Explore every episode of the podcast The Suno India Show

What prevents women from seeking safe, legal abortions? Studies show that the awareness about abortion and its legality is very low among people. To add to the confusion, the implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 or PCPNDT Act which makes sex selection illegal gives anti-abortion messages. 

This is the fifth and final episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Saraswati Sahu, a leader with the Chhatisgarh Mahila Mukti Morcha that works on the rights of workers, who talks about her own abortion stories and how she used to feel abortion was illegal, and that she had to undergo abortion surreptitiously. Menaka also talked to Pritam Potdar, the managing director with the Pune-based non-profit, Samyak Communication and Research Centre, which works on gender rights. Menaka also spoke to Vinoj Manning, the CEO of the international non profit Ipas Development Foundation and his colleague, Samina Parveen who works as a specialist in the research and evaluation team at IPAS which recently released a survey on the attitudes of Indians about abortion. 

This podcast is supported by Pulitzer center

References

Trends in selective abortions of girls in India: analysis of nationally representative birth histories from 1990 to 2005 and census data from 1991 to 2011 - PubMed

Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 | India Code

At 914, child sex ratio is the lowest since Independence - The Hindu

https://www.masum-india.org.in/images/Sex%20selection%20and%20safe%20abortion.pdf

Doctors wary of conducting abortions after 12 weeks | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times

Illegal sale of abortion pills: Drug inspectors raid seven medical stores in Beed | Mumbai News - Times of India

Private detectives to check sex determination tests in Punjab | Chandigarh News - Times of India

Why getting a safe abortion by a registered gynaecologist has become almost impossible

(PDF) " If a woman has even one daughter, I refuse to perform the abortion " : Sex determination and safe abortion in India

(PDF) Evaluating the relative effectiveness of high-intensity and low-intensity models of behaviour change communication interventions for abortion care-seeking in Bihar and Jharkhand, India: A cross-sectional study

Improving care seeking behavior of young women for sexual and reproductive health in Assam and Madhya Pradesh

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How getting an abortion is linked to contraceptive use

How a person seeking abortion is treated often relates to their contraception history. When someone seeks abortion, the health system discriminates against those who take temporary contraceptives or no contraceptives at all. The public health hospitals often deny abortion unless women undergo a permanent sterilisation or at least take a long acting contraceptive such as intrauterine devices.

This is the fourth episode of a series 'Matter of Choice', a series that explores how women face. This podcast explores how these systemic denials and attitudes have classist and casteist implications. Suno India’s Menaka Rao also speaks to women who got pregnant after a sterlisation surgery, which is rare. Despite exhausting all their methods to avoid pregnancy, these women barely get any help when they seek abortion.

medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. This podcast features women from Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Menaka speaks to human rights activist and educationist, Shreya Khemani, and labour rights activist, Saraswati Sahu, both of whom are based in Chhattisgarh. Menaka also spoke to Dr Suchitra Dalvie,  gynaecologist and coordinator of Asia Safe Abortion Partnership. 

This podcast is supported by Pulitzer Center. 

References

Mistreatment and Coercion: Unethical Sterilization in India

Men’s Participation in Family Planning & Reproductive Health

Comparative effectiveness of hysteroscopic and laparoscopic sterilization for women: a retrospective cohort study - ScienceDirect

End sterilisation camps, says Supreme Court - The Hindu

India sterilisations: More Chhattisgarh botched cases - BBC News

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This episode explores the barriers faced by women who are pregnant before they turn single, either by widowhood or marital separation, or any other reason. This is the third episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions.

In this episode, Menaka Rao speaks with a woman whose husband died when she was pregnant, leaving her to make the tough choice. We discuss the legal precedents in relation to women who sought an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy when they were either widowed or separated. 

This episode was supported by the Pulitzer Centre.

References

X vs. Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Another

Woman asks to terminate 22-week pregnancy as she wants divorce, Delhi HC seeks medical report

Mrs B vs Union of India Oct 2023

R vs Union of India 23 JANUARY, 2024 

Poonam Sharma vs Union Of India on 9 October, 2023

Human rights including a supportive framework of law and policy (1.3.1) - Abortion care guideline

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This is the second episode of a series Matter of Choice, a series that explores how women face medical, legal and social barriers to abortions. This episode is based in Delhi where despite facilities, women are given a run-around for abortions. In this episode, Menaka Rao speaks to three women who had a hard time seeking abortion in the country’s capital. These women were either treated with disrespect, or asked for very hefty fees in the private sector, often with very little assurance that the provider will provide abortion. Menaka speaks to these women at the non-profit Parivar Seva Sanstha which provides them with safe, affordable abortion care. The NGO has clinics in 11 states of India, including Delhi. Menaka also speaks with Neelam Rao who runs its clinics in Delhi. 

This podcast is supported by Pulitzer Centre

References

 Parivar Seva Sanstha

https://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/programmes/maternal-health/guidelines/CAC_Training_&_Service_Guidelines_2023.pdf

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Abortion is legal in India with certain conditions. But it is  hard to access in many parts of the country, especially in rural India. An estimated eight women die everyday from abortions in India. This series called - Matter of Choice- will explore how women face medical, legal and social  barriers to abortion.

In this first episode, Menaka Rao goes to villages in Azamgarh where women have little or no options for legal abortions. Blind alley abortions are common, with unqualified doctors or quacks offering abortion, putting the women’s lives at risk. What is it like to undergo such a risky abortion procedure? Menaka speaks with three women who underwent these procedures and hears their stories. 

This podcast was supported by the Pulitzer Center

If you want to listen to the voices of the women in Hindi, here is the link

Show notes

Gramin Punarnirman Sansthan
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act of 2021
Abortion: Safety
Clinical practice handbook for quality abortion care
https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/bills_parliament/2020/Medical%20Termination%20of%20Pregnancy%20(Amendment)%20Rules,%202021.pdf
The incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy in India, 2015 - The Lancet Global Health

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It has been more than a year since the Supreme court released Narayan Chetanram Chaudhary in March 2023. Narayan was convicted along with his co-accused for gruesome murders in Pune and sentenced to death. But after 28 years of jail, the Supreme court released him as per the Juvenile Justice Act after it was proved that he was just 12 years old at the time of offence. 

How is he coping with life outside jail? In this podcast, Menaka Rao visited him in his village in Bikaner to understand how Narayan is managing life in society.

