Shows
BOOKS AND USJantar Mantar:Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh's Observatory in Delhi - S2Ep12 with Anisha Shekhar MukherjiIn the final episode of Season 2 of Books and Us, we welcome back author and conservation architect Anisha Shekhar Mukherji. Listeners will remember her from our earlier conversations on the 'Red Fort of Shahjahanabad'. This time, she joins us to discuss her remarkable book Jantar Mantar - Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s Observatory in Delhi — a work that uncovers the layered history and meaning of one of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.Built in the early 18th century by Sawai Jai Singh of Amber, the Jantar Mantar has long been recognised as an observatory, yet its precis...
2025-12-261h 32
BOOKS AND USProvincials: Postcards from the Peripheries - S2 Ep 11 with Sumana RoyIn this episode of Books and Us, poet and essayist Sumana Roy ( Sumana Roy ), author of Provincials: Postcards from the Peripheries, joins us to explore the emotional and cultural landscapes of small-town life. Raised in Siliguri, Sumana reflects on what it truly means to be “provincial.”We discuss:The quiet power of provincial geographiesLiterary lives shaped by small townsWhether cosmopolitanism and provinciality can coexistSumana’s book explores the desires, ambitions, and uniquecharacteristics of people from the provinces — those often overlooked geographies where creativity quietly flourishes. Through literary and personal reflections, she connects...
2025-11-151h 18
BOOKS AND USLet's Talk Legacy - S2 E 10 with Monika HalanIn this episode, we enter a different kind ofconversation—one that blends financial understanding with practical steps to ensure a loving and smooth transfer of legacy.We feature Let’s Talk Legacy: A Financial Planner forYour Loved Ones by Monika Halan (MonikaHalan – A trusted personal finance writer, speaker and television personality ) —a book that isn’t just read, butlived. As Monika reminds us, it’s a workbook you’ll return to again and again, revisiting the details of your financial life with growing awareness. It’s a companion, a gentle guide, and a sacred space for organising the information t...
2025-10-1329 min
BOOKS AND USMillets - The Trending Ancient Grains - S2 Ep9 with Dr. Kruti S. DhirwaniIn this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kruti S. Dhirwani,a consulting homeopath, clinical nutritionist, and author of Millets - The Trending Ancient Grains. With over 15 years of experience, she is a passionate advocate for including millets in the diet. She discloses that these simple cereals are nature’s answer to many of the world’s problems. Whether itis wholesome nutrition or sustainable agriculture, millets can take care of these quite well. Very systematically, she deals with the various types of millets and their benefits in her book and also gives many easy-to-make recipes. Listen to her give her...
2025-09-101h 05
BOOKS AND USRagamala Paintings - S2 Ep 8 with Soma Ghosh and Dr Vijay SharmaWelcome to the 20th episode of Books and Us—and the 8th of Season 2! Though technically it’s the 21st, as we also released a special episode earlier in July! We've also completed two years since launching this podcast, having crossed 1000 streams and downloads. It may be a modest number, but every listen motivates us to keep going and exploring more compelling topics in the nonfiction category. Thank you for being part of this journey.In this episode, we take a different route. Rather than focusing on a single book, we’re diving into a cultural aspect that i...
2025-07-311h 07
BOOKS AND USMayan Routes Indian Roots - S2 | Bonus Episode with Vineet KumarThis special bonus episode is the first in a series of conversations with self-published authors. In this episode, we’re joined by the remarkable Vineet Kumar ( The Sunday Traveller – Bookmarked andBewildered ) - an author, army officer, and global explorer whose latest book 'Mayan Routes, Indian Roots', takes readers on a spellbinding journey across the ancient landscapes of Central America - Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and PanamaVineet recounts his recent adventure through these countries, which formed the area of the once-mighty Mayan civilization. Along the way, he uncovers surprising cultural and spiritual thre...
2025-07-0258 min
BOOKS AND USJust Like Therapy: Your DIY Guide To A Happier You - S2 Ep 7 with Avanti DesaiDear listeners, welcome to the 19th episode of 'Books and Us'! This episode marks a significant milestone for us, as we celebrate two years since the launch of our podcast. Our journey began with the first episode on May 20, 2023, and it has been nothing short of sweet and enriching. Over the course of these two years, we have had the privilege of engaging with some truly learned authors in the non-fiction realm, gaining knowledge and insights that have transformed us along the way. Thank you to all our listeners for being part of this journey and for your unwavering...
