

Bharatvaarta
Bharatvaarta
Bharatvaarta podcast is a commentary on politics, policy and culture focused on India. The podcast brings together people from different walks of life who have varied and interesting perspectives on what's happening around us.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 23, 2025 • 1h 5min
The Real Story Behind Netflix’s Khakee | IPS Amit Lodha
In this honest and deeply inspiring episode, IPS officer and bestselling author Amit Lodha — the real-life hero behind Netflix’s Khakee: The Bihar Chapter — shares raw insights from his journey of justice, storytelling, and service.
From chasing hardened criminals across Bihar to writing bestsellers in stolen moments of silence, Amit Lodha reflects on what it means to stay principled in a world that rarely rewards it. He talks about crime, leadership, failure, and finding purpose — not just in uniform, but in everyday life.
A must-watch for anyone seeking courage, clarity, and conviction in their own journey. 👮♂️📚

Jul 12, 2025 • 1h 12min
The Forgotten Genocide That Sparked Swaraj | Medha Bhaskaran
In this stirring episode, author Medha Bhaskaran uncovers the brutal history of the Hindu holocaust, forgotten battles, and the rise of Shivaji — not just as a warrior, but as a revolutionary leader who transformed barren land and broken people into a thriving Swarajya.
From centuries of invasion to the emotional rebirth of nationhood, she shares vivid, unflinching stories of enslavement, resistance, and the magical connection between Shivaji and his people.
A must-watch for anyone interested in Indian history, forgotten narratives, and what it really took to build an empire from scratch. 🏹🔥

Jun 17, 2025 • 1h 40min
The Ananthan Ayyasamy Story: Farm Labourer to Global Tech Star
In this incredible conversation, Intel technologist and grassroots leader Ananthan Ayyasamy shares his astonishing rise—from farm labor and caste barriers in rural Tamil Nadu to becoming a top 1% realtor in the U.S. and writing patents at Intel. But the story doesn’t stop there.
Ananthan gave it all up to return to India—fighting for clean politics, rural upliftment, and systemic change through his foundation and public service. This episode is a masterclass in perseverance, service, and impact.
A must-watch for anyone who believes in the Indian dream—and wants to build it. 💪🇮🇳

Jun 17, 2025 • 52min
The End of 9-to-5: Saurabh Mukherjea on AI, Jobs, and Building Wealth in the new era
In this bold and wide-ranging conversation, investor and author Saurabh Mukherjea explains how artificial intelligence is triggering the biggest shift in India’s white-collar workforce in decades. With powerful data, historical insight, and personal anecdotes, he unpacks how job roles, education models, and middle-class ambition itself must be reimagined.
From creative destruction to entrepreneurial reinvention, from social conditioning to skill-based survival, this episode offers a roadmap for anyone navigating careers, identity, and opportunity in the AI era.
A must-watch for professionals, students, parents, and policymakers who care about India’s future. 🎙️🚀

Jun 12, 2025 • 36min
India vs China: What’s Holding Us Back? Neelkanth Mishra Explains 🚀🇮🇳
In this insightful conversation, economist Neelkanth Mishra (Chief
Economist, Axis Bank) breaks down how India can unlock its true growth
potential—and the invisible challenges holding us back. From workforce
participation to capital cycles, from China’s competitive lessons to
India’s fiscal discipline—this is a masterclass in decoding the Indian
economy.
Neelkanth also pulls back the curtain on India’s bureaucracy, governance
bottlenecks, and the difficult balance between good economics and
winning politics. A must-watch for anyone who cares about India’s future
and wants to understand how we can rise faster, smarter, stronger.
🇮🇳📈
A must-watch for every founder, policymaker, student, or citizen with a
stake in India’s economic journey. 🚀
⸻
00:00 – Intro
01:00 – India’s Potential Growth: Workforce, Capital & Productivity
07:07 – The Invisible Roadblocks to Reform
13:52 – How China Forced India’s Bureaucracy to Wake Up
20:35 – Good Economics vs. Bad Politics: Can Fiscal Prudence Win?
25:20 – How India Can Become Export Competitive
30:32 – City-Led vs Distributed Growth: What’s Better for India?
34:31 – Why Managing Urban Growth is Critical
34:42 – Rapid Fire: Past Economic Myths & Books That Changed His Thinking
35:50 – Closing: Markets vs Institutions & Final Thoughts

