ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Asian News International (ANI)
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ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash gets eminent people from different walks of life to talk about issues that impact you and society at large. Join Smita Prakash as she brings important voices from the field of politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Dive in for a great listening experience brought to you by India’s largest news agency.

  1. EP-387 | Social Media, Gaming & Risks Among Children | Dr Bhavna Barmi & Anshu Bedi

    5D AGO

    EP-387 | Social Media, Gaming & Risks Among Children | Dr Bhavna Barmi & Anshu Bedi

    Can gaming addiction push kids toward serious mental health crises? Does social media influence increase vulnerability to anxiety and depression in teens? To answer these questions, we are joined by Dr. Bhavna Barmi and Anshu Bedi. Dr. Bhavna Barmi is a Senior Clinical and Child Psychologist and the founder of Happiness Studio. Anshu Bedi is a teacher at Raghubir Singh Junior Modern School with over 32 years of experience mentoring preteens. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr. Bhavna Barmi explains that signs of stress or distress in children should never be ignored. Anshu Bedi talks about how many parents today expect perfection from their children and stresses that this can leave them unprepared for real-world challenges. 00:00 – Introduction 01:04 – Mental Health Challenges Among Kids 07:32 – Holistic Development of Children 11:32 – Attention Span Issues in Students 15:07 – Modern Parent-Teacher Connections 18:10 – Bullying and Peer Pressure 21:27 – Emotional Signals in Children 25:13 – Academic Stress in Children 29:50 – Reduced Family Interaction on Children 34:36 – Consequences of Body Shaming 40:38 – Happiness Clinics & Mental Health Support 42:54 – Social Media Impact on Young Minds 49:52 – Current Parenting Challenges 1:05:56 – Emotional Stress in Counsellors

    1h 9m
  2. EP-386 | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Pollution, Education, Healthcare, Yamuna & Sanitation Crisis

    FEB 6

    EP-386 | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Pollution, Education, Healthcare, Yamuna & Sanitation Crisis

    Rekha Gupta is the Chief Minister of Delhi, following the BJP's return to power in the capital after 27 years. Her political journey began with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). She is an elected MLA from the Shalimar Bagh constituency and has previously served as General Secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi. She was also a member of the party’s national executive committee. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, CM Rekha Gupta speaks about Delhi’s pollution and her government’s plans to tackle it. She also discusses key priorities, including better public transport, stronger last-mile connectivity, and her vision for a cleaner, better-governed Delhi. *Timestamps* 00:00 – Coming Up 00:00 – Introduction 01:13 – One Year as Delhi CM 03:42 – Delhi’s Pollution Crisis 08:36 – Dust Mitigation Measures 10:26 – Garbage Mountains 13:44 – Waste Treatment Plants 15:01 – Solutions to Delhi’s Air Pollution 17:51 – Lunch for Slum Dwellers 20:45 – ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Controversy 21:51 – School Admissions & Fee Regulation 27:46 – School Safety & Monitoring 31:14 – Expectations of Delhi Residents 33:31 – Healthcare System 37:10 – Parks for Children 38:49 – Public Washrooms & Civic Sense 43:29 – Hospital Bed Allocation 45:55 – Two Female CMs Among 28 States 47:01 – Being a Woman Leader 53:38 – Priorities as Chief Minister

    57 min
  3. EP-385 | Failures, Fame & Fearlessness | Neena Gupta & Sanjay Mishra with Smita Prakash

    FEB 2

    EP-385 | Failures, Fame & Fearlessness | Neena Gupta & Sanjay Mishra with Smita Prakash

