More than metal, gold is woven into India’s culture, economy, and imagination.

In this episode of That’s The Thing, Jimmy, Kavya, and Atharva explore how gold became one of the country’s most powerful obsessions. From ancient civilisations and temple towers to alchemy, smuggling, medicine, and even mobile phones — they trace gold’s journey through history, mythology, pop culture, and everyday life.

Why do Indian households hold more gold than most nations? How did a Roman dream of turning metal into gold lead to modern chemistry? And what does it say about us that gold is found in our art, our prayers, and even our food?

With stories, trivia, and humour, the trio digs into everything from zari embroidery and gold-plated awards to the global gold rush, edible gold, and some very strange smuggling tactics.

Discover more shows in English, Hindi, and Kannada: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/radio-azim-premji-university

Follow us on Instagram: @radioazimpremjiuniv

Credit: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Kruthika Rao, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Seshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar.

Why Indian Trains Are a Cultural Icon — Not Just a Commute

More than 23 million people ride Indian trains daily — but these journeys are about more than just getting from Point A to B. In this episode, Jimmy, Kavya, and Atharva explore how trains became India’s emotional lifeline, cultural stage, and cinematic legend.

🎧 From Bollywood’s most iconic train scenes to chai-fueled conversations and antakshari battles in packed coaches — this episode has stories, trivia, and nostalgia that’ll take you places.

Hit play and hop aboard — your window seat is waiting.

Produced by Jimmy Xavier.

Radio Azim Premji University: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

You wear them every day — but where did chappals come from? This episode takes a light-hearted but well-researched journey across time and continents to uncover the 15,000-year history of the slipper. From prehistoric Spain to dynastic China, from ancient Egypt’s leather soles to Japan’s zori and geta, the story of footwear is more global than you’d imagine.

The hosts travel through history, unearthing stories of embroidered sandals in China, toe-post designs in Egypt, and how Japanese slippers helped rebuild the nation’s economy after World War II. The rubber used in Hawai chappals, we learn, was originally sourced from Hawaiian islands, giving the slipper its now-familiar name. And did you know that the word chappal comes from the Hindi chap—the imprint left behind?!

With cultural trivia, school anecdotes, and an ode to toe comfort, this episode proves that even the most ordinary objects carry extraordinary stories. Slippers might seem simple — but this episode shows they’ve walked a long, fascinating path through history. Slip in and enjoy the ride.

CREDITS

Produced by Jimmy Xavier

Radio Azim Premji University: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar