Get A Crash Course On Indian Freedom Struggle, History & Politics Through These Podcasts
On August 15, 2023, India will celebrate its 77th Independence Day. It was a hard-won freedom - one, that every generation, should fight to keep alive in spirit and reality. But, to build a better future, we need to understand our past.
Thus, on this Independence Day, we bring you a list of podcasts on the Indian freedom struggle, Indian history and modern politics. Not only are these a great way to learn more about our history, but they’re also relevant for students preparing for entrance exams, especially UPSC.
What’s A Podcast?
Unless you’re living under a rock, you must be aware of podcasts and their rise in popularity. But just to brush up on the basics, podcasts are primarily audio-based digital format programs.
The concept originally saw the light of day in 2000, but it wasn’t until 2007 that their consumption increased. Today, podcasts are widely consumed across the globe, as they’re usually free to download. Most audio streaming platforms, like Spotify, Google Podcasts, Gaana, etc. also host free podcasts.
Why Use Podcasts?
Podcasts are easy to consume - you can listen to them en route to work or college, or play them in the background as you go about your daily chores. If you’re someone who balks at the thought of going through heavy books and struggles to read without distractions, podcasts are perfect for you.
Podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from discussions on mythology to brand-new thriller series. You may even find a breakdown of clinical psychology or a detailed explanation of the latest developments in technology.
The best way to shortlist and consume a podcast - find your area of interest and a podcaster whose style of conversation you enjoy, and dig in. Or rather, plug in those earphones are start listening.
Podcasts On India’s Freedom Struggle, History & Modern Politics
To start you on this journey of podcasts, we’ve compiled a list of podcasts on India’s freedom struggle, history and modern politics. These are not just informative and engaging, but can also come in handy in your preparation for entrance exams. Some of the topics covered may even make it to Groud Discussion rounds for certain colleges.
So get to know Indian history and politics a little bit better through these podcasts:
Google Podcast: History of India
Educational, engaging and fun, History of India is a podcast hosted by Kit Patrick, a British professor. Yes, the irony of a Britisher talking about Indian history is not lost on anyone - but the content he puts out is not just informative, but also available free of cost. Started in 2015 as a tribute to his late wife, Snehal Sidhu-Patrick, the History of India podcast ended in 2021. To date, it remains one of the most comprehensive collections of facts and stories from Indian history, starting with the 6th Century BC. It’s available on Google Podcast.
Listen to it here: History of India
1947: Road to Independence
A Hindustan Times Podcast, 1947: Road to Independence released on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day. A 13-episode series, it features journalist Prashant Jha tracing the path India took to become one of the first Asian countries to attain freedom from colonial rule.
Listen to it here: 1947: Road to Independence
The LMSAI Harvard Podcast
The Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute (LMSAI) is a two-decade-old university-wide research institute at Harvard. It has 70+ podcasts and publications on South Asian history and politics - several of which look into the Indian school of democracy, the impact of Covid-19 in India, the Indian partition struggle, etc.
Listen to it here: LMSAI Harvard Podcast
Bookstawa
Bookstawa is an educational platform especially catering to UPSC aspirants. It has informative videos on the Indian economy, the modern and ancient history of India, etc. The Bookstawa podcasts are also available as videos on YouTube.
Listen to it here: Bookstawa Podcasts
Grand Tamasha
A co-production of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Hindustan Times, Grand Tamasha is a weekly podcast series hosted by Milan Vaishnav. Vaishav is a published author and a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In Grand Tamasha, he invites guests from around the world to discuss the latest developments in the Indian economy, politics, society, and culture, among other things.
Listen to it here: Grand Tamasha
Podcasts on Freedom Movement
The Ministry of Culture has introduced two podcasts on India’s freedom movement - Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani and Bharat Ki Kahani, Meenakashi Lekhi Ki Zubaani. Both of these podcasts chronicle India’s long and difficult road to freedom. The former talks about the incidents that marked the Indian freedom movement, focusing on the well-known and the unknown. It includes 33 mini podcasts of 5 minutes each, making it incredibly easy to consume. The latter is narrated by Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, India. It’s a 76-episode long series, with each episode lasting anywhere between 10-15 minutes.
Listen to both here: Podcasts on Freedom Movement
Echoes of India & Yuddha
Historian, researcher, and Sahitya Akademi-winner, Anirudh Kanisetti has hosted two podcasts, Echoes of India and Yuddha. The former takes us through India’s medieval history, delving into the origins of one of the most complex, expansive, and diverse histories to shape a nation. It spans two seasons with each episode lasting anywhere between 20-30 minutes.
The latter, Yuddha, talks about the history of the Indian military - from the age of the war elephant to the conquest of Deccan and more.
Listen to these here: Anirudh Kanisetti’s Podcasts
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