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Punjabis are infamous for their obsession with migrating abroad, especially to Canada. There’s a saying among diaspora Punjabis that goes, “Jitthe assi, utthe Punjab,” meaning “We create Punjab wherever we go.” But, in the recent past, a new narrative of ‘Vatan vaapsi’ or ‘Reverse Migration’ has taken hold in Punjabi media. According to podcasts and some news articles, Punjabis are sick of living abroad and are excited to return to their homeland. 

In this episode, Kudrat Wadhwa investigates how much truth there is to the claim that Punjabis are returning to India and why people are coming back, if they are. 

References: 

Is a waning Canadian dream fuelling reverse migration in Punjab?

91% Parents ‘satisfied’ Over Their Wards Moving Abroad, Says Study | Chandigarh News - Times of India

Back to Motherland | Reverse Migration | Part 6 | EP 68 | Punjabi Podcast

Punjabi Students Becoming Homeless In Canada | ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਵਿਚ ਬੇਘਰੇ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਟੂਡੈਂਟਸ

Homless 6 punjabi munde te ik kudi dekho kime reh rhe ne

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Recently, a father and his son died in Visakhapatnam after their pet dog bit them. Reports say that they did not take the anti-rabies vaccine soon enough.

Rabies is one of the oldest zoonotic diseases. People are often bitten by street dogs, who are present in great numbers in both cities, and villages of the country. With around 60 million free-ranging dogs, India arguably has the biggest population of street dogs in the world. Most of these dogs aren’t vaccinated against rabies. Most of the rabies cases are dog-mediated.

The WHO says that low awareness of the need to seek healthcare after dog bites claims the lives of 55000 people each year globally, mostly in Asia and Africa. True burden of rabies in India is not fully known, but as per given information, it causes 18000 to 20,000 deaths each year. 

This episode was brilliantly reported by Mahima Jain which got a special mention at One World Media's Podcast and Radio Award in 2022. The podcast takes you through the many factors that complicate rabies control and dog welfare in India. 

The episode talks about:

• The link between street dogs and India’s struggles with rabies elimination. 
• The kind of treatment that is effective against rabies, and how the Indian healthcare system poses a challenge in providing effective care for those who contract rabies.
• How India ended up with an overpopulation of street dogs
• Potential barriers in implementing the National Action Plan for Rabies Elimination by 2030

References

Man, son die of rabies after pet dog bites them in Visakhapatnam - The Hindu

Rabies as a Public Health Concern in India—A Historical Perspective

Overview of Animal Laws in India

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: Global Rabies Work

US National Library of Medicine: Striking back against rabies

Burden of illness of dog-mediated rabies in India: A systematic review

Modelling the challenges of managing free-ranging dog populations

WHO Rabies: Rabies 

News: 

• India sees 1.75 million dog bites every year, yet we face up to 80% shortage of anti-rabies vaccines
• Rabies deaths down by a third in three years in India, but snakebites continue to kill | Health - Hindustan Times
• In the Himalayas, growing population of feral dogs poses threat to wildlife, humans – Firstpost  
• Over 300 dogs poisoned to death by Andhra village panchayat, alleges activist
• 5 doses over days, keep rabies away - The Hindu 

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Owing to the water shortage in Delhi, the state’s Water Minister Atishi began an indefinite fast on June 21 demanding water for the national capital. The Delhi state government said that it has not got its share of Yamuna water, and there is an urgent need for a sustainable solution.

The debate over fair distribution of Yamuna water has persisted for years. This is not the first such inter-state water dispute. In this episode, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya  speaks to Srinivas Chokkakula, who is the President and Chief Executive of the CPR (Centre for Policy Research). He is the Ministry of Jal Shakti Research Chair for Water Conflicts and Governance at CPR, leading the Transboundary Rivers, Ecologies, and Development studies program that he founded. His research focuses on transboundary water conflict, cooperation, and governance, with extensive publications on these topics. He talks about the legal implications of such disputes, and the politics around it and the possible solutions. 

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At least 33 people died in heatwave during the 2024 General Election's last phase in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha. The people who died include polling officials.

The average heat related mortality has increased by 85% in 2013-22 as compared with 1991-2001. Excess heat can cause: 

• Cardiac related illness
• Lung damage
• Kidney injury
• Adverse pregnancy outcome 
• Mental health impact

But often these deaths are not recorded as heat-related deaths or are not accepted by the respective governments or local bodies. 

The National Action Plan on Heat Related Illnesses, 2021 gave detailed guidelines on how to record a suspected heat-related illness death. Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a document examining autopsy findings of those who died of heat-related illnesses. This is an attempt by the govt to standardise the approach of confirming such deaths. 

We are replaying last year's episode. In this episode, Suno India's Sneha Richhariya visited a district hospital to understand the challenges of recording a heat-related death. I spoke to Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Emergency Medical Officer at Noida district hospital and Abhiyant Tiwari, lead climate resilience and health consultant at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 

References

India heatwave kills at least 33, including election officials - The Economic Times

National Action plan on Heat Related llnesses.pdf

AUTOPSY FINDINGS HEAT RELATED DEATHS

Cause certified in just 22.5% of deaths registered in 2020 | India News

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Since the 2024 General Election results have been declared, questions have been raised about the way mainstream media had represented the Indian voters’ sentiment. We want to highlight the work of a media collective, ChalChitra Abhiyaan that works in Western Uttar Pradesh, and recorded people’s discontent about the government. 

Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Nakul Singh Sawhney, a documentary filmmaker who made several films including the widely acclaimed Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai on the religious riots that broke out in UP’s Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in 2013. He is the founder of the film and media collective ChalChitra Abhiyaan based in West UP. It is  a collective that trains youth from marginalised communities in filmmaking and media. His upcoming film is on the historic farmers movement called - A Million Churnings. 

Nakul talks about how in large parts of Western UP where they report from, people have switched to consuming news on YouTube and how there is massive distrust towards the mainstream media. 

References

https://chalchitraabhiyaan.com/

Trailer- A Million Churnings... || लाखों मंथन... || ਲੱਖਾਂ ਬਗਾਵਤਾਂ...  - A CCA production

CCA - ChalChitra Abhiyaan - YouTube

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In April 2024, that is last month, Suno India published the story featuring Iliyas Marandi, a 23-year-old tribal man who lost his eyesight after taking miltefosine drug for Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis, a skin manifestation of the deadly Kala-azar. This May, he underwent a corneal implant surgery at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences. Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Iliyas after the surgery, and his doctor, Dr Rakhi Kusumesh. This is Iliyas’s second corneal implant. 

