In Focus by The Hindu

Vivek Kaul, an Indian business columnist and personal-finance author, examines why life insurance is so often mis-sold. The conversation explores hefty commissions, confusing investment-linked policies, bank cross-selling, poorly informed relationship managers, and weak policyholder protection. It also considers IRDAI’s proposed reforms, separating insurance from investments, and safer choices for short-term financial goals.

Dr. Anil Pillai, a behavioural scientist, and child rights activist Andrew Sesuraj M. examine Tamil Nadu’s election controversy involving children. They explore celebrity influence, “pester power,” scripted videos, social media pressure and the boundary between children’s political voice and adult propaganda. The discussion asks whether age-appropriate participation can be protected without turning children into campaign tools.

Partha Chatterjee, Dean of Academics and Professor of Economics at Shiv Nadar University, explores the Nobel-winning work of Robert Hall and Michael Woodford. The conversation traces macroeconomics from the Great Depression to stagflation, examines permanent income and expectations, and considers how households, businesses and policymakers respond to uncertainty. It also explores crisis modeling, heterogeneous agents, inflation targeting and the importance of credible policy.

Bhumika Modh, who leads the Yes to Access initiative, and lawyer Nivedita Krishna, founder of Pacta, examine why Indian cities remain inaccessible. They discuss barriers in parks, roads and transport, gaps in disability-law enforcement, and the limits of retrofitting. Crowdsourced accessibility data, universal design, stronger accountability and inclusive decision-making also take centre stage.

Rajib Dasgupta, a public-health physician and JNU academic, examines the Siberian pneumonic plague case and why it sparked alarm. He explains plague’s bacterial origins, transmission, and the difference between bubonic and pneumonic forms. The conversation revisits historic pandemics, colonial India, the 1994 Surat outbreak, ongoing environmental risks, treatment, and the role of high-security laboratories.

Evolutionary biologist Uma Ramakrishnan and wildlife conservation scientist Qamar Qureshi explore whether India’s wildlife can thrive without human intervention. They trace conservation’s history, debate tiger-focused funding and reintroductions, and examine captive breeding for the Great Indian Bustard. The discussion also tackles habitat protection, human-wildlife conflict, local livelihoods, and the need for more inclusive conservation research.

Ajay Gudavarthy, a JNU political theorist and public intellectual, examines whether SIR protests can challenge the BJP’s Hindutva project. They explore why electoral rights remain distant from everyday concerns, the Opposition’s polarisation trap, Gen Z’s search for new politics, and whether decentralised protest and social-democratic reforms can build a real counter-heg####

John Xavier, The Hindu’s technology editor, unpacks the brewing Musk–Ambani clash over satellite internet in India. He explores why Starlink’s launch is delayed, the national security concerns surrounding satellite networks, and the fight over spectrum allocation. The discussion also examines Jio’s IPO, competing monopoly claims, India’s rural connectivity gap, and what new competition could mean for consumers.

Anand Mishra, Political Editor at Frontline, examines whether anti-SIR protests can unite India’s fragmented Opposition. He explores the political stakes surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleged vote theft, police tactics, and the balancing act of regional parties. The discussion also weighs Congress’s prospects for a comeback, possible NDA tensions, and echoes of the JP movement.

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a physician and gastroenterologist researching infectious diseases, explores how HPV, Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori can be linked to cancer. He discusses cervical and gastric cancers, the protective role of HPV and hepatitis B vaccines, chronic inflammation, why developing countries face a heavier burden, and practical prevention through screening, treatment and healthier habits.