Brown Pundits

Brown Pundits Talk to Indic Explorer

Mukunda and Omar talk to Vineet on Indic Modernity.

Brown Pundits on 2024 Elections in India.

Omar, Mukunda, Maneesh, Gaurav and KJ have a freewheeling chat on the upcoming elections in India.

A Conversation on Politics in Tamil Nadu

Omar and Maneesh talk to K Jayaraman on political movements and the political parties in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu

Dr Omar Ali on the latest in Pakistan

It's election time in and Maneesh speaks to Dr Omar Ali on the latest in Pakistan

Bangladesh 2023 status update

On this episode of the Browncast Amey and Razib talk about Bangladesh with Karol, our Polish economist South Asia expert who lived in Bangladesh for two years and is fluent in Bengali. Karol discusses the upcoming elections, the role of party politics in Bangladeshi life, and Bangladesh's role in the geopolitics of the region.

Conversation with Christine Fair

Omar and Mukunda talk to Prof. Christine Fair on state of affairs in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan and her upcoming book. 

Israel and India: a new love affair?

Amey and Razib talk about the philoSemitism of Indians, and the pivot to Israel of the BJP. Amey discusses the longstanding role of Jews on the Konkan coast, the pro-Palestinian stance inherited from Nehru, but eventually pivoted away by the BJP do to Indo-Israeli cooperation and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Discussion with Vamsee Juluri

In this podcast, Omar and Mukunda talk to popular author, columnist and intellectual Vamsee Juluri.

A Maratha on Sri Lankan Genetics, Casteism, Immigrating to America and Dalrymple

Amey returns to the Browncast to do a "bro caste" on genetics in Sri Lanka, casteism in America and India and the new legislation in California, talk about his immigration odyssey and how it's stacked against Indians, and finally, how William Dalrymple gives Marathas short shrift.

Castes of the American Mind

BPers Razib Khan and Mukunda Raghavan chat with Pushpita Prasad and Sudha Jagannathan of the Coalition of the Hindus of North America discuss the newfound relevance of caste in the USA, and how a toxic brew up self-interest, identity politics and social justice have caught Indian Americans in a vortex of anti-discrimination legislation.

Frank talks to Akshar and Omar about modern India, the Nehruvian elite and the evolution of the Hindutva phase in Indian politics

History and Evolution of Malayalam Cinema

Arun speaks to Maneesh on the history and evolution of Malayalam Cinema. 

Major Amin on the Current Situation in Pakistan: May 2023

Status update, May 2023.

Pakistan Crisis: The Arrest of Imran Khan

Maneesh speaks to Dr Omar Ali in the aftermath of Imran Khan's arrest. 

Episode 22 - The British East India Company

In this episode, Shrikant, Gaurav and Omar talk to Maneesh about the beginning and consolidation of British East India rule in India. We end the episode on the 1857 revolt.

Major Amin on the Current Crisis in Pakistan

Dr Omar Ali speaks to Major Amin on the current crisis in Pakistan.

A Conversation on Caste with Dr. Prakash Shah

  Dr Prakash Shah, Reader in Culture and Law at School of Law Queen Mary University of London, talks to Dr Ali on the framework of studying caste in India and it's colonial antecedents. 

Conversation with Chitra Iyer: Founder- Space2Grow A Social Impact Firm

Chitra Iyer, Co-founder and CEO of Space2Grow, talks to Maneesh about Anti Child Trafficking, Digital Safety and making  Indians employable. 

Episode 21: South India Post Vijayanagar Empire till 1857

Shrikanth talks to Maneesh about the History of South India post Vijayanagar kingdom till the year 1857. 

Conversation with Pooja Sharma: Founder The Sarvodya Collective

Maneesh is in a freewheeling conversation with Pooja Sharma, founder of The Sarvodya Collective. A NPO working to build awareness and allyship for Neurodiversity as a cause.

Episode 20: Europeans in India

  Prathamesh and Omar talk to Maneesh about Europeans in India.  This a precursor to a dedicated episode on the history of British in India.

Conversation with Prof. Aseem Shrivastava

Omar and Maneesh talk to Aseem on Ecospohy and the challenges posed by Modernity.

Episode 19 - The Rajputs

In this episode, we discuss the Rajputs - their origins, wars and alliances in the medieval time. The speakers are Jay Vardhan Singh, Gaurav Lele and Maneesh Taneja.

Mr. Tilak Devasher on his book The Pashtuns- A Contested History

Author of multiple books on Pakistan Mr. Tilak Devasher joins Maneesh, Somnath and Dr. Omar Ali to talk about his new book The Pashtuns-A Contested History. 

Sunny Narang in Conversation with Dr. Omar Ali

  Sunny Narang, a punjabi born and brought up in Delhi with ancestral roots in Pakistan, speaks for Dr. Ali on punjabis; they also talk about culture and people who have and continue to shape history of the sub-continent. 

Episode 18- The Marathas

In this episode, Prathamesh Godbole and Amit Paranjpe discuss the Maratha empire - spanning from its humble origins as a Jagir of Adilshahi to the largest power in the subcontinent before the British conquest. We discuss the great maratha rulers Shivaji Raje, Sambhaji Raje and the Peshwas. 

Episode 17: Mughals-the socio-cultural milieu and their decline

Maneesh talks to Jay and Omar on the socio-culutral milieu of the Mughals and their decline. 

Episode 16: The Rise of the Mughals

In this episode, Omar and Jay discuss the rise of the "Great" Mughals. We start from the rise of Babur and follow through the empire his descendants. We do not cover the challengers to the Mughal hegemony (Maharana Pratap, Chattrapati Shivaji and Lachit Borphukan) OR the fall of the Mughal empire or other softer aspects in this episode. All that will be covered in the coming episodes.

