ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Vikram Sood, is a former chief of India's external intelligence agency the Research and Analysis Wing and an advisor to the Observer Research Foundation, an independent public policy think tank in New Delhi. Sood’s entry to R&AW was very accidental but he went on to become spymaster in 2000 in his over three-decade-long service. Sood also has the distinction of being the lone chief of R&AW who came from a non- police background. In an in-depth conversation with Smita Prakash, Sood talks about Kargil, Pakistan’s misadventures on the border as well as on mainland through terror attacks. Sood also reveals Musharraf’s role in Kargil and how they exposed his lies, importance of intelligence system for strategic and security interests of the country. Further, Sood also narrates the story behind Pakistan’s nuclear story and the assassination of former Prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, his relations with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his take on spy movies.

On the 39th anniversary of Operation Meghdoot which was launched by Indian Army to take control of the world’s highest battlefield Siachen Glacier, we bring to you a special episode on the story of how our defence forces captured the important peaks of Siachen Glacier against all odds in 1984. In an informative conversation with Smita Prakash, Lt Gen Sanjay Kulkarni (Retd.) who as a 28-year-old captain in April 1984 was among the first to be heli-dropped on the Lolofond Glacier recalls the operation and stories on how they pre-empted Operation Ababeel by Pakistani Army.

Shefali Shah, one of the most talented women actors today, has had a long and enduring career spanning over two decades, which saw her transition from an actress to every character she played. She was awarded the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie ‘The Last Year’ in 2007. In a candid conversation in ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Shefali Shah opens up about her journey in the Mumbai film industry to OTT, which brought her into the spotlight in 2019, portraying her as a 'strong woman' on Indian screens. Shefali also talks about her filmography and shares her experiences working with different co-stars as well as contrasting roles and how she ended up choosing them.

With China aggressively laying sole claim on the entire South China Sea, which facilitates over $3 trillion worth of maritime trade annually, leading to conflict and impasse between countries including Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, the South China Sea has become a very important topic globally. In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash at the Raisina Dialogue held in New Delhi, March 2023, the panel discussed QUAD’s strategy to counter China’s aggression, bilateral security mechanisms for the region, security challenges due to sovereign claims by Beijing in South China Sea and the road ahead. The expert panel, comprising of senior fellow for Asia-Pacific security at International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore Dr Lynn Kuok; Non-resident fellow at Hudson Institute USA, Dr Satoru Nagao and Head of National Security College at Australian National University Professor Rory Medcalf; came together with Smita Prakash and discussed various aspects of disputes arising due to Beijing’s aggressive territorial policies and claims over South and East China Sea. The panel also evaluated security challenges posed by China, US and India’s interest in the region and world’s view on India-China conflict.

 Gaurav Gogoi, is a second generation Congress politician from the state of Assam and is currently serving as the deputy leader of the Indian National Congress in Lok Sabha since 2020. Gaurav represents Kaliabor parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha since 2014 and is taking forward the legacy of his father Tarun Gogoi, longest serving chief Minister of Assam. Gaurav, an alumnus of New York University is said to be a family man and maintains a low profile, but happens to be very close to former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and defends his recent speech in London. In an animated conversation with Smita Prakash, Gaurav talks about his entry into politics, Himanta Biswa Sarma and accuses BJP of misusing central agencies. He also talks about NEDA, role of regional parties in the North East, opposition unity and Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Sanjeev Sanyal is a noted historian and economist turned writer who has written seven books on India’s history, geography and freedom struggle. His latest book, Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom, talks about the story of armed resistance which wasn’t individual heroism as it has been portrayed in our history books, but was part of a wider movement towards colonial occupation. Sanjeev is a recipient of an Eisenhower fellowship, has been named young global leader by WEF and is a visiting scholar at Oxford University and an adjunct fellow at National University of Singapore. Currently, Sanyal serves as a member of the economic advisory council to the Prime Minister of India. In this edition of Podcast with Smita Prakash, author-cum-economist talks about armed resistance against the British, his family’s contribution to the freedom struggle, Savarakar, the source of the Khalistani movement and how collaborators and the Nehruvian Congress wiped out the actual history of the Revolutionaries.

With India all set to host SCO in May and G20 later in September this year, India-US relations have become a very important topic with strategic partnerships reaching an all-time high between the two largest democracies of the world. This episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash features two sessions, which includes one at Raisina Dialogue held in New Delhi, March 2023 and the other recorded in January 2023. The expert panel comprises former Indian Ambassador to the United States Arun Kumar Singh and Former US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, who discuss various aspects of India-US relations in a revitalised Quad era, China’s resistance to Quad and Russia-Ukraine war during the first session, while in the second session foreign policy expert and executive director of Observer Research Foundation, USA, Dhruva Jaishankar and senior fellow at Asia Society Policy Institute, C Raja Mohan comes together with Smita Prakash to discuss the topic on a broader aspect by decoding the strengthened relationship in the light of a rejuvenated NATO, acceptance of Indo-Pacific, Ukraine War and upcoming elections in both countries.

General V K Singh, former chief of Army staff, donned many hats before turning to be a full-time politician. Coming from a family of soldiers, Singh served 42 years in the Indian Army, which saw him on the front lines of combat, in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and also in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. During his four-decade-long military service, he has seen it all from being awarded prestigious medals, which include Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal, to being a controversy child with accusations of a military coup, falsified birth certificate and snooping of government servants, all of which was never proven. General Singh also joined India Against Corruption movement with Anna Hazare but moved on to the BJP and currently serves as Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Ministry of Civil Aviation in the second term of the Modi government. In an in-depth conversation with Smita Prakash, General Singh reveals the truth about the ‘coup’, the creation of the TSD, brutalities by Pakistani Army during the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Galwan and other untold stories.

With the US and India going for elections in 2024 this topic is very pertinent as there is a general consensus in both capitals and a bipartisan consensus in Washington that, despite significant differences, bilateral cooperation is beneficial to both countries. In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash at the Raisina Dialogue held in New Delhi, March 2023, the panel discussed the India-US relationship- from national security to trade, the perspective of Democrats and Republicans towards India, the Ukraine conflict, the misinformation campaign and the role of Indian diaspora in American politics. The expert panel, comprising of senior fellow and Director, Technology and National Security Program of Centre for a New American Society, USA Martijn Rasser; Director, US and the Americas Programme and Dean Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs, Chatham House, UK Leslie Vinjamuri; and Distinguished fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, USA and former US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster came together with Smita Prakash and discussed various aspects of US-India relations in the view of a Democrat or Republican President in The White House in November 2024.

A Punjabi by birth, Sonu Sood’s career in films began in the Tamil and Telugu film industry, but he gradually moved to the Bombay film industry when interesting offers came his way. In this heart to heart chat with Smita Prakash, the vagaries of the film industry are discussed at length. In 2020 when there was a nationwide lockdown during the pandemic, Sood helped thousands of migrants return home. He speaks about this life altering mission of his in this podcast. Many thought that his social work was a stepping stone into politics, but Sood says he isn’t ready as yet though many offers have come his way. Sood also talks about physical and mental fitness regimes that he follows.