In 2022, the World Health Organization stated that 83 cases in India had possible links to miltefosine intake. While the government issued guidelines in 2022 to prevent people from losing vision after taking miltefosine, there are no plans yet for those who lost eyesight before 2022. Iliyas is one such person. He has so far mostly sought medical help with his own money, and resources. Except for some Ayushman Bharat scheme’s insurance money, Iliyas was on his own for this corneal implant too.

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In this podcast episode, Suno India's Cofounder Rakesh speaks with Kaushik Shridhar, Founde & CEO, Orka Advisory and author of the book The Art of Winging It: What's the Worst That Could Happen?. He shares his journey from a professional tennis player to a career in sustainability. He discusses the inspiration behind his book and the lessons he has learned along the way. Kaushik emphasizes the importance of slowing down, appreciating life, and taking a positive approach to challenges. He also reflects on personal experiences, such as surviving a plane crash and overcoming bullying, and how they have shaped his perspective. 

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This is the last episode in the series on Kala Azar reported by Suno India’s Menaka Rao. 

The Indian government has said that it has hit the elimination target for Kala-azar, a parasitic disease that is life-threatening. But miltefosine, the drug used to treat the skin manifestation of Kala-azar, called Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL), is being linked to eye problems, including blindness. 

The government has taken steps to try to reduce the side effects in 2021, but not much has been done for those who have lost their eyesight either in one eye or both, possibly as a result of miltefosine. The World Health Organization has found 83 cases of people in India who have suffered a problem in the eye after intake of miltefosine. 

In this episode, Menaka spoke to Iliyas Marandi, one of the patients who lost his eyesight completely after taking miltefosine treatment. She also spoke to ophthalmologists Dr Rakhi Kushumesh and Dr Asim Sil who treated such patients, and helped develop the guidelines to prevent such ocular side effects. 

References 

https://www.indiaspend.com/health/how-a-drug-to-treat-dermal-kala-azar-is-affecting-patients-eyesight-901497

Keratitis occurring in patients treated with miltefosine for post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis | British Journal of Ophthalmology

https://ncvbdc.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/l892s/PKDL-Guidelines-220512.pdf

Using focused pharmacovigilance for ensuring patient safety against antileishmanial drugs in Bangladesh's National Kala-azar Elimination Programme

Keratitis After Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis

Corneal complications following Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis treatment | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Adverse ocular events on miltefosine treatment for post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis in India - Suman Saurabh, Manish Mahabir, 2020

Advisory Committee on Safety of Medicinal Products (ACSoMP): Measures to minimize the risk of ocular adverse events with miltefosine

Statement on miltefosine - Potential ocular disorders in patients treated with miltefosine for post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL).

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On March 20, 2024, the Bombay High Court convicted former police officer Pradeep Sharma in a 18-year-old “fake” encounter killing of Ramnarayan Gupta, who was allegedly from Chhota Rajan gang. Gupta was sentenced to life imprisonment. This is not the norm, but more of an exception. 

Encounters are normalised in India. Recently, the UP police encountered a murder accused in Badaun district. The father of two boys who were murdered appealed to the police not to encounter the co-accused because they wanted some answers as to why the children were killed.

This is an episode from April last year when Sneha Richhariya spoke to Prakash Singh, ex-IPS Officer when the UP police killed alleged mafia don and politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother in the presence of media persons. Prakash Singh served as Director general of Police, Uttar Pradesh. He has also served in Assam and Border Security Force. Singh filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court seeking police reforms, in which a landmark verdict was delivered.He explained what does the systemic apathy about encounter killings mean for the society.

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In this episode, Suno India's Padma Priya talks to Dr. Abhishek Mangeshikar, a gynecologist specializing in endometriosis. He explains what endometriosis is and why it is difficult to diagnose.
Dr. Mangeshikar also addresses common myths surrounding endometriosis, such as the belief that pregnancy or menopause can cure the disease. He emphasizes the importance of patient advocacy and provides advice on how to push back against dismissive attitudes from medical professionals. Additionally, he discusses risk factors for endometriosis and the presence of silent symptoms, such as kidney damage.

In this conversation, Dr. Abhishek Mangeshikar discusses various aspects of endometriosis, including diagnosis, management, surgical considerations, psychological impact, and patient education. He emphasizes the importance of thorough imaging and the limitations of routine gynecological ultrasounds in diagnosing endometriosis. Dr. Mangeshikar explains that while hormonal treatments can provide relief from pain, they do not stop the growth of endometriosis. He also highlights the significance of choosing an experienced endometriosis surgeon and provides key questions to ask when considering surgery.
The conversation touches on the recurrence of endometriosis, the psychological impact of the disease, and the resources provided by Endometriosis India. Dr. Mangeshikar shares his approach to patient education through social media and emphasizes the need for action in improving the understanding and treatment of endometriosis.

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The inauguration of the Ram Mandir marks a significant chapter in India’s  history. The temple's construction replaced the 16th-Century Babri masjid, which was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, leading to nationwide riots and the tragic loss of nearly 2,000 lives, after the Supreme court allowed it. 

In December 2023, reporter Shweta Desai travelled to Ayodhya before the temple’s inauguration on January 22, 2023. In this episode of the Suno India Show, Shweta talks to a community living just behind the newly constructed Ram Mandir and listens to the local communities, Hindus, Muslims, and the Bahujans who have lived around the disputed site for years as friends and experienced the communal fallout of one of the most polarising political campaigns of modern India. 

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The Bharatiya Janata Party government has been pitching for One Nation One Election for years. The High Level Committee on One Nation, One Election submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu on March 14, 2024. The 21-volume, 18,626-page report has suggestions from representatives of various political parties, economists, officials from the election commissions, businessmen, and other experts. 

The report unanimously supports one election for Centre, state and local bodies such as panchayats and municipalities. We are republishing an older episode hosted by Suno India’s Rakesh Kamal where he interviewed Chakshu Roy to understand the complexities and challenges of holding simultaneous elections. Chakshu Roy heads the outreach team and leads the legislator and citizen engagement initiatives at PRS legislative research. He has been involved in setting up the state laws project, training civil society and journalist groups about tracking Parliament.

