On the Contrary by IDR – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, journalist Namita Bhandare, researcher Sharon Buteau, and author and economist Shrayana Bhattacharya, delve into the data on female labour force participation, revealing the truth about Indian women’s engagement in paid work.

Host: Saloni Meghani

Produced and edited by: Sneha Philip, Smarinita Shetty, Shreya Adhikari, and Halima Ansari

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production.

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

In this episode, Gayathri Vasudevan (Chief Impact Officer, Sambhav Foundation and Chairperson, LabourNet Services India), and feminist and queer activist Manak Matiyani discuss how gender norms and masculinities shape women's access to the workforce.

Host: Smarinita Shetty

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Smarinita Shetty, Shreya Adhikari, and Halima Ansari

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production.

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

In this episode, Archana Soreng, a young climate activist belonging to the Kharia tribe in Odisha, speaks with Bijal Brahmbhatt, director at the nonprofit Mahila Housing Trust. They discuss how the climate crisis is exacerbating pre-existing inequalities across rural and urban India, especially for women and indigenous communities. Exploring the future of climate action, they also talk about why it’s crucial for policymakers to make space for voices and solutions emerging from the grassroots.

Host: Smarinita Shetty;
Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty.
IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org , or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production.

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

As the climate emergency worsens, can we continue to work the way we do? And if the nature of jobs needs to change, how can we ensure that the most vulnerable communities don’t bear the brunt? Harish Hande, the co-founder of SELCO, argues that moving away from centralised businesses and localising jobs is the way to go. However, Sabina Dewan, the founder and executive director of the JustJobs Network, calls for stronger policy and regulatory frameworks to ensure businesses become sustainable.

Host: Smarinita Shetty;

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty.

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org , or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production.

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

Technology is emerging as a crucial lever for climate action. However, there is also an urgent need to discuss its consequences. Is adopting tech truly the only low carbon answer or just a more profitable one? And who gets to control it? The big tech companies or the communities facing the devastating consequences of climate change on the ground? Jim Fruchterman, Founder and CEO of Tech Matters, and Trisha Ray, Deputy Director, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at Observer Research Foundation, explore the growing and sometimes unforeseeable impacts of tech on climate change.

Host: Smarinita Shetty;

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty.

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production.

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

Much needs to change in India when it comes to agriculture, especially given the climate crisis and its impact on our food systems. On this episode, Crispino Lobo, co-founder of the Watershed Organisation Trust, and Mark Kahn, co-founder of the agritech-focused venture capital firm, Omnivore, discuss what farmers need most today to help them develop climate resilience.

Host: Rachita Vora

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production. 

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

With the increasing focus on climate action in India, all eyes are on the funding landscape to back it up. But where do corporate, individual, and private philanthropy stand when it comes to funding climate solutions? What are their constraints, and given the quantum of funds required, is a collaboration between them a potential solution? Gayatri Divecha, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Godrej Industries, and Shloka Nath, Executive Director, at India Climate Collaborative, weigh in.

Host: Rachita Vora 

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production. 

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

The climate change story has largely been all doom-and-gloom. As we wake up to the impacts of worsening climate change, it still feels a bit abstract. How does the crisis relate to people’s day to day lives? Is there a role for individuals to play? This week, Navroz Dubash, policy advisor and professor at the Centre for Policy Research, and Sahana Ghosh, science journalist at Mongabay India, look at the complicated manner in which we talk about climate today, and explore whether there is a better, more empowering story to tell.

Host: Rachita Vora 

Produced and edited by: Rachita Vora, Shreya Adhikari, and Smarinita Shetty. 

IDR is an online journal that publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by, and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. For more information, visit www.idronline.org, or follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is a Maed in India production. 

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

India Development Review’s podcast, On the Contrary by IDR returns with Season 4, and this time it's focussing on the most serious crisis of our times—climate change. In every episode, two climate experts discuss the interplay between the climate emergency and gender, livelihoods, technology, and more. Tune in every Wednesday, on your favourite podcasting app. For more information, visit: www.idronline.org

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/

Can investing in government schools result in an improved education system? Or does the answer lie in developing affordable private schools? In this episode, Aditya Natraj, CEO of Piramal Foundation, and Parth Shah, founder-president of the Centre for Civil Society, discuss the pros and cons of government and private schools, and why both systems need to work together to ensure quality education for children. 

• The pandemic has thrown up many challenges for both government and private schools. The entire education system needs to be reassessed to ensure children don’t suffer any further learning losses. 

• A monopoly of either system takes away parents’ right to choose the kind of education they want for their children. It is important for affordable private schools to co-exist with government schools.

• There is a huge gap between the perception and reality of both schooling systems. The perception of either system’s performance vis-a-vis national surveys and popular media does not usually paint the whole picture.

For more information about IDR, go to www.idronline.com. Also, follow IDR on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram. 

Read more:

1.  The purpose of education: Learn, do, become.

2.  Are private schools really better than government schools?

3.  “Let us not give up on government schools”

4.  Can we ensure all children return to schools?

5.  How reliable is India’s learning outcomes data?

6.  State of the sector report on private schools in India

7.  Without accountability, there’s no pressure to improve

8.  What standardised testing doesn’t tell us about learning

9.  What the National Education Policy means for India

10.  Why Indian children can’t read

11.  Education in India needs an overhaul

12.  Teacher shortage: A problem of distribution or scarcity?

13.  The billion dollar opportunity in affordable private schools

14.  Charting the rise of budget private schools

Donate: https://idronline.org/donate/