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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 protection policies that rarely work in practice, we examine the growing gap between perception and reality.

Tune in to hear Vaibhav’s sharp insights, on-ground experience, and candid perspectives on the future of sustainability in India.

Watch it now on YouTube or listen to it on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeeds #podcast #urbanforests #treepolicy #greencover #vaibhavraje #arboriculture #sustainabilityIndia #cityplanning #forestcover #environmentIndia #indiancities #climatecrisisIndia #WhatIndiaNeedsPodcast

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:11 - Green Cover: Myth vs reality

00:04:00 - The 33 percent goal and policy disconnect

00:10:01 - Suggestions for policymakers

00:12:47 - Development and sustainability

00:14:29 - What is Arboriculture?

00:16:40 - Case study

00:20:05 - Role of technology in saving trees

00:23:06 - Policy gaps, governance challenges, and public awareness

00:26:02 - Concerns about pruning

00:30:37 - What to do when trees outgrow their space

00:35:55 - Urban forest and Miyawaki plantation

00:40:44 - How citizens can take responsible steps

00:44:26 - Outro

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#urbanforests #treepolicy #greencover #indiancities #environmentIndia #sustainabilityIndia #arboriculture #climatecrisisIndia #cityplanning #forestcover

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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, and what it takes to build credibility in today’s digital age.

From virality without massive following to the threat of fake news, we explore the biggest shifts in Indian media and what the future holds. What does it mean to be a responsible content creator today? How do you balance growth, relevance, and ethics?

Tune in to hear Rishi’s sharp insights, startup journey, and honest reflections on the digital media boom.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeeds #Podcast #creatorsofindia #digitalmedia #AImisinformation #mediadisruption #newmedia #trustonline #contentcreators #genZcontent #ScoopWhoop #JistMedia

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00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:49 - Is traditional media dying?

00:06:51 - Understanding micro-trends and timing

00:11:57 - The rise of fake news in the AI age

00:16:54 - Checks and balances in New Media

00:25:56 - Can creators really build public trust?

00:29:50 - The ScoopWhoop to Jist journey

00:52:52 - Advice to younger creators

00:58:19 - Outro

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#AIandMedia #creatorresponsibility #JistMedia #digitalIndia #mediadisruption #contentethics #ScoopWhoop #trustmedia #mediarevolution #Indianstartups #WhatIndiaNeedsPodcast

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Jist News: https://jist.news/

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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 traditional media to social platforms. Who controls the news we consume? And what does this mean for truth, trust, and democracy?

Join us as we dive into the crumbling world of legacy news, the rise of digital storytellers, and the search for truth in the age of algorithms with veteran journalist and author, Saba Naqvi.

Catch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeeds #Podcast #mediarevolution #digitalnews #influencers #journalism #truthmatters #newslandscape #mediatransformation

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00:00 - Introduction

01:47 - The broken state of traditional media

04:38 - Impact of new media and social media

07:47 - Newspapers vs. Digital Media

12:09 - The rise of influencers and YouTubers in news

14:43 - Challenges and realities of the journalism profession

18:00 - The "I, Me, Myself" syndrome

22:37 - Press freedom and safety

28:42 - Women in journalism, MeToo, and work-life balance

32:41 - Career highlights and minority identity

35:58 - Media trends and fact-checking

41:23 - Parting thoughts and advice for young journalists

44:33 - Outro

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#mediarevolution #digitalnews #influencers #journalism #newslandscape #truthmatters #pressfreedom #indianmedia #mediatransformation #whatindianeeds

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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 the changing face of India’s entertainment industry, and what really works in today’s streaming landscape. This conversation dives deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping digital entertainment.

Tune in to hear Sidharth Jain’s expert insights on India’s entertainment revolution. Don’t miss out!

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeeds #Podcast #OTTIndia #StreamingWars #EntertainmentIndustry #IndianCinema #ContentCreation #Filmmaking #Bollywood #SiddharthJain #DigitalStorytelling #MediaTrends

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00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:14 – What’s working on OTT?

00:03:51 – The illusion of democratisation

00:06:41 – New talent vs big budgets

00:11:20 – Why some creators give up

00:13:36 – The business side: Economic realities

00:15:28 – The truth about scriptwriting

00:18:28 – Rural market potential

00:23:19 – Corporates and billionaires in the industry

00:29:24 – The fading of fandom in the industry

00:35:34 – Controversies, regulation, and censorship

00:46:54 – Global standards in storytelling: Is India catching up?

00:49:40 – Siddharth’s personal journey and the genesis of The Story Ink

01:15:15 – About book-to-screen adaptations

01:06:04 – Fun segment

01:09:43 – Advice to aspiring creators

01:11:58 – Outro

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#ContentCreation #FilmIndustry #FilmmakerTalk #Screenwriting #BookToScreen #IndianCinema #SelfCensorship #FreedomOfExpression #IndianStories #RegionalContent #DemocratizationOfContent

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Story Ink: https://www.thestoryink.com/

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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, Jubilee, and Trapped, about challenges, biases, change that has happened, and that which is still to come.

Catch the latest episode of the 'What India Needs' podcast on YouTube or Spotify!

#WhatIndiaNeeds #genderequality #womeninleadership #workplaceinclusion #Indianmusicindustry #Womeninfilm #Gendergap

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Segmentation:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:03:01 - Women in film music

00:06:07 - Challenges & barriers for women in film music

00:19:22 - Equality vs actual implementation

00:22:56 - Experience working across industries

00:28:32 - Background scores vs songs

00:34:47 - Royalties & legal issues in music

00:39:39 - Alokananda’s journey & inspirations

00:52:43 - Upcoming projects & future work

00:55:43 - Outro

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#genderequality #workplaceequality #equalopportunities #gendergap #genderequity #womenatwork #careerequality

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Credits(Music) Dramatic Epic Orchestra BFCMusic (Andrei Marchanka)

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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 challenges, the
innovations driven by startups, and the future of food.

Catch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.

#WhatIndiaNeeds #Podcast #FoodSafety #ConsumerRights #HealthyLiving
#FoodRegulations #WhatIndiaNeedsPodcast


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00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:20 - How safe is our food?
00:05:41 - Gaps in food safety enforcement
00:12:08 - Challenges for MSME
00:16:16 - Street food safety concerns
00:22:20 - Quality mismatch in global and Indian products
00:25:06 - Front of pack labelling in India
00:27:42 - Misleading labels & food fraud
00:37:23 - The need for consumer awareness
00:38:20 - Genesis of Thinking Forks and learnings
00:48:35 - The future of food safety in India
00:56:00 - Myths
00:57:56 - Advice for young people
01:01:53 - Outro


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#foodlabeling #frontofpacklabeling #streeetfood #startup #foodsafety #foodregulations #india #foodstartup #indiansnacks #packagedfood #foodpackaging #foodtech #healthierchoices #sustainability

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Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/thinking-forks/
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Thinking Forks: https://www.thinkingforks.com/

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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 taboos, and sustainable solutions like menstrual cups and reusable pads.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen to it on Spotify.

#whatindianeeds #peesafe #menstrualhealth #periodcare #sustainability

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00:00 - Intro

01:58 - Social taboo and stigma

06:26 - Awareness and education

09:15 - Efforts and initiatives for improvement

11:03 - Sustainability and affordability

15:00 - Female personal hygiene market

16:40 - Men’s personal hygiene

19:28 - Personal journey and Pee Safe

22:47 - UTI and public loos

24:54 - Other business ventures

28:48 - Pee Safe Investors

30:04 - Future goals and challenges

37:33 - Advice for young entrepreneurs

40:30 - Failures and lessons learnt

46:10 - Perspectives on parenthood

48:50 - Balancing life as an entrepreneur

52:08 - Outro

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#hygienematters #healthforall #sanitation #personalhygiene #endperiodstigma #breakthetaboo #femininecare #menstrualcups #sanitarypads

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Pee Safe: https://www.peesafe.com/

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$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 and Tier-3 cities lead India’s future?

Tune in to hear Ashish Kukreja's professional and personal insights on balancing growth with sustainability. Don’t miss out!

#whatIndianeeds #urbanplanning #sustainabledevelopment #smartcities #affordablehousing

Segmentation:

00:00 Intro

1:50 - Balancing Growth and Sustainability

5:54 - The Green Space Crisis in Indian Metros

12:36 - Decentralising Development: The Role of Tier-2 and Tier-3 India

15:31 -Challenges of Connectivity and Smart Cities

19:48 - Public-Private Partnerships for Smarter Cities

23:02 - Tackling Affordable Housing in Urban India

27:28 - Smaller Cities More Interested in Sustainability

29:34 - Homesfy’s Vision

32:18 - Ashish Kukreja's Journey

36:26 - About Mymagnet

37:54 - Future Plans for Homesfy and Mymagnet

41:53 - Achievements and Lessons

47:09- Tips for Entrepreneurs

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Homsfy: https://www.homesfy.in/