What really happened in the twenty-one days leading up to India's Independence?In this episode of The Reading List, Josy Joseph takes us into the world of his new book, Birth of a Nation, where the future of India was still being negotiated and contested. We explore the complicated world of the princely states and the many political forces trying to influence their decisions.But this is also a story about the people who worked to bring the Republic into being, many of whom have since faded from our collective memory. We talk about why these forgotten stories matter, and what they can still teach us about the country we live in today.

What really happened in the twenty-one days leading up to India's Independence?In this episode of The Reading List, Josy Joseph takes us into the world of his new book, Birth of a Nation, where the future of India was still being negotiated and contested. We explore the complicated world of the princely states and the many political forces trying to influence their decisions.But this is also a story about the people who worked to bring the Republic into being, many of whom have since faded from our collective memory. We talk about why these forgotten stories matter, and what they can still teach us about the country we live in today.

The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers

The 21 Days That Made India: Josy Joseph on Birth of a Nation

History remembers poets. But what happens to the women history leaves behind?In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with Tarana Husain Khan to discuss her latest novel, The Courtesan, Her Lover and I, inspired by the real-life story of Urdu poet Dagh Dehlvi and the courtesan, artist, and poet Munni Bai Hijab. We explore how Hijab has been remembered, the silences that still surround her life, the care it takes to reconstruct someone whose story survives only in fragments, and the delicate balance between history and fiction. This is a conversation about love, memory, storytelling, and what it means to write someone back into history.

History remembers poets. But what happens to the women history leaves behind?In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with Tarana Husain Khan to discuss her latest novel, The Courtesan, Her Lover and I, inspired by the real-life story of Urdu poet Dagh Dehlvi and the courtesan, artist, and poet Munni Bai Hijab.We explore how Hijab has been remembered, the silences that still surround her life, the care it takes to reconstruct someone whose story survives only in fragments, and the delicate balance between history and fiction.This is a conversation about love, memory, storytelling, and what it means to write someone back into history.

Who Gets Written Into History: Tarana Husain Khan on The Courtesan, Her Lover and I

Every family has its own history, contradictions, and power dynamics. This week on The Reading List, we're joined by Karan Mahajan to discuss his new novel, The Complex, set against the backdrop of a changing India. Together, we explore the beautiful and messy reality of large Indian families, the lasting legacy of Partition, and the expectations placed on daughters and daughters-in-law. We also discuss the gap between the promise of the American Dream and the reality many migrants experience, and why the idea of home continues to shape us across generations. Whether you've grown up in a joint family or not, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at memory, belonging, and the enduring ties that bind. How much of who we become is shaped by the family we inherit?

Every family has its own history, contradictions, and power dynamics.This week on The Reading List, we're joined by Karan Mahajan to discuss his new novel, The Complex, set against the backdrop of a changing India. Together, we explore the beautiful and messy reality of large Indian families, the lasting legacy of Partition, and the expectations placed on daughters and daughters-in-law. We also discuss the gap between the promise of the American Dream and the reality many migrants experience, and why the idea of home continues to shape us across generations.Whether you've grown up in a joint family or not, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at memory, belonging, and the enduring ties that bind. How much of who we become is shaped by the family we inherit?

Joint Families, Partition & the Search for Home: Karan Mahajan on The Complex

BRB. Gone reading ️The Reading List is taking a short summer break and returns on July 1st.Need a fix until then? Catch up on all 18 episodes of TRL. See you in July!#TheReadingListByBahrisons #ReadWithBahri #BookPodcast #IndianAuthors IndieBooks

BRB. Gone reading ️The Reading List is taking a short summer break and returns on July 1st.Need a fix until then? Catch up on all 18 episodes of TRL. See you in July!#TheReadingListByBahrisons #ReadWithBahri #BookPodcast #IndianAuthors IndieBooks

Season Break Announcement

Do you ever stop to notice the birds, trees, and animal life around you?In this episode of The Reading List, Neha Sinha joins us to discuss her new book Wild Capital and the hidden ecological life of Delhi. From childhood memories of growing up in the city to her environmental work across biodiversity parks in Delhi, Neha reflects on what it means to truly pay attention to the natural world around us.We talk about disappearing bird and plant life, urban conservation, and the surprising ways nature continues to survive within one of India’s largest cities.This conversation is an invitation to slow down, observe more closely, and see Delhi differently.﻿WILD CAPITAL is releasing as MY WILD CITY in the US and UK in September 2026.