For additional reading:

PRS Summary of the Report 

ANALYSIS OF SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS : THE “WHAT”, “WHY” AND “HOW”

Standing Committee Report on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections.pdf (Dec 2015)

Law commission report (1999) on electoral reforms.pdf

https://onoe.gov.in/HLC-Report

The Suno India Show | Can ‘one nation, one election’ work for India

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On March 11, 2024 a few months before the Lok Sabha Elections the central government notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules. This has come approximately four years after the Parliament passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in 2019. As per the amendment, the government can grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jains, or Christians from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan on or before December 31,2014.. conspicuously leaving out Muslims. It was passed amid nation-wide protests as linking citizenship to religion goes against the secular nature of the constitution. 

The bigger fear is about a nationwide National Register of Citizens or NRC. Assam is the only place with NRC. 

At the time of passing the Act, the Home Minister, Amit Shah told Parliament that a nationwide NRC is on the cards. However, in a blogpost, press information bureau at the time clarified repeatedly that no announcement has been made to begin NRC exercise. 

Now with the rules being released, nationwide implementation of the Act will begin. In 2019, the United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement condemning the “fundamentally discriminatory” Citizenship Amendment Act. At the time in 2019, Suno India’s Padmapriya had spoken to Pia Oberoi, senior advisor on migration, UN Human Rights Office to understand their concerns around the Citizenship Amendment Act. We are republishing it as it continues to be relevant today.

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मुस्कान भोपाल की रहने वाली एक दलित ट्रांसजेंडर महिला हैं जो सामाजिक हाशिये पर रहने के बीच स्वीकार्यता और अपनेपन की खोज का सफर साझा करती है। खून के रिश्तो से परे जाकर मुस्कान अपने चुनिंदा परिवार की कहानी बताती हैं जिसके साथ वह दुःख, प्यार और ट्रांसजेंडर होने की चुनौतियों व पहचान की जटिलता के बारे में जानती हैं.  अपने जन्म वाले परिवार के द्वारा अस्वीकारे जाने से लेकर LGBTQ+ समुदाय और सहयोगियों जैसे सुरय्या दादी में सांत्वना और सहारा पाने तक- मुस्कान की कहानी स्वीकार्यता और समझ की ओर अपना खुद का रास्ता बनाने के लिए आवश्यक सहनशीलता और साहस को उजागर करती है। यह चुने हुए परिवारों की शक्ति और हर किसी को उसके सच्चे रूप में महसूस करने वाले और प्यार करने वाले स्थानों की रचना की महत्वकांक्षा का एक साक्षी है। मुस्कान एकतारा कलेक्टिव द्वारा निर्मित फिल्म “एक जगह अपनी” में काम कर चुकी हैं. 

सेजल पटेल इस स्टोरी के लिए मुस्कान से मिलने भोपाल गए। यह एपिसोड Queerbeat के साथ कोलैबोरेशन में निर्मित किया गया है।

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In 2013, Indian law codified workplace protection for working women, both in the formal and informal sectors under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (POSH) Act. 

A report of Human Rights Watch says that India has failed 94 % of its women who work in the informal sector - this includes women who work as domestic help, sweepers, construction workers and so on.

Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to domestic workers, Local committee members, lawyers and civil society organisations to understand how the law has played out for working women in the informal sector.

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On 28th February 2024, Wakeel Hassan, Uttarakhand Tunnel rescue hero once again made headlines when his house was razed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).  The demolition of Hassan’s house was the most recent in the spate of evictions across the country. There have been questions over why the government disproportionately targets working-class and minority community people such as Wakeel Hassan.

Here is an extended cut of an interview with Dr. Ghazala Jamil from an episode of the Suno India Show where Suno India’s Menaka Rao reported on the aftermath of the April 2022 Jahangirpuri riot followed by a demolition drive. Ghazala is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance,  Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

In this episode, hosted by Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya, Ghazala explains what makes an illegal structure in a city and what makes some illegal structures more illegal than others.

References:

Uttarakhand tunnel rescue hero's home demolished in Delhi; Declines DDA's temporary accommodation offer

MP demolition drive: Authorities face charges of doing away with due processMCD to beautify city, remove encroachment from February 6 ahead of G20 summit

Mehrauli demolition: Survey DDA relied on was found incomplete by HC panel last year

Olga Tellis & Ors vs Bombay Municipal Corporation & Ors. Etc on 10 July, 1985

THE PUBLIC PREMISES (EVICTION OF UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANTS) ACT, 1971

Thousands Traumatised In New Delhi: As Law Is Ignored, Homes & Lives Are Torn Apart For G20 Summit

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Even as the MPs were suspended, in December 2023, the Parliament passed laws completely upending the major criminal laws of our country. What does this mean in a democracy? 

On 30th January 2024, Maansi Verma, a lawyer and public policy researcher, posted a thread on the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) about the ‘wrongs’ committed by the government during its term. The list of ‘wrongs’ mentioned in this thread is glaring enough to make any concerned citizen worry. 

Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to Maansi Verma, who is also the founder of “Maadhyam”- which is a civic engagement initiative working to bring Parliament and policy-making closer to people.

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In this episode of The Suno India Show shorts, we talk about the live-in relationships as defined under Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill that was passed on February 7, 2024. Suno India’s Menaka Rao and Sneha Richhariya discuss the law threadbare and why it should matter to everyone in India. 

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In this episode, we discuss the Supreme Court’s verdict on electoral bonds, a scheme that allowed anonymous donations to political parties. We explain why the court ruled it unconstitutional and what it means for Indian democracy.
We are republishing a part of our episode from our show “Every Voice Matters'' which was originally published in 2019. The host and Suno-India editor Padma Priya then spoke to General Anil Verma of the Association of Democratic Reforms on this contentious topic.  The second part of the episode talks about electoral bonds. This is his take; 

Also listen: Electoral bonds controversy – RTI documents reveal the lies

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Even though Kala-azar is closer to elimination in the country, questions related to how the disease spreads still remain unanswered. Only recently, scientists in India and Bangladesh have understood the dynamics of how Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis or PKDL, the skin manifestation of the disease, spreads kala-azar. For the third podcast in the series on kala-azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks to Dr Rahul Chaubey, entomologist at Kala-azar Medical Research Centre, Muzaffarpur to understand the latest in vector research.

Reporting for this story was supported by the MSF-DNDi Grant on Neglected Tropical Diseases as part of the Without Borders Media Fellowship. The fellowship encourages independent, impartial and neutral reporting on health and humanitarian crises. 

