The Seen and the Unseen, hosted by Amit Varma, features longform conversations that aim to give deep insights into the subjects being discussed. Timeless and bingeworthy.
Mahatma Gandhi's ideas shaped modern India, and were as fiercely contested in his time as they are today. Ramachandra Guha joins Amit Varma in episode 454 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss Gandhi and his arguments. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Ramachandra Guha on Amazon , Twitter and his own website . 2. Arguments With Gandhi -- Ramachandra Guha. 3. Ram and Friends -- Episode 440 of The Seen and the Unseen. 4. Ram Guha Writes a Letter to a Friend — Episode 371 of The Seen and the Unseen. 5. Ram Guha Reflects on His Life — Episode 266 of The Seen…
Indian politics is deeply complicated, and existing frames don't do it justice. Srikrishna Ayyangar joins Amit Varma in episode 453 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the deep dives he has made in the field, including with innovative methods like set theory. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Srikrishna Ayyangar on LinkedIn , Amazon and NLSIU . 2. A Logic of Populism: India and Its States -- Srikrishna Ayyangar. 3. Administrative Analysis -- Christopher Hood. 4. The Burden of Democracy -- Pratap Bhanu Mehta. 5. The Republic of Apathy (2007) -- Amit…
7 Sep 2026 · 4 hr
Ep 452: Harini Nagendra is Woolgathering and Ground Truthing
The city and nature do not need to be at odds with each other; and dreamers can be doers. Harini Nagendra joins Amit Varma in episode 452 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her work in ecology, urban sustainability, detective fiction and the art of managing multitudes. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Harini Nagendra at LinkedIn , Instagram , Twitter , Google Scholar , Amazon , Substack , Azim Premji University and her own website . 2. Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities -- Harini Nagendra & Seema Mundoli. 3. Shades of Blue: Connecting the…
24 Aug 2026 · 3 hr 47 min
Ep 451: Manish Sabharwal is a Good Ancestor
There should be more to our lives than just doing well for ourselves. Manish Sabharwal joins Amit Varma in episode 451 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe his journey from being a successful entrepreneur to trying to change India. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Manish Sabharwal at LinkedIn and Indian Express . 2. TeamLease . 3. Kashmir Under 370: A Personal History -- Mahendra Sabharwal with Manish Sabharwal. 4. Made in India: The Story of Desh Bandhu Gupta, Lupin and Indian Pharma -- Manish Sabharwal and Sundeep Khanna. 5. A Masterclass on…
10 Aug 2026 · 4 hr 57 min
Ep 450: Small Doors Into the Large Rooms of India
On Independence Day week, why not look back at some highlights and lowlights of the last 79 years? Pranay Kotasthane and Raghu S Jaitley join Amit Varma in episode 450 of The Seen and the Unseen, and each of them presents his list. You will find hope and despair, celebration and lament, multitudes. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter , LinkedIn , Amazon and the Takshashila Institution . 2. Anticipating the Unintended — Pranay Kotasthane and Raghu S Jaitley's newsletter. 3. Puliyabaazi — Pranay Kotasthane's podcast (with Saurabh…
27 Jul 2026 · 5 hr 42 min
Ep 449: Five Assassinations and an Arms Deal
The 1980s were box office, and General K Sundarji was Forrest Gump, everywhere all at once. Probal DasGupta joins Amit Varma in episode 449 to tell the story of a fascinating man and the turbulent times he lived in. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Probal DasGupta on Instagram , Twitter , LinkedIn and Amazon . 2. General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story -- Probal Dasgupta. 3. Watershed 1967: India's Forgotten Victory Over China — Probal DasGupta. 4. Camouflaged: Forgotten Stories from Battlefields — Probal DasGupta. 5. Of Some Consequence: A Soldier…
13 Jul 2026 · 4 hr 48 min
Ep 448: Vidya Mahambare, the Rooted Economist