    Neena Gupta is a versatile actress and author, known for playing a wide range of characters. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for 'Woh Chokri' and 'Uunchai'. Sanjay Mishra is loved for his humour and strong comic timing. He is well known for films like Golmaal, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Total Dhamaal, and Dilwale. He has also received praise for his serious roles in films like 'Aankhon Dekhi' and 'Vadh'. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sanjay Mishra talks about being repeatedly cast in comic roles and how this typecasting has affected his career. He also shares his thoughts on changing audience tastes and why many films today feel overly loud and exaggerated. Neena Gupta speaks about her journey from Delhi to Mumbai, describing those early days as scary and lonely. She talks honestly about her struggles in the film industry and the advice she gave her daughter, Masaba Gupta. Both actors also discuss their upcoming film Vadh 2, which releases in theatres on February 6. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:37 – Neena Gupta’s on-screen appearance 02:35 – Eating habits during film shoots 06:09 – Story behind ‘Vadh’ title 12:29 – Sanjay Mishra’s ‘cool’ avatar 14:57 – Neena Gupta’s viral family post 17:53 – Neena Gupta’s education at NSD 21:10 – Evolution of Hindi cinema 25:30 – Neena Gupta’s career turning point 29:27 – Art cinema vs mainstream cinema 32:03 – Late success in acting career 40:45 – Elderly care in India & abroad 43:31 – Neena Gupta’s early struggles in Mumbai 47:38 – Typecasting in Films 51:12 – Neena Gupta on Acting in ‘Gandhi’ 55:58 – Initial TV Work of Neena Gupta 59:58 – Impactful Roles of Sanjay Mishra 1:05:28 – Characters in ‘Vadh 2’

    1h 13m
  4. EP-384 | UGC Regulations 2026: Dr Vikas Divyakirti on Protests, Reservation & Caste Discrimination

    JAN 29

    EP-384 | UGC Regulations 2026: Dr Vikas Divyakirti on Protests, Reservation & Caste Discrimination

    UGC Regulations 2026 are witnessing protests in North India with General Category students raising concerns that these rules could increase discrimination. They also worry about weak safeguards against false complaints and unclear mechanisms for addressing their grievances. What is the purpose and scope of the UGC Equity Regulations? Are the protests against the new regulations organic? How do the new regulations differ from the 2012 regulations? In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder and MD of Drishti IAS, answers it all. 00:00 – Introduction 02:58 – UGC 2026 Regulations 10:48 – Implicit Discrimination Concerns 13:47 – Equity Committee Structure 21:10 – Bias in Faculty Hiring 28:28 – Social Reform in Education 37:47 – General Category & Marginalised Sections 42:09 – Inequality in Indian Society 47:51 – Merit-Based Selection 55:04 – Caste & Social Bias in Education 59:60 – Explicit & Implicit Discrimination 1:03:55 – Caste Discrimination Complaints 1:09:33 – Discrimination Definition 1:15:28 – Caste Representation in Academia 1:23:12 – Political Debate on New UGC Guidelines 1:26:18 – Gen Z in India 1:41:03 – Caste Representation 1:53:38 – BJP & Upper-Caste Vote Bank 1:58:26 – Reservation Debate 2:02:20 – “Batenge to Katenge” Slogan 2:09:42 – Caste-Sensitive Politics

    2h 16m
  5. EP-383 | ‘Omnipresent’ Rajeev Shukla: Politics, Cricket, Bollywood & Power Corridors

    JAN 25

    EP-383 | ‘Omnipresent’ Rajeev Shukla: Politics, Cricket, Bollywood & Power Corridors

    Rajeev Shukla is often described as one of India’s most well-connected public figures. Jokingly, many call him ‘Omnipresent’ Rajeev Shukla. Over the years, he has built friendships across political party lines and developed close ties with Bollywood stars, leading businessmen, and cricketers alike. In a career spanning nearly four decades, Rajeev Shukla has worn many hats. He began his professional journey as a journalist in Kanpur. Today, he represents the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha. He has also served as a Minister of State in a Congress-led government, is currently the Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and has earlier been the Chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rajeev Shukla reflects on why he is often called “everyone’s friend” and how he has managed to maintain relationships across political divides. He speaks about his early days in journalism, his association with the Gandhi family, and his decision to join the Congress party. He also shares his deep love for cricket and fondly recalls his time as the manager of the Indian cricket team.

