ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Palki Sharma has been a TV reporter and anchor for over two decades. She was the face of Wion before she joined Network 18 as Managing Editor and is now building a team for a new venture. In an interesting conversation with Smita Prakash, she talks about her life, tackling trolls, breaking stereotypes and the challenges of International News. She opens up about her reasons for moving from Wion and her plans for the next venture of the Network 18 Group. Through the conversation she also highlights the issues faced by women journalists and how she managed it throughout her career.

Yatinder Singh, a bodybuilder and fitness expert, is also a social media influencer through his Youtube channel on which he guides youngsters who want to take up bodybuilding as a profession or as a lifestyle. He is a three-time Mr. India title-holder and this year at an age when most bodybuilders retire, he won the title of Asia Champion silencing his critics for good. In a candid conversation with Smita Prakash, Yatinder talks about his humble beginnings, his potentially career-ending injury, his comeback and future goals. He shares his diet which has remained the same for years and has helped him win tournament after tournament. Through the conversation, he emphasises the importance of having a proper trainer for anyone who is keen on hitting the gym.

Padyatra which translates to ‘journey by foot' has been used as an agent of social change by religious and social reformers from ancient times. Even politicians have used it to gain political mileage, the most impactful one being the Salt March undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi against the British tax regime. Currently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is on a padyatra from South to North India called the Bharat Jodo Yatra which he says is to unite the nation divided by the divisive policies of the BJP government.  But are padyatras relevant in an age where even those residing in villages have access to mobile networks and television reaches every corner of the country? Will Rahul Gandhi be able to convert the crowd into votes and will it impact the next elections? To discuss these questions, we have veteran politician Sudhindra Bhadoria of the Bahujan Samaj Party who played an essential role in the Bharat Yatra of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekar in 1983. Also joining the podcast is Shantanu Gupta, founder of Yuva Foundation. He is author and biographer of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The recent happenings in Pakistan have taken a new turn after the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Imran Khan. For the first time in history, people are openly protesting against the Pakistan Army and anti-American sentiments are at an all-time high. What do these developments mean for India and how does it impact geopolitics on the global stage to discuss more on it Smita Prakash spoke with Tilak Devasher who is the author of three widely acclaimed books on Pakistan and retired as Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Government of India. He is currently a member of the National Security Advisory Board. Major Gaurav Arya is an Indian Army veteran and founder of the Chanakya Forum. He is a public speaker who is seen on television debates and is popular on social media in India and Pakistan.

Sarbananda Sonowal, the former Chief Minister of Assam is one of the tallest political leaders from North East India. He is currently the Cabinet Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Cabinet Minister of AYUSH in the Government of India. In a detailed conversation with Smita Prakash, he talks about his journey in politics from being a student leader to now being the only politician from the North East to be part of the BJP Parliamentary Board. Sonowal sheds light on the workings of the Ministry of AYUSH and its achievements at the global level. He further goes on to explain the latest developments in the field of shipping under the current government. In this conversation, Sonowal also slams the Congress for betraying the people of North East for many years and focuses on the changes brought about after 2014.

Priyanka Chaturvedi is a Member of Parliament from the Rajya Sabha and holds the post of Deputy Leader in the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction). A former Congress spokesperson, Priyanka has been a voice for gender equality both inside and outside of parliament. She has been strident in her criticism of the BJP and does not hesitate to take on the government even on issues outside of her home state of Maharashtra. She is known to speak straight from the heart and in this episode with Smita Prakash, she does just that as she talks about issues ranging from woman empowerment to dealing with trolls, from personal life to her political journey. She opens up on why she quit the Congress and joined the Shiv Sena and what changes it brought to her political career. Through the conversation, she emphasizes the issue of stereotyping of women, especially in the field of politics

Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (Retd) popularly known as 'Tiny Dhillon' is a decorated officer with a career spanning 39 years. He has served as Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency and Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (Intelligence). He earned widespread appreciation for initiating unconventional, people-friendly operations during his tenure as head of XV Corps in Kashmir. His line ‘Kitne Ghazi aaye kitne Ghazi gaye’ has become legendary in the social media circuit. In a candid conversation with Smita Prakash Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (Retd) talks about Army life, operations undertaken and the social media plunge. He goes on to talk about what happened behind the scenes of the Balakot air strike and the implementation of Article 370. On a lighter note, he shares about his retired life, family, and love for food.

Is the Covid pandemic over? Are the Covid vaccines and boosters enough to keep us safe in the event of another wave? What are the after effects of Covid that we are living with? What about random tests doctors seem to be prescribing these days? How do doctors function under intense stress that comes with the profession? To answer these questions Smita Prakash spoke with Dr. Arjun Dang, CEO of Dr. Dangs Lab which is the busiest diagnostic laboratory in New Delhi and Dr Dhiren Gupta who is a Paediatrician and Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram hospital, New Delhi.

Air pollution is one of the biggest issues faced by mankind, causing serious lung-related disorders. Research has shown that 80% of lung care patients these days are non-smokers who are exposed to air pollution. Covid has further worsened the matter with recovered persons having compromised lungs which is leading us towards a lung cancer epidemic. To discuss this important issue Smita Prakash spoke with Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgery at Medanta Hospital. He is a leading voice when it comes to lung-related issues and has been an advocate for better lung health through his organisation the Lung Care Foundation. 

Arnab Goswami needs no introduction; he has been the face of Indian television news for more than a decade. Rightly called controversy’s favourite child, Arnab doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind. In an elaborate conversation with Smita Prakash, Arnab Goswami opens up about his life, humble beginnings, rise in the media industry and how he launched Republic TV Group. For the first time ever hear Arnab Goswami talk about his ordeal inside the Taloja Central Jail and how he dealt with the wrath of it. He also shares some inside stories that are sure to raise many eyebrows.