2025-05-171h 12
BOOKS AND USImagining After Capitalism - S2 Ep 6 with Andy HinesThis episode features futurist Andy Hines (Andy Hines Futurist | Hinesight....for Foresight ), who has done extensive research into what future awaits humanity. He says that we could be headed into a totally different social, political, and economic paradigm in 20-30 years, as Capitalism may be on its way out. Rising inequality, climate change and stagnation are some of the concerns likely to drive this change. His landmark study has revealed three guiding images or scenarios for the future, which are contained in his new book, 'Imagining After Capitalism' ( Imagining After Capitalism ). Looking after the environment...
2025-03-3153 min
BOOKS AND USThe Red Fort of Shahjahanabad - Part 2 - S1 Ep 5 With Anisha Shekhar Mukherji & Ashok Mathur with lived experiences of the old city.This podcast continues the discussion on the book ‘The Red Fort of Shahjahanabad: An Architectural History’ from Episode 4. We decided to do another episode on the
same topic as within the pages of history there are stories that consist of many layers. We wanted to unveil those layers we couldn’t in the last one. Secondly, we got a lot of feedback from listeners who also sent in their questions and
views. So, we thought it would be a good opportunity to do a more detailed episode and take them up with the author Anisha Shekhar Mukherji ( http://anishashekhar.blogspot...
2025-02-081h 35
BOOKS AND USThe Sufi's Nightingale - S2 Ep 4 with Sarbpreet Singh
This episode features Sarbpreet Singh (
https://www.instagram.com/__sarbpreetsingh/ ), the author of 'The Sufi's Nightingale', a book that reimagines the life of 16th century Sufi mystic Shah Hussain and his love for Madho.
Those familiar with punjabi sufi poetry would know about Hussain's deeply moving Kaafis or verses which express love and devotion apparently for Madho. Their love being so intense that they lie buried as one 'Madho lal Hussain' in a musoleum near Lahore, in Pakistan.
Sarbpreet answers questions about the nature of their relationship quite candidly and stresses that...
2025-01-0150 min
BOOKS AND USWild and Wilful - S2 Ep 3 with Neha SinhaIn this episode, we speak to Neha Sinha, wildlife conservator, and writer, about her deeply informative book 'Wild and Wilful'. This episode is all about seeing the world from the point of view of wildlife, which lives amongst or around us. Sometimes intentionally and at other times accidentally we end up encroaching upon their habitats and destroying vegetation that gives them food.
They are increasingly getting squeezed into a corner and when they react, we accuse them of trying to harm us. Leopards, Elephants, the Rhesus Monkey, the Ganges River Dolphins, this book is about 15 such iconic...
2024-12-0757 min
BOOKS AND USThe Red Fort of Shahjahanabad: An Architectural History - S2 Ep 2 with Anisha Shekhar MukherjiIn this episode of 'Books and Us' Ranjit Monga talks to Anisha Shekhar Mukherji ( http://anishashekhar.blogspot.com/) about her fascinating book ‘ The Red Fort of Shahjahanabad: An Architectural History’. The book explores the many secrets of the historic fort as contained in its exquisite architecture. Anisha is an architect with specialization inconservation and thus examines the RedFort, and the walled city around it, in its social, political and economic context. She says it was once a vibrant mini-city, housing one of the most powerful royal families of the sub-continent. Built in the 17th Century by the Mugha...
2024-10-121h 01
BOOKS AND USBharat Jodo Yatra: Reclaiming India's Soul - S2 Ep 1 with Pushparaj Deshpande and Ruchira Chaturvedi Welcome to season 2 of the Podcast Books and Us. Kicking off the season with a book about a groundbreaking event that kicked off changes in India’s political landscape - the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, the epic 4,000-kilometre nationwide march organizedby the main opposition party – the Indian National Congress from September 2022 to January 2023. The march from the country’s southern tip at Kanyakumari to Kashmir in the north, was held under the stewardship of Rahul Gandhi, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), and former President of the Indian National Congress. Rahul Gandhi is now also Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha. The journey...
2024-09-0352 min
BOOKS AND USUnstoppable: How Youth Icons Achieve Extraordinary Things - S1 Ep 12 with Manthan ShahWelcome to episode 12, the last episode of season 1!
