S1E14: Could India lose its democracy? - Speaking of Asia

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, he hosts Prof Ashutosh Varshney, Director of the Center for Contemporary South Asia and Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University in the US. They talk about India’s democratic experience through 75 years of existence as an independent nation. They also discuss past, and recent challenges to democracy, and ask the question: Can India turn authoritarian, or worse? Highlights (click/tap above): 1:45 How appropriate is it to call India "the world’s biggest democracy"?  6:53 Caste and politics, and elite circulation 13:59 A Sri Lankan path for India? 15:45 Could India lose democracy? 21:25 Indian secularism is an indigenous concept Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Teo Tong Kai Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Websites: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.