Do you ever stop to notice the birds, trees, and animal life around you?In this episode of The Reading List, Neha Sinha joins us to discuss her new book Wild Capital and the hidden ecological life of Delhi. From childhood memories of growing up in the city to her environmental work across biodiversity parks in Delhi, Neha reflects on what it means to truly pay attention to the natural world around us.We talk about disappearing bird and plant life, urban conservation, and the surprising ways nature continues to survive within one of India’s largest cities.This conversation is an invitation to slow down, observe more closely, and see Delhi differently.﻿WILD CAPITAL is releasing as MY WILD CITY in the US and UK in September 2026.

The Birds, Trees, and Secret Life of Delhi: Neha Sinha on Wild Capital

Breakfast is often seen as the simplest meal of the day, but it carries stories of memory, migration, labour, and identity.In this episode of The Reading List, Priyadarshini Chatterjee joins us to discuss her debut book, First Bite, where she travels across ten Indian cities to explore the cultural and historical significance of the morning meal.From street-side staples to deeply local traditions, we talk about how ecology and migration shape what cities eat, how work and daily rhythms influence the first meal, and how breakfast quietly challenges the idea of India as a predominantly vegetarian country.

Breakfast is often seen as the simplest meal of the day, but it carries stories of memory, migration, labour, and identity.In this episode of The Reading List, Priyadarshini Chatterjee joins us to discuss her debut book, First Bite, where she travels across ten Indian cities to explore the cultural and historical significance of the morning meal.From street-side staples to deeply local traditions, we talk about how ecology and migration shape what cities eat, how work and daily rhythms influence the first meal, and how breakfast quietly challenges the idea of India as a predominantly vegetarian country.

Breakfast, Identity, and Urban India: Priyadarshini Chatterjee on First Bite

How does one build a life within a system that never stops moving? This week on The Reading List, Rahul Bhattacharya joins us to talk about Railsong, a novel that traces the life of Charu within the vast world of the Indian Railways. Through the world of Railsong, we explore Rahul’s writing practice, the origins of the book, and the making of Charu, a character shaped by observation, movement, and change. He also speaks about his enduring fascination with the Indian Railways, and how the novel captures a world that feels shared, yet remains deeply divided. A conversation about systems, stories, and the lives that move through them.

How does one build a life within a system that never stops moving?This week on The Reading List, Rahul Bhattacharya joins us to talk about Railsong, a novel that traces the life of Charu within the vast world of the Indian Railways.Through the world of Railsong, we explore Rahul’s writing practice, the origins of the book, and the making of Charu, a character shaped by observation, movement, and change. He also speaks about his enduring fascination with the Indian Railways, and how the novel captures a world that feels shared, yet remains deeply divided.A conversation about systems, stories, and the lives that move through them.

Journeys, Chance, and the Indian Railways: Rahul Bhattacharya on Railsong

What does it mean to feel at home in a city, in a relationship, in your own life? In this episode of The Reading List, Sarnath Banerjee joins us to talk about Absolute Jafar, a deeply personal graphic novel shaped over several years.Moving between Delhi and Berlin, we explore questions of belonging and how love and family are shaped by distance, memory, and borders. We also touch on his creative process, the role of AI in art today, and why hyper-local storytelling matters more than ever.If you have ever questioned where home really is, this conversation will stay with you.

What does it mean to feel at home in a city, in a relationship, in your own life?In this episode of The Reading List, Sarnath Banerjee joins us to talk about Absolute Jafar, a deeply personal graphic novel shaped over several years.Moving between Delhi and Berlin, we explore questions of belonging and how love and family are shaped by distance, memory, and borders. We also touch on his creative process, the role of AI in art today, and why hyper-local storytelling matters more than ever.If you have ever questioned where home really is, this conversation will stay with you.

