Bharatvaarta

⚔️ Sachin Nandha — Inside the RSS, Rashtra vs Raja & How Power Really Works in India 🇮🇳🧠 The RSS has never contested an election — yet it remains one of the most influential forces shaping modern India. So what exactly is the RSS? An ideology? An organisation? A movement? Or something far more complex? In this deep, nuanced, and often uncomfortable conversation, Sachin Nandha breaks down how the RSS actually functions — not as a conventional institution, but as a bottom-up social movement built around the daily shakha, psychological rootedness, and the long project of rebuilding the Rashtra. We explore how the RSS creates citizens rather than cadres, why it avoids direct control over the state, how it relates to the BJP and political power, and why tension between the Rashtra (people) and the Raja (state) is not a bug — but the point. From caste, religion, and civilisational identity — to seva, social capital, discipline, and decentralised power — this episode goes beyond slogans to examine the RSS as it understands itself. Not defence. Not propaganda. A serious attempt to understand one of the most misunderstood movements in India. ⸻ ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – 00:55 • Introduction 00:55 – 04:20 • What the RSS Really Is — Organisation or Movement? 04:20 – 07:05 • The Shakha as an Engine That Creates Citizens 07:05 – 11:20 • Rootedness vs Ideology: The Psychological Core 11:20 – 18:05 • Rashtra, Raja & Why the State Exists to Be Disciplined 18:05 – 26:50 • Caste, Class & Equality Inside the Shakha 26:50 – 36:15 • Seva, Duty & Why the RSS Is Action-First 36:15 – 44:20 • How a Bottom-Up Movement Sustains Itself 44:20 – 53:30 • The RSS and Religion: Civilisation vs Belief 53:30 – 01:02:40 • RSS, BJP & the Limits of Political Power 01:02:40 – 01:13:20 • Power, Unease & Holding the Raja to Account 01:13:20 – 01:53:06 • India’s Formative Phase & What Comes Next ⸻ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe X → https://x.com/bharatvaarta Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/bharatvaarta/ ⸻ 👤 Guest — Sachin Nandha Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thesachinnandha/ X → https://x.com/sachinnandha Author of Hedgewar | Researcher on the RSS, Civilisational Movements & Power Structures Get the book 'Hedgewar' https://www.amazon.in/Hedgewar-Founder-Rashtriya-Swayamsevak-Sangh/dp/0143467662 ⸻ 👤 Host — Roshan Cariappa Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/carygottheblues/ X → https://x.com/RoshanCariappa

⚔️ Col. Pavithran Rajan — Are We Already at War? Algorithms, Sovereignty & The Future of India’s National Security 🇮🇳🛰️ War today isn’t declared — it’s engineered. In this explosive conversation, Col. Pavithran Rajan breaks down why the world has entered a permanent state of “Persistent Unpeace.” Battles now unfold through algorithms, digital platforms, currency shifts, and information warfare long before a single shot is fired. From Kautilya’s systems thinking to Clausewitz’s kinetic doctrine, from NATO’s eastward push to Ukraine’s hybrid war, Col. Rajan explains how modern conflict is shaped by: • Big Tech’s supranational power • Algorithmic manipulation • Platform-driven regime shifts • Oil, currency & economic warfare • Civil–military technology ecosystems • India’s need for digital sovereignty Practical. Urgent. Uncomfortable. A masterclass in understanding the invisible war that surrounds us every day. ⸻ ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – 01:00 • Introduction 01:00 – 04:10 • Are We Already at War? The New Definition of Conflict 04:10 – 09:40 • Global Order, Currency Wars & Ray Dalio’s Framework 09:40 – 14:20 • Clausewitz vs Modern Warfare: Why Old Models Don’t Work 14:20 – 18:30 • Multi-Domain Warfare & Why Exercises Signal Escalation 18:30 – 23:50 • Ukraine, NATO Expansion & The Long War Before the War 23:50 – 28:40 • How Digital Platforms Shape Narratives & Destabilize Nations 28:40 – 33:20 • Elections, Algorithms & Foreign Influence Operations 33:20 – 37:40 • “Persistent Unpeace” — Living in a Constant Conflict Continuum 37:40 – 42:10 • Kautilya, Systems Thinking & India’s Lost Strategic Wisdom 42:10 – 47:15 • Shared vs Contested Sovereignty: Why India Must Reclaim Control 47:15 – 52:30 • Big Tech as a Supranational Force — The Real Threat 52:30 – 57:40 • Why Nations Must Own Their Platforms: China’s Model vs India 57:40 – 01:02:50 • The Danger of Algorithmic Manipulation & OODA Loops 01:02:50 – 01:08:35 • How Nations Lose Wealth & Power in the Digital Age 01:08:35 – 01:12:40 • The Path Forward — Narrative Builders, Policy Reform, Sovereignty 01:12:40 – 01:15:00 • Final Thoughts — The Future of India’s Security ⸻ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe X → https://x.com/bharatvaarta Instagram → https://instagram.com/bharatvaarta ⸻ 👤 Guest — Col. Pavithran Rajan Linkedin → https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavithran-rajan/?originalSubdomain=in ⸻ 👤 Host — Roshan Cariappa X → https://x.com/RoshanCariappa Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/carygottheblues/