References

Transmission Dynamics of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Indian Subcontinent – A Systematic Literature Review - PMC
Livestock and rodents within an endemic focus of Visceral Leishmaniasis are not reservoir hosts for Leishmania donovani | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Establishing, Expanding, and Certifying a Closed Colony of Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae) for Xenodiagnostic Studies at the Kala Azar Medical Research Center, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India - PMC
On a Herpetomonas Found in the Gut of the Sandfly, Phlebotomus Argentipes, Fed On Kala-Azar Patients - PMC
Ten years of kala-azar in west Bengal, Part I. Did post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis initiate the outbreak in 24-Parganas? - PMC
Bionomics of Phlebotomus argentipes in villages in Bihar, India with insights into efficacy of IRS-based control measures | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

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Kala Azar was a public health problem in India till recently. In 2023, the disease is close to the elimination target set up by the World Health Organisation. As per the WHO target, there should be less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. In this second podcast in a series on Kala Azar, Suno India’s Menaka Rao reports on the key contributions of various stakeholders and policies. She spoke to Dr Shyam Sundar, who runs the Kala Azar Medical Research Centre, in Muzaffarpur, Dr Krishna Pandey, Director of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna, and Rakesh Kumar, Bihar state in-charge for Kala Azar. 

Reporting for this story was supported by the MSF-DNDi Grant on Neglected Tropical Diseases as part of the Without Borders Media Fellowship. The fellowship encourages independent, impartial and neutral reporting on health and humanitarian crises. 

References

Kala-azar in India – progress and challenges towards its elimination as a public health problem
History of Kala-Azar in India - PMC
Miltefosine in the treatment of leishmaniasis: Clinical evidence for informed clinical risk management
Elimination programme for kala-azar in India and Bihar during the last century - ignoring the obvious.
An E-mail interview with Prof. Shyam Sundar - PMC
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa021556
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0903627
Safety and efficacy of short course combination regimens with AmBisome, miltefosine and paromomycin for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Bangladesh - PMC
https://scroll.in/pulse/819854/india-has-been-talking-about-defeating-kala-azar-since-1947-and-now-has-a-good-chance-of-doing-so

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This was a very sombre Republic Day, coming in a few days after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, churning up questions on the secular nature of our country. The inauguration of the Ram Mandir marks a significant chapter in our country’s history. The temple's construction replaced the 16th-Century Babri masjid, which was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, leading to nationwide riots and the tragic loss of nearly 2,000 lives, after the Supreme court allowed it. This became a national event, even though we have a sizable population of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, among others. 

Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya and Menaka Rao took interviews of young persons in their 20s, all of who were born after the Babri Masjid demolition. We attempt to understand what they think about this national event, what it symbolises, and how they understand secularism. 

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Kala Azar, a deadly parasitic disease, is very close to elimination in India. As per the World Health Organisation, the definition of elimination is the annual incidence of less than one case per 10,000 population at block level. The last few districts which are on the borderline remain in Jharkhand, and public officials appear confident that this year, the country may achieve the elimination target. The target has to be kept for 3 years for it to receive a WHO tag.

Suno India is publishing a series of podcasts related to Kala Azar elimination. Suno India’s Menaka Rao travelled to Jharkhand and Bihar for the reporting of these podcasts. Reporting for this story was supported by the MSF-DNDi Grant on Neglected Tropical Diseases as part of the Without Borders Media Fellowship. The fellowship encourages independent, impartial and neutral reporting on health and humanitarian crises.

In the first episode of this mini-series, Suno India’s consulting editor Menaka Rao talks about the challenges of another complication related to kala-azar called Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis. This can manifest in about 5-10% of patients who recovered from kala-azar. This disease is now scientifically proven to spread kala-azar in the community. This disease is hard to detect, and cure. Menaka speaks to persons affected by this disease, and other health workers who are trying hard to control it in the community. 

References

Kala-azar in India – progress and challenges towards its elimination as a public health problem

KALA-AZAR SITUATION IN INDIA

Kala Azar and its subsequent skin manifestation, PKDL, shattered these women's lives, left them with uncertainty, stigma

Xenodiagnosis to evaluate the infectiousness of humans to sandflies in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Bihar, India: a transmission-dynamics study

Ten years of kala-azar in west Bengal, Part I. Did post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis initiate the outbreak in 24-Parganas? - PMC

DNDi’s Centres of Excellence: Towards the sustainable elimination of visceral leishmaniasis in India

Safety and Effectiveness of Miltefosine in Post–Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis: An Observational Study - PMC

Kala Azar and its subsequent skin manifestation, PKDL, shattered these women's lives, left them with uncertainty, stigma

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On November 21, Pranshu who is a 16-year old queer child, died of suicide in Ujjain. The school going child was a self taught makeup artist, with nearly 17,000 followers on Instagram. Pranshu posted a reel dressed in a sari, which went viral during Diwali, getting more than 4000 comments, most of which were homophobic in nature.

Last year, another class 10 student, Aarvey Malhotra died of suicide. His mother, Aarti Malhotra has alleged that Aarvey was bullied mercilessly in school on account of his sexuality, and that his school authorities were not responsive to their complaints and failed to protect him.

In the recent past, there have been many conversations about protection of children in the social media space. Whistleblowers of Meta have alleged that Meta knew its products were harming children, particularly young girls but did not do enough to protect them. In October, many US states filed a lawsuit arguing that Meta has contributed to a youth mental health crisis. What is missing in these discussions are the experiences of queer children. 

Suno India’s Menaka Rao spoke to Rohin Bhatt, a queer rights lawyer and activist and a bioethicist to understand what kind of legal and policy framework can help protect queer children, but also help create a safe space online. 

References

'My Child Did Nothing Wrong,' Mother of Queer Artist Who Died By Suicide in MP

“The school has killed me”: Arvey Malhotra’s mother recalls his suicide note and elaborates on the bullying that led to her son’s death; awaits justice even after 4 months - Times of India

Congress Is Pushing An Online Safety Bill Supported By Anti-LGBTQ Groups

https://twitter.com/BhattRohin/status/1729734070261658026/photo/1

Yes, We Exist (@yesweexistindia) • Instagram photos and videos

Filmmaker Onir says his movie script on gay soldier has been rejected by defence ministry: 'I won't demean anybody'.

National and Delhi Commissions for Protection of Child Rights on opposing sides on adoption by same-sex couples – The Leaflet

Kerala HC asks government to take appropriate action against ‘NGO’ that calls queerness “wokeism” and “rainbow mafia” – The Leaflet

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The Silkyara tunnel, in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, has been in the news since November 12, when one of its under-construction sections collapsed, trapping 41 workers. After the rescue of these workers, this entire episode has been portrayed as a story of triumph. 

