The India Energy Hour Presented by 101Reporters

101Reporters

The India Energy Hour podcast features in-depth conversations with leading energy, development & climate experts from academia, civil society, & the government. Through these interviews, we explore Indian energy transitions’ most pressing hurdles & promising opportunities. We look at the role that government, financial markets, social movements, & science plays in transition. Co-hosted by Shreya Jai, a leading energy & climate change reporter and Sandeep Pai, an energy transition researcher & author. Contact us at: theindiaenergyhour@gmail.com

  1. Heat Series: Crisis, Data and Denial| ft. Kartiki Negi and Dr. Vishwas Chitale

    2D AGO

    Heat Series: Crisis, Data and Denial| ft. Kartiki Negi and Dr. Vishwas Chitale

    Extreme heat is no longer just a seasonal inconvenience. It is now the most pervasive and under-recognized risk which can distort India’s growth plans. As temperatures rise, the impacts are being felt across health systems, labour markets, agriculture, and energy demand, yet the issue remains fragmented in how it is understood and addressed.   We present a special two-part series exploring how heat is emerging as a defining climate and development challenge, and explore probable solutions.   For the first part of the series, we are joined by Kartiki Negi and Dr. Vishwas Chitale to understand the science of heat and its growing prominence in India’s climate reality. We discuss the challenge of data collection, under-reporting, and poor understanding of heat in the public discourse, and how it evolves into a living and livelihood crisis.   Negi is Climate Impact Leads at Climate Trends, where she builds compelling narratives on the impact of extreme climate change and extreme weather events across socio-economic sectors. Dr. Chitale is a Fellow and lead-Climate Resilience at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water. His work focuses on assessing risks and building resilience. His latest report on heat data highlights the growing intensity of heat stress across India and the urgent need for better data, stronger heat action plans, and climate-resilient systems   Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Kartiki Negi is on LinkedIn and Twitter. Vishwas Chitale is on LinkedIn and Twitter . Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube. Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    54 min
  2. How India’s Energy Transition is a States Story | ft. Saloni Sachdeva Michael

    APR 23

    How India’s Energy Transition is a States Story | ft. Saloni Sachdeva Michael

    As India’s electricity transition gathers pace, the real story lies in the complexity unfolding across states. What appears straightforward from a distance, adding more renewables and reducing fossil dependence, quickly becomes layered when viewed through states' lens. In the second part of our State Series, we take a data driven view of this transition. We spoke with Saloni Sachdeva Michael , Lead Energy Specialist, India Clean Energy Transition at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Drawing on the recent India State Electricity Transition (SET)Report which she has co-authored, she explains how states are navigating the transition. What seems like a linear shift reveals deeper operational challenges, from rising peak demand to the constraints faced by distribution companies. Tools like smart metering and demand side management are becoming central. This episode explores how India’s transition is a mosaic of state level pathways shaping the sector’s future. Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Saloni Sachdeva Michael is on LinkedIn and Twitter Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    47 min
  3. Why India’s Energy Transition Is a States Story | ft. Neelima Jain

    APR 2

    Why India’s Energy Transition Is a States Story | ft. Neelima Jain

    As India’s energy transition accelerates, much of the real momentum is happening at the state level, where policy meets implementation. From electricity markets and regulatory design to industrial decarbonization and green growth, states sit at the center of how policy translates into action. But what does it take to drive large scale change within these systems? We present a special series exploring the changes shaping state-level transitions. How can incentives be aligned across institutions, political and economic realities managed, and programs designed to be both ambitious and implementable? And as clean energy becomes increasingly cost competitive, what is shaping the choices states make today? For the first part of the series, we spoke with Neelima Jain, Director of Industrial and Trade Policy at the India Energy and Climate Center at UC Berkeley. With experience spanning consulting, government, and global think tanks, she has played a key role in shaping and implementing some of India’s most significant energy efficiency and transition efforts, including scaling up UJALA and advancing international energy cooperation. Full transcript of the episode is available in English Presented by 101Reporters Neelima Jain is on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    58 min
  4. Risks to Rewards: Tale of building an RE company in India | ft. Parag Sharma

    MAR 18

    Risks to Rewards: Tale of building an RE company in India | ft. Parag Sharma

    What does it take to build companies from the ground in a novel sector in India? In this conversation, Parag Sharma, Chief Executive Officer at Resolven (formerly Zelestra), reflects on a three-decade journey from growing up in a thermal power plant campus to building gigawatt-scale renewable businesses. Drawing from his experience across engineering, consulting, and entrepreneurship, he explains how India’s renewable energy market matured into one of the world’s largest investment destinations. The discussion explores the forces shaping the sector today, from global investor confidence and competitive bidding to the evolving balance between solar, wind, and battery storage. As India races toward ambitious clean energy targets, the conversation also looks ahead: what will define the next generation of renewable companies? From disciplined bidding and smart project development to hybrid energy solutions and emerging opportunities in green hydrogen, data centers, and AI-driven energy demand. Mr. Sharma is the former Founder and CEO of O2 Power, previously served as COO at ReNew Power, and currently holds leadership roles as President of the Wind Independent Power Producers Association (WIPPA) and Chairperson of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Northern Region. Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Parag Sharma is on LinkedIn Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    40 min
  5. Fact Finders in the era of Global Disorder and Climate Crisis | ft. Mitali Mukherjee

