ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

India’s financial markets are going through a complex global situation, shaped by changing geopolitics and shifts in domestic growth. To help us understand what lies ahead, the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash is joined by one of the most respected voices in the investment world, Nilesh Shah, Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company. He is also a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. With decades of experience across market cycles, he shares valuable insights on the economy, markets, and where investors should consider placing their bets. He also explains what lessons India can learn from the West Asia crisis.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:39 – Role in PM’s Economic Advisory Council
03:49 – India’s GDP Ranking
07:30 – India’s Economic Vulnerability
12:30 – Progress of Banking in India
16:16 – Impact of West Asia Conflict on India
20:41 – How India Can Improve Its GDP
25:22 – US Markets During Iran War
27:44 – India–China Trade Explained
31:07 – Monsoon Impact on Indian Economy
32:30 – Why is Rupee Falling?
37:55 – Role of AI in Indian Economy
41:06 – Investor Trust in Indian Equities
42:37 – IPO Rush in 2025 Explained
44:09 – Buy or Sell in the Stock Market
46:45 – How to Manage Money Better

In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we take a deep dive into Women’s Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026.

Joining the conversation are Varghese K. George, resident editor at The Hindu, and Swapnil Tripathi, lead at Charkha (Centre for Constitutional Law) at Vidhi.

Together, they explain what the bill aimed to do and why linking it with delimitation and census data led to political disagreement.

The discussion also covers concerns over North-South balance, population-based seat redistribution, and parliamentary accountability.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction
01:47 – Political Timing of Women’s Quota Bill
05:38 – Delimitation Debate
11:02 – PM Modi’s Guarantee
17:03 – Impact on South India
20:24 – Chandrababu Naidu’s Stand
25:49 – Furore Over Delimitation
30:55 – Reserved Constituencies in India
35:11 – Population & Tax Contribution
40:28 – Tharoor’s Proposal
49:23 – Political Consensus on Women’s Reservation
52:44 – DMK’s Private Member’s Bill
56:43 – Executive-Centric Governance in Democracies
1:07:19 – Arvind Kejriwal & Mamata Banerjee in Court

Kangana Ranaut is a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and an actress known for speaking her mind. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she shares her journey in Bollywood and reflects on whether her bluntness has cost her opportunities in the industry.

She also speaks about her controversies with Karan Johar and her ‘tapori’ remark on Rahul Gandhi. The conversation covers the Women’s Reservation Bill, her upcoming film Queen 2, why she chose to become a parliamentarian, and more.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:53 – Salman’s Compliment
06:21 – Bollywood Journey
12:54 – Interview with Karan Johar
16:14 – Turning Point in Career
18:52 – Why Actresses Avoid Comedy Roles
20:51 – First-Time MP Experience
25:57 – ‘Tapori’ Remark Against Rahul Gandhi
29:28 – Women’s Reservation Bill
39:36 – Delimitation Debate
43:41 – Mandi Constituency Challenges
48:13 – Passion for Handloom Sarees
53:15 – ‘Dhurandhar’ Effect on Bollywood
59:23 – Snap Reactions
1:06:37 – Career vs Marriage Choice
1:17:35 – Journey from Mandi to Mumbai

Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) has served as the Director General (Inspection and Safety) of the Indian Air Force. He has also held the position of Commandant at both the Air Force Academy and the National Defence Academy. With over 7,800 hours of incident-free flying on various trainer, transport, and strategic aircraft, he is considered one of the stalwarts of Aerial Refuelling Operations in the Indian Air Force. He has also flown the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor explains how modern warfare in West Asia is driven by air power, missiles and drones, and how Iran’s air defence has challenged U.S. and Israeli air superiority.
He also highlights that China’s J-20 stealth fighters in Tibet pose a serious challenge and India must develop strong fifth-generation capabilities, while also pointing out that India’s indigenous satellite navigation system needs to be strengthened further.

*Timestamps*
00:00 – Introduction
01:16 – Iranian Air Defence Response
05:47 – Iran’s Decentralised Command Structure
09:57 – Iran’s Underground Missile Bases
18:05 – Limits of Modern Interceptor Systems
23:13 – Multi-Domain Warfare
29:20 – US Aircraft Losses
31:54 – India’s Satellite and Navigation Capability Gap
43:53 – Role of Theatre Commands
47:46 – Global Energy Supply Chains
50:56 – Indigenous Defence R&D
54:56 – Jamming and Spoofing
57:42 – Rafale Source Code Access Debate

Monika Halan is a finance writer, speaker, and author who helps families make better money decisions. She is the founder of Dhan Chakra Financial Education and the author of the best-selling book Let’s Talk Money. She also serves as the Chairperson of SEBI’s Advisory Committee for the Investor Protection and Education Fund.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Halan explains why investors often panic during situations like the Iran war. She says the key is to have a clear asset allocation and not enter the markets without proper understanding or research.

She also highlights the importance of energy and food security for India. She advocates that India has enough coal reserves for the next 100 years and should use them wisely. At the same time, she points out that India cannot be expected to follow the same climate standards as developed countries with much higher incomes.

00:00 – Coming Up
00:00 – Introduction
01:03 – Investor Anxiety Over Iran War
07:41 – Asset Allocation Strategies
14:15 – Where to Invest Amid War?
19:11 – India’s Fiscal & Monetary Safety Nets
25:11 – Financial Influencers
30:30 – Home Loans & Emergency Funds
34:12 – Financial Planning for Children’s Education
40:11 – Behavioural Traps in Investing
43:58 – Portfolio Management Tips
50:30 – India’s Reform Priorities
58:16 – AI and Financial Literacy