Discussion with J Sai Deepak

In this episode, Gaurav talks with J Sai Deepak - the prolific author about Bharat, Hindu civilization, politics and his books.

Pakistan 2022: Things Fall Apart ?

Omar is in conversation with Ambassador Kamran Shafi and Dr. Mohammad Taqi on the ongoing political upheaval in Pakistan. 

Episode 15: The Vijayanagara Empire

Shrikanth and Gaurav talk to Maneesh about all things Vijayanagara Empire. An empire that lasted longer than Mughal empire and whose legancy thirves to this day.

Episode 14: The Delhi Sultanate

In this episode of the history podcast, Omar and Jay discuss the period of Delhi Sultanate with Jay and Gaurav. We go over all the major dynasties and also discuss the religious, economic aspects of this time.  As Omar Ali puts it, the legacy of Delhi Sultanate is the legacy of Islam in the subcontinent. 

Episode 13: South India from 1100-1400 CE

13th Episode of the History Podcast.  Shrikanth, Mukunda and Gaurav speak to Maneesh on all things South India from 1100-1400 AD.   

All Things Tamil Cinema

Maneesh talks to Sai and Arun on all things Tamil Cinema- its history, its unique relationship with the political milieu of Tamil Nadu, its evolution over the years and the cults of personalities that it has spawned.  

A conversation on Hinduphobia

History Podcast Episode 12: Social Milieu of North India 700-1200AD

The History Podcast resumes on Brown Pundits.  In episode 12 Mukunda and Jay talk to Maneesh about the cultural and social milieu in North India from 700-1200 AD. 

Start-up Ecosystem in India

Maneesh has a freewheeling conversation with Roshan Cariappa on the Indian Start-up ecosytem. 

Khalid Baig on Indian Nationalism and Islam

In this episode Gaurav chats with Khalid Baig - an Indian Nationalist on a wide range of topics - Indian nationalism, Hindu-Muslim relations, Hindutva and bright future of India. Khalid Baig and Amana Ansari Begam also run a very popular Youtube show called India This Week By Amana & Khalid - YouTube.    We also chatted to his co-host Amana Ansari Begam a few months back - Amana Begam Ansari on Muslims and Women in India – Brown Pundits 

Caste, Hindus in America and Hinduphobia

On this episode of the Brown Pundits Browncast I had a long conversation with  Nikunj Trivedi and Pushpita Prasad of the Coalition of Hindus of North America. One of the things we talked extensively about during this podcast is the Carnegie Endowment study Social Realities of Indian Americans: Results From the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey. The survey is rich with data that might surprise (for example, there are as many Bengali speakers as Punjabi speakers in the US, though I susp...

Episode 11: Palas, Prathiharas and early Islamic invasions

In this episode Maneesh and Gaurav chat with Jay and Omar Ali and they discuss North Indian politics and power struggles for a vast period from 700 CE to 1200 CE. We touch upon the origins of the Imperial Pratiharas and Palas and discuss the tripartrite struggle for domination of Kannauj between the 3 great kingdoms of Indian subcontinent while a storm brewed up in the west. We also talk about the earlier Arab invasions of Sindh and Punjab and the later Turkic invasions by the Ghaznavids and...

Subcontinent and Movies

Omar Ali and Maneesh Taneja have a free-flowing conversation with Gaurav about movies in the Indian subcontinent in the 20th century

Subcontinent and Movies

Omar Ali and Maneesh Taneja have a free-flowing conversation with Gaurav about movies in the Indian subcontinent in the 20th century

Episode 10: North India before and after Harsha

The history podcast returns to North India. Gaurav and Jay are in conversation with Maneesh about the changes in the North Indian landscape before and after the times of Harsha - generally considered as the last Emperor of "Ancient India". We touch upon political splintering that followed the fall of the imperial Guptas, the political Game of thrones that followed, the Kumbha Mela and the decline of trade. 玄奘  (Xuanzang) and Banabhatta make appearances as prolific storytellers along with the...

Episode 9: South India from 500-1100 AD

Shrikanth and Mukunda talk to Maneesh about South India from 500-1100 AD.

Episode 8: Guptas and the Classical Age of India

In this episode of the History series, we return to North India and talk about the Age of the Guptas. We touch upon the military genius of Samudragupta and various Gupta emperors, the emergence of Classical Hinduism and various forms of Art, Music, Science which consolidated during this era. The speakers of the episode are Gaurav Lele and Jay Vardhan and the discussion is moderated by Maneesh

Pakistani politics today

Omar talks with Mohammad Taqi and Kamran Shafi about Pakistani politics.

Episode7: South of India from 200 BC to 500 AD

Maneesh talks to Jay and Shrikanth on the history of Southern India for the period 200 BC to 500 AD

Episode 6: North India from 200 BC to 200 AD

Sixth Episode in the series of podcasts on the History of Indian sub-continent. Shrikanth and Jay talk to Maneesh on all things North of Vindhyas for the period 200BC to 200 AD.

The war in Ukraine, part 1

Omar, Amey, Conrad Barwa and Karol discuss the war in Ukraine (part 1 of 2).

Episode 5- The Magadh Era: From Bimbisara to Ashoka

The History podcast passes through the Magadh era. Mukunda Raghavan and Gaurav Lele talk to us about the sub-continent at the end of the Vedic age and take us all the way to the ruler whose symbols are part of the Modern Indian Republic's mythology. Alexander and Vishnugupta Chankaya make an appearance and we speculate on the first recorded caesarean birth.