The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma

Sowmya Dhanaraj, an economist from India, discusses her journey, societal challenges, and empowering women in the workforce. Topics include gender roles, financial empowerment, societal norms, marriage complexities, biases in education selection, balancing responsibilities, applying economic thinking in daily life, and sustainable policies for working women.

Economist Lant Pritchett discusses deep questions in development economics, challenging narrow focuses. He reflects on childhood influences, data analysis integrity, and education's impact on growth. Critiquing programmatic approaches, he advocates for systemic transformations for true prosperity. Highlighting talent clustering and learning emphasis for global progress, he explores state capability and power dynamics in organizational development.

Rohit Lamba, an economist with a poetic soul, discusses economics, policy, and Urdu poetry with Amit Varma. They explore the synergy between poetry, empathy, and probabilistic thinking in public policy decisions. The conversation also delves into the challenges of communicating complex economic concepts effectively to a broader audience and the evolving landscape of knowledge dissemination. Other topics include cultural identity, societal norms, and the nuances of different types of relationships.

Journalist and author Malini Goyal shares insights on deep journalism, city exploration, and societal values. The podcast covers the rarity of curiosity in journalism, challenges of investigative reporting, career evolution, personal struggles, and embracing change. Topics include writing international research, Bangalore's evolution, tech innovation, data challenges, city culture, imposter syndrome, dating dynamics, and Bengaluru's talent landscape.

Utsav Mamoria delves into philosophy of travel, intentional living, creativity, and authenticity. Conversations on slow travel, accountability clubs, architectural narratives, childhood memories, human nature, beard trends, and unexpected Andes mountain adventures. Insights on cultural influences, market research, unique strengths, budget travel tips, and music/film recommendations.

Karthik Muralidharan, an expert on Indian state reform, delves into the challenges of bureaucracy in India with Amit Varma. Topics include state capacity in development economics, the bureaucratic maze, challenges in the Indian state bureaucracy, and the impact of government salaries on recruitment scams and staffing quality.

Policy and comics merge in a fun discussion with Khyati, Anupam, and Pranay, exploring civic education through their book 'We the Citizens'. They emphasize relatability in teaching economics, the impact of skilled teachers, and the evolution from personal comics to public policy. The conversation navigates political polarization, government intervention, and policy evaluation while advocating for clear writing to enhance communication skills.

Entrepreneur Deepak VS shares radical ideas on entrepreneurship, education, morality, and life. Delve into ethical decision-making, flaws in education systems, philosophical debates, determinism vs free will, challenges in incubators, resilience in entrepreneurship, and personal habits. Explore lucid dreaming, childhood memories, mortality reflections, and philosophical insights through books for a fascinating journey of thought-provoking conversations.

Listen to the podcast as Manjula Padmanabhan shares insights on her unconventional journey as a comic-strip artist and science fiction author, challenging norms and societal expectations. Explore topics like navigating identity, embracing creativity, transforming criticism into motivation, and the impact of societal perceptions on assault and sex work. Delve into personal anecdotes, reflections on personal belongings, and the evolution of creativity in a digital world.

Ram Guha reminisces about past friendships and a world gone by, discussing personal writing, historical narratives, and the art of letter writing. The podcast also explores the impact of influential figures on shaping lives, challenges to intellectual work, and the importance of mentorship in writing and intellectual development.