Home, Love, Elsewhere: Sarnath Banerjee on Absolute Jafar

What does it mean for a city to be haunted? In this episode of The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers, Aashna Malhotra speaks with historian Eric Chopra about his book Ghosted and the strange afterlives of Delhi’s monuments. Through sites like Jamali Kamali, Firoz Shah Kotla, Khooni Darwaza, and Malcha Mahal, they explore how places gather memory, myth, and meaning over centuries. Moving between folklore, archival research, and lived experience, the conversation looks at historical erasure and public memory, and asks an enduring question: what happens when the past refuses to stay in the past?

What does it mean for a city to be haunted?In this episode of The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers, Aashna Malhotra speaks with historian Eric Chopra about his book Ghosted and the strange afterlives of Delhi’s monuments.Through sites like Jamali Kamali, Firoz Shah Kotla, Khooni Darwaza, and Malcha Mahal, they explore how places gather memory, myth, and meaning over centuries.Moving between folklore, archival research, and lived experience, the conversation looks at historical erasure and public memory, and asks an enduring question: what happens when the past refuses to stay in the past?

When History Haunts a City: Monuments & Memory with Eric Chopra

What does it mean to grow up in a world where you are always watched, always connected, and never quite logged out? In the Season 2 premiere of The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers, Aashna Malhotra sits down with Ria Chopra, author of Never Logged Out, to explore the cultural and emotional cost of living in the age of algorithms. From early internet memories to curated feeds and performative identities, they trace how digital life has evolved in India and how it has shaped an entire generation in return. In a time when the internet influences how we think, speak, love, and protest, what does social, political, and cultural expression look like? Part memoir and part cultural analysis, this episode asks a pressing question: are we shaping the internet, or is it shaping us?

What does it mean to grow up in a world where you are always watched, always connected, and never quite logged out?In the Season 2 premiere of The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers, Aashna Malhotra sits down with Ria Chopra, author of Never Logged Out, to explore the cultural and emotional cost of living in the age of algorithms.From early internet memories to curated feeds and performative identities, they trace how digital life has evolved in India and how it has shaped an entire generation in return. In a time when the internet influences how we think, speak, love, and protest, what does social, political, and cultural expression look like?Part memoir and part cultural analysis, this episode asks a pressing question: are we shaping the internet, or is it shaping us?

Private Selves, Public Feeds: Growing Up Online with Ria Chopra

When the British broke up the Indian Empire, they didn’t just divide land; they divided families, languages, and histories. Sam Dalrymple joins us to discuss his debut book, Shattered Lands, and how the borders of British India once stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Gulf. Its sudden breakup still echoes through today’s conflicts, refugee crises, and shared cultures across Asia. Together, we trace how history’s borders left behind living fault lines and how South Asia and the Gulf have more that unites them than we often realise.Listen to our season finale to uncover how the world we live in was drawn and redrawn by the British Empire.

When the British broke up the Indian Empire, they didn’t just divide land; they divided families, languages, and histories. Sam Dalrymple joins us to discuss his debut book, Shattered Lands, and how the borders of British India once stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Gulf. Its sudden breakup still echoes through today’s conflicts, refugee crises, and shared cultures across Asia. Together, we trace how history’s borders left behind living fault lines and how South Asia and the Gulf have more that unites them than we often realise.Listen to our season finale to uncover how the world we live in was drawn and redrawn by the British Empire.

Forgotten Histories: The Unmaking of British India with Sam Dalrymple

What happens when silence shapes who we become? In this episode, Bhavika Govil joins us to talk about her debut novel, Hot Water, and the private world of Indian families. We discuss children’s rush to grow up, the different ways kids and adults experience the same moments, and the quiet strength of sibling bonds. We also reflect on the gendered expectations placed on little boys and girls, and how these shape their futures. Tune in for an honest, heartfelt conversation about childhood, family, and growing up in India.

What happens when silence shapes who we become? In this episode, Bhavika Govil joins us to talk about her debut novel, Hot Water, and the private world of Indian families. We discuss children’s rush to grow up, the different ways kids and adults experience the same moments, and the quiet strength of sibling bonds. We also reflect on the gendered expectations placed on little boys and girls, and how these shape their futures. Tune in for an honest, heartfelt conversation about childhood, family, and growing up in India. 