May 21, 2025 • 1h 1min
India Is Losing the AI War | Rajiv Malhotra(Author, Thinker)
In this explosive conversation, public intellectual and Infinity Foundation founder Rajiv Malhotra reveals how India is sleepwalking into a new era of digital and ideological colonization. From the failure to build indigenous AI platforms to the dangers of caste-based politics and woke education, this episode is a wake-up call for anyone who cares about India’s sovereignty and civilizational identity.
Rajiv ji also shares personal insights from decades of activism, his experience with US policymakers, and the need for a long-overdue Ministry of Civilization in India. A must-watch for students, policy thinkers, technologists, and cultural warriors.
00:00 - The Failure of Indian Elites in R&D and Technology
01:18 - Introduction to Rajiv Malhotra & His Work
02:00 - Why Tit-for-Tat on Terrorism Won’t Work
04:00 - Baluchistan as a Strategic Counter
06:00 - India’s Narrative War and Liberal Media Blackout
07:30 - The Cost of Speaking Out: Rajiv’s Personal Journey
09:00 - Caste Census & the Collapse of Meritocracy
12:00 - Quotas vs. Quality: How India Is Losing the Talent War
14:30 - Fixing Education: Start from Kindergarten, Not Quotas
16:00 - Inside the Trump Administration & US Policy Lessons
18:30 - India’s Strategic Blindspots in Diplomacy
20:00 - AI Colonization & India’s Tech Dependency
23:00 - Why No Indian LLMs Exist—and Why It Matters
26:00 - Breaking India 2.0: Targeting Kids & Cultural Roots
29:00 - Language, Identity & The Problem With English Education
31:00 - What a Real Bharatiya Education Policy Should Look Like
33:00 - Elites Selling Out & The Ivy League Obsession
35:00 - Hindu Phobia on US Campuses & Rajiv’s Fightback
37:00 - The Rise of Intellectual Sepoys
39:00 - How Should India Engage With the West and China?
41:00 - Why India Needs Its Own DARPA for Defense Innovation
42:00 - What Can Hindu Parents Do Today?
44:00 - Future Plans: Rajiv’s Books, School of Thought & Legacy
47:00 - Meditation in the Kurukshetra: A Daily Practice
49:00 - If Rajiv Met PM Modi Today—What He’d Urge
52:00 - The Need for a Ministry of Civilization
53:00 - Final Reflections & Misunderstood Figures

May 13, 2025 • 1h 9min
What caused Operation Sindoor | Ex-RAW Chief Reveals Strategy | Vikram Sood
Join us for an unflinching conversation with Vikram Sood, former Chief of R&AW (India’s foreign intelligence agency), as he decodes the deeper layers behind the recent terror attacks in Kashmir and the shifting geopolitical chessboard. This episode explores the nature of modern asymmetric warfare, the role of local collaboration in cross-border terror, and the strategic motivations of Pakistan’s military establishment.
Mr. Sood also analyzes why India’s response must be calibrated, cold-blooded, and economic—and not always kinetic. He explains how China’s shadow looms large in the region, why Russia’s silence is worrying, and how the average Kashmiri today sees more value in integration with India than ever before. A must-watch for anyone interested in intelligence, national security, and India’s foreign policy in a multipolar world.
00:00 - Introduction & Recap of the Recent Terror Attack
01:10 - Tactical Breach or Strategic Failure?
04:00 - Why Pulling Troops Now Would Be a Mistake
06:00 - Kashmir’s Economy Beyond Tourism
08:00 - Political Unity vs. Opportunism After Attacks
10:00 - How the State Asserts Control Post-Attack
13:00 - Strategic Incentives Behind Proxy War
16:00 - Cold-Blooded Attacks and the Logic of Escalation
20:00 - Pakistan Army's Deep Interest in Prolonged Conflict
23:00 - Post-Article 370 Progress in Kashmir
26:00 - Can Kashmiri Pandits Return?
29:00 - China's Role and Strategic Interests in Kashmir
32:00 - Russian Ambivalence and Global Alignments
36:00 - The Problem with Emotional Responses
40:00 - When Should India Opt for Kinetic Action?
44:00 - Lessons from Balakot & Sri Lanka’s LTTE Strategy
48:00 - Media Narratives vs. Reality on the Ground
52:00 - Pakistan’s Motivation: From Obsession to Provocation
55:00 - Psychological Warfare and Narrative Control
59:00 - Kashmir’s Future and the Need for Inclusive Development
01:03:00 - China's Influence on India's Strategic Calculus
01:06:00 - Final Reflections: IPL, Humor, and Hope
01:07:00 - Thank You & Closing

