Episode notes
In 1896, criminal investigation was revolutionised by a system developed by two real-life desi detectives, Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee traces the origins of the study of fingerprints, explains why a fingerprint at the crime scene is such an integral part of criminal investigations, and highlights the contributions of sub-inspectors Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose, who sadly did not receive their due under a colonial government. Podcast Theme Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Haradhoner Doshti Chhele:…
Podcast
The Desi Detective Show
Suparna Chatterjee · Arts & Books · English
Exploring the history and the mystery behind the best detective stories from India
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28 Sep 2026 · 18 min
Ep 28: The Bawla Murder of 1925 - Part 2
This is the final episode on the Bawla murder case of 1925, a brazen attack on Malabar Hill that shook British India. The case was raised in the House of Commons, and it ended with a Maharaja having to abdicate his throne. References: The Bawla Murder Case by Dhaval Kulkarni Article in BBC : A Murder that shook British India... Bawla Murder Case: A 1925 Trial analysis Podcast Theme Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Haradhoner Doshti Chhele: https://youtu.be/z4S3fVtyCFc?si=XsuWsCUmXZ-GbrFr
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17 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Ep 27: The Bawla Murder of 1925 - Part 1
On the 12th of January, 1925, when four men of the British Army - Lt. Saegert, Col. Vickery and lts Batley and Stephen- set out for the Taj Mahal Hotel, after having enjoyed a game of golf at the Willingdon Sports Club, little did they know, they were about to change history. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee talks about the daring murder of Abdul Kader Bawla, which ended with a king being toppled from his throne. References: The Bawla Murder Case by Dhaval Kulkarni Article in BBC : A Murder that shook British India... Bawla Murder Case: A 1925 Trial analysis Podcast Theme Music by B.…
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26 Jul 2026 · 32 min
Ep 26: Death Comes to Matheran with Shabnam Minwalla
Thirteen friends and 1 unsolved murder. During a weekend trip to Matheran, Rakesh Jhaveri and his driver are found dead on a rainy night. The cops dismiss it as an unfortunate accident. Eleven years later, Rakesh's daughter Tara, now 17, has decided she wants answers. She's not the only one, though. A nameless, faceless friend has been patiently documenting evidence. And Tara's mother, Pramila, getting her memory back might just be the final clue they need to solve the case. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee chats with journalist-turned-author Shabnam Minwalla about Death Comes to…
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21 Jun 2026 · 31 min
Ep 25: The M4 Mysteries with Mallika Ravikumar
In this episode, Suparna Chatterjee speaks to lawyer-turned-author Mallika Ravikumar about her legal mysteries for children, the M4 Mystery series. Mallika tells us about her move from the courtroom to the writing desk, her legal experiences that led her to write this series, her writing style, her upcoming projects, and of course, her favourite desi detectives. Host: Suparna Chatterjee Instagram: soup_and_chat and thedesidetectiveshow Guest: Mallika Ravikumar Books by Mallika Ravikumar The Case of the Vanishing Gods The Case of the Missing Turtles The Case of the Mysterious Witches The…
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31 May 2026 · 29 min
Ep 24: The White Lotus with Aditi Krishnakumar
In a small town in the south of India, jewels of the temple goddess go missing. The accountant is found dead on the temple steps. An unfortunate accident, they all say, what with the rains the previous night. All, except young Arali, who cannot rest until she finds answers. But this is 1901. Arali is only 14. And, the aforementioned accountant's death has made her a widow. In this episode, Suparna Chatterjee talks to author Aditi Krishnakumar about her Young Adult historical murder mystery, The White Lotus. We learn about Aditi's interesting background in mathematics, literature, management…
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15 Mar 2026 · 27 min
Ep 22: The Chowpatty Cooking Club with Lubaina Bandukwala
In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee speaks to kidlit author Lubaina Bandukwala about her historical mystery book, set in 1942, during the Quit India movement. Lubaina talks about the incredible first-hand research that went into writing this book, about the Peek-A- Book literature festival she helps organise, and her fun hobby - collecting inspectors from around the world. Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Guest: Lubaina Bandukwala Instagram: lubaina.bandukwala Books and references: The Chowpatty Cooking…
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14 Feb 2026 · 31 min
Ep 21: A Demon in Dandi with Lavanya Karthik
In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee speaks to kid-lit author and illustrator, Lavanya Karthik, about her book, A Demon in Dandi. The year is 1930. All the world's eyes are on this tiny village by the Arabian Sea, where Mahatma Gandhi will arrive soon to break the salt law. But there is a demon roaming the village, claiming victims. Can the young Dinu solve the mystery before Bapu arrives? Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Guest: Lavanya Karthik Instagram: @ _lavanyakarthik_ Books and references: A Demon in…
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21 Dec 2025 · 38 min
Ep 20: Gajanan Godbole with Salil Desai
In this episode, author Salil Desai talks about his journey into novel writing, the influences and inspirations that have shaped his storytelling - from Hitchcock and Colin Dexter to Hakan Nesser and P.L.Deshpande, his beloved fictional character Inspector Saralkar who has been with him for 6 books already, the art and craft of coming up with a suitable title, and of course, his book with the unlikely murderer, The Grudges of Gajanan Godbole. Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Guest: Salil Desai Instagram:…
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23 Nov 2025 · 58 min
Ep 19: Wildlife in Detective Fiction with Shoumo Bhattacharya
Writers have consistently found ways to incorporate wildlife into interesting whodunit plots. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee delves into some prominent detective stories from India featuring wildlife in a significant manner. She is joined by wildlife photographer (and avid detective fiction fan) Shoumo Bhattacharya, who talks about his favourite detective stories featuring animals, and about his detecting experiences in the jungle. Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Guest: Shoumo Bhattacharya Instagram: @shoumo29…
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21 Oct 2025 · 31 min
Ep 18: Nobody's Child with Kanchana Banerjee
In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee talks to author Kanchana Banerjee about her book, Nobody's Child, published by @harpercollinsin, where a TV celebrity is presumed dead, only to resurrect two years later, throwing the nation into a frenzy. We also talk about the writing process, the joys and the frustrations of being a writer, navigating psychologically disturbing passages and the difficulty of coming up with a suitable book title. Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Guest: Kanchana Banerjee…
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