Growing Up, Growing Apart: Secrets, Families & Bhavika Govil's Hot Water

How does a towering personality become a mere footnote in national memory? In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with historian and biographer Narayani Basu to discuss her new book, A Man For All Seasons: The Life of KM Panikkar, and explore why such a remarkable figure has faded from public memory. India’s first ambassador to China, advisor to the princely states, pioneering architect of maritime policy, prolific writer, and poet; Panikkar shaped modern India and its place in the world. With stories of diplomatic intrigue, literary brilliance, and a life dedicated to public service, this episode brings back into focus the legacy of a man who continues to influence India in ways often unseen.

How does a towering personality become a mere footnote in national memory? In this episode of The Reading List, we sit down with historian and biographer Narayani Basu to discuss her new book, A Man For All Seasons: The Life of KM Panikkar, and explore why such a remarkable figure has faded from public memory. India’s first ambassador to China, advisor to the princely states, pioneering architect of maritime policy, prolific writer, and poet; Panikkar shaped modern India and its place in the world. With stories of diplomatic intrigue, literary brilliance, and a life dedicated to public service, this episode brings back into focus the legacy of a man who continues to influence India in ways often unseen.

The Forgotten Statesman: KM Panikkar with Narayani Basu

What happens when swiping right feels just as exhausting as sitting through another rishta? Author Radhika Agrawal’s Red Flags and Rishtas: A Desi Rom Com is a sharp, witty take on modern love, heartbreak, and the relentless pressure to “settle.” In this episode, we unpack the comedy (and the chaos) of matchmaking today, from stereotypes in Indian romance writing to the impossible expectations women still face. Radhika opens up about writing, friendship, and why letting go of unrealistic standards might be the only way to find your match. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at an arranged set-up, felt the burnout of dating apps, or just wanted a love story that feels real, this conversation is for you.

What happens when swiping right feels just as exhausting as sitting through another rishta? Author Radhika Agrawal’s Red Flags and Rishtas: A Desi Rom Com is a sharp, witty take on modern love, heartbreak, and the relentless pressure to “settle.” In this episode, we unpack the comedy (and the chaos) of matchmaking today, from stereotypes in Indian romance writing to the impossible expectations women still face. Radhika opens up about writing, friendship, and why letting go of unrealistic standards might be the only way to find your match. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at an arranged set-up, felt the burnout of dating apps, or just wanted a love story that feels real, this conversation is for you.

Matches & Meetings: Rishta Roulette with Radhika Agrawal

From Punjab’s first encounters with outsiders to the upheaval of Partition, meet the women who defied tradition, colonial rule, and societal norms to shape history. In this conversation with Harleen Singh, author of The Lost Heer, we uncover stories of queens, rebels, and protectors, women who ruled and resisted, even when confined by purdah or erased from history books. From early education reforms to royal negotiations and hybrid cultural identities, this is a journey through colonial Punjab you won’t find in school textbooks. Watch or listen now to discover the voices history tried to silence.

From Punjab’s first encounters with outsiders to the upheaval of Partition, meet the women who defied tradition, colonial rule, and societal norms to shape history.In this conversation with Harleen Singh, author of The Lost Heer, we uncover stories of queens, rebels, and protectors, women who ruled and resisted, even when confined by purdah or erased from history books.From early education reforms to royal negotiations and hybrid cultural identities, this is a journey through colonial Punjab you won’t find in school textbooks.Watch or listen now to discover the voices history tried to silence.

Hidden Heroines of Punjab: Power, Resistance, and Survival with Harleen Singh

For over 70 years, Bahrisons Booksellers has been connecting readers with the stories they love. Now, we’re taking the next step with The Reading List, a new podcast celebrating Indian authors and the vibrant voices shaping today’s literary landscape. Hosted by Aashna Malhotra, each episode brings thoughtful conversations with Indian authors about creativity, storytelling, and the heart behind every great book. If you love meeting the people behind the pages, you’ll feel right at home here. Follow along; your next great conversation starts here.

For over 70 years, Bahrisons Booksellers has been connecting readers with the stories they love. Now, we’re taking the next step with The Reading List, a new podcast celebrating Indian authors and the vibrant voices shaping today’s literary landscape. Hosted by Aashna Malhotra, each episode brings thoughtful conversations with Indian authors about creativity, storytelling, and the heart behind every great book.If you love meeting the people behind the pages, you’ll feel right at home here.Follow along; your next great conversation starts here.

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The Reading List by Bahrisons Booksellers

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