Sandip Roy's Dispatches from Kolkata

Series produced by KALW

Caption: Sandip at the Grand Hotel in Nainital.
Sandip at the Grand Hotel in Nainital. 

Award winning writer, radio host, NPR contributor and novelist Sandip Roy brings his wit and insight to these personal audio diaries from his new life in his old home, India.

After ten years of hosting New America Now, Sandip Roy brings you a little bit of the story of the new India every week – a letter home from his other home.

"A lot has been written about the changing India," says Roy, "but reporting about a changing India is one thing. Living in it and dealing with a country where newspapers are still being launched instead of folding, internet rumors spark mass exoduses, and cricketers advertise skin-whitening creams called Fair and Handsome, that is another thing altogether."


471 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: A screen captures from the World Flags Project for the 2020 Olympics
The opening ceremonies of the 2020 Olympics was filled with Manga touches, but Manga is not all about silly cuteness.

Bought by RadioFreePalmer


  • Added: Jul 26, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Danish Saddiqui's photo accompanying Sandip Roy's article
The loss of Danish Saddiqui is a wakeup call for Indian media, even more so if you don’t know his name.

  • Added: Jul 19, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: A Bengali newspaper in Kolkata is excited about Sameer Banerjee's Wimbledon victory., Credit: Sandip Roy
A little reflected glory is probably innocuous enough, but DNA is not sufficient evidence of belonging to a particular culture.

  • Added: Jul 13, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: A sampling of books by Enid Blyton, Credit: Sandip Roy
Though Americans don’t know her like they do Dr. Seuss, Enid Blyton wrote some 700 books for kids and teens. But now she, like Seuss, is coming und...

  • Added: Jul 06, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: A monsoon approaches Kolkata, Credit: Sandip Roy
Suffering from pandemic blur Sandip takes solace in the familiar sounds of the seasons… and frogs.

  • Added: Jun 28, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Nik Sharma author of the Flavor Equation
Nik Sharma's latest book is the Flavor Equation which breaks flavor down to its component parts - from mouthfeel to aroma, even sound.

  • Added: Jun 21, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Mount Everest, Credit: Stephen Alter
Every May 29th is Mt. Everest Day.

  • Added: Jun 15, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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As India tries to pick up the pieces of the pandemic, what happens In India wont stay in India since India was the pharmacy to the world.

  • Added: Jun 10, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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A new documentary explores Allen Ginsberg’s time in India.

  • Added: Jun 01, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: A film poster for Satyajit Ray's "The Diamond Kingdom."
One of Satyajit Ray’s most political movies was actually a children’s movie written for his son. But it resonates with adults as well.

  • Added: May 25, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Ray in his study on the cover of Krittibas magazine
While we know all directors through their films, the remarkable Indian director Satyajit Ray left so much more… on paper.

  • Added: May 18, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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This May is the centenary of Satyajit Ray’s birth, a good excuse to revisit his films. We start with the Apu Trilogy.

  • Added: May 10, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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India’s most famous filmmaker would have turned 100 this Sunday.

  • Added: May 04, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: A "reminder" from India's Chamber of Commerce, Credit: Sandip Roy
As India’s second wave of COVID-19 batters India, Twitter is becoming the go to for communication.

  • Added: Apr 26, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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India is the new hot market for streaming providers like Netflix and Amazon Prime. But with success comes controversy.

  • Added: Apr 20, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Screen shot from India Today
Apparently Indians pay attention to nothing unless it’s turned into a festival. Sandip Roy wonders if that may help stop COVID-19.

  • Added: Apr 13, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Trucks blasting political songs in Kolkata, Credit: Sandip Roy
American’s are no stranger to election songs, but in India election songs are a different ballgame. Though there are plenty of songs, Bollywood and...

  • Added: Apr 05, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: Little Chewie and Nozy wish you a colourful happy and safe Holi, Credit: Sandip Roy
Holi is a festival of playfulness and color, lots of color.

  • Added: Mar 30, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
Caption: The yoga pose Gajasana, hand-drawn illustration in Sritattvanidhi, 19th century Mysore Palace manuscript, Credit: Unknown palace artist in Sritattvanidhi, 19th century (before 1868) - Own scan of Sjoman, Norman E. (1999). The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications
The Alabama house of representatives recently voted to let school officials decide if they want yoga to be allowed in public schools. But there’s ...

  • Added: Mar 22, 2021
  • Length: 06:00
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It was after reading the suicide note of Dalit student Rohith Vemula, that Yashica Dutt a journalist living in New York, decided that she was going...

  • Added: Mar 15, 2021
  • Length: 06:00