Sonikka Loganathan

Audio/radio stories done for class, internships and independently

The Hindu •

How Turkey’s economic and political trajectory compares to India | Data Point podcast

On May 28, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the run-off elections, extending his rule for another five years. Erdogan has been president since 2003. Over the past twenty years, he’s used religion to come to power, and maintain it, in a country where popular politics previously had a largely secular flavour. Erdogan, and his Development Party (AKP), used religious nationalism to create the new Islamic Turkey. In this episode, The Hindu speaks to Sathish Deshpande, to understand, how mu
The Hindu •

“Supreme Court’s ruling on divorce does not empower women”: HC lawyer Geeta Ramaseshan | Data Point podcast

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court passed a ruling that allows the apex court to grant divorce in cases of what it termed irretrievable breakdown of marriage. The decision was made in line with the premises of Article 142.1 of the Constitution which states that complete justice should be done in any cause or matter. There are several grounds for divorce listed in India’s marriage acts, but until now, the irretrievable breakdown of marriage was not one of them. This ruling means that couples,
The Hindu •

Unpacking trends seen in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Elections | Data Point podcast

The Karnataka Assembly elections saw the Indian National Congress achieve a comfortable win, as they secured 136 seats out of 224, 56 more than what they won in the 2018 elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured 64 seats, a 40-seat fall, and the Janata Dal (Secular) won 20 seats, 17 less than 2018. Congress was able to cross the halfway mark, and by 6pm, when counting ended, they emerged as the clear winner. In this episode, The Hindu discusses the trends seen in this election and the lead-u
The Hindu •

Who Will Watch the Watchers: Are CCTV cameras silent protectors or privacy invaders | Data Point podcast

India’s CCTV camera coverage has grown massively and Delhi and Chennai now have more cameras per square mile than cities in China. Generally, the public sentiment is that having CCTV cameras acts as a reassurance, so that in the event of a crime, there is video evidence to rely on. But this has not really resulted in a reduction in crime rates. In this episode, experts discuss the pros, the cons and where we draw the line between surveillance and public safety. Anushka Jain: Lawyer and policy r
The Hindu •

Hostile witness, doctored evidence, erring judges: Justice K. Chandru on why police are not convicted for custodial violence | Data Point podcast

Following a case of custodial violence in Ambasamudram in Tamil Nadu, the issue of police excess is back at the forefront. Lok Sabha data shows that 478 deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu while suspects were in judicial or police custody between 2016-17 and 2021-22. Uttar Pradesh recorded 2,580 deaths in judicial or police custody, the highest among all states. Despite this, conviction rates are shockingly low. Data from the National Crime Record Bureau shows that in Tamil Nadu, not a single pol
The Hindu •

When sky has a limit: The looming space debris crisis | Data Point podcast

When countries and companies increasingly send satellites and spacecraft into orbit, they face an increasingly pressing problem: a lack of space. Debris from old satellites and other launches are floating around the earth, clogging orbital highways and increasing the risk of collisions with active satellites. Data from 2023 finds there are 13,953 pieces of trackable debris in space, compared to 10,350 spacecrafts or satellites, and 2337 rocket bodies.
Meanwhile In •

Meanwhile in India

Farmers in India have spent over two weeks clogging the streets of New Delhi, in protest of new agricultural laws passed swiftly by India’s parliament back in September when the nation was focused on the coronavirus pandemic. The government claims the laws will increase farmers’ profits by allowing them to sell crops directly to private entities, instead of just state-regulated traders. But farmers, angry that the bills were passed without their consultation, say the laws leave them vulnerable to exploitation by corporations, destabilizing their incomes.