On this episode of Inside Out with Barkha Dutt, former Chief Election Commissioner Dr. S.Y. Quraishi joins us for an in-depth conversation on the state of democracy in South Asia.Why is the region often called chaotic, unstable, or even undemocratic? And does that label miss the bigger story? Quraishi argues that India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and their people have embraced democracy with unmatched passion and persistence.👉 From India’s massive elections to Pakistan’s power struggles, Bangladesh’s fight at the ballot box, and Nepal’s Gen Z protests that toppled a government—this discussion unpacks the triumphs, tensions, and resilience of democracy in South Asia.

Lt Gen K.J.S. Dhillon—one of India’s most respected Army commanders—returns with his explosive new book: Operation SINDOOR: The Untold Story of India’s Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan. The book takes us deep inside India's military strike on Pakistan's terror bases but also shares riveting details about how India's air defence systems spectacularly defended India's cities including shooting down Pakistan's ballistic missile Fateh-1 over Haryana, Sirsa. In this powerful account, Gen Dhillon takes us inside India’s decisive military response to Pakistan-backed terrorism. From the Kargil War, where Pakistani forces abandoned their own soldiers’ bodies, to Operation Sindoor, where Pakistan used civilians as human shields, he reveals the harsh realities of war and the courage of Indian soldiers.👉 With rare insights into LoC battles, India–Pakistan hostilities, and even Donald Trump’s attempts to claim credit for a “ceasefire”, this book offers a candid, unflinching, and deeply revealing look at India’s military history.

After unraveling the world of saris, author and cultural historian Malvika Singh now takes us on a rich culinary journey through history, politics, and the present with her latest memoir- 'Cooking For My Firefly'- From Indira Gandhi dropping by for dinner to singing for Strobe Talbott as nuclear tensions simmered, Mala reveals how food is never just food—it’s memory. Her stories are India’s stories, told one bite at a time. She speaks to Barkha Dutt in the latest edition of our podcast, Inside Out.