    MAR 5

    Fact Finders in the era of Global Disorder and Climate Crisis | ft. Mitali Mukherjee

    At a time when wars dominate headlines, climate disasters intensify, and newsrooms themselves face funding cuts and political pressure , who tells the story, and how, matters more than ever. In a conversation that is both personal and structural, we spoke with Ms. Mitali Mukherjee, Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, UK. Having led a distinguished career as a business journalist, and now heading one of the world’s leading centres for journalism research and policy engagement, she brings both newsroom experience and a global institutional perspective to the discussion. Drawing from her experience in India’s broadcast media landscape to the structural shifts reshaping academic and research institutions worldwide, she reflects on what it means to report and research in an era defined by disruption. This conversation looks beyond the daily news cycle to understand the structural forces shaping journalism today. From social defunding and the changing business models of media to the difficulty of sustaining consistent, in-depth climate reporting in an increasingly saturated media environment, we discuss what it takes to support independent journalism and research in uncertain times, and why it continues to matter. Further Reading: • Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's Climate Change and News Audiences Report 2025 • Climate related projects from our journalist fellows • Samuel Thomas and his project on the farmer herder crisis • Niko Efstathiou and his project on wildfires and misinformation • A paper jointly worked on with Dr Anthony Feinstein on the stress and distress faced by climate change journalists • Details about Mitali’s book Crypto Crimes: Inside India's Best-Kept Secret • The Digital News Report Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Mitali Mukherjee is on LinkedIn. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    54 min
  6. Repurposing Coal Plants: What India Can Learn from South Africa | ft. Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul

    FEB 12

    Repurposing Coal Plants: What India Can Learn from South Africa | ft. Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul

    The repurposing of coal power plants is an underexplored challenge as many countries, including India, strive to achieve net-zero targets. Some countries in the Global South, such as South Africa, have more experience with coal power plant repurposing than India. To understand what Indian coal-fired power plant owners can learn from the South African experience, we interviewed Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul, General Manager, Just Transitions at Eskom Holdings SOC Limited. With over three decades of experience at Eskom—the largest supplier of electricity in South Africa—Dr. Rajpaul has worked across a wide range of functions, including renewables and research. Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul is on LinkedIn. Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    51 min
  7. What 2026 holds for India's Energy Transition | ft. Richa Mishra

    JAN 29

    What 2026 holds for India's Energy Transition | ft. Richa Mishra

    India’s energy economy has started 2026 on both a chaotic and a promising note. Last year’s storms of trade wars and the disarray of the country’s energy supply chain have spilled into this year as well. But 2025 was also the year India crossed the threshold of 50 per cent non-fossil fuel power generation capacity and took promising steps in nuclear energy. This year has commenced with policy shifts in the long languishing power distribution sector and trade deals with focus on sustainable development.  To guide through this maze of varied developments which would impact India’s energy transition and security, we spoke with Richa Mishra, seasoned energy journalist and author. Ms Mishra has been writing on the energy sector for more than two decades and has first-hand witnessed the evolution of India’s energy sector and has covered notable milestones in her journalistic journey.  She is currently Resident Editor at Hindu Business Line. Ms Mishra also runs a podcast called Energonomics where she unpacks the developments of the oil and gas sector. Her first book Unfilled Barrels: India’s oil story published in 2022 offers a ringside view of India’s oil and gas sector from past to present. Author page of Richa Mishra: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/profile/author/richa-mishra-10928/ Energonomics podcast by Richa Mishra: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0y1IAo9tjT5TiZmuziacoYWd8rjX6dde&si=SzrnSAEKYRy7n2dF Unfilled Barrels: India's Oil story: https://www.bloomsbury.com/in/unfilled-barrels-9789354350283/ Full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    44 min
  8. The Story behind the Podcast: 5 years of TIEH

    12/26/2025

    The Story behind the Podcast: 5 years of TIEH

    As The India Energy Hour completes five years, the hosts come together for a special recap episode reflecting on how the podcast began and how it has evolved alongside India’s energy transition. From the early motivation behind starting the show to the moments that shaped its direction, this episode revisits key milestones from the last five years. The hosts discuss some of the most impactful episodes and conversations, memorable guests, and how listener engagement has influenced the podcast’s journey. The episode also looks ahead to what listeners can expect in the coming year—from new themes to deeper dives into India’s evolving energy and climate trends. A full transcript of the episode is available in English. Presented by 101Reporters Follow TIEH podcast on Twitter, Linkedin & YouTube Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin

    33 min
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About

The India Energy Hour podcast features in-depth conversations with leading energy, development & climate experts from academia, civil society, & the government. Through these interviews, we explore Indian energy transitions’ most pressing hurdles & promising opportunities. We look at the role that government, financial markets, social movements, & science plays in transition. Co-hosted by Shreya Jai, a leading energy & climate change reporter and Sandeep Pai, an energy transition researcher & author. Contact us at: theindiaenergyhour@gmail.com

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