What's your ism is a podcast about ideas and ideologies that claim to liberate the world and somehow always fall short. TNM's Sudipto Mondal and his guests grapple with impressive sounding isms -- Marxism, Feminism, Ambedkarism, religious systems -- and their inherent contradictions. An attempt to understand academics, activists, politicians, artists, rebels and wannabe revolutionaries who are in search of grand unified theories to solve the problems of the world.
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Who will lead India’s next student movement? | What's Your Ism? EP 54
Student politics is returning to the centre of India’s political conversation. But what does this new wave of student activism stand for, and can it grow into a broader political movement?
In this episode of What's Your ISM?, The News Minute Executive Editor Sudipto Mondal sits down with student leaders from the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA) to discuss the new opportunities to build student politics, the growing anger on Indian campuses, and the possibilities and contradictions within today’s student movements.
Sudipto and the student leaders also explore the relationship between caste and class politics, Ambedkar and Marx, the Left and Ambedkarite movements, and whether these forces can find common ground. They discuss the recent student protests, the rise of Gen Z politics, the education crisis, privatisation, unemployment, and the demand for student union elections in Karnataka.
The conversation also looks at whether student organisations can build a third front beyond the BJP and Congress, the challenges of organising across caste and class lines, and the role of ideology in sustaining a movement beyond a single protest.
They also discuss the Rohith Act campaign in Karnataka, and how different student organisations came together to push for stronger protections against discrimination in universities.
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Producer: Akshay Lal, Editor: Vignesh Manickam, Camera: Ajay R
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28 Jul 2026
A Changing World Order, the Collapse of Maoism, Congress in south India | What’s Your Ism
The global order is shifting. American dominance is being challenged, China is reshaping the balance of power, and the world is entering a period of political and economic uncertainty. But what does this mean for India, and what kind of politics will emerge from this moment?
In this episode of What's Your ISM?, The News Minute Executive Editor Sudipto Mondal sits down with activist and journalist Shivasundar to discuss the changing world order, the decline of Pax Americana, China's rise, the crisis of global capitalism, the future of democracy, and whether today's political movements are capable of offering real alternatives.
Sudipto and Shivasundar also explore the rise of Gen Z politics, the absence of grassroots movements, the decline of the Maoist movement, identity politics, and why every crisis creates both danger and opportunity. They also touch upon the Congress in Karnataka, and the land acquisitions in Bidadi.
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1 Jul 2026
From Umar Khalid to Sharjeel Imam: Being Muslim in Modi’s India
Jailed student activist Umar Khalid’s friends and mentor Banojyotsna Lahiri, Anirban Bhattacharya, and Shuddhabrata Sengupta join TNM Executive Editor Sudipto Mondal to discuss their book ‘Umar Khalid and His World’.
The guests read excerpts from the book, and discuss their student days in JNU, the formation of BASO, the evolution of the anti-CAA protests, and what Shaheenbagh meant for the movement. The speakers also discuss the distance that liberal society keeps from Sharjeel Imam, another student activist who has been jailed for over six years.
Sudipto also invites them to discuss the prioritisation of the individual over the ideology in recent political history, in the context of actor Vijay’s electoral victory in Tamil Nadu.
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Camera: Ajay R
Producer: Maria Teresa Raju
Editor: Dharini Prabaharan
Design: Krishna Kumar
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Who has been a guest on What's your ism?
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Du Saraswathi
Professor G Haragopal
Degree Prasad Chauhan
Ammu Joseph
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
38 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 48 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
64
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
77
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