In Focus by The Hindu

Meera Srinivasan, Sri Lanka Correspondent for The Hindu, shares her expertise on the recent historic arrest of former president Ranil Wickremesinghe for misuse of state funds, signaling a pivotal moment for accountability in Sri Lankan politics. She highlights the ascent of reformist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the promise of a clean break from the past. The conversation also dives into the implications for the economy, democracy, and Sri Lanka's complex relationships with regional powers like India and China amid ongoing political unrest.

Cameron Johnson, a Senior Partner at Tidalwave Solutions and an expert on Chinese trade, dives into the shifting dynamics between India and China amid U.S. tariffs on Indian exports. He discusses how India can leverage its manufacturing capabilities and youthful population to navigate these challenges. The conversation covers the importance of building a robust manufacturing ecosystem, drawing strategies from China, and harnessing technology for growth. Johnson also emphasizes collaboration over competition to foster mutual economic benefits.

During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “Deepavali gift” to the people in the form of next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms. The Ministry of Finance subsequently said that a large part of these reforms involved moving GST from the current four-tier system to a two-tier structure of 5% and 18%, along with an overall lowering of the average tax rate. What impact will this proposal have on revenues? And should the States be compensated for revenue loss? Here we discuss the question Guests: Manoj Mishra, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat; Pratik Jain, Partner at Price Waterhouse & Co LLP Host: T.C.A. Sharad Raghavan Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prasanna Tantri, an Associate Professor of Finance and Executive Director at the Centre for Analytical Finance, delves into the impact of AI on India's banking sector. He discusses the Reserve Bank of India's guidelines for ethical AI use, focusing on mitigating risks like bias. The conversation covers AI's role in fraud detection and credit scoring, the necessity of human judgment, and the challenges of data consent. Tantri also highlights the need for innovation alongside regulatory frameworks to balance safety and progress in fintech.

Soumitra Pathare, Director of the Centre for Mental Health, Law & Policy, Pune, explores the risks of relying on AI like ChatGPT for mental health support. The conversation highlights issues such as emotional dependency and the lack of empathy from AI. Pathare discusses the implications of AI in reinforcing delusions and its role in navigating urban loneliness. He calls for a balance between human connections and AI assistance, urging caution in treating chatbots as substitutes for real therapy, especially among vulnerable users.

Since October 2023, more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza, a Palestinian territory that has seen extensive destruction, displacement and death. More recently, on August 10, 2025, an Israeli drone strike killed seven reporters in a media tent in Gaza City—underscoring the dangers of telling these stories. With food, water and medicine scarce, and press freedom under siege, the question remains: how can the world protect those who continue risking everything to report the truth? Guest: Sarah Qudah, Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, Committee to Protect Journalists Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manu Joseph, a journalist and author known for 'Why The Poor Don’t Kill Us', dives into India’s stark social inequalities. He explores why the poor don’t revolt despite extreme exploitation, discussing the psychological dimensions of poverty and contrasting perceptions between Indian and Western societies. The conversation also touches on the cultural aspects of austerity, the stigmas of pawnbrokers, and the nuances of class dynamics. With humor, he critiques societal views on small dog breeds, adding a light-hearted twist to serious themes.

The singles main draw of the US Open kicks off on August 24. Who are the favourites? Who are the dark horses? Can Jannik Sinner sustain his hard court dominance? Or, will Carlos Alcaraz avenge his defeat at Sinner’s hands in Wimbledon this year? Is a Sinner vs Alcaraz final a foregone conclusion, or can the old fox Novak Djokovic crash their party?  On the women’s side, can Aryna Sabalenka defend her crown or will Iga Swiatek add to her growing tally of majors? And what’s with the new mixed doubles format being launched at this year’s US Open – is it unfair to the doubles pros on the ATP/WTA tour?  We speak with former pro player and top coach Nandan Bal, who has the rare distinction of having both played for India in the Davis Cup and coached the Indian Davis Cup team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and two allied Bills that extend its applicability to Union Territories and Jammu and Kashmir, were tabled by the government in Parliament yesterday, and they have sparked massive resistance and outrage in the Opposition ranks.  The Bills enable the removal of Central and State Ministers, as well as the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, if they are arrested on serious criminal charges. If the Bills become law, any CM arrested on serious criminal charges will be out of office within 31 days of arrest.  The government has justified these Bills as necessary to bring in political morality in public office. The Bills have now been referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, which will have to submit its report by the Winter session of Parliament.  What is the rationale behind these Bills? Are they anti-federal and anti-democratic?  And does the government have a realistic of chance of passing them in Parliament? Guest: Sanjay Hegde, Senor Advocate at the Supreme Court Host: G. Sampath, Podcast Editor, The Hindu  Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A proposal to restructure the World Test Championship (WTC) into a two-tiered system, potentially dividing the 12 Test-playing nations into two groups of six teams, or into two groups of seven and five teams, is gaining traction. While some argue that this system could improve the quality of matches and increase competitiveness by having top teams play each other more often, others worry that lower-ranked teams will get fewer opportunities to play. Will a two-tiered WTC do more harm than good? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Deep Dasgputa, former Test cricketer, and cricket broadcaster; Jatin Paranjape, ODI cricketer-turned-sports marketing professional and member of the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee Host: Amol Karhadkar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices