Top Picks

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  Dastaan-e-Samvidhaan — दास्तान ए संविधान | Greatest Speeches of the Constituent Assembly

  In the second episode of this series on the story of the Constitution of India, we remember the landmark speeches made by prominent members of the Constituent Assembly. These addresses signified several important decisions that shaped the Constitution.

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  Nanjangud Tooth Powder | ನಂಜನಗೂಡು ಹಲ್ಲುಪುಡಿ | A Brush With History

  This is the extraordinary tale of a much-loved Karnataka brand and an original startup innovator who inspires us to this day. B V Pundit’s Nanjangud Tooth Powder is more than a freshening mouthful — it is an experience that many of Karnataka’s cultural legends swear by. In this conversation between Sudheesh Venkatesh and Shraddha, discover the fascinating story behind the product that is synonymous with the famous temple town of Nanjanagudu.

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  Saara Jahan Hamara — In 1950’s Bombay

  We begin our journey in the film studios of 1950’s Bombay (then not yet known as Bollywood) where lyricists like Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shailendra, and others are using the power of their poetry to awaken people to the spirit of Constitutional Values

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  Likhe Jo Khat Mujhe with Mayur Trivedi

  Likhe Jo Khat Mujhe, hosted by Mayur Trivedi, brings to life stories that reflect the complexities of poverty, marginalisation, and societal norms through fictitious letters received from people from various walks of life.

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  Economies Of Khel — The Curious Business Of Sporting Subcultures

  WWE, kabaddi, amateur running… How do niche sports like these find a market, build loyal communities, and generate money for participants and promoters alike? Rahul De, professor of economics at Azim Premji University, and his equally sports-obsessed guests attempt to crack these mysteries on Economies Of Khel, a podcast series from Radio Azim Premji University.

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  Bhakti Republic With Amit Basole — From Bollywood To Benaras And Beyond

  The ideas of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice — the very values enshrined in our Constitution — have endured over centuries in the Bhakti tradition. The Bhakti poets always challenged the ideologies of their times that attempted to force the belief that people were not equal. In this show, Bhakti Republic, we explore the histories of these ideas in Bhakti poetry, and how they find resonance in the values underpinning the Constitution of a modern republic. 

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  Inside the beautiful mind of Mirza Ghalib

  Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota — The World of Ghalib is presented by Amit Basole, faculty in Economics at Azim Premji University. This show, set in a time that was a unique turning point in our nation’s history, seeks to bring both the man and his poetry alive with meaning for a young and uninitiated audience.

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  The India Project With Josy Joseph

  Counting down to India’s Independence from British colonial rule, this series traces the rise of free India through vignettes of history. Researched and narrated by award-winning journalist Josy Joseph, The India Project is a journey into decisive events and people that were instrumental the making of a nation.

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  Almost Perfect — Stories Of Forgotten Indian Women Athletes

  While some soar to stardom, others remain in the shadows despite their exceptional talents. Welcome to Almost Perfect, a captivating series that unearths the remarkable yet often overlooked stories of Indian women athletes

Pick an episode and listen

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  Hindustan Ki Nayi Geetmala | हिंदुस्तान की नयी गीतमाला — A Playlist To Celebrate Diversity

  In the first episode of our series Samvidhaani Pitaara, we present a playlist for celebrating our diversity. The sounds of India represent our pluralism. The music of this unique Indianness finds resonance in the Constitution of India, a document foundational to our democracy, a tapestry tailored from disparate elements that make us Indian — our shared values, our history, and our diversity. Listen to Hindustan Ki Nayi Geetmala with Vineet KKN Panchhi.

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  An Independence Day playlist for love and harmony

  Hosted by Vineet KKN Panchhi of The Jai Hind Project, this special edition of Samvidhaani Pitaara is aptly titled ​“Hindustan Ki Nayi Geetmala — Azaadi Special” — a playlist of songs to celebrate our yearning for true freedom. Listen on your favourite streaming channels.

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  1952 — A Love Story (For Democracy in India)

  Welcome to Pehla Pehla Chunaav, our special episode of Samvidhaani Pitaara. Hosts Seetal Iyer and Vineet KKN Panchhi take you on a time machine trip simulating a retro radio broadcast as they recount the exciting events of the historic day when the results of India’s first free and fair parliamentary election are being declared

Did you miss this episode?

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  So you passed 12^th and want to be an engineer? Draw inspiration from the life of Sir M Visvesvaraya

  Sir M Visvesvaraya was more than an engineer. He was a disciplined polymath with eclectic pursuits, a social change-maker, a principled statesman, and a lifelong learner. In this special episode of Noorakke Nooru Karnataka, Shraddha Jain converses with Sudheesh Venkatesh and Mala Kumar about the exemplary mindset of one of Karnataka’s most illustrious sons, an engineer with a conscience.

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  Bhoota Kola — ಭೂತ ಕೋಲ | Talking to Ancestral Spirits in Dakshina Kannada

  In the second episode of our Kannada series Noorakke Nooru Karnataka [100 / 100 Karnataka], Shraddha has an absorbing conversation with Umashanker Periodi on the rich tradition of Bhoota Kola in Dakshina Kannada’s coastal region of Tulunadu. Periodi explains that Bhootas — ancestral spirits — are often a symbolic manifestation of entities or powers feared or revered by communities that worship them. Listen on your favourite podcast platforms.

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  ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರಗ | Bengaluru Karaga

  In this special episode of Noorakke Nooru Karnataka, we step into the heart of one of Bengaluru’s oldest and most vibrant traditions — the Bengaluru Karaga, which takes place on April 12. New host Varsha Ramachandra is joined by historian and storyteller Dharmendra Kumar Arenahalli, who has spent years documenting this unique festival.

Discover Bhakti Republic

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  Saara Jahan Hamara — In 1950’s Bombay

  We begin our journey in the film studios of 1950’s Bombay (then not yet known as Bollywood) where lyricists like Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shailendra, and others are using the power of their poetry to awaken people to the spirit of Constitutional Values

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  Bombay Talkies — Cinema and Social Change

  By the 20^th century, cinema halls had mushroomed all over the city of Bombay and the industry attracted actors, dancers, singers, and songwriters. Songs were an inseparable part of these films, piggybacking on the tradition of Gujarati and Marathi theatre. The stage was set for a new breed of poets to write their way into history.

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  The Body As Temple — The Vachanas Of The Sharanas

  In the third episode of Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole, we journey to 12^th century Karnataka, where the Sharanas, ardent devotees of Shiva, spread their message through vachanas, verses composed and sung in simple Kannada, which are infused with profound thought

Listen And Read

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  Why ace archer Chekrovolu Swuro bowed out

  Chekrovolu Swuro, the talented archer from Nagaland, represented India at the 2012 London Olympics. Followers of the sport may remember that she had competed in the same team as Deepika Kumari, the teenage sensation who rose to great heights. Despite culminating in defeat, Swuro’s story of resilience continues to enthuse aspiring archers. Listen to ​‘Missing The Mark’, the second episode of the Radio Azim Premji University series ​‘Almost Perfect’, which unearths the stories of Indian women athletes who competed alongside the best but fell short of success.

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  Game. Set. Mismatch. No love lost for Archana Venkataraman

  In the 1990’s, Archana Venkataraman was a star on the rise. Since she was four, her tennis-obsessed family shuttled her from one tournament to another, one coaching clinic to the next. At seventeen, she was crowned the National Champion. Her place did not go unchallenged. At the finals of the National Games in 2002, Archana came up against a younger, hungrier, grittier rival — 16-year-old Sania Mirza. Playing the newcomer on her home turf in Hyderabad and booed by a hostile crowd of spectators, Archana went down in a firestorm of deuces. It takes a lot to succeed in a sport as expensive and competitive as tennis, more so for an Indian woman. In over a century, only four  have made it to a Grand Slam event. Viewed in that sobering light, Archana Venkataraman’s story is one worth telling. Listen to it on Almost Perfect.

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  Almost Perfect — Stories Of Forgotten Indian Women Athletes

  While some soar to stardom, others remain in the shadows despite their exceptional talents. Welcome to Almost Perfect, a captivating series that unearths the remarkable yet often overlooked stories of Indian women athletes

Listen And Read

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  Kayakave Kailasa — A Musical Rendition Of The Vachanas

  M. D. Pallavi sings the vachanas accompanied by Bruce Lee Mani on guitar. Enjoy this unique compilation produced by Radio Azim Premji University as a companion to Bhakti Republic with Amit Basole

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  The Path To Pandharpur — Music for Bhakti Republic

  Listen to The Path To Pandharpur, an original music album produced by Radio Azim Premji University for the series Bhakti Republic. Performed by Anjali Malkar, Bruce Lee Mani, and Junuka Deshpande with Karthik Bhat and Noel Prashanth , it is available for free listening on your favourite streaming services 

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  ಕೋಲೆ ಬಸವ | Kole Basava — A Disappearing Tradition

  Members of the Kole Basava community consider their cattle as family. These itinerant musicians are often seen on city streets seeking alms as they lead their decorated bulls and cows while playing the nadaswaram. The traditional lifestyle that sustained them is no longer lucrative, leading many to migrate to cities like Bengaluru, where their music falls on deaf ears. In the first episode of our Kannada show Banni Kelona (Come, Let’s Listen), we visit a settlement of Kole Basava musicians.