Today we have as our guest the young and dynamic Manthan Shah, author of the extremely interesting book called ‘Unstoppable: How Youth Icons Achieve Extraordinary Things’, published by Penguin Random House ( Unstoppable- Penguin Random House India ). The book contains stories of over 40 young achievers from India. This is perhaps the first time a book with their stories has been published by another young
achiever. Manthan was an under-18 Table Tennis National Champion and continues his achievement streak at work and studies. Here he analyzes the traits that played a big p...
2024-03-2141 min
BOOKS AND USSurvival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals is Key to Human Existence - S1 Ep11 with Poorva JoshipuraPoorva Joshipura is a dynamic animal rights activist, and author of the incredible book called ‘Survival at Stake: How Our Treatment of Animals is Key to Human Existence.’ Published by Harper Collins.
https://harpercollins.co.in/blog/announcements/survival-at-stake-how-our-treatment-of-animals-is-key-to-human-existence-by-poorva-joshipura/
Poorva is the Senior Vice President of International Affairs for ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) Foundation UK. She is also the former Chief Executive Officer of PETA India. www.PETAIndia.com
She has written a riveting account of how various agencies treat animals, whether for testing, at animal farms for meat, eggs, and milk, and for entertainment etc. " If we treat...
2024-01-0637 min
BOOKS AND USDrunk on Love: The Life, Vision and Songs of Kabir - S1 Ep 10 with Vipul Rikhi"It is not important to know who was Kabir, but what is important is 'who is Kabir', what impact his rich legacy of songs and verses has had on people, and how they relate to him today", explains singer, and author Vipul Rikhi ( vipulrikhi.com ) as he talks about his latest book 'Drunk on Love: The Life, Vision, and Songs of Kabir', published by Harper Collins.
Rikhi gives us a peek into the concepts that stand out clearly in the verses left behind by the poet-saint Kabir, concepts that have influenced spiritual followers as well as those fighting for social...
2023-12-0434 min
BOOKS AND USBare Necessities: How to Live a Zero-Waste Life - S1 Ep 9 with Sahar MansoorThere is nothing as frightening as the consequences of Climate Change, something we all have been witnessing since the past few decades. And one of the most visible sources is the mounting garbage we see in and around our cities. " Currently we are living in the largest global garbage crisis of our lifetime and therefore it is important that we adopt a low waste lifestyle and live more sustainably", says Sahar Mansoor, author of the book 'Bare Necessities: How to Live a Zero-Waste Life', published by Penguin Books. She answers many questions on how we can reduce waste at a...
2023-11-0231 min
BOOKS AND USStop Predicting:Revisit Life Lessons from Covid-19 - S 1 Ep 8 with Vinay SharmaIn this episode we talk to Vinay Sharma, professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, ( Vinay Sharma (iitr.ac.in), about the lessons which we have learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. He is co-author of the book 'Stop Predicting: Revisit Life Lessons from Covid-19' published by Bloomsbury. The other co-authors of the book are Dr Rabindranath Bhattacharyya, Professor of Political Science, University of Burdwan, Sanjeev Kumar Mahajan, PhD, Professor of Public Administration, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and Himanshu Shekhar Mishra, Senior Editor (Political & Current Affairs), NDTV India.
The book is an important document which narrates how we...
2023-10-0644 min
BOOKS AND USRethink Ageing - S1 Ep 7 with Reshmi Chakraborty and Nidhi ChawlaReshmi Chakraborty and Nidhi Chawla, co-authors of the book 'Rethink Ageing' ( https://www.rethinkageing.silvertalkies.com/ ), discuss how to remain active, healthy and happy in your senior years. They co-founded the organization Silver Talkies ( www.silvertalkies.com ) in 2014 to empower older adults and talk about their learnings from working with those whose zest for life has not diminished in their advancing years and for whom 'age is just a number'. From starting a new business to becoming an avid trekker, running a marathon, becoming a theater artiste and planning for a fulfilling life beyond retirement, the 'new' generation of senior...
