The Seen and The Unseen - Podcast

I accidentally bumped into the podcast, The Seen and The Unseen podcast by Amit Varma. I was pleasantly surprised to have bumped into this. Its one of the very rare but nicely produced podcast from India. It is a talk-radio kind of show. Amit talks with some guests on topics of interest. The topics are quite broad - economics, food, public policy, books, history.

Amit has always been a curious figure. I have known him as one of the earliest bloggers from India. His blog IndiaUncut was a must-read one among the very few blogs available then. Amit is not just a usual writer. His interests in quiz and professional poker are quite a unique combination. I am really glad that he has mastered the new audio medium and publishing podcast episodes quite regularly.

Fortunately, Seen and Unseen is one of the few podcasts produced out of India. Indian media is yet to master the podcast medium and use it effectively. 

I want to call out on a few podcast episodes and highlight what I liked about it.

• This two-part discussion with the fascinating historian, Ramachandra Guha. Ram talks about his latest book about Gandhi. I am always curious about Gandhi as his influence on India, and our society is undeniable. Ram is critical about Gandhi and also explains why he is great and illustrates it with the context. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in the history of India or Gandhi.

• The episode with Vikram Doctor about India Food is so good. It is fascinating because it made me rethink about the foods which I considered as Indian. It also made me think about the impact of globalisation on the food we eat and also why some foods take over the world, while some foods go extinct. If you are a foodie, you will love this episode.