340. A New Global Disorder?
BIC TALKS
As conflict erupts in West Asia, the consequences are rippling across the globe, threatening to reshape the international order in ways not seen in decades. This session will bring together experts to explore the geopolitical, economic, and security implications of this crisis for the world and, for India. With deep insights from Ranjan Mathai, former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to Israel, and Latha Reddy, former Deputy NSA, the discussion will be moderated by Stanly Johny of The Hindu. A Q&A with the audience will follow. In this episode of BIC Talks, Ranjan Mathai and Latha Reddy...
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341. Seeds of Insight
BIC TALKS
By the canons of orthodox social science, countries like India are not supposed to have an environmental consciousness. They are, as it were, “too poor to be green.” In his new book, Speaking with Nature, Ramachandra Guha challenges this narrative by revealing a virtually unknown prehistory of the global movement set far outside Europe or America. Long before the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and well before climate change, ten remarkable individuals wrote with deep insight about the dangers of environmental abuse from...
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339. An Unequal Citizen?
BIC TALKS
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338. Unpacking Economic Freedom in the Constitution
BIC TALKS
This discussion will explore how the Constitution of India frames the concept of economic freedom. We often think of the constitutional guarantee of freedom in terms of the freedom of speech and expression. This discussion moves beyond this framing to examine the oft-ignored aspect of economic freedom for individuals and organisations. The panellists will discuss the balance between state intervention and individual economic rights, exploring issues like onerous licensing and compliance requirements for businesses, property rights and the right to trade occupation, profession and...
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337. Urban Legends
BIC TALKS
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336. We Are Like This Only
BIC TALKS
In this session, Kunal Shah, Founder of CRED, and Archana Rai, Senior Editor at The Economic Times, will explore the exciting journey of India’s startup ecosystem. They will discuss how consumer practices in India have evolved, from e-commerce to the rapid growth of quick commerce, and how startups are adapting to meet these changing demands. The conversation will also highlight the importance of digital public infrastructure and its role in empowering entrepreneurs and businesses to innovate and scale. Kunal will share his personal journey of building CRED, offering insights into the...
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335. Road Not Taken
BIC TALKS
A discussion based on the book Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan. This session delves into the starkly different roles played by the military in the political landscapes of India and Pakistan, and how these choices have shaped the democratic trajectories of both nations. While Pakistan’s history is marked by frequent military interventions that have hindered its democratic development, India’s military has remained notably apolitical, even in moments of crisis such as the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Emergency, and Operation Blue Star. Explore the critical moments...
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334. Story of an Unknown Indian
BIC TALKS
What does the life of an ordinary working-class Indian look and feel like? Join us for a panel discussion discussing this and more with the author of The Many Lives of Syeda X Neha Dixit and commentator and editor Priya Ramani. In her book The Many Lives of Syeda X journalist Neha Dixit traces the story of one such faceless Indian woman, Syeda X, from the early 1990s to the present day. What emerges is a picture of a life lived under constant corrosive tension. Researched for close to a decade, in this book, we meet an unforgettable cast of characters for...
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333. Demystifying Climate Change
BIC TALKS
Every day we hear something unusual. A fire here, a flood there, a storm surge, a cloudburst. These events affect all of us, our well-being, our health, our family, our work. Their frequency and intensity are increasing. Fortunately, however, we no longer lack explanations for these events. We know fossil fuels and the destruction of Nature by us humans are the primary reasons for the alarming acceleration in global warming. Awareness is the first step towards change, and Rajan Mehta’s Backstage Climate is an attempt to make you aware of global warming and climate change in a...
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332. Not Just a Laughing Matter!
BIC TALKS
Abu Abraham’s career as a cartoonist, columnist and artist spanned over 50 years, from the late 1940s to the early 2000s, during which his work appeared in a range of newspapers and magazines in India and the UK. Throughout this period of significant political change and upheaval, he critically responded to the political landscape, producing a rich and complex oeuvre that reflects these shifts. The centenary exhibition, “,” brought together, for the first time, the breadth of Abu Abraham’s work as a cartoonist and journalist across six decades. Through Abu’s political cartoons,...
info_outlineOn the surface, an Indian doctor, a British poet, an UberEats courier in Pittsburgh, and a Chinese activist in exile have nothing in common. But they are in fact linked by a profound common experience―unexpected encounters with artificial intelligence. In her debut book Code Dependent, shortlisted for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-fiction 2024, Madhumita Murgia shows how automated systems are reshaping our lives all over the world, from technology that marks children as future criminals, to an app that is helping to offer medical diagnoses to a remote tribal community.
By highlighting the voices of ordinary people in places far removed from the cozy enclave of Silicon Valley, Madhumita explores the impact of this often-exploitative technology on individuals, communities, and our wider society.
Vidushi Marda, a lawyer and researcher, specialises in examining the socio-legal ramifications of data-driven technologies. Her research centers on technology regulation, asymmetric power dynamics, and fundamental rights. Through her endeavors, she collaborates with governments, corporations, and technical communities to promote social justice.
Together, they will discuss and unpack how AI can strip away our collective and individual sense of agency, and shatter our illusion of free will. AI has already infiltrated our day-to-day, through language-generating chatbots like ChatGPT and social media. But it’s also affecting us in more insidious ways. It touches everything from our interpersonal relationships, to our kids’ education, work, finances, public services, and even our human rights. It is already changing what it means to be human, in ways large and small, and Madhumita and Vidushi reveal what could happen if we fail to reclaim our humanity.
In this episode of BIC Talks, Author - Madhumita Murgia is in conversation with the Lawyer and Researcher - Vidushi Marda. This is an excerpt from a conversation that took place in the BIC premises in May 2024.
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