The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma Ep 436: Rukmini and the Numbers
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Jan 26, 2026 
Rukmini S, journalist and data storyteller behind Data For India and Whole Numbers and Half Truths, explains why better public data matters. She discusses building a durable public-data platform, surprising finds like large-scale home-based custom tailoring, India’s falling child population and ageing trends, and how clear methods, literacy and forensic work change policy and public understanding.
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Data Expands Human Understanding
- Good data expands our limited personal impressions into a truer, holistic view of the world.
- Rukmini argues that democracies need more and better data because "the numbers are us."
A Child Changed Her Career Path
- Rukmini left a newsroom role after her first child because full-time office work wasn't feasible then.
- That forced change and later the book gave her the confidence to build Data for India.
From Stories To Public Data Goods
- Rukmini realized journalism alone couldn't build durable public knowledge or let people inspect data themselves.
- She shifted from storytelling to building public goods that make data accessible and auditable.