She is not an ivory tower academic but an economist whose deep understanding of society comes from lived experience and endless curiosity. Vidya Mahambare joins Amit Varma in episode 448 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her life and her learnings. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Vidya Mahambare on Google Scholar , LinkedIn , Twitter , Instagram , Great Lakes , Mint and her own website . 2. What Shapes Us? -- Vidya Mahambare's podcast. 3. Closing the income gap -- Vidya Mahambare's column on the five Es. 4. Family structure, education and women's…
29 Jun 2026 · 4 hr 52 min
Ep 447: Rahul Ahluwalia Fights for Growth and Freedom
Eight decades after independence, India still isn't free. Rahul Ahluwalia joins Amit Varma in episode 447 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain why economic growth has such a positive humanitarian impact -- and freedom lies at its heart. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Rahul Ahluwalia on Twitter , LinkedIn and FED . 2. Foundation for Economic Development . 3. Growth is Good -- Rahul Ahluwalia's podcast at FED. 4. Deepak VS and the Man Behind His Face — Episode 373 of The Seen and the Unseen. 5. Swaminathan Aiyar's columns at ToI and his own website .…
15 Jun 2026 · 5 hr 20 min
Ep 446: The Joyful Agency of Luis Miranda
After a successful career as a banker, he decided to devote himself to making his country better off. Luis Miranda joins Amit Varma in episode 446 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss banking, India, education, healthcare, parenthood and the joy of working. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out 1. Luis Miranda on LinkedIn , Twitter , ISPP , CCS , Forbes and his own website . 2. The Indian School of Public Policy . 3. Centre for Universal Health Assurance . 4. HDFC Bank 2.0 -- Tamal Bandyopadhyay. 5. Gautam John is Figuring it Out — Episode 437 of The Seen and…
1 Jun 2026 · 4 hr 27 min
Ep 445: 'I Am Saloni and I Like Collecting Mice'
She's one of the best writers on science today, combining optimism about progress with a realist understanding of the messiness of our world. Saloni Dattani joins Amit Varma in episode 445 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss science, medicine, data, academia and how to make the world a better place. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Saloni Dattani at Google Scholar , Twitter , LinkedIn , Our World in Data and Works in Progress . 2. Scientific Discovery -- Saloni Dattani's newsletter. 3. Hard Drugs -- Saloni Dattani's podcast. 4. Saloni's guide to data…
18 May 2026 · 3 hr 50 min
Ep 444: Suman Kumar is Perennially Pregnant With Stories
He is best known for writing The Family Man and Farzi , but his journey to being a storyteller was far from smooth. Suman Kumar joins Amit Varma in episode 444 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the highs and lows of his life, as well as the craft of writing, directing and telling stories. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Suman Kumar on IMDb , Instagram , LinkedIn and his own website . 2. The Family Man -- Season 1 :: Season 2 :: Season 3 . 3. Guns and Gulaabs -- Season 1 . 4. Farzi -- Season 1 . 5. Raghu Thatha -- written and directed by Suman…
4 May 2026 · 3 hr 7 min
Ep 443: The Making of a Law Firm
An Indian lawyer in 2000 could not have recognised the legal ecosystem of today. One firm took India marching forward into a new world. Akshay Jaitly joins Amit Varma in episode 443 of The Seen and the Unseen to describe the rise of the firm he founded, Trilegal -- and the lessons he learnt during that journey. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Akshay Jaitly on Twitter , Linkedin and Nicheless . 2. Trilegal: The Making of a Modern Indian Law Firm -- Akshay Jaitly. 3. TrustBridge . 4. Climate Change and Our Power Sector — Episode 278 of The Seen and the…
20 Apr 2026 · 4 hr 36 min
Ep 442: A Masterclass on Regulation (and Deregulation)
We keep using the terms 'regulation' and 'deregulation' -- and now it's time for a primer. Shruti Rajagopalan joins Amit Varma in episode 442 of The Seen and the Unseen go discuss first principles AND get into the weeds. What is regulation? When do we need it? When do we not? What's India's journey been like? And finally, why is deregulation both important and difficult? (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out 1. Shruti Rajagopalan on Twitter , Substack , Instagram , her podcast, Ideas of India and her own website . 2. Emergent Ventures India , which is run by…
6 Apr 2026 · 3 hr 36 min
Ep 441: Ravikumar Kashi Is in Play Mode
