The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers

Aashna Malhotra
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For over 70 years, Bahrisons Booksellers has been connecting readers with the stories they love. Now, we’re taking the next step with The Reading List, a new podcast celebrating Indian authors and the vibrant voices shaping today’s literary landscape. Hosted by Aashna Malhotra, each episode brings thoughtful conversations with Indian authors about creativity, storytelling, and the heart behind every great book. If you love meeting the people behind the pages, you’ll feel right at home here. Follow along; your next great conversation starts here.

  1. Forgotten Histories: The Unmaking of British India with Sam Dalrymple

    10/24/2025

    Forgotten Histories: The Unmaking of British India with Sam Dalrymple

    When the British broke up the Indian Empire, they didn’t just divide land; they divided families, languages, and histories. Sam Dalrymple joins us to discuss his debut book, Shattered Lands, and how the borders of British India once stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Gulf. Its sudden breakup still echoes through today’s conflicts, refugee crises, and shared cultures across Asia. Together, we trace how history’s borders left behind living fault lines and how South Asia and the Gulf have more that unites them than we often realise. Listen to our season finale to uncover how the world we live in was drawn and redrawn by the British Empire.

    1h 7m
  2. Growing Up, Growing Apart: Secrets, Families & Bhavika Govil's Hot Water

    10/01/2025

    Growing Up, Growing Apart: Secrets, Families & Bhavika Govil's Hot Water

    What happens when silence shapes who we become? In this episode, Bhavika Govil joins us to talk about her debut novel, Hot Water, and the private world of Indian families. We discuss children’s rush to grow up, the different ways kids and adults experience the same moments, and the quiet strength of sibling bonds. We also reflect on the gendered expectations placed on little boys and girls, and how these shape their futures. Tune in for an honest, heartfelt conversation about childhood, family, and growing up in India.

    1 hr
  3. The Forgotten Statesman: KM Panikkar with Narayani Basu

    09/15/2025

    The Forgotten Statesman: KM Panikkar with Narayani Basu

    How does a towering personality become a mere footnote in national memory? In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with historian and biographer Narayani Basu to discuss her new book, A Man For All Seasons: The Life of KM Panikkar, and explore why such a remarkable figure has faded from public memory. India’s first ambassador to China, advisor to the princely states, pioneering architect of maritime policy, prolific writer, and poet; Panikkar shaped modern India and its place in the world. With stories of diplomatic intrigue, literary brilliance, and a life dedicated to public service, this episode brings back into focus the legacy of a man who continues to influence India in ways often unseen.

    1h 11m
  4. Matches & Meetings: Rishta Roulette with Radhika Agrawal

    09/01/2025

    Matches & Meetings: Rishta Roulette with Radhika Agrawal

    What happens when swiping right feels just as exhausting as sitting through another rishta? Author Radhika Agrawal’s Red Flags and Rishtas: A Desi Rom Com is a sharp, witty take on modern love, heartbreak, and the relentless pressure to “settle.” In this episode, we unpack the comedy (and the chaos) of matchmaking today, from stereotypes in Indian romance writing to the impossible expectations women still face. Radhika opens up about writing, friendship, and why letting go of unrealistic standards might be the only way to find your match. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at an arranged set-up, felt the burnout of dating apps, or just wanted a love story that feels real, this conversation is for you.

    56 min
  5. Hidden Heroines of Punjab: Power, Resistance, and Survival with Harleen Singh

    08/15/2025

    Hidden Heroines of Punjab: Power, Resistance, and Survival with Harleen Singh

    From Punjab’s first encounters with outsiders to the upheaval of Partition, meet the women who defied tradition, colonial rule, and societal norms to shape history. In this conversation with Harleen Singh, author of The Lost Heer, we uncover stories of queens, rebels, and protectors, women who ruled and resisted, even when confined by purdah or erased from history books. From early education reforms to royal negotiations and hybrid cultural identities, this is a journey through colonial Punjab you won’t find in school textbooks. Watch or listen now to discover the voices history tried to silence.

    1h 9m
  6. Other Side of Development: Women Workers and India’s Unequal Promise with Neha Dixit

    08/01/2025

    Other Side of Development: Women Workers and India’s Unequal Promise with Neha Dixit

    As India races to modernise and liberalise its economy, who is left behind? In this episode of The Reading List, journalist Neha Dixit unpacks the unseen story of India’s working class through the life of Syeda, a home-based worker whose story mirrors that of millions. From exploitative labour practices to systemic injustice, from communal tensions to quiet acts of rebellion, The Many Lives of Syeda X reveals what India’s development looks like from the margins. This is an eye-opening episode about endurance, dignity, and what it really takes to survive and hope in modern India.

    1h 13m
  7. Cost of Silence: Family, Climate, and Changing India with Keshava Guha

    07/15/2025

    Cost of Silence: Family, Climate, and Changing India with Keshava Guha

    What does it mean to inherit more than just money, like expectations, silence, and systems that need rethinking? In this episode, author Keshava Guha joins Aashna Malhotra to discuss The Tiger’s Share, a novel that explores how family duty, gender, class, and climate intersect in the heart of Delhi. They reflect on generational divides, evolving gender roles, and a rising nationalism that seeks applause over accountability, and what it takes to imagine a better India, even when change feels difficult. Whether you’re drawn to political fiction, layered family dynamics, or big questions about the world we live in, this is an episode worth tuning into.

    1h 5m
  8. Stories That Stay: Memory, Inspiration, and the Art of Storytelling with Aanchal Malhotra

    07/01/2025

    Stories That Stay: Memory, Inspiration, and the Art of Storytelling with Aanchal Malhotra

    In this special episode of The Reading List, author Aanchal Malhotra steps into the spotlight for an intimate conversation with her sister and host, Aashna Malhotra. For the first time, she shares the creative journey behind her debut novel The Book of Everlasting Things. Together, they explore how memory, fragrance, and family shape her storytelling, and how Aanchal’s background as an oral historian and printmaker adds depth to her fictional world. From childhood nostalgia to the legacy of Partition, this is a heartfelt episode about stories that linger long after the last page. Don’t miss this candid, heartfelt episode.

    1h 4m
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About

For over 70 years, Bahrisons Booksellers has been connecting readers with the stories they love. Now, we’re taking the next step with The Reading List, a new podcast celebrating Indian authors and the vibrant voices shaping today’s literary landscape. Hosted by Aashna Malhotra, each episode brings thoughtful conversations with Indian authors about creativity, storytelling, and the heart behind every great book. If you love meeting the people behind the pages, you’ll feel right at home here. Follow along; your next great conversation starts here.

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