But, why exactly did the tunnel at Silkyara collapse? The 4.53-kilometre-long tunnel between Silkyara and Barkot is part of the larger Char Dham project. What does the Silkyara collapse tell us about the Char Dham Project in the central Himalayas?

In this episode of the Suno India Show, reporter Sneha Richhariya speaks to  Himanshu Arora, Anish Nal, Jaya Singh, Ira Chauhan and Ruchi Singh Rao, all members of Citizens For Green Doon- a Dehradun-based civil society group, which along with others have fought a case in Supreme Court against the Char Dham project and the rampant construction under it. 

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This December we mark 11 years of the gang rape and death of Jyoti Singh – or Nirbhaya. As a response to the Delhi 2012 incident, the government started the Nirbhaya Fund and Nirbhaya centres across the country. In this episode, we look at what women want versus what they get. 

Today, there are over 733 Nirbhaya Centres–or One-Stop Crisis Centres–across India; one in every district. However, these centres rarely function as hospital-based crisis centres i.e., they often operate in parallel with the police rather than in coordination with the hospitals. Experts say this is a missed opportunity, as hospitals–not the police–are the first point of contact for survivors. Hospitals are safe spaces and women are more likely to reach out for help here. 

In this episode, Mahima Jain visits the One-Stop Crisis Center inside the District Women’s Hospital in Akola, Maharashtra. This centre has used it's position as an opportunity to help violence survivors. With the help of its (now former) Medical Superintendent Dr Arati Kulwal, this Nirbhaya Center works with the hospital staff to identify survivors and help them. The hospital staff too was trained to identify signs and symptoms of gender-based violence. Is it time to relook how Nirbhaya Centers function? Let’s listen to how Akola’s One-Stop Crisis Center works, and the lessons all Nirbhaya Centres can learn from it.

Global database India on violence against women 

Crime in India – 2021 - SNAPSHOTS (States/UTs)

Reporting, script, and narration: Mahima Jain 

Editing: Menaka Rao 

Production: Rakesh Kamal 

This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. 

Read other stories from the Pulitzer Center project here: India’s Health Care Response to Gender-Based Violence

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After an exhaustive 400-hour operation, a collective sigh of relief swept through the nation as rescuers successfully reached the 41 workers who had been trapped in the Uttarkashi tunnel since November 12.

The Char Dham National Highway Project, launched in December 2016, aimed to improve connectivity to the pilgrimage sites of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri—all nestled in the Himalayas. This Rs.12,000 crore project spans approximately 889 kilometres through the Himalayan region. Despite its lofty goals, the project exposes critical errors and assumptions in its planning and execution.

The collapse of the Silkyara tunnel, while significant, is not an isolated incident but rather a part of a larger tragedy in the making.

In this episode of The Suno India Show, reporter Sneha Richhariya speaks to Suresh Bhai, a native of Uttarakhand residing just 30 km from the Silkyara tunnel. He has been advocating for the sensitivity of the Himalayas for decades.

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In this episode, three MTEs talk about their training, their lives before they took on the role, the state of science education in India, and societal perceptions about blindness. Most importantly, they reflect on what they contribute to society and how training as an MTE has altered their lives. Listen to Meenakshi Gupta, Neha Suri and Neetu Garg who work as MTEs in Delhi and Gurgaon. Also featuring Ashwini Rao, a Discovering Hands trainer from Enable India, Bengaluru.

This mini-series has been reported by Priti Salian and the project was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the Global Health Security Call. This programme is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Transcript: Hands that see - Blind and visually impaired women are emerging as a workforce in early breast cancer detection part 2.pdf

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In 2005, German gynaecologist Dr Frank Hoffmann, started his quest for a suitable medical assistant to conduct clinical breast exams for his clinic in Duisburg in Germany. By 2010, he had set up a social enterprise called Discovering Hands that trains blind and visually impaired women to conduct specialised routine breast examinations called tactile breast examinations. Today, Discovering Hands is spread across Germany, Switzerland, Austria and India, training blind and visually impaired women for the role of Medical Tactile Examiners (MTEs) who can offer accurate breast cancer screening with their highly sensitive and trained touch. The first episode in this two-part podcast series is about the problems associated with breast cancer in India and the solution MTEs offer. 

In the episode, hear from Dr. Frank Hoffmann, Meenakshi Gupta, Sonal Prakash, Dr. Mandeep Malhotra, Dr. Kanchan Kaur, Dr. Lily Gutnik, Dr Poovamma CU, Shanti Raghavan, Dr. Vrutika Patel, Asha Sharma and Shashi Menon.

This mini-serires has been reported by Priti Salian and the project was funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the Global Health Security Call. This programme is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Transcript: Blind and visually impaired women are emerging as a workforce in early breast cancer detection part 1.pdf 

References

NAB India Centre for Blind Women & Disability Studies

The burden of cancers and their variations across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2016 - The Lancet Oncology

Breast cancer in India: Present scenario and the challenges ahead - PMC

https://journals.lww.com/jfmpc/Fulltext/2022/11000/Status_of_cancer_screening_in_India__An_alarm.106.aspx

Survival Analysis of Breast Cancer Patients Treated at a Tertiary Care Centre in Southern India - ScienceDirect

Breast cancer in India: Present scenario and the challenges ahead - PMC

Status of cancer screening in India: An alarm signal from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 

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The alarming situation in Gaza has now entered its fourth week leaving over 8000 Palestinians dead, of which 3000 are estimated to be children. The harrowing situation began on October 7th when an attack by the armed rebel group Hamas which launched an unprecedented attack on Israel left nearly 1400 Israelis dead and many hundreds taken hostage.    

On 27th October, The United Nations General Assembly adopted a major resolution on the Gaza crisis, calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.” Despite the non-binding UN resolution, Israel continued and stepped up its bombardment on Gaza. On Saturday, October 28th, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that  Israel had entered the second stage of the war with Hamas, saying ground forces had gone into what he called "that stronghold of evil" - describing Gaza - to "dismantle" Hamas and bring hostages home. He also said this will be a long and hard war. 

In this episode of The Suno India Show, we will hear about the situation on the Gaza Strip, how the violence is leaving aid workers stretched, doctors unable to help sufficiently and the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Suno India’s Editor-in-chief Padma Priya spoke to Farhat Mantoo, Executive Director, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) South Asia on the situation in Gaza. MSF has been calling for an immediate ceasefire to stop the bloodshed. 

