Best Aashna Malhotra Podcasts (2025)

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Forgotten Histories: The Unmaking of British India with Sam Dalrymple 1:07:02

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9d ago1:07:02

1:07:02

When the British broke up the Indian Empire, they didn’t just divide land; they divided families, languages, and histories. Sam Dalrymple joins us to discuss his debut book, Shattered Lands, and how the borders of British India once stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Gulf. Its sudden breakup still echoes through today’s conflicts, refugee …

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Growing Up, Growing Apart: Secrets, Families & Bhavika Govil's Hot Water 1:00:21

1M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

What happens when silence shapes who we become? In this episode, Bhavika Govil joins us to talk about her debut novel, Hot Water, and the private world of Indian families. We discuss children’s rush to grow up, the different ways kids and adults experience the same moments, and the quiet strength of sibling bonds. We also reflect on the gendered ex…

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The Forgotten Statesman: KM Panikkar with Narayani Basu 1:11:15

2M ago1:11:15

1:11:15

How does a towering personality become a mere footnote in national memory? In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with historian and biographer Narayani Basu to discuss her new book, A Man For All Seasons: The Life of KM Panikkar, and explore why such a remarkable figure has faded from public memory. India’s first ambassador to China, adv…

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Matches & Meetings: Rishta Roulette with Radhika Agrawal 56:20

2M ago56:20

56:20

What happens when swiping right feels just as exhausting as sitting through another rishta? Author Radhika Agrawal’s Red Flags and Rishtas: A Desi Rom Com is a sharp, witty take on modern love, heartbreak, and the relentless pressure to “settle.” In this episode, we unpack the comedy (and the chaos) of matchmaking today, from stereotypes in Indian …

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Hidden Heroines of Punjab: Power, Resistance, and Survival with Harleen Singh 1:09:15

3M ago1:09:15

1:09:15

From Punjab’s first encounters with outsiders to the upheaval of Partition, meet the women who defied tradition, colonial rule, and societal norms to shape history. In this conversation with Harleen Singh, author of The Lost Heer, we uncover stories of queens, rebels, and protectors, women who ruled and resisted, even when confined by purdah or era…

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Other Side of Development: Women Workers and India’s Unequal Promise with Neha Dixit 1:12:55

3M ago1:12:55

1:12:55

As India races to modernise and liberalise its economy, who is left behind? In this episode of The Reading List, journalist Neha Dixit unpacks the unseen story of India’s working class through the life of Syeda, a home-based worker whose story mirrors that of millions. From exploitative labour practices to systemic injustice, from communal tensions…

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Cost of Silence: Family, Climate, and Changing India with Keshava Guha 1:04:50

4M ago1:04:50

1:04:50

What does it mean to inherit more than just money, like expectations, silence, and systems that need rethinking? In this episode, author Keshava Guha joins Aashna Malhotra to discuss The Tiger’s Share, a novel that explores how family duty, gender, class, and climate intersect in the heart of Delhi. They reflect on generational divides, evolving ge…

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Stories That Stay: Memory, Inspiration, and the Art of Storytelling with Aanchal Malhotra 1:04:10

4M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

In this special episode of The Reading List, author Aanchal Malhotra steps into the spotlight for an intimate conversation with her sister and host, Aashna Malhotra. For the first time, she shares the creative journey behind her debut novel The Book of Everlasting Things. Together, they explore how memory, fragrance, and family shape her storytelli…

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Revisiting the Past: On Regret, Reflection and Writing Complex Characters with Amitabha Bagchi 57:16

5M ago57:16

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In this episode of The Reading List, author Amitabha Bagchi joins Aashna Malhotra to talk about "Unknown City", an epistolary novel that explores memory, emotional growth, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we’ve been. As his protagonist rereads decades of emails with the significant women in his life, Bagchi shares how fiction can become …

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Fiction That Heals: Writing, Everyday Life, and Mental Health with Amrita Tripathi 55:47

5M ago55:47

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In this episode of The Reading List, author and mental health advocate Amrita Tripathi joins us to discuss “The Other Sister”, a novel that gently explores the emotional weight of modern life—anxiety, identity, belonging, family dynamics, and the growing influence of social media. It’s a heartfelt, insightful conversation on how literary fiction he…

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History with a Heartbeat: Reimagining the Chola Dynasty with Anirudh Kanisetti 1:04:47

6M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

In this episode of The Reading List, author Anirudh Kanisetti takes us beyond kings and battlefields into the everyday rhythms of life under the Chola Empire. With rich research and vivid storytelling, he brings the past alive, not just through court politics and royal ambition, but through emotion, conflict, and the choices of ordinary people. Fro…

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Everyday Stories, Extraordinary Influence: Middlebrow Magazines with Aakriti Mandhwani 1:01:56

6M ago1:01:56

1:01:56

Who decides which stories get published and which are left out? In the debut episode of The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers, host Aashna Malhotra speaks with Aakriti Mandhwani, author of Everyday Reading, about the rich world of Hindi periodicals in post-partition India. From feminist debates in letters to the editor to the pocketbook revolut…

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Where Stories Become Conversations | The Reading List 0:55

6M ago0:55

0:55

At Bahrisons Booksellers, we’ve spent decades helping readers discover stories they love. Now, we’re bringing you closer to the storytellers themselves! The Reading List is our brand-new podcast celebrating Indian authors, and the bold voices, and the big ideas that bring their stories to life. If you love thoughtful conversations and a peek into t…