Episodes
Nov. 17, 2025
What India Needs: Building Equitable Workplaces with Shreya Krishnan
Send us a text 36% of India’s tech workforce is women, but only 8% reach senior leadership. What’s keeping women from leading the future of work? In this episode of the What India Needs Podcast, Shutapa Paul speaks with Shreya Krishnan, Managing Director - India, of AnitaB.org, a global non-profit …
Oct. 24, 2025
What India Needs: Crafting Change with Emily Chakraborty
Send us a text 67 lakh handloom weavers in the 1980s; just 31 lakh today. In this episode, Shutapa Paul speaks with Emily Chakraborty, founder of Kaisori, on the challenges facing India's weaving communities, including supply chain struggles, low wages, and middlemen that threaten artisanal livelih…
Sept. 24, 2025
What India Needs: Cracking the Startup Survival Code with Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal
Send us a text The Indian startup ecosystem may be thriving but over 28,000 startups have failed in recent years. In this episode, Shutapa Paul speaks with Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, about the challenges facing the Indian startup ecosystem and how innovation and en…
Aug. 20, 2025
What India Needs: Hospitality’s Big Bet with Dr. Suborno Bose
Send us a text India wants tourism and hospitality to fuel a $3 trillion economy by 2047. But here’s the truth: only 1% of the 37 million people employed in the sector are formally trained. In this episode of What India Needs!, Shutapa Paul speaks with Dr. Suborno Bose, hospitality educator and Fou…
July 15, 2025
What India Needs: Inside India's Central Bank with Alpana Killawala
Send us a text Since April 1, 1935, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been protecting India’s economy. Printing currency, managing banks, controlling inflation, and handling the Rupee — the nation’s central bank has been doing it all. But the inner workings of this carefully guarded institution h…
June 4, 2025
What India Needs: Inside India's Green Cover Crisis with Vaibhav Raje
Send us a text India’s green cover is increasing… or is it a facade? In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Vaibhav Raje, India’s first ISA-certified arborist, and together they explore the truth behind India’s forest cover statistics. From saplings replacing centuries-old canopies to tree prot…
May 21, 2025
What India Needs: Building Credibility in New Media with Rishi Mukherjee
Send us a text Traditional media is being challenged, but can creators be trusted with the truth? In this episode, Shutapa Paul speaks with Rishi Mukherjee, founder of Jist Media and co-founder of ScoopWhoop, to discuss the rise of India’s creator economy, the role of AI in spreading misinformation…
May 11, 2025
What India Needs: The Battle for Truth in Indian Media with Saba Naqvi
Send us a text 93% of Indians get their news from YouTube. Are influencers the new face of journalism? Is this the beginning of the end of traditional media? In this episode, Shutapa Paul sits down with Saba Naqvi, author, columnist, and veteran journalist, to dissect the dramatic shift from tradit…
April 14, 2025
What India Needs: Decoding the OTT Landscape with Sidharth Jain
Send us a text India’s OTT boom has transformed the entertainment industry. But with so much content available, are we facing oversaturation and a new battle for audience attention? In this episode, Shutapa Paul speaks to Sidharth Jain, Founder of House of Talkies & The Story Inc., to discuss t…
March 5, 2025
What India Needs: Retuning Indian Film Music with Alokananda Dasgupta
Send us a text Only 8% of key roles in the Indian film industry are held by women. Composing, sound engineering, and music production remain spaces where women struggle to be heard. In this Women’s Day special, Shutapa Paul speaks to Alokananda Dasgupta, the music composer behind Sacred Games, Jubi…
Feb. 16, 2025
What India Needs: The Truth About Food Safety in India with Rinka Banerjee
Send us a text 15.8% of tested food samples in India were found to be substandard. How safe is the food we consume every day? Can we really trust food labels? What about street food? In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Rinka Banerjee, Founder of Thinking Forks, to explore India’s food safety…
Feb. 2, 2025
What India Needs: Breaking Taboos Around Menstrual Hygiene with Vikas Bagaria
Send us a text Menstruation is a biological process, not a taboo. So why are women still shamed for it? In this episode of What India Needs, host Shutapa Paul talks with Vikas Bagaria, founder of Pee Safe. From his personal journey to sustainable solutions, Vikas shares facts about menstruation tab…
Jan. 12, 2025
What India Needs: Sustainable Cities and Smarter Urban Planning with Ashish Kukreja
Send us a text $1.4 trillion to build India’s future: Are we on the right track? In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Ashish Kukreja, CEO and Founder of Homesfy, to explore the opportunities and challenges of robust infrastructure development in India. Can decentralising development to Tier-2…
Dec. 18, 2024
What India Needs: Balancing Growth with Sustainability with Dr T V Ramachandra
Send us a text Meet a crusader for environmental sustainability who has worked tirelessly to protect natural resources and promote sustainable development. He has confronted challenges head-on, inspiring hope for a climate-resilient future, and a healthier planet, sometimes even at personal peril. …
Nov. 13, 2024
What India Needs: Exploring India's Entrepreneurship Landscape with Rajat Tandon
Send us a text India is on track to becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2026-27. In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Rajat Tandon, President of IVCA (Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association) and together they explore the rise of startups, MSMEs and entrepreneurship in India. What sect…
Oct. 13, 2024
What India Needs: Breaking Down the Gender Gap with Nupur Garg
Send us a text 66% of a woman's work is "unpaid labour" compared to only 12% for men. In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Nupur Garg, Founder of Winpe and together they explore the gender gap and workplace inequalities faced by women. How can we build a workplace that treats everyone equally…
Aug. 14, 2024
What India Needs: Future of India's ageing population with Rajinish Menon
Send us a text By 2050, one in five Indians will be a senior citizen, amounting to a remarkable 347 million elderly individuals. In this episode, Shutapa Paul engages with Rajinish Menon, Founder & CEO of Sukino Healthcare Solutions, to explore this demographic shift and the current state of se…
July 11, 2024
What India Needs: Indian Bureaucracy Unveiled with Anil Swarup
Send us a text What makes a “good” bureaucrat? In this episode, we delve into the mind and life of an Indian bureaucrat. Featuring Anil Swarup, former Coal and Education Secretary, Government of India, this episode charts almost four decades of his extensive bureaucratic expertise. Discover Anil Sw…
June 12, 2024
What India Needs: Tackling India's Water Crisis with Vikas Bramhavar
Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the water crisis faced by the Indian cities—a wake-up call for 100+ cities that could face the same by 2050. Join us as we speak with Vikas Bramhavar, founder of BOSON Whitewater, to uncover the causes of this crisis, the transformative power of wastewat…