Desi Academia Podcast
Episodes
S10E3: The Second Postdoc- Vatsal's life in outside his Alma Mater
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya, Megh, and Vatsal are back to discuss their major life changes in 2025. Vatsal shares his shift from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to fibro...
S10E2: "Dissertation Research is a Team Sport"- Megh's Defense Experience
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We continue this season with another friend-of-the-pod Professor Indranil Dutta, as we discuss Megh's dissertation defense and thesis writing expe...
S10E1: Desi Academia Podcast founders meet: Postdoc edition!
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's season 10 (Yes, we can't believe it either!) and the OG gang (Megh, Aditya, and Vatsal) gets together after a very long time to vent abou...
S9E4: What is Islamic Studies? Wrong answers only, with Manan and Sumaira
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what it's like to explain your research to an immigration and customs officer? Today, Manan and Sumaira join us to discuss thei...
Supplementary Materials 6: Fighting for Research Integrity with India Research Watch
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have a thought-provoking discussion on how to fight for research ethics with Dr. Achal Agarwal. We discuss different kinds of unethical behaviour i...
S9E3: Biology of human reproduction and endocrinology with Professor Deepak Modi
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us in this episode of DAP as we talk about the research of Professor Deepak Modi. Prof. Modi is an independent researcher at the ICMR National In...
S9E2: Ethnography of masculinity and gender with Dr. Shannon Philip
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, Megh, Harsha and Vatsal are joined by Dr. Shannon Philip. Dr. Philip is an Assistant Professor in the Sociology of Gender and ...
S9E1: Understanding boyhood, singleism, society and sexuality with Dr. Ketaki Chowkhani
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Its pride month 2025 and DAP is back with a new episode. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Ketaki Chaukhani. Dr. Chowkhani is an Assistant Profess...
S8E5: A Career in Conservation: The human-wildlife relationship with Amit Kaushik
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we are joined by Amit Kaushik, A PhD candidate in the Integrative Conservation and Anthropology, University of Georgia. We talk about...
Supplementary Materials 5: SIR Group and Academia
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, the hosts of Small India Radio (SIR) Podcast Group: Raj, Nishant, Megh, Vatsal, Richa, and MV; talk about their professional ...
S8E4: Physics masterclass with Superconformal Hassaan
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, Hassaan joins Megh and Vatsal. Hassaan is a Ph.D. student at the University at Albany, studying Theoretical Physics. Specifica...
Supplementary Materials 4: Tech Wrap 2024 with Ajay and Harsha
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode, friends of the podcast Ajay and Harsha join Megh to discuss the MIT Tech review, 2024. We discuss major innovations in GenAI,...
S8E3: Bridging ecology and human behaviour systems with Vivek Nityananda
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, Megh, Vatsal, and a friend of the pod, Dr. Harish Prakash, are joined by Dr. Vivek Nityananda. Dr. Nityananda is an outstandin...
S8E2: Media Theory and writing about Technology with Dr. Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode, we are joined by Professor Ranjodh Singh Dhaliwal (@ranjodhd), from the Digital Humanities Lab, University of Basel. We learn about his ...
S8E1: Human Development and Sibling Studies with Dr. Mamta Saxena
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, we are joined by Professor Mamta Saxena , associate professor at the State University of New York (Oswego). We learn about the...
S7E4: Radiology and Deep Learning with Dr. Ishaan Bhat
28 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we are joined by recent PhD graduate Dr. Ishaan Bhat (@Doctor_Woah) who shares his experience dissertating in European academia. Isha...
S7E3: The Language of sport and nostalgia with Aman Misra
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Aman tells us about how he combined his passion for sport with his lived experience in India, and professional experience as a sports journalist. We d...
S7E2: Researching bats and ecology with Dr. Harish Prakash
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, Megh and Vatsal are joined by Dr. Harish Prakash. Dr. Prakash is an assistant professor at GITAM University, and his research...
Supplementary Materials 3: CRISPR and how not to do sensitive reasearch
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss the resurgence of He Jiankui on the Twitter trends, the research that made CRISPR a Nobel-worthy discovery, and the variou...
S7E1: Demystifying the academic publication process with Rituparna Patgiri
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us in this episode of Desi Academia Podcast where we discuss the ins and out of an academic publication. Megh and Vatsal are joined by the friend...
S6E4: National Entrance Tribulations with Antara, Ankit and Jasmine
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, we discuss the national entrance exam controversy, which impacts millions of students and academics in the country. Apart from...
S6E2: Survivors, sellouts, and turncoats in Desi Academia
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The gang returns to discuss what makes academics divorce their intellect and rationality from their political positions? Recommendations: Megh Cha...