Additional reading: 

https://msfsouthasia.org/msf-immediate-ceasefire-is-needed-in-gaza-to-stop-the-bloodshed/

https://www.unfpa.org/crisis-gaza#:~:text=The%20humanitarian%20crisis%20in%20Gaza,access%20to%20reproductive%20health%20services. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwZ0l2lzjJg 

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In a country as diverse and culturally rich as India, discussions around sexuality and sexual health often remain shrouded in silence. This lack of open dialogue has led to a myriad of problems, from high rates of teenage pregnancies to the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Sex education isn't just about teaching anatomy or discussing contraception. It's about empowering young people with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships, and personal boundaries.

In this episode of The Suno India Show, Suno India’s Editor-In-Chief, DVL Padma Priya has a conversation with two young adults Aiswarya, a lawyer turned entrepreneur & Sudhanshu, a part-time podcaster & full-time corporate professional about how they navigate the world of sex, where they access sex-positive information and what the biggest barrier they are facing is, about sex education and more. 

This episode is part of ‘The Talk’, a series of stories, each produced by a different newsroom or team, painting a picture of the state of sex education around the world. During the month of October 2023, stories will be published by CNN As Equals, Kontinentalist, the Impact Newsletter, Unbias the News, Nadja Media, Suno India and BehanBox

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On October 16, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejected the abortion plea of a 27-year-old mother of two boys. She moved the court as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis after her second child. She was more than 6 months pregnant, and had crossed the 24-week barrier that is prescribed in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. 

This case is significant because a two-judge bench had given an order permitting the abortion. But the case flipped after a doctor from All India Institute of Medical Sciences doctor raised clarifications with the bench seeking a specific directive to stop the foetal heart. The case then resulted in a split verdict, going to a higher three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The higher bench denied the abortion plea, and asked her to deliver the child at AIIMS. The court even said that they can give up the child for adoption if they wish to.

Suno India’s consulting editor Menaka Rao spoke to this woman’s lawyer, Amit Mishra. He talks about her journey through this case, and a few other women he represented and says that women have a hard time getting abortion in the country if the pregnancy advances beyond 20 weeks.

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On October 3, 2023, the Delhi police arrested the founder and editor-in-chief of Newsclick Prabir Purkayastha, and the Human resources head, Amit Chakraborty -under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). The same day it raided the homes and offices of 46 people including reporters, columnists and commentators associated with the news portal and seized their laptops, phones and other devices for further examination.

In a letter to the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud at least 18 press bodies have expressed alarm over the impingement of press freedom and spoken about the need to urgently issue guidelines related to search and seizure of personal digital devices drawing attention to the matter pending in the Supreme Court. Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks with Prasanna S, who has filed the 2021 PIL for academics Ram Ramaswamy, Sujata Patel, Madhav Prasad, Mukul Kesavan, and Deepak Malghan seeking guidelines for the seizure of electronic documents. 

Additional Resources:

Delhi Police arrest NewsClick founder, HR head in alleged terror case - The Hindu

FIR links NewsClick case to legal aid for Chinese companies - The Hindu

NewsClick raids: Young staffers and part-time employees to freelancers – no one spared

NewsClick Raids: Can journalists be compelled to share passwords and hand over electronic devices? | Explained - The Hindu

In NewsClick FIR, ‘false narrative’ on Govt, ‘paid news’ fall in terror ambit | India News - The Indian Express

NewsClick Case: Pressing Questions on Delhi Police's Powers To Search and Seize | OPINION

Hackers Planted Files to Frame Indian Priest Who Died in Custody | WIRED

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The Union cabinet has approved the Women’s Reservation Bill 2008 to provide reservations for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Attempts to create a quota for women have been ongoing since the mid-1990s.Since then, the Women's Reservation Bill has witnessed a long journey in the Parliament. Now, as this bill is passed, India stands facing chances of foreseeable changes in its political landscape. But what challenges have the women been facing in political representation in India over the years? How can  the Women's Reservation Bill impact the participation of women in Indian politics? What is the debate over delay, delimitation and intersectionality?

In this episode, host Sneha Richhariya speaks to Kanksshi Agarwal, the Founder of NETRI Foundation- which is an aggregator for women in the political ecosystem. NETRI is building opportunities and resources for people aspiring to join politics in India.

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The goal of imprisonment is reformation and reintegration within society. From the 50s, prisoners were not seen as individuals with rights and there was barely any focus on their well-being and health,  let alone vocational guidance or life skills. 

In 1993, when Kiran Bedi took over as Inspector General of Tihar Jail in Delhi and transformed it by introducing education, mediation, vocational training, medical aid, improved diet and living conditions. She won the Magsaysay Award in 1994.  She established the India Vision Foundation in 1994 after she was conferred the award. The Foundation has various programmes for prisoners- both former and current- on rehabilitation and integration with society, as well as a programme that works with vulnerable children of incarcerated families. Suno India's Menaka Rao interviewed Dr Bedi during the Foundation’s 29th-year celebrations. Dr Bedi spoke about how she understands prison reforms, and how reform can actually help in crime control

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The Central government recently suspended Professor KS James, the director of the International Institute of Population Studies, that works with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to conduct important studies such as National Family Health Survey, Global Adult Tobacco Survey among others. The government cited irregularities in recruitment as the reason for suspension, as academics came out in support of him. The opposition parties claim that this suspension reflects the government’s uneasy relationship with data-based evidence. 

In 2019, PC Mohanan from the National Statistical Commission quit saying that one of the reasons was the late release of unemployment data measured under the National Sample Survey Office NSSO. The data that was officially released after the election results showed that joblessness was up to 6.1% in the country then, the highest it had been for 45 years. The government has recently also rejected the data released by the World Health Organisation related to excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. 

Suno India’s Menaka Rao speaks with Dr Aashish Gupta, a demographer and a sociologist. His research looks at the interrelations between health, environment, and inequality in developing countries. He has been published extensively on various subjects including Covid-19 related mortality, life expectancy, open defecation in relation to gender, and caste among other variables. 

References 

'Unhappy With Data Sets,' Modi Govt Suspends Director of Institute Which Prepares NFHS

Scientists, Opposition slam Centre over IIPS Director’s suspension - The Hindu

Was sidelined, govt not releasing job figures, says National Statistics Commission chief PC Mohanan on why he quit - India Today

Unemployment rate at 45-year high, confirms Labour Ministry data - The Hindu

Global Hunger Index attempt to tarnish India’s image: Centre - The Hindu.

