Épisodes

  • The Dravidian Pathway: How the DMK Redefined Power and Identity in South India

    The Dravidian Pathway: How the DMK Redefined Power and Identity in South India
    Oct 26 2025
    How did a transformative socio-cultural movement become an electorally successful political force? To answer this question, we have with us Vignesh Rajahmani. In his book, ‘The Dravidian Pathway’, he illustrates how the Dravidian movement transformed into an electorally viable political party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). We also explore the ideas of the Dravidian-Tamil ethos, key agitations led by the DMK, the foundational role of Periyar and the Self-Respect movement, the importance of reading rooms, the language question, and moreReferences:Vignesh Rajahmani: Biography, LinkedIn, X, Instagram The Dravidian Pathway: How the DMK Redefined Power and Identity in South India by Vignesh RajahmaniInclusive growth in Tamil Nadu: The role of political leadership and governance by Kartik Akileswaran and Luca GraziadeiComparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of Languages by Robert CaldwellTamil Nadu’s new assembly in 33 charts: Lowest women representation in 25 years, OBCs dominate by Gilles Verniers, Vignesh Karthik KR, Mohit Kumar and Neelesh AgrawalThe glossary for addressing the LGBTQIA+ Community by the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, Government of Tamil NaduThe Caste System in Tamil Nadu by K.K. PillayCaste and the Andhra Communists by Selig S. HarrisonAnts among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India by Sujatha GidlaThe Political Role of India’s Caste Associations by Lloyd I. Rudolph and Susanne Hoeber RudolphThe Nadars of Tamilnad: The Political Culture of a Community in Change by Robert L Hardgrave JrThe Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniThe First Rebels: When Madras was at the forefront of the struggle for Dalit Emancipation by V SobhaMothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family and Nazi Politics by Claudia KoonzSixteen Stormy Days: The Story of the First Amendment of the Constitution of India by Tripurdaman SinghHalf a Day for Caste? Education and Politics in Tamil Nadu, 1952-55 by D. VeeraraghavanMovies: Mari Selvaraj’s Karnan, Sukumar’s Rangasthalam, RJ Balaji’s Mookuthi Amman
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    1 h et 23 min
  • Anti-Colonialism, Anarchism, and M.P.T. Acharya

    Anti-Colonialism, Anarchism, and M.P.T. Acharya
    Sep 10 2025

    In 1908, an Indian revolutionary from Madras arrived in Marseille, France, and later travelled to Paris, London, Lisbon, New York, Berlin, and Russia with two main objectives: to unveil the brutality of British colonialism and to reject the idea of the universalisation of the nation-state. He made significant contributions to our understanding of resistance to oppression in all its forms, as embodied by the nation-state. He was one of India’s most prominent anarchist activists and theoreticians, M.P.T. Acharya. To explain his life trajectory and the various themes that have shaped it, we are in conversation with historian Ole Birk Laursen.

    References:

    1. Ole Birk Laursen: Website, LinkedIn
    2. Anarchy Or Chaos: M.P.T. Acharya and the Indian Struggle for Freedom by Ole Birk Laursen
    3. We Are Anarchists: Essays on Anarchism, Pacifism, and the Indian Independence Movement 1923 - 1953 by M.P.T. Acharya, edited by Ole Birk Laursen
    4. ‘I have only One Country, it is the World’: Madame Cama, Anticolonialism, and Indian-Russian Revolutionary Networks in Paris, 1907–17 by Ole Birk Laursen
    5. John Steinbeck, Charles Dickens, Samuel Selvon, V.S. Naipaul, George Lamming
    6. Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy by Kavitha Rao (Episode 12 of Navigating India)
    7. Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia by Sam Dalrymple (Episode 15 of Navigating India)
    8. Magda Nachman: An Artist in Exile by Lina Bernstein
    9. The Ghadar Movement: A Forgotten Struggle by Rana Preet Gill
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    1 h et 23 min
  • India, Pakistan, Burma and Beyond: A History of Partitions

    India, Pakistan, Burma and Beyond: A History of Partitions
    Aug 15 2025

    As recently as 1928, a vast region spanning twelve of today’s Asian countries—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait—were bound together as a single entity known as the Indian Empire, or simply the Raj. In less than 50 years after 1928, this Indian empire was shattered by five partitions, which created new nations, redrew maps, led to mass migrations, and left behind a legacy of conflict that still haunts the region. What led to these partitions and the creation of new nations? And why is studying these partitions important today in a globalised world? In this episode, Sam Dalrymple joins us to answer these questions.


