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The Open Talk show · September 2 · 1 hr 14 min

What Does Secularism Actually Mean? Devika Mittal, TOTS

What happens when we look beyond the news, political narratives and stereotypes that shape how India and Pakistan see each other?In this episode of The Open Talk Show, Shahin Shah sits down with Devika Mittal — Author and Assistant Professor, JMC, DU — for a wide-ranging conversation about India-Pakistan relations, Partition, stereotypes, secularism, education, young people and the role of schools in shaping society.We discuss how the same historical event can be understood differently depending on which country's textbooks and narratives we read, and why Partition cannot be understood only as a political decision — it also had a deeply human impact.The conversation also explores the work of Aagaz-e-Dosti, a peace education initiative that brings Indian and Pakistani students together to challenge stereotypes and understand each other beyond what they see in the news.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – India & Pakistan: Why We See the Same History Differently01:38 – How Aagaz-e-Dosti Started03:44 – Breaking India-Pakistan Stereotypes Through Students05:38 – When Indian & Pakistani Students Started Singing Together07:03 – What Young Indians & Pakistanis Really Think10:33 – Partition: Why Did People Leave Their Homes?12:28 – What Is Wrong With Our Education System?15:24 – Schools Are a "Microscope of Society"17:00 – What Does Secularism Actually Mean?19:30 – Why Diverse Schools Can Change Perspectives21:12 – The Role of Teachers in Shaping Young Minds25:00 – Building a Better Society Through Education30:00 – India-Pakistan Conflict & India's Development35:00 – Religion, Identity & Why Countries Are Different40:17 – Can We Really Trust What History Textbooks Tell Us?44:44 – How India, Pakistan & Bangladesh Remember Partition50:00 – Hindi, Urdu & How Partition Changed Culture55:03 – Social Media: Connecting People or Creating Division?60:00 – What Should Education Really Teach Children?65:00 – Information, Inequality & Radicalisation70:01 – Money, Happiness & What Really Matters72:38 – Education, Social Justice & Final Thoughts🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE• How India, Pakistan and Bangladesh narrate Partition differently• Why Partition was more than a political decision• How stereotypes about Indians and Pakistanis are formed• What young Indians and Pakistanis actually think about each other• How direct interaction can challenge stereotypes• Why education should go beyond memorising information• What secularism means in the Indian context• Why schools can be a "microscope of society"• The role of teachers in encouraging critical thinking• How diverse classrooms can help students understand different cultures• The impact of social media and news on perceptions• What education should teach the next generationThis is a conversation about history, society and education — but ultimately, it is about understanding people beyond the narratives we inherit.🎙️ The Open Talk Show — Talk Your Thoughts👤 CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTDevika MittalAuthor | Assistant Professor, JMC, DUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/devikamittal31/🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW THE OPEN TALK SHOWSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/05Ycp0joEqmPtvGWgAmg2UAmazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