30 Sep 2026 · 6 min
Audacity of Hope
Sandip reflects on the 'audacity of hope' that arts organizations exhibit as he tours various cities in the Bay Area during his recent book tour.
Podcast · Society & Culture
Dispatches from Kolkata
by Sandip Roy · English · Society & Culture
Every week NPR contributor (and former San Franciscian) Sandip Roy brings you a little taste of the 'new India' – a letter home from his other home.
- New episodes
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 6 min
- Latest
- 30 Sep 2026
- Language
- English
Latest episode
Earlier episodes 19 most recent
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E635 · 23 Sep 2026 · 6 min
The French Connection
the French came back to India last week. The French Ambassador was in Chandannagar to work with the city on restoring its French Colonial buildings and heritage.
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E634 · 9 Sep 2026 · 6 min
Holding Out for a Hero (at the Centennial celebration of Uttam Kumar)
Sandip attends a festival honoring a long dead Bollywood star and discovers why Uttam Kumar still commands attention.
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E633 · 2 Sep 2026 · 6 min
Birthday Cake
Sandip recently had a birthday and that got him reminicing about rituals...
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E632 · 19 Aug 2026 · 6 min
Swimming Against the Tide (with Lou Lou van Damme)
In the Pallani Hills at Isla's Ridge, the Grand Damme of 'swimming against the tide' sat down with Sandip for a cup of tea.
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E631 · 12 Aug 2026 · 6 min
The Last Queen of Bengal
Queer histories often seem to exist in a vacuum. As if it all started with Stonewall in New York or Harvey Milk in San Francisco. But queer people existed long before then, trying to carve out their space in the world.
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E630 · 5 Aug 2026 · 6 min
Summer of the Egg
There's a current trend in Bengal called "Deem therapy," but while it's a great pleasure for the public at the moment, Sandip wonders when the yolk will run out.
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E629 · 29 Jul 2026 · 6 min
Ratha Yatra (Chariot Festival)
Last week was Rath Yatra, the chariot festival in India. Sandip hops aboard and takes us on a trip to revive a once thriving system of tansit in Kolkata.
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E628 · 8 Jul 2026 · 6 min
American Dream
On the 250th Anniversary of American Independence, Sandip Roy reflects on what then "American Dream" means to him.
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E627 · 1 Jul 2026 · 6 min
Obscene Vulgarity
A controversy over a 4,500 year old "Dancing Girl" once again raises the question over what constitutes obscenity and vulgarity. Sandip Roy covers his eyes and looks into the situation.
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E626 · 24 Jun 2026 · 6 min
Mural of Pride
Even as corporates and multinationals move away from DEI policies that once made June an explosion of rainbow, LGBT lives are not going back into the closet. Sandip Roy visits and old tattered building in Mumbai to explain.
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E625 · 17 Jun 2026 · 6 min
I Too Sing America
As the Whitehouse lawn showcases one very specific version of America, Sandip speaks with someone who has another version.
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E624 · 10 Jun 2026 · 6 min
Slots or Beethoven?
It's the "controvery over public art" game show again, this time in Kolkata. Sandip Roy kicks it around for us.
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27 May 2026 · 6 min
A Home in the Himalaya
Sandip talks with author Anuradha Roy about her home in the Himalayas and how they've witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change.
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E622 · 20 May 2026 · 6 min
Paash Baalish
They say you cannot ever go home again but as long as there is a paash baalish you can come pretty close. what IS a Paash Baalish? Sandip Roy explains.
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E621 · 13 May 2026 · 6 min
Things to be Done
As David Attenborough turns 100, Sandip remembers his mother and all the things left to be done.
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E620 · 6 May 2026 · 6 min
Citizen Who?
West Bengal just went to the polls with several million voters struck off the electoral rolls, banished to some kind of limbo land. The Special Intensive Revision or (SIR) process was meant to clean up the voter list. But we will be no nearer a consensus on how to determine what citizenship really means.
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E619 · 29 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Something Fishy's Going On
It's election time in India and that means noise and songs and speeches. But this year both parties are using fish to prove their local credentials.
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E617 · 15 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Deep Fried New Year
Bengali New Year celebrations are filled with street fairs, noise, colors and.... food. The more deep fried, the better. Sandip partakes in the festivities.
About Dispatches from Kolkata
Every week NPR contributor (and former San Franciscian) Sandip Roy brings you a little taste of the 'new India' – a letter home from his other home.
Dispatches from Kolkata is a English society & culture podcast from Sandip Roy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
- Publisher
- Sandip Roy
- Language
- English
- Category
- Society & Culture
- New episodes
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 6 min
- Latest episode
- 30 Sep 2026
- Feed
- RSS — paste into any podcast app
- Apple Podcasts
- podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id899759596
More English society & culture
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