He's one of India's great artists, and a Renaissance man you cannot put inside a box. Ravikumar Kashi joins Amit Varma in episode 441 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about life and art. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Ravikumar Kashi on Instagram , LinkedIn and his own website . 2. Flexing Muscles -- Ravikumar Kashi. 3. Engaging With Visuals -- Ravikumar Kashi's 15-part lecture series. 4. Handmade Paper Making Process (English parts one and two; Kannada parts one and two )-- Ravikumar Kashi. 5. 12 Layers of Hanji -- Ravikumar Kashi. 6. Paper Trails:…
23 Mar 2026 · 2 hr 24 min
Ep 440: Ram and Friends
We are shaped by the people we let into our lives -- and sometimes only realise this in hindsight. Ramachandra Guha joins Amit Varma in episode 440 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about some of the friends who changed his life. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Ramachandra Guha on Amazon , Twitter and his own website . 2. Ram Guha Writes a Letter to a Friend -- Episode 371 of The Seen and the Unseen. 3. Ram Guha Reflects on His Life — Episode 266 of The Seen and the Unseen. 4. A Cricket Tragic Celebrates the Game — Episode 201 of The Seen and the…
9 Mar 2026 · 4 hr 3 min
Ep 439: Janhavi Nilekani Threw the Other Shoe
She is a thinker and doer who takes on difficult problems, whether it's maternal care in India or a dangerous ideological cult. Janhavi Nilekani joins Amit Varma in episode 439 of The Seen and the Unseen to chat about her work in healthcare -- and her gender-critical thinking. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Janhavi Nilekani on Instagram , Twitter , Substack and Aastrika . 2. Aastrika Foundation . 3. Aastrika Midwifery Centre . 4. Janhavi Nilekani's Substack . 5. Janhavi Nilekani on Maternal Healthcare and Evidence-Based Decision-Making -- The Ideas of…
23 Feb 2026 · 4 hr 7 min
Ep 438: V Ravichandar is Heading North by Northwest
What can one man do for a city in a lifetime of work? A lot! V Ravichandar joins Amit Varma in episode 438 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his life, his times and what he has learnt as a civic evangelist for Bangalore. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. V Ravichandar on Instagram , Twitter , LinkedIn and Feedback Consulting . 2. Reforming Urban Governance — Episode 48 of The Seen and the Unseen (w V Ravichandar). 3. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act . 4. BLR Hubba . 5. Bangalore International Centre . 6. Bangalore Literature Festival . 7.…
9 Feb 2026 · 4 hr 13 min
Ep 437: Gautam John is Figuring it Out
He studied law, found success as an entrepreneur, and has since spent almost two decades in the social sector trying to make the world a better place. Gautam John joins Amit Varma in episode 437 of The Seen and the Unseen to share his reflections on society, technology, gender, friendships, fatherhood, the crisis of masculinity and his journey towards figuring out the world and himself. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Gautam John on LinkedIn , Twitter , IDR , Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and Substack . 2. From Strength to Strength — Arthur Brooks. 3.…
26 Jan 2026 · 2 hr 51 min
Ep 436: Rukmini and the Numbers
The world is complex, India contains multitudes, and we need more numbers, better numbers, to make sense of it all. Rukmini S joins Amit Varma in episode 436 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about Data For India -- and to share some surprising insights. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN. ) Also check out : 1. Rukmini S on LinkedIn , Twitter and Instagram . 2. Data For India . 3. Whole Numbers And Half Truths — Rukmini S. 4. The Importance of Data Journalism — Episode 196 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rukmini S). 5. Rukmini Sees India's Multitudes — Episode 261 of The Seen…
About The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma
The Seen and the Unseen, hosted by Amit Varma, features longform conversations that aim to give deep insights into the subjects being discussed. Timeless and bingeworthy.
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma is a English news podcast from Amit Varma. 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.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