    2h 15m
  6. EP-382 | India vs Trump’s Tariffs, USA-Europe Trade War & China’s Leverage | Indrani Bagchi

    JAN 20

    EP-382 | India vs Trump’s Tariffs, USA-Europe Trade War & China’s Leverage | Indrani Bagchi

    Indrani Bagchi is the CEO of Ananta Centre, a platform for dialogue, leadership, and public policy. She has many years of experience covering the Ministry of External Affairs and is known for explaining global events from an Indian point of view. Earlier, she served as the Diplomatic Editor at The Times of India. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Indrani Bagchi talks about how Donald Trump’s policies have changed America. She says the U.S. tariffs on India feel personal and explains how India should respond. She also points out that Europe has been hit the hardest by Trump’s foreign policy. According to her, the forces Trump has unleashed in America will not disappear anytime soon. Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction 1:21 – The West vs China 6:21 – How Pakistan Balances USA and China 11:33 – China’s Influence in Asia 16:49 – Trump’s MAGA Worldview 23:01 – China’s Economic Leverage 36:57 – Why India Needs ‘MIGA’ Movement 42:02 – India as Counterbalance to China 55:08 – Indian diaspora vs Chinese diaspora influence 1:04:24 – India’s Flexible Foreign Policy 1:16:22 – India’s Long-Term Vision for US

    1h 27m
  7. EP-381 | Iran Crisis: If U.S. Strikes Khamenei, What Comes Next? | Gaddam Dharmendra & Waiel Awwad

    JAN 16

    EP-381 | Iran Crisis: If U.S. Strikes Khamenei, What Comes Next? | Gaddam Dharmendra & Waiel Awwad

    Gaddam Dharmendra is a former Indian Foreign Service officer who joined the service in 1990. He served in senior diplomatic roles for over three decades and was India’s Ambassador to Iran from 2019 to 2023. He is known for his deep understanding of West Asia, sanctions, and regional politics. Dr Waiel Awwad is a Syrian-born journalist based in South Asia who covers Middle East affairs. He has reported from several war zones. During the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, he was caught in an ambush while reporting from the ground and narrowly escaped execution. Also joining the podcast is ANI Director Ishaan Prakash. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the Iran crisis and the future of the Khamenei regime. They talk about possible US intervention, whether Iran’s Khamenei regime could fall, and who might take over if that happens. The conversation also examines what the people of Iran truly want and how today’s protests differ from the 1979 Iranian Revolution. 00:00 — Introduction 01:13 — Inside Iran’s Protests 12:42 — Gulf States Against US Strike Over Iran 16:35 — Trump’s Appeal to Iranian Protesters 22:09 — Iran Regime Change Soon? 25:08 — Iranian Institutions 27:50 — Iran’s Nuclear Program 37:28 — US-Iran Negotiation Talks 48:25 — The Iran–Israel Conflict 51:10 — US Sanctions on Iran 57:20 — US Media Coverage of Iran 1:06:28 — Pro-Government Rallies in Iran 1:13:45 — Iran’s Economic Crisis

    1h 23m
  8. EP-380 | ED vs Mamata, Bengal Polls, I-PAC Raids, Infiltration & SIR | Sukanta Majumdar

    JAN 13

    EP-380 | ED vs Mamata, Bengal Polls, I-PAC Raids, Infiltration & SIR | Sukanta Majumdar

    Sukanta Majumdar is a Lok Sabha MP from Balurghat and serves as Union Minister of State for Education and Development of the North Eastern Region in the NDA government. In this episode of The ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sukanta Majumdar discusses the high-stakes politics of West Bengal ahead of the 2026 polls. He claims that Bengal government documents were found at Pratik Jain’s residence, whose company, I-PAC, handles the political campaign of the TMC. Sukanta also speaks about West Bengal’s changing demographics and their political impact, concerns over democracy under the TMC and the Left’s alleged alignment with the TMC. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 00:57 – ED vs Mamata over I-PAC Raids 06:42 – President’s Rule in Bengal? 10:02 – Bengali vs Non-Bengali Politics 14:42 – Infiltration in West Bengal 20:45 – Demographic Changes in Bengal 24:33 – Who Will Be BJP’s CM Face? 29:32 – Amartya Sen and SIR Controversy 34:59 – Jobs Crisis in Bengal 38:42 – Rise of New Parties in Bengal Politics 42:16 – Industrial Decline in Bengal 50:28 – Post-Poll Violence in Bengal 56:55 – BJP’s Roadmap for 2026 Bengal Polls

    1h 2m
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About

ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash gets eminent people from different walks of life to talk about issues that impact you and society at large. Join Smita Prakash as she brings important voices from the field of politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Dive in for a great listening experience brought to you by India’s largest news agency.

Information

  • Creator
    Asian News International (ANI)
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    387
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Asian News International (ANI)
  • Show Website
    ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

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