In this episode of Kaushik & Co., we sit down with Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan — doctor, former IAS officer, reformer, and one of India’s most respected public thinkers.He reflects on his journey from MBBS to UPSC, his lifelong commitment to questioning authority, and his experiences during the 1975 Emergency.This conversation explores his belief that science, logic, and rational optimism are the pillars for shaping India’s future.What to Expect• How questioning authority shaped his worldview• Why he shifted from medicine to the IAS• His foundation of optimism rooted in science and evidence• The meaning of politics: balancing freedom and collective responsibility• First-hand reflections on the Emergency and the ADM Jabalpur case• India’s rapid social and technological transformation• Why strengthening local government matters• How our perception of time evolves with ageKey Discussion Points• Questioning Authority – Standing up for moral clarity• Career Shift – From MBBS to IAS to address systemic public health issues• Optimism Through Logic – Science, technology, and evidence-based thinking• Defining Politics – Individual rights vs. collective good• The Emergency (1975–77) – Personal observations and historical context• Doctor/Engineer Approach – Diagnosis, logic, and structured solutions#kaushikandco #podcast #jayaprakashnarayana #jploksatta #kaushiknc #politics #telugupolitics TimeStamps00:00 – Introduction01:50 – About Sports02:22 – Happy Teachers Day02:56 – Maharashtra & Childhood05:26 – Telephone06:44 – First time he saw a mobile phone (1995–96)09:27 – Getting a new phone in the 1990s10:36 – Chess Game11:08 – How Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan became an eternal optimist15:11 – Importance of reading anthropology16:40 – World population20:02 – Holding grip on optimism21:20 – Why he chose medicine24:06 – Ragging26:22 – Caste28:03 – The unseen side of Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan30:25 – Confidence32:10 – BBC34:15 – Do you miss radio?35:12 – What the Emergency really looked like37:02 – 1974 student protests37:47 – Government’s lack of creative response39:25 – Richard Nixon39:56 – Watergate40:33 – 12th June 197548:04 – The Habeas Corpus Case49:30 – Hans Raj Khanna50:24 – George Fernandes51:02 – Sanjay Gandhi52:10 – 21st March 1977 – Election result53:44 – How the moral sense of right and wrong reached the public59:30 – The man who inspired him01:00:27 – UPSC preparation01:03:08 – MBBS graduate who became a Collector01:07:48 – Dang Wang book01:10:56 – Why IAS?01:11:12 – About UPSC and competitive exams01:18:21 – People are happy with only 30% development01:20:06 – “Contentment is a continuous feast”01:22:36 – Letting go of simple societal pleasures01:27:45 – Political switch01:29:07 – Pulok Chatterji01:35:22 – Coffee making01:39:44 – About coffee01:40:55 – Perception of time01:43:39 – Definition of politics01:47:17 – Reconciling contradictions in politics01:54:07 – Direct elections for the CM01:55:22 – One nation, one election01:58:05 – Political engagement02:00:14 – Local government02:04:10 – Is the Constitution still relevant?02:05:03 – Sahakara Sangala Swayam Prathipati policy02:06:02 – Sharad Joshi02:07:48 – Do people need to know the Constitution?02:09:05 – Civic sense
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