Avantika Chilkoti’s Post

There has been a lot of feedback on the Modi Raj. What's surprising is that people write to me as if I produced the series alone. It took a team — some of the best in the business: - First off the producers. Alicia Burrell, aka “the sound police”, taught me everything about working in audio. How to spot the tappers and coughers, the ring-wearers and fan-users. Then there is Sam Colbert, maybe the only (vegan) man who would come to a fish market in 45 degree heat straight off a long-haul flight. This guy builds characters and narrative like nobody else. Here’s hoping his skill with words rubbed off on me. - Claire Read, my perfect foil, was all patience and organisation, Google Docs and meetings-that-run-on-time. She kept the show on the road through extended reporting trips, edits and breaking news. - And the biggest hat tip of all, to Weidong Lin, our masterful sound designer, and Darren Ng, who wrote the magical score. Week 1 they asked me: what colour did I want the music evoke? I thought they were nuts. Now I realise these two control the tone and emotion of the series in a way I never could as voice and writer. That's not to mention the on-the-ground researcher and archivist, editors, guides and gurus.

Out now: The Modi Raj, an eight-part podcast series on Narendra Modi. He might be set for a third term as Prime Minister, but Modi's faced a humbling at the polls. How will he respond? Join me as I get inside the head of one of the most powerful politicians on earth. In the first episode -- as we chart Modi's rise from a tea seller's son to BJP leader -- you'll get a taste of the sort of in-depth reporting that went into this podcast. In just 50 mins, you'll hear from Modi's tailor, an old RSS pal, a former BJP foreign/finance minister, Modi's greatest political rival... and that's not even the full list. Listen now, on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eaWCFepy

A big day for India. And for democracy. As the results rolled in this morning, I spoke to MSNBC. At that stage we were just trying to figure out what all this meant for Modi and his BJP: https://lnkd.in/eseHuwyM By afternoon, it was clear the BJP had lost its majority. Modi, the strongman, would face a new test: coalition politics. I chatted to Sadanand Dhume and Zeba Warsi on NPR about what might lie ahead for the Indian economy, foreign policy and the Hindu nationalist movement. A deeper hour-long analysis: https://lnkd.in/e-Tr46uc All in anticipation of the release of The Modi Raj later this week. Follow, listen to the trailer, and get excited: https://lnkd.in/eQSUNtDv

Seven months, four trips to India, 60+ interviews. This labour of love drops in two weeks: The Modi Raj. A new eight-part podcast series from The Economist about the man at the helm of the world's largest democracy. He's an economic reformer, but he's also the frontman for a dangerous, chauvinistic Hindu nationalism. Join me to hear from the people closest to Narendra Modi -- his tailor, his personal secretary, his interpreter, his economic advisers and more. The trailer is out now. I'd love if you would follow the page, share and have a listen:

I spent a large chunk of last year reporting on philanthropy, the non-profit sector and do-goodery in general. The resulting 10-page special report includes reporting from the US, Kenya, India and beyond. The punchline: Philanthrocapitalism is dead. Long live philanthrocapitalism. The Leader, "Just sign the check", is online now and in print Friday: https://lnkd.in/egdtjidT And the full report too:

For the last few weeks I have been looking into the merger of Britain’s diplomatic service and aid corps. It was a mess. Read the long read in this week’s mag: https://lnkd.in/exgdKGe8 Plus, a Leader arguing that a demerger isn’t the solution. It wouldn’t be enough to recreate best-in-class DFiD. Better focus on upping aid spending, giving the development cadre independence and improving transparency again: https://lnkd.in/eUNzdFT8 Reporting on this raised a big question for me. The merger is always framed as an effort to reform UK aid. But it was also an effort to find a role for the diplomatic service in the 21st C. What (aside from consular services) is the point of a diplomatic service in an era when travel and communication are so easy there are civil servants from lots of different departments -- environment, business etc -- living overseas and representing their home country?

On the cover this week. Check out all our coverage of India's global clout... - There is my long read on the power of the diaspora: https://lnkd.in/ezBi8SHi - A rare interview with Jaishankar, the brains behind India’s diplomatic balancing act: https://lnkd.in/ecDJpJjh - Plus, our take on the economy, including this fun fact, which was news to me: "In 1700 India’s economy was the world’s biggest, eclipsing even China." https://lnkd.in/eiwVw48t ...And lots more too. Grab a copy, check out our podcasts, and little films too.