S6E5: Pre-doctoral research with Palomi Kurade
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Palomi, shares her journey in psychology. She discusses her experiences with fieldwork and in clinical settings in Karnataka, Andhra, ...
S6E3: Undergrad Research Experiences with Ravi and Tara
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined by Ravi and Tara, two incredible alumni of a private university in India. They talk to us about their experience ideating, researching a...
S6E1: Non Academic Ethnography with Balram Vishwakarma
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Megh and Kaushtubh talk to content creator Balram Vishwakarma about his qualitative research work documenting the lived realitie...
Supplementary Materials 2- Crowdstrike?
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
DAP "Supplementary Materials" is a new subset of conversations that just can't be fit anywhere else. In this quick episode, Megh and Aj...
Supplementary Materials 1- "I have built my life and career on lies and fraud"
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
DAP "Supplementary Materials" is a new subset of conversations that just can't be fit anywhere else. This first episode is an unplanned...
S5E4: Researching the personal and the public with Kaustub Naik
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP we sit down with our guest and a friend of the pod, Kaustub Naik. A scholar and historian, Kautubh's academic journey spans the...
S5E3- Sociology and the research of human realities with Rituparna Patgiri
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we get a masterclass in sociology research from the expert Dr. Rituparna Patgiri. Dr. Patgiri is an Assistant Professor of Sociology...
S5E2- Political Theory and Philosophy with Ankit Kawade
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we are joined by Ankit Kawade, a PhD student at the Centre for Political Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Ankit shares h...
S5E1 - Researching an Indic past with Dr. Ruchika Sharma
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, we are joined by Dr. Ruchika Sharma, a Historian and a prolific YouTuber responsible for the channel “Eyeshadow and Etihaas....
S4E4-Doctoral Home Stretch with Vatsal
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Vatsal’s final year in his PhD program, as he grounds himself in his research to transform his results into a camera-rea...
S4E3- Mandal, Mandir and the 90s with Sunil Menon and Indranil Dutta
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on a thought-provoking journey as we explore the intersection of academia and politics with our guests from Jawaharlal Nehru University. From ...
S4E2- Desi Queerness and Academic Feminism with Meghana
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for Episode 2 of this season as we delve into the unique experiences of being Queer and Desi in academia with Meghana and Harsha. Tune in as w...
S4E1- Conversation around Drug discovery Ft. Harsha
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Harsha's academic journey in veterinary pathogen research and what led to his Ph.D. studies. We also discuss how our r...
S3E3 - The Academic Journey: From Entry to Exit. Ft. Ajay
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, we discuss Ajay's academic journey and what came after it. We delve into many anecdotes and certain inevitable intricacies...
S3E4 - Reentry Fellowships, citation farms
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we begin with a rant about the faculty hiring process and the futility of re-entry fellowships in India. We then move on to discussin...
S3E2 - Academia and Failure
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss what failure means in the context of academic research: how we learn when our research goes in unexpected directions, publishing negative r...
S3E1-Chronicles of Academic Conferences (Part 2)
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Megh and Aditya discuss Aditya's experiences travelling internationally for conferences as an Indian PhD student. Travel fund options for India...
S2E4 - Chronicles of academic conferences!
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, we delve into the world of Academic Conferences. Why do we attend them, and what are the differences between International and...
S2E3 - Exploring Science and Hype: Chandrayaan, ISRO, and Beyond
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of DAP, the gang gets together to talk about the recent achievements of India's renowned space agency, ISRO, and its groundbreaking Ch...
S2E2 - Going home!
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Megh talks about her trip back home after a long hiatus, about unavoidable bureaucratic work, dramatic climate events, local tourism ...
S2E1 - Nuance in scientific discussions, Domain Expertise, Remodeled Science Curriculum
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss how to tackle the challenge of lack of nuance in popular science debates. We move on to discussing how there is a culture ...
S1E4- Academia and Mental Health
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We begin with a short discussion on what it's like to manage mental health in academia for three very privileged upwardly mobile youths with enoug...
S1E3- Academic publishing, Science Communication and the Business of Science
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We continue our discussion of life as academic researchers which a 'light' discussion on what makes research scientific, the issues with the j...
S1E2- Academic hierarchies, Productivity and Progress
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss our experience with the overt and covert power structures in Indian academia, gatekeeping, and what it means to be progressive and pathbrea...
S1E1- How did we get here?
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our first episode, we discuss our academic journeys and what keeps us here, our experiences in Indian academia, and how we explain our life choices...