⚔️ Vivek Krishnan & Dinesh Shivanna — India’s Defense Tech Reality, Broken Incentives & What Must Change 🇮🇳🚀 Instagram → /carygotthebluesg ambition is rising — but the gap between what we need and what we can currently produce is still dangerously wide. In this deep and brutally honest conversation, Vivek Krishnan and Dinesh Shivanna break down the hard truths behind India’s military industrial base: our dependence on imports, the missing engine ecosystem, bureaucratic bottlenecks, the myth of “cheap India”, and why wars of the future will be won by countries that control core technologies, not just assembly lines. From sensors, drones, radars, engines and counter-drone warfare — to the mindset shift required across startups, government, and the armed forces — this episode explains exactly what India must do to build real capability, speed, and self-reliance. Not theory. Not rhetoric. Straight talk from founders who live this every day — building weapons, exports, and deep-tech platforms from India. ⸻ ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – 03:18 • Why India Still Imports Most of Its Weapons 03:18 – 05:45 • Hardware vs Services: India’s Missing R&D Culture 05:45 – 09:55 • Engines, Talent & The Brutal Math of Catching Up 09:55 – 14:50 • Sensors, Supply Chains & The Fragility of Import Dependence 14:50 – 18:05 • Why Startups Can’t Fix Defense Alone 18:05 – 22:24 • War Readiness, Mindset Shifts & The Post–Ops Ladakh Reality 22:24 – 26:50 • The Colonial Hangover: Why We Trust Foreign OEMs More 26:50 – 31:02 • Deep-Tech, Drones & India’s Counter-Drone Future 31:02 – 36:12 • Venture Capital vs National Security: Who Should Fund R&D? 36:12 – 41:48 • Engines, Aero-Systems & Why India Has No Domestic Powerplants 41:48 – 47:50 • War Logistics: What Breaks When Imports Stop 47:50 – 53:47 • L1 Procurement, Unrealistic Trials & Why Good Tech Fails 53:47 – 57:50 • The Case for Non-RFP, Outcome-Based Procurement 57:50 – 01:04:26 • Export Markets, Opportunity & India’s Untapped Strengths 01:04:26 – 01:08:07 • The Road Ahead — Hard Truths, Real Solutions ⸻ 👤 Guests — Vivek Krishnan & Dinesh Shivanna Founders, SS Defence | Building India’s Deep-Tech & Weapons Manufacturing Ecosystem ⸻ 👤 Host — Roshan Cariappa X → https://x.com/RoshanCariappa Instagram → /carygottheblues