Apr 13, 2025 • 39min
Sanjeev Sanyal on Trump's Tariffs and India’s Economic Strategy: You Can’t Miss This!
Join us for a compelling discussion with Sanjeev Sanyal, a distinguished Member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Economic Advisory Council. We delve deep into the intricacies of India's current economic policies and its ambitious growth aspirations. Explore the strategic initiatives driving India's development, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and the anticipated growth trajectory in the global context. While the primary focus is on the Indian economic narrative, he also offers his expert analysis on the broader global economic environment, including the ripple effects of Trump's tariffs and the prevailing uncertainty in the global stock markets. This episode provides a nuanced understanding of India's economic future from a leading voice at the heart of the nation's economic policymaking.00:00 - India’s Growth, Restraint & the Free Trade Dream01:00 - How India Plans to Navigate Global Trade Uncertainty05:07 - Minimum Government vs Maximum Governance: India’s Gradual Approach07:54 - Reform Pushbacks & Lessons from the Farm Laws10:20 - Why Controlled Growth is Better Than Maximalist Growth12:30 - Creative Destruction & Why Planning the Future Rarely Works16:01 - India Doesn’t Need Uniform Thinking—It Needs Flexibility18:04 - Meeting Historical Icons Who Shaped Turning Points20:17 - Envisioning Bharat @2047: A Civilizational Comeback23:57 - India’s Lost Maritime Legacy & Why It Matters Today27:12 - The Population Debate: Fertility, Fairness & Federalism30:30 - What India Must Prioritize to Reach the Next Growth Orbit36:18 - Why Indian Industry Needs More Risk & Less Inheritance37:20 - Adapt to Chaos: India’s Real Superpower

Mar 29, 2025 • 1h 18min
Why South India is Scared of Delimitation | Goutham Desiraju(Prof. IISc & Author)
Goutham Desiraju, a Professor at the Indian Institute of Science and author, dives into the contentious topic of delimitation in India. He discusses the urgent need for equal voter representation and the implications of demographic shifts on political power dynamics. The historical context of language as a political tool during colonial rule is explored, shedding light on contemporary linguistic politics. Desiraju advocates for data-driven electoral reforms that foster inclusivity, aiming to create a balanced and prosperous democracy by 2047.

Mar 22, 2025 • 1h 52min
Investors Are Panicking—Here’s What You Need to Know | Harsh Madhusudan | Aashish Sommaiyaa
Why are the markets falling? Is this just another cycle, or is something bigger at play? In this deep-dive conversation, top financial experts break down the Trump Trade, global economic shifts, and how retail investors should navigate uncertain markets. From the impact of foreign investors pulling out to India's long-term growth story, this episode uncovers critical insights on the financial landscape. Harsh Gupta Madhusudan, economist, investor, and author, shares his deep insights on macroeconomic trends, market cycles, and the forces shaping India’s financial future. Aashish Somaiyya, veteran asset manager and industry leader, brings his expertise on retail investing, market behavior, and how investors can position themselves for long-term success. They also discuss how to navigate the current investment climate, where to find value in sectors like financial services and consumer discretionary, and the significance of investment metrics. Their advice includes practical tips on portfolio management and the importance of aligning one's investments with long-term economic growth. The conversation is rich with insights about managing investments during volatile periods and the potential of sectors and asset classes beyond traditional equities.📌 Timestamps00:00 Introduction: Market Trends and Cycles00:30 India's Market Performance and Key Guests00:46 Discussion with Ash Gupta and Ashish Sumaya01:41 Understanding Market Corrections and Investor Behavior02:19 Impact of US Policies on Global Markets04:30 The Role of US Treasury Yields09:36 Market Cycles and Investor Psychology17:05 The Future of Foreign Investments in India28:19 Regulatory Framework and Financial Inclusion in India37:14 Balancing Capitalism and Welfare37:58 Fiscal Responsibility and Growth39:02 Supporting Vulnerable Sections40:33 Government Spending and CapEx Cycles42:00 Private Sector and CapEx Growth42:44 Interest Rates and RBI Policies43:43 Demand Stimulation and Economic Asymmetry48:12 Small Caps and Investment Strategies55:24 Market Cycles and Portfolio Management01:12:51 Herd Behavior and Market Corrections01:15:14 Investment Strategies: Balancing Trading and Investing01:16:49 Sector Analysis: Financial Services and Discretionary Consumption01:17:36 Impact of Pay Commissions on Consumption01:19:14 Financials and Capital Markets: Opportunities and Trends01:22:30 Choosing the Right Stocks: Metrics and Strategies01:43:30 The Role of Private Equity and Real Estate in Investment Portfolios01:47:09 The Future of Crypto and Alternative Investments01:48:35 Optimism for India's Economic Future01:51:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts