The Suno India Show
Why forcing people to take vaccines doesn't work
Only about 65% of the eligible Indian population above the age of 18 has completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. With the third wave setting in, many governments announced different kinds of punitive measures for not having completed vaccines. In Kerala, the state will not provide free treatment for those not vaccinated fully. Some states such as Delhi and Maharashtra have made it compulsory for government employees to be vaccinated. In Haryana entry into banks, malls, and other public places is not allowed if you are not fully vaccinated. In the past, we have had local governments announce stopping of...
2022-01-24
18 min
Pride and Prejudice
How government-run safe home is giving trans people a second chance
Transgender persons are often on the run or are forced out of home. They are often unable to get stable formal jobs. The Garima Greh programme run by the Government of India under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment wants to change the circumstances for transgender persons. Suno India’s Menaka Rao and Suryatapa Mukherjee went to two shelter homes, one in Delhi run by Mitr Trust and one in Kolkata called Bandhan to report on the programme. This is a two-part series. This episode will focus on the stories of people who have end...
2022-01-18
20 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
7. Healing and Releasing Your Fears
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking all about Healing and Releasing Your Fears. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What Fear is My experience with Fears Tips to overcome your Fears just the way I did in my stories Bonus: Journaling Prompts for Your Self-Awareness Healing and Releasing Your Fears If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard...
2022-01-17
22 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
6. Are You Afraid of Taking Up Space?
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking all about Taking Up Space. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What can make you afraid of taking up space What happens when you don't take up space Why taking up space is essential What happens when you do take up space 7 ways to start taking up more space If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If...
2022-01-10
14 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
5. Healing the Mother Wounds
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking all about Healing the Mother Wounds. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What the Mother wound is The ways that the Mother Wound can impact you 5 steps you can take to heal the mother wound If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the...
2022-01-01
23 min
Science & Us
Can adding iron to rice reduce Anaemia in India?
The National Family Health Survey (2019-20) shows that 57% of women and 67% of children are anaemic in the country. This Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the rice that will be distributed in the public distribution system and other government schemes such as Midday Meal will be fortified with iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. In this episode, Suno India’s Menaka Rao tries to understand if the fortification of rice will help reduce the anaemia levels of people in this country. In the process, we try to demystify the biological mechanism of anaemia and how just...
2021-12-28
40 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
4. Repression of Emotions and Ways to Release them
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am talking all about the repression of emotions and ways to release them. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: Repressed emotions and what they are What causes this repression of emotions The effect of these repressed emotions on your mind, body, and soul Signs that show that you have repressed your emotions 3 effective ways to release these repressed emotions trapped in your body If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over...
2021-12-23
15 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
3. The Impact of Invalidation and the Need for Healing from it
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am sharing with you all about invalidation, the impact and consequences of invalidation, and the need for healing from it. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: What Invalidation is Signs that you were invalidated growing up The impact that invalidation can have on you What you can do to heal from the damages that it might have caused If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, a...
2021-12-16
15 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
2. Why being a Black Sheep does not mean You are Worthless
In this episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am sharing with you why being a black sheep in your family or any other group does not mean you are worthless. Some of the topics I am covering in this episode are: My background story of being a black sheep in my life. What I did to start feeling worthy 5 Tips for you to start feeling worthy whether you are a black sheep or otherwise If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on yo...
2021-12-09
13 min
Magical Healing And Awakening
1. How Healing And Awakening Led To My Transformation In Life
Hello beautiful souls! In this first-ever episode of the Magical Healing and Awakening Podcast, I am sharing all about my healing and awakening journey and how it led to my transformation in life. I am also sharing how I was able to turn my pains into purpose and why I am doing what I am doing right now. If you liked this Podcast episode, take a screenshot of it, head over to Instagram, share it on your IG stories, and tag me, @menakarao If you loved what you heard, be sure to subscribe to the...
2021-12-01
11 min
The Suno India Show
Back to school - What you should need to consider before sending your children to school
For about 18 months, children in India have not gone to school. The school closures have been among the longest in the world. This month, many state and local governments opened physical schools for children. Yet, private schools have not fully reopened as parents are reluctant to send their children to school and want to continue online education. We at Suno India want to address the various questions that parents, school staff and administrators have in mind when it comes to school reopening. How do we ensure that children, school staff and people at home are safe. What...