⚔️ Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla — Civil–Military Fusion, China’s Rise & The Future of India’s National Security 🇮🇳🚀⏱️ Chapters🎧 Listen & Subscribe👤 Guest — Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.)👤 Host — Roshan Cariappa Wars are no longer won only on the battlefield — they are won in labs, factories, and innovation hubs. In this eye-opening conversation, Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.) breaks down how India must rethink its national security strategy in an era shaped by AI, drones, defense-tech startups, and civil–military coordination. From China’s rapid military–industrial expansion to Ukraine’s tech-driven warfare — we explore what India must do to stay secure, competitive, and future-ready. This episode also uncovers the civilizational philosophy behind Saraswati → Lakshmi → Durga, and why our ability to convert knowledge into economic and military power will decide India’s destiny in the 21st century. Not rhetoric. Not theory. Practical, urgent, and grounded in experience. Chapters- 00:00 – 03:18 • Why Wars Are Now Won in Labs, Not Just Battlefields 03:18 – 05:45 • Saraswati → Lakshmi → Durga: India’s Civilizational Framework 05:45 – 09:55 • Nehru Era, Bureaucracy & Fear of the Military 09:55 – 14:50 • How China Leads Civil–Military Fusion 14:50 – 18:05 • Drones, AI & Startup Driven Warfare in Ukraine 18:05 – 22:24 • Israel’s Tech-Enabled Strike Model 22:24 – 26:50 • Why India Must Break Silos — Army, DRDO, Industry 26:50 – 31:02 • What the West is Redesigning — Faster R&D, Startup Access 31:02 – 36:12 • India’s Reform Momentum — But Still Not Enough 36:12 – 41:48 • Defense Procurement, Risk-Taking & Accountability 41:48 – 47:50 • A Need For Capacity, Orders, Velocity — Not Committees 47:50 – 53:47 • China’s Industrial Scale Advantage vs India 53:47 – 57:50 • National Security as Everyone’s Responsibility 57:50 – 01:04:26 • Startups, Deep Tech, AI Talent & Military Needs 01:04:26 – 01:08:07 • The Road Ahead — Innovation or Irrelevance Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/6tqY8tbgQ6nGb4ZQwjX6NH Apple → https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/bharatvaarta/id1636240449 X → https://x.com/bharatvaarta Instagram → https://instagram.com/bharatvaarta Former Army Commander | Author – Civil Military Fusion 📘 Book Link- https://www.amazon.in/Civil-Military-Fusion-National-Comprehensive-Security/dp/B0FW4ZFL77 X → https://x.com/RoshanCariappa Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/carygottheblues/

⚡ Men Can’t Be Feminists? | Manu Joseph on Privilege, PM Modi’s Decline & The India We Ignore 🔥 India is growing fast — economically, culturally, globally. Yet on the ground, millions remain unseen. In this probing conversation, Manu Joseph joins Roshan Cariappa to break down the ideas we rarely confront directly — why the poor stay invisible, why caste still determines destiny, why male feminism is contradictory, and why even towering political figures eventually lose emotional pull. This episode is a mirror — uncomfortable at times, but necessary. No outrage. No worship. Just clarity. ⸻ ⏱ Chapters 00:00 – 01:15 • Introduction 01:15 – 07:30 • Why India’s poor remain invisible 07:30 – 13:30 • Aspiration, class & the new middle Indian 13:30 – 20:00 • Has PM Modi’s emotional pull declined? 20:00 – 27:10 • Caste: The ladder still standing 27:10 – 33:40 • Men & feminism: The contradiction 33:40 – 41:20 • Morality, guilt & the Indian elite 41:20 – 49:00 • Cinema, storytelling & uncomfortable truth 49:00 – 56:00 • Why India fears honesty more than hardship 56:00 – 01:03:20 • Closing reflections — The India we ignore ⸻ 👉 If you enjoy conversations that don’t perform, but reveal — subscribe to Bharatvaarta. Honest. Intellectual. Unfiltered. ⸻ 📘 Manu Joseph’s Book Why The Poor Don’t Kill Us 🔗 https://www.amazon.in/Why-Poor-Dont-Kill-Psychology/dp/9365234573 ⸻ 📢 X (Twitter): https://x.com/bharatvaarta 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bharatvaarta/ ⸻ 👤 Guest – Manu Joseph 📢 X: https://x.com/manujosephsan 📸 IG: https://www.instagram.com/manujosephsan/ 👤 Host – Roshan Cariappa 📢 X: https://x.com/RoshanCariappa 📸 IG: https://www.instagram.com/carygottheblues/