The Rearview

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Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair guide you on a scenic route through the history of science. Filled with fascinating anecdotes, deep archival dives, and a closer look at the quirky minds behind groundbreaking ideas.

  1. 3D AGO

    The Vaccine Man: The Ukrainian who helped save India from cholera and plague

    Waldemar Mordechai Wolff Haffkine (1860–1930), born in Odessa (then part of the Russian Empire, now Ukraine), was a pioneering Jewish bacteriologist who spent more than two decades working in India. Barred from academic positions in Russia due to antisemitic restrictions, he fled first to Switzerland and then to Paris, where he worked at the Pasteur Institute. In 1892, Haffkine developed the world’s first effective cholera vaccine, boldly testing it on himself before beginning wider trials. In 1893, he travelled to India, where he conducted successful large-scale field tests. When bubonic plague struck Bombay in 1896, Haffkine urgently created the first plague vaccine in a modest laboratory, again testing it on himself before launching mass inoculation campaigns. His vaccines proved highly effective in curbing both cholera and plague, earning him the reputation of a “saviour of mankind.” Despite his monumental achievements, Haffkine remains little known today. One of the few visible reminders of his legacy is Mumbai’s Haffkine Institute, which continues to bear his name. Hosts: Sobhana K Nair and Jacob Koshy Producer and editor: Jude Weston

    50 min

  2. JAN 26

    TAILSPIN: How the 1974 'peaceful test' retarded nuclear power with Jairam Ramesh | Part 2

    In Part 2 of the the history of India’s nuclear programme, we discuss the impact of the 1974 nuclear test on India’s civilian nuclear programme. Whether the consequent technological embargo dealt a body blow to Homi Bhabha’s three phase programme that was premised on sufficient uranium to tide India over until it could extract its vast reserves of thorium? Why electricity from nuclear reactors have been insufficient and whether the SHANTI bills encouragement of small modular reactors and private sector nuclear plant operators is viable. Guest: Jairam Ramesh Hosts: Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair Recorded by Tayyab Hussain and Aniket Singh Chauhan Produced and edited by Jude Weston

    47 min

  3. JAN 12

    SLOW BURN: India’s Chequered Nuclear Past with Jairam Ramesh | Part 1

    India’s nuclear programme has been shaped by idealism, secrecy, ambition, sanctions, and strategic anxiety. In this two-part series, we trace its evolution from the pre-independence period to the passage of new legislation—the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025, also known as the SHANTI Act. Along the way, we explore India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s close relationship with Homi Bhabha, often called the father of India’s nuclear programme. One a democrat and the other the sultan of Indian science. 21-years separated the two and yet their camaraderie evoked envy in many. Was the secrecy that Bhabha demanded and Nehru conceded to necessary? Tune in for answers to these and many questions. Guest: Jairam Ramesh Hosts: Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair Recorded by Tayyab Hussain and Aniket Singh Chauhan Produced and edited by Jude Weston

    41 min

  4. 12/01/2025

    India’s First Bio-Startup: The Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Botanic Garden

    Spread out over a sprawling 109 hectares (270 acres), the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, previously known as the Calcutta Botanic Garden, was among the first experiments commissioned by the East India Company to create a ‘ nursery’ for exotic plants that could be studied for commercial use. Situated in Shibpur, Howrah, just across the Hooghly River from Kolkata, the Garden boasts over 12,000 specimens. The progenitor of plantations and cash crop in India, the various brands of Darjeeling tea and Indian cotton owe their origin to experiments conducted here. Hosts: Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Francis Weston

    32 min

  5. 11/17/2025

    Death of the Indian Science Congress 

    The Indian Science Congress (ISC)—the first-ever conclave of India’s scientific community—was inaugurated in 1914. It was conceived by two British chemists, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P. S. MacMahon. The inaugural session was held from January 15 to 17, 1914, under the presidency of Ashutosh Mukherjee, then Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. The event brought together 105 scientists from across India and abroad. For nearly a century, the ISC attracted luminaries from India and the global scientific community. Yet, questions lingered: Was it more pomp than purpose? Critics often argued that the Congress remained a platform for exchanging ideas rather than fostering a scientific temperament among the masses or inspiring students. The 109th edition, scheduled for 2024, never took place. In September 2025, the government formally replaced the ISC with the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)—a clear pivot toward innovation-driven forums. In this episode, we trace the journey of the Indian Science Congress—from its cradle to its grave. Hosts: Sobhana K Nair & Jacob Koshy Recorded by Tayyab Hussain Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston

    40 min

  6. 11/05/2025

    India's Tryst with Cloud Seeding

    On October 28, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur flew a small plane in the vicinity of Delhi firing a chemical cocktail into clouds in the hope that it could make them rain. This was the first time that cloud seeding was attempted in India as a measure to control air pollution. The rain, the logic went, would make the air borne particulate matter settle. This however was a failure. India has a history of experimenting with cloud seeding thanks to the importance of agriculture and rains. But the history of the science suggests it was of immense interest to militaries. What were the lessons from its early history and what have India's experiments with cloud seeding revealed? The hosts dive into these questions and more. Tune in! Hosts: Sobhana K Nair and Jacob Koshy Recorded, edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston

    28 min

  7. 10/21/2025

    Half Cooked: How solar cookers became a tech disaster in free India

    The solar cooker was the first indigenously developed technological device in Independent India that a generation of scientists and Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, imagined would be an example of technology development. The promise was that millions of Indian villagers would use solar cookers to make their meals. It was breathlessly championed by the National Physical Laboratory, Delhi - a CSIR lab. Very soon however, its poor sale and lack of public acceptance led to a loss of morale among scientist and a fear of state-sponsored technology development.  Tune in to this episode to hear why solar cookers were the God That Failed in India. Hosts: Sobhana K Nair and Jacob Koshy Recorded, produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston

    26 min

  8. 10/06/2025

    Proof: How Ramanujan Tamed Maths’ Toughest Monster

    Many of us are familiar with the name Srinivasa Ramanujan and his black and white photograph. He was one of India’s brightest mathematicians. In this episode we dive into his life - from struggling to pass college in Tamil Nadu to reaching the hallowed halls of Cambridge. Ramanujan’s notebooks scribbled with theorems that he discovered continue to frustrate whole generations of mathematicians, who were forever underestimating the sheer density of mathematical riches they contained. This is also the story of the unusual and profound relationship he had with British Mathematician G.H. Hardy. Hardy, who recognised and honed his genius. The two couldn’t have been more different. Hardy, a confirmed atheist while Ramanujan believed that his unique mathematical abilities were God given. Hardy drilled into him the importance of proof. The two worked together for seven-years at Cambridge. Ramanujan died on 26 April 1920 at the age of 33. Hosts: Sobhana K Nair and Jacob Koshy Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston

    46 min
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About

Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair guide you on a scenic route through the history of science. Filled with fascinating anecdotes, deep archival dives, and a closer look at the quirky minds behind groundbreaking ideas.

Information

  • Creator
    The Hindu
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Copyright
    © The Hindu
  • Show Website
    The Rearview