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:

On Thursday, we're hosting an event for Economist subscribers about the Indian election. India is the world's biggest democracy, the fastest growing big economy and the most populous nation on earth. It matters. Please tune in and send over some questions in advance. I'll be chatting to our foreign editor and colleagues in our bureau in New Delhi: https://lnkd.in/e2cuMcKg

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.