Dr. Ramesh Chandra is an acclaimed Indian Anthropologist who has spent more than 5 decades in exploring the socio-cultural aspects of Indian society-diaspora and subaltern. Dr. Chandra has held positions in the Govt. of India including at Planning Commission, Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, ISRO and in academia including National Institute for Rural Development. His work ranges from conducting studies across India to drafting policies for development and nurturing of tribal communities in India ..read more

Ever sniffed a perfume and wondered , “Wow, this smells soo good!”. Meet Amol Jain, a perfumery specialist who can tell you why exactly you like a particular fragrance and why you don’t . He hails from the Indian mecca of perfumery – Kannauj. Backed by a trio of Post-Graduate Degrees from Europe - MS in Protein Engineering from UK, MS in Perfumery & Cosmetics from France and Masters in Business Management Italy, he headed the Fragrance & Flavor Division in The Himalaya Drug Company. Post this, he decided to pursue his passion full time and founded Paras Naturals Oils India Pvt. Ltd, a ..read more

Dr. Gauri D Chakraborty graduated from Asia’s premier institution, Film and Television Institute of India, Pune and has been a part of the Audio-Video Industry since 1995. She has worked with prestigious institutions like BBC World Service Trust in India on HIV awareness. Gauri was the Associate Producer for the award winning film ‘Sheep Thief’, (1997). Dr Gauri Chakraborty is a practicing filmmaker, academician and artist. At present, Gauri heads the Amity School of Communication in Noida, India, which is one of the largest media training hubs in the country. She has been a media educator for ..read more

Dr. Ramesh Chandra is an acclaimed Indian Anthropologist who has spent more than 5 decades in exploring the socio-cultural aspects of Indian society-diaspora and subaltern. Dr. Chandra has held positions in the Govt. of India including at Planning Commission, Anthropological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, ISRO and in academia including National Institute for Rural Development. His work ranges from conducting studies across India to drafting policies for development and nurturing of tribal communities in India ..read more

Ashish Chopra, Culinary historian, author and television host was the founder Executive Director of the Institute for Environmental Management and Social Development, when he decided after retrospection and introspection to take permanent sabbatical to pursue his passion for food and travel. An expert in conflict management he is also the former Advisor to the Governor of Mizoram and Assam Rifles (The oldest paramilitary force in the World). He has recently established SACA (School Of Ancient Culinary Arts) dedicated to safeguard, promote, and teach our ancient culinary practices ..read more

Mark Twain once said, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Banaras which is called by different names such as Kashi and Varanasi is said to be a timeless city. It is also called Avimuktaka, the sacred space never to be forsaken by Shiva. It is believed to be the original ground created by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Those who die here are guaranteed liberation from the repeated cycle of birth and death. Manikarnika which is the chief burning ghat on the Ganges bank in Banaras is never to be without ..read more

I’m sure most of you must have heard of Zardozi embroidery. Today this craft has become a mainstay in couture and bridal costumery and can be afforded by many. But there was a time when only the kings and the royals could adorn garments embroidered in Zardozi as it was made using fine gold, silver and precious stones. This magnificent art of metallic embellishment on fabrics added glitter, glamour, opulence and power to their wardrobe. Though this craft was prevalent in India even in ancient times but Zardoz as a class of artisans along with other artisans came to India only in the t ..read more

The Harappan Civilization is a culture wrapped in a shroud of mystery. Who were the Harappans? What language did they speak? How urbanised was the Harappan civilization? How did it decline? In this episode, listen to Prof. I.S. Marwah talking about the marvels and mysteries of the Indus Valley Civilization. He is a social anthropologist who has a vast experience of almost 5 decades in studying a number of tribal and agrarian communities in India and abroad. He has taught at the University of Delhi in the Department of Anthropology. He is also interested in studying ancient civilizations such a ..read more

India’s fascination with the Rolls Royce goes back to the days of the Maharajas. Did you know the very first Rolls Royce bought by an Indian Maharaja was the ‘Pearl of the East? It was bought by the Maharaja of Mysore after he saw the car in the Bombay-Kolhapur Motor Trial in 1908. Why was India such an important market for Rolls Royce? What kind of specific body styles people in India asked for when they bought a Rolls Royce? Was it ever used as a garbage collection vehicle in India by a Maharaja? Also why in the post independent era, hardly any Rolls Royce were bought and imported in India ..read more

Mark Twain once said, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Banaras which is called by different names such as Kashi and Varanasi is said to be a timeless city. It is also called Avimuktaka, the sacred space never to be forsaken by Shiva. It is believed to be the original ground created by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Those who die here are guaranteed liberation from the repeated cycle of birth and death. Manikarnika which is the chief burning ghat on the Ganges bank in Banaras is never to be without ..read more