In Episode 10, we speak with Aslam Saiyad, photographer and co-founder of Go Hallu Hallu, which conducts walks in the city. He talks about the importance of slowing down, paying deeper attention to our local environment and how that makes room for empathy. Through walks in less ‘visible’ areas of the city, he re-introduces people to Mumbai’s indigenous communities. (Read Transcript)
In Episode 9, we speak with two journalists, Yunus Lasania and Serish Nanisetti. Both have a deep connection to the history and heritage of Hyderabad and have brought the city and its bylanes alive through their work. Lasania is the founder of the Hyderabad History Project which organises walks that explore the history of Hyderabad beyond the larger more well known landmarks of the city. (Read Transcript)
In Episode 8, we speak with Vijay Dhasmana, rewilder and eco-restoration practitioner. He tells us the riveting story of how a degraded mining site was converted into the flourishing Aravalli Biodiversity Park in Gurugram and explains why cities urgently need to integrate wild spaces into their planning. (Read Transcript)
In this bonus episode, Zai Whitaker, writer and one of the founders of the Madras Crocodile Bank, shares what led her to begin writing books for children. She reads excerpts from her book, Boastful Centipede and Other Creatures and from one of her favourites, Kenneth Graham’s The Wind in the Willows. Listen to this very special episode with the kids in your life! (Read transcript)
In Episode 7, we chat with Zai Whitaker, writer and one of the founders of the Madras Crocodile Bank. She talks about what first drew her to the natural world, the influence of her family and the crucial role of conservation parks like the Crocodile Bank. She also shares how we can all connect to wonder in our very own cities and begin our conservation journey at home. (Read transcript)
In our second extra for the month Sadhana Ramchander, urban tree guide and educator, speaks to us on how we can begin to heal the current disconnection and distance between urban children and the natural world – an important step in the direction towards building a future of renewal and hope. (Read transcript)
In Episode 6, we chat with Sadhana Ramchander and Kobita Dass Kolli, the curators of the Hyderabad Tree Enthusiasts group. They share the joy of discovering urban trees and foliage, the wonders that lie amidst them and the powerful capacity for healing and learning that green spaces hold for city dwellers. (Read transcript)
Deepa Mohan, birder and naturalist guide, shares the ABC of birding and what it involves in this bonus episode. Listen in to hear how you can begin birding from your balcony, neighbourhood or city, wherever you live. Best of all- it takes no equipment or special effort- just a lively curiosity! (Read transcript)
In Episode 5, we speak to Deepa Mohan, birder and naturalist guide based in Bangalore. She shares her journey of how she began connecting with the natural world and eventually became an integral part of BngBirds, a birding nature group that has become a learning and growing space for children and adults alike to connect not just with birds but with butterflies, trees, flowers and all that they encounter on walks. (Read transcript)
Listen to us on an app of your choice:
Google Podcasts | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Amazon Music
In Episode 4, we speak to Swarnlata Mahilkar from EMpower India, a global philanthropy focused on supporting at-risk youth. She facilitated the research process for the Covid: In Her Voice Report–a girl-led and centred participatory research study. Along with her is Shireen Ansari, one of the young women researchers and a powerful advocate for what policy changes need to be made for adolescent girls and young women to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. (Read transcript)
In Episode 3, we speak to Dr. Praveetha Patalay, Professor at University College London, who studies adolescent mental health and well being. In our conversation she explains the importance of understanding adolescent mental health in greater depth, the pivotal role it plays in defining our health through our lifetime and the impact the pandemic has had on children. (Read transcript)
Listen to us on an app of your choice:
Google Podcasts | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Amazon Music
In our second episode of Season 2, Sowmiya Ashok, a journalist and one of the fellows of the 2020-21 China-India Visiting Scholars Fellowship at Ashoka University, talks about the gig economy, the rights of gig workers, what changed through the period of the pandemic and where each of us can fit in as those who access key services provided by gig workers. (Read transcript)
In our first episode of Season 2, four professionals working in different sectors and cities of India reflect on what the pandemic brought up for them in relation to their work lives–how and why they have chosen to do things differently and what it portends for the future in the role work plays in the larger tapestry of life. (Read transcript)
Listen to us on an app of your choice:
Google Podcasts | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anchor | Amazon Music