2023-08-1935 min
BOOKS AND USRethink Ageing - S1 Ep 7 with Reshmi Chakraborty and Nidhi ChawlaReshmi Chakraborty and Nidhi Chawla, co-authors of the book 'Rethink Ageing' ( https://www.rethinkageing.silvertalkies.com/ ), discuss how to remain active, healthy and happy in your senior years. They co-founded the organization Silver Talkies ( www.silvertalkies.com ) in 2014 to empower older adults and talk about their learnings from working with those whose zest for life has not diminished in their advancing years and for whom 'age is just a number'.
From starting a new business to becoming an avid trekker, running a marathon, becoming a theater artiste and planning for a fulfilling life beyond retirement, the 'new...
2023-08-1935 min
BOOKS AND USThe Corbett Papers - S1 Ep 6 with Stephen AlterIn this episode well known author Stephen Alter talks about the book 'The Corbett Papers' ( https://amzn.eu/d/5nWywWF ) which has been compiled and edited by him and Akshay Shah. The book contains biographical, legal and contextual material on the life and career of Jim Corbett of Kumaon, the hunter of man eaters and conservationist who lived in India till 1947.
Stephen Alter is a distinguished writer of fiction and non-fiction books. He lives in Mussoorie, where he also founded the Mussoorie Mountain Festival. He has written more than 20 books, many of them on the Himalaya mountains. Some of his...
2023-08-0138 min
BOOKS AND USQueersapien - S1 Ep 5 with Sharif D Rangnekar
This episode features Sharif Rangnekar, author of two books 'Straight to Normal: My Life as a Gay Man', and the more recent 'Queer Sapien' ( https://www.amazon.in/Queersapien-Sharif-D-Rangnekar/dp/9355208103 ), in which he explores the meanings of love, freedom, identity and dignity in a society where family, religion, caste and class dictate how we live our lives every day.
Through his visits to Thailand and forming a connection with various people, Sharif juxtaposes the liberal atmosphere in which LGBTQIA+ people live in that country, with the life he leads in India. Here he discusses...
2023-07-1827 min
BOOKS AND USSerendipity: Mantras for a Family - S1 Ep 4 with Renu KapoorThis episode features Renu Kapoor, who married into a large joint family and over the years learned how togetherness is fostered among different members. She decided to put down her experiences in a book in the form of 'mantras' to promote togetherness. So, here she discusses her book 'Serendipity: Mantras for a Family' and the rules which keep everyone happy and united.
She is a chartered accountant based in Mumbai and is well known for her support to many social causes. She supported the efforts to introduce a humane touch to the mortuary in St Georges Hospital, Mumbai. and has...
2023-07-0122 min
BOOKS AND USA Question of Trust - S1: Ep 3 with Paarul ChandWe live in an age of heightened communication, during which we have the tools to get in touch with anybody, every second of the day.
What does it mean for companies? How do CEO’s navigate the maze that is social media, to market their products?
Trying to make sense of it all, is a book 'A Question of Trust', written by communication professionals. Paarul Chand is co-author of the book and here she discusses how CEOs and social media influencers can formulate their communication strategies.
Paarul has had a long innings in the communication Industry, first as a journalist an...
2023-06-1823 min
BOOKS AND USConversational Hypnosis in Action: Influence on the go - S1: Ep 2 with Saket RaiThe episode features Saket Rai ( insidethemind.in ), author of two books on Hypnosis. The books are 'Conversational Hypnosis in action: Influence on the Go' ( https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07QXBD44Z/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i0 ) and the second book is 'Rapid Hypnosis'. Saket is a Master Hypnotist with over two decades of experience as a clinical hypnotherapist and has trained 100s of students and holds workshops for corporates.
Hypnosis can be a powerful tool to enrich our lives. Worldwide it is used in getting over fear, phobias, anxiety and pain. Another major area where...
2023-06-0324 min
BOOKS AND USHave the Women Left Venus - S1: Ep 1 with Geet Mala JalotaIn the opening episode, author Geet Mala Jalota ( https://askgeet.com/ ) talks about her book ‘Have the Women left Venus’, ( https://www.amazon.in/Have-Women-Left-Venus-Workplace/dp/1947988476 ) which deals with the issues women face at the workplace and discusses the reasons why so many of them leave their jobs mid-way in their careers. The book offers solutions to this phenomenon to both employees as well as employers.
The books is based on 60 interviews with women from a corporate background. Thirty-four of the interviews are shared in the book. The women interviewed are from different parts of India – Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and ab...
2023-05-2022 min