    References:

    1. Sam Dalrymple: Website, X, Instagram, Substack
    2. Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia by Sam Dalrymple
    3. Project Dastaan
    4. Aanchal Malhotra, Kavita Puri, Anirudh Kanisetti
    5. Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon from the movie Patanga, sung by Shamshad Begum and C. Ramachandra
    6. Quote from Jinnah’s Speech, 11 August 1947:
    7. Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right, 1924–1977 by Abhishek Choudhary
    8. Believer’s Dilemma: Vajpayee and the Hindu Right's Path to Power, 1977–2018 by Abhishek Choudhary
    9. Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India by Dhirendra K. Jha
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    1 h et 2 min
  • The Art of Translation

    The Art of Translation
    Aug 13 2025
    In this episode, I am joined by N. Kalyan Raman, a celebrated translator of modern and contemporary Tamil fiction and poetry into English. Our conversation will explore his journey as a translator, the Tamil literary milieu, the process of text selection, the power and significance of translation, the dynamic between author and translator, the challenges faced by translators, and the broader goal of fostering a more robust literary discourse around translated works.References:N Kalyan Raman: Website, X, Published WorksAshokamitran, Sundara Ramaswamy, D. Jayakanthan, Subramania Bharati, Perumal Murugan, Vaasanthi, Devibharathi, PoomaniHeart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa BhashtiTomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy RockwellPyre by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan VasudevanPoonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanOne Part Woman by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan VasudevanChowringhee by Sankar, translated from Bengali by Arunava SinhaGhachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, translated from Kannada by Srinath PerurA Southern Harvest (Katha Regional Fiction), edited by Githa HariharanFarewell, Mahatma: Stories, The Solitude of a Shadow by Devibharathi, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanBreaking Free: A Novel by Vaasanthi, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanVaadivaasal, the Arena by C.S. Chellappa, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanVaadivaasal, the Arena by C.S. Chellappa, adapted by Perumal Murugan and Appupen [Graphic Novel]Animal Farm by George OrwellBoats Against the Current: The Kongunadu novels of Perumal Murugan by N Kalyan RamanWhy Perumal Murugan’s “One Part Woman” is Significant to the Debate on Freedom of Expression in India by N Kalyan RamanIndian judge rules novelist silenced by nationalist pressure ‘be resurrected’ by Vidhi DoshiNirmal Verma, Krishna Sobti, Mahasweta Devi, Sunil GangopadhyayThe JCB Prize for Literature has shut down. What else has ended with it? by Arunava SinhaSusan Santag: Quotes on reading and translationWalter Benjamin: The task of the translator
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    59 min
  • The Translator's Craft

    The Translator's Craft
    Jun 27 2025
    Join us as we converse with Arunava Sinha, India's most prolific translator! We dive into the profound impact of translations, teaching the craft, fostering vibrant translator and reader ecosystems, the influence of AI, and much more.ReferencesArunava Sinha: Website, X, InstagramTranslations Published, Forthcoming and Work in ProgressMeet Arunava Sinha, likely India’s most prolific translator by Priya RamaniMidnight’s Children by Salman RushdieHeart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa BhashtiTomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy RockwellPyre by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan VasudevanHow not to (not) teach translation by Arunava SinhaWhy Heart Lamp’s Booker win breaks many barriers by Arunava SinhaLost in Translation: What the first line of “The Stranger” should be by Ryan BloomAshoka Centre for TranslationA Glimpse of My Life: Autobiography of the Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, translated from the Hindi by Awadhesh TripathiThe JCB Prize for Literature has shut down. What else has ended with it? By Arunava SinhaBooks by Sankar, Translated by Arunava Sinha: Chowringhee, The Middlemen, Limited Unlimited, Dear Reader: A MemoirBooks by Manoranjan Byapari, Translated by Arunava Sinha: There’s gunpowder in the air, ImaanBooks by Anita Agnihotri, Translated by Arunava Sinha: A Touch of Salt, 17, SickleMinistry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
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    42 min
  • Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy

    Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy
    Jun 7 2025

    While India's freedom struggle is often remembered for its nonviolent approach, remarkable individuals like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Sukhdev, and Rajguru actively pursued revolutionary methods, conducting rebellious activities within India. Meanwhile, others ventured abroad, forging alliances, securing funds and weapons for Indian revolutionaries, assassinating British officials in London, conspiring against colonial authorities, and establishing organisations, parties, and committees, often while navigating complex love lives. Two such remarkable figures are Virendranath Chattopadhyay, alias Chatto, and M.N. Roy. In this episode, Kavitha Rao chronicles the extraordinary journeys of these two individuals.


    References

    1. Kavitha Rao: Website, X, Instagram
    2. Books: Spies, Lies and Allies: The Extraordinary Lives of Chatto and Roy, Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India’s First Women in Medicine, The Librarian
    3. Daughter of the Earth: A Novel by Agnes Smedley
    4. Giulia Lazzari by Somerset Maugham
    5. The Multiple Careers of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay: In conversation with Nico Slate- Episode 7 of Navigating India
    6. Transnational resistance and fictive truths: Virendranath Chattopadhyaya, Agnes Smedley and the Indian nationalist movement by Purnima Bose
    7. A Glimpse of My Life: Autobiography of the Indian Revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, translated from the Hindi by Awadhesh Tripathi
    8. Why have Indian historians failed to combat ‘WhatsApp history’? By Shoaib Daniyal
    9. Ramachandra Guha, Peter Frankopan, William Dalrymple, Manu S Pillai, Srikar Raghavan, Ira Mukhoty, Rollo Romig, Sam Dalrymple
    10. Rama Bhima Soma: Cultural Investigations into Modern Karnataka: In Conversation with Srikar Raghavan- Episode 10 of Navigating India
    11. New India Foundation
    12. A Journalist’s Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India: In conversation with Rollo Romig- Episode 11 of Navigating India
    13. Gender bias in men’s reading habits still exists by Claire Shanahan: “This research confirms that while women read books by women and men equally, men overwhelmingly reject books written by women in favour of male authors”
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    1 h et 58 min
  • A Journalist's Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India

    A Journalist's Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India
    May 16 2025
    On September 5th, 2017, activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot in front of her house in the city of Bangalore. In January 2025, the last of the accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case was granted bail. No one has been convicted in this case yet. Who killed Gauri Lankesh? Who wanted her silenced? What was her true legacy? And what are the consequences of her assassination for journalism, activism, and democracy in India? Pulitzer Prize finalist author and journalist Rollo Romig joins in this episode to discuss these questions and many moreReferences: Rollo Romig: Website, InstagramBook: I Am on the Hit List: Murder and Myth-making in South IndiaLast Accused In Custody For Journalist Gauri Lankesh's Murder Gets Bail, 17 Accused Out On Bail While One Absconds by Mustafa PlumberGround report: Behind Karnataka BJP's ‘jihadi’ murder list, more than Hindutva and Islamist clashes by Sruthisagar YamunanHave ‘jihadis’ killed 23 Hindutva activists in Karnataka since 2014 as BJP claims? by Sruthisagar YamunanGauri Lankesh's killers just did the job our society had designed for them by TM KrishnaThe end of rule of law in America by J. Michael Luttig‘Electoral autocracy’: The downgrading of India’s democracy by Soutik BiswasLooking back 2024: Most dangerous places for journalists by Gautam Nirmal DoshiHow to steal a river by Rollo RomigAgni Sreedhar: InstagramMy Days in the Underworld- Rise of the Bangalore Mafia by Agni SreedharIndia's newspaper revolution: capitalism, politics, and the Indian-language press, 1977-99 by Robin JeffreySpeaking of Shiva by A.K. RamanujanWho is Luigi Mangione, CEO shooting suspect? by Madeline Halpert & Mike WendlingRama Bhima Soma: Cultural Investigations into Modern Karnataka- In Conversation with Srikar Raghavan- Episode 10 of Navigating IndiaThe Adversary by Srikar Raghavan
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    1 h et 51 min