2021-11-27
28 min
The Suno India Show
Delhi case against SciHub and LibGen will decide the price of knowledge
In December 2020, three academic publishing giants—Elsevier, American Chemical Society and Wiley—moved the Delhi High Court against Sci-Hub and LibGen. These pirate websites make academic papers free for all. Academic publishers do not pay authors and make more profits than tech giants. Developing countries like India cannot afford the bulk of this research and the prices keep rising. India has the second-largest number of Sci-Hub users in the world. On this episode of The Suno India Show, reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee speaks to SciHub founder Alexandra Elbakyan, her lawyer Nilesh Jain, science activist and Newsclick editor Prabir Purkay...
2021-11-17
27 min
Science & Us
Is the rise in temperatures causing 'mystery' fevers?
In September 2021, many people in Western Uttar Pradesh were struck by “mystery” fevers. Some even succumbed to them. Later the Central team found out that the fevers were mostly dengue fevers, or caused by scrub typhus and leptospirosis. The fevers are “mysterious” often because local governments are not able to detect the cause soon enough. This is also because some of these areas have never seen these kinds of diseases. Climate change, urbanisation and a change in ways of living are some of the reasons for such diseases surfacing. In this episode of Science And Us, Suno I...
2021-10-31
32 min
Science & Us
Why has Maharashtra topped the number of COVID-19 cases in both waves?
India is experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 cases since the first week of February. India is recording about a lakh cases on an average daily. The wave started from Maharashtra and Punjab, and has now extended to Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu among others. Maharashtra still accounts for half the cases in the country on a daily basis. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Dr Subhash Salunke, the technical advisor to the Maharashtra Government on Covid-19. He is a public health official and has worked as the director of Health Services in t...
2021-09-30
20 min
Science & Us
Vaccinating against COVID-19 Has the vaccine development been a fair and transparent process
This is the second episode in the two-part series on developing COVID-19 vaccines for the Suno India show. In the first episode of the series, we discussed the different stages of clinical trials and how the vaccines were developed so fast. In the second part, we are addressing key concerns about the cynicism around vaccine development. What are the legal processes involved in clearing the vaccines for mass vaccination in India? Were the vaccine trials fair and ethical? Is all the relevant information related to the vaccine development shared with the public? For this episode, Me...
2021-09-30
27 min
Rare Lives
Quest for blood- How COVID-19 pandemic hurt children with thalassaemia
Thalassaemia is a rare blood disorder which causes the blood to have less haemoglobin. Children suffering from thalassemia need regular blood transfusions- once every fortnight to 20 days. In some cities of the country such as Mumbai and Bengaluru, the children were getting an assured blood supply for their needs. Some non-profits who worked with these children, were organising blood donation camps regularly to ensure good supply for those who need blood transfusion. But since the COVID-19 pandemic began, this system has gone for the toss. The large blood donation camps have stopped completely. The non-profits are now...
2020-12-31
25 min
Gasping For Breath
Decoding the spread of TB and its cures
In this first episode of 'Gasping for Breath', India's first podcast on state of tuberculosis and it's treatment in India, we go back in time to understand the emergence of this deadly disease. Menaka Rao, senior health journalist and host will also tell you about the wild myths surrounding the disease. In the early 19th century, the only recourse was staying in a sanatorium for years or more. Then the cause of the disease was found - a tiny bacteria and the focus of doctors turned towards killing the bacteria. But do medicines and technology alone help control the disease.
2019-06-29
25 min
The Gender at Work Podcast
Episode 11: Post Beijing
It's almost 25 years since the landmark women's conference held in Beijing in 1995. What did women achieve at Beijing and what are some of the key new and unfinished feminist agendas? In this podcast Joanne Sandler, the former Deputy Director of Unifem and current senior associate G@W starts us off by tracing some of the intentions, magic and results from Beijing. Then we discuss the new and unfinished agendas in the area of LGBTQ rights, economic inequality and disarmament and human security with Menaka Guruswamy, from Columbia University who spearheaded the historic LGBT rights victory in the Indian Supreme c...
2019-02-13
32 min