Reversing the Gaze - Re-examining Estimates of India's Development Indicators by International Organisations

Shamika Ravi writes: Statisticians can be wrong | The Indian Express

Shamika Ravi is wrong. It is unfair to blame survey methodology when results disagree with a view point | The Indian Express

Why is anaemia being dropped from National Family Health Survey?

Centre defends National Family Health Survey-6 questionnaire, says disability data won’t change fast - The Hindu

Govt initiates moves to set 'Indian' standards for stunting in children | India News

Growth reference charts and the nutritional status of Indian children

(PDF) Are Children in West Bengal Shorter Than Children in Bangladesh?

Delayed NFHS derails health monitoring - The Hindu

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Welcome to the third episode of "Chinatown Fading," an engaging mini-series where reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee continues her exploration of Kolkata's dwindling Chinese-Indian community. In this episode, she delves into the captivating world of cultural preservation through the eyes of martial arts and lion dance teacher, James Liao.  

Join in as we uncover the remarkable art of lion dancing, a cherished tradition that stands as a testament to the resilience of the community. Through the vibrant anecdotes shared by James Liao, we traverse the steps of this ancient dance form, known as much for its dynamic movements as for its symbolic significance.

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"Chinatown Fading" is a captivating mini-series where our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee delves into the vanishing stories of Kolkata's Chinese-Indian community. In the second episode of “Chinatown Fading,” she embarks on a culinary exploration that goes beyond flavours. 

The episode traverses the evolving landscape of Chinese-Indian cuisine, witnessing its widespread popularity across the nation. From vibrant street stalls to upscale restaurants, the allure of Indo-Chinese dishes has swept India. However, within this culinary triumph lies a poignant narrative—the fading essence of authentic Chinese cuisine, lovingly preserved by the dwindling immigrant community. Join in as we unravel the tale of Chinese food—a journey of cultural fusion and preservation.

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"Chinatown Fading," is an enchanting mini-series that unravels the forgotten stories of the Chinese-Indian community in the heart of Kolkata. It delves deep into the alleys of history, guided by the poignant tales of those who remain. Join our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee on a journey through time. 

In the first episode, Surya's conversation with Lawrence Ho, a resident of Tiretti Bazaar, guides us through the Old Chinatown's historic streets. The fading clubs, once vibrant with life, now echo with memories. These clubs, resembling temples and churches, embody the community's unity during times of adversity, like the aftermath of the Sino-Indian War. To know more on how amidst towering temples and quiet churches, the Chinese-Indian diaspora found solace and how the community built resilience and strength, join in.

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In this episode, we delve into the recent events surrounding the internet shutdown in Manipur, India, which lasted a staggering 83 days, raising critical questions about the impact of such measures on law and order. On Tuesday, July 25th, 2023, the Manipur government finally issued a conditional order lifting the internet ban, but with significant restrictions.

Initially enforced on May 3rd for a mere 5 days, the ban's extension was repeatedly justified by the government citing law and order concerns. However, the recent national outcry over a viral video of two Kuki women being sexually assaulted brought to fore discussions if internet shutdowns truly help stop violence; While there is a partial restoration of broadband services, mobile internet services continue to remain suspended.

Internet shutdowns in India have gained worldwide notoriety for their arbitrary nature of imposition. To better understand the implications of this conditional restoration and the broader context of internet shutdowns, Suno India Editor-in-Chief Padma Priya reached out to conversation Radhika Jhalani, a volunteer legal counsel associated with the Software Freedom Law Centre India (SFLC) one of India’s oldest digital rights organizations. SFLC maintains the Internet Shutdowns Tracker, providing real-time data and documentation of shutdown instances across the country.

In this episode, we explore the effectiveness of internet shutdowns in maintaining law and order, the significance of the imposed conditions, and the impact on freedom of speech and internet liberties in Manipur and beyond.

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To all the questions on deforestation for development projects, the Central government’s repetitive response has been compensatory afforestation. Land in the Yamuna floodplains has been used for compensatory plantation. If the ecological premise of the government's restoration projects rest much on compensatory afforestation, are there enough studies to show whether the floodplains are the best place for afforestation? Are floodplains meant to be turned into forests? Do they not have an ecology of their own that is valuable? And what happens to the existing ecosystem? Does this initiative help them? What would that do to the river that flows through the floodplains and sometimes spills out of its banks? Most importantly, what if the river overflows, as we saw in the past week?

In this episode, reporter Sneha Richhariya visited the compensatory afforestation sites along the Yamuna floodplains and met the plantation labourers. She spoke to Pramod Kumar, District Forest Officer (DFO), Noida and Faiyaz Khudsar, who is a scientist in the Biodiversity Parks Programme of Centre for Environment Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE), University of Delhi. 

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In this episode of The Suno India Show, join Suno India's Editor-In-Chief Padma Priya as she delves into the alarming decline of press freedom in India, highlighted by the recent World Press Freedom Report. Ranking 161st among 180 countries, India's safety of journalists category hit a staggering low at 172. Padma engages in an insightful discussion with Joel Simon, a senior American journalist, press freedom activist, and Founding director of Journalism Protection Initiative, Newmark Journalism School to explore the evolving role of journalists in today's society. Discover what it means to be a journalist in this era, the crucial role of news consumers, and the pressing challenges faced by the media industry globally.

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In the middle of June this year, temperatures in several parts of Uttar Pradesh had ranged between 42C and 47C during mid-June. The media reported that in Ballia and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, 119 people have died from ‘heat-related ailments’. But what exactly is meant by ‘heat-related ailment’? How are heat wave deaths actually reported? How does the doctor medically certify a heat wave death? How are heatwave deaths certified if existing comorbidity is severed by heat, leading to death?

In this episode, reporter Sneha Richhariya seeks answers to all such questions. She visits a district hospital and speaks to Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Emergency Medical Officer at Noida district hospital and Abhiyant Tiwari, Lead climate resilience and health consultant at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 

Additional material

Cause certified in just 22.5% of deaths registered in 2020 | India News

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In May, a wave of violence engulfed Manipur, leading to the displacement of thousands and severely disrupting the education of countless young individuals in the region. To delve into this critical issue, Suno India co-founder Rakesh Kamal spoke with Dennis Lallienzuol Hmar, an indigenous development professional, distinguished climate leader, and a survivor of conflict. In this discussion, he shared his own experiences, shedding light on the challenges faced by the youth whose hopes and dreams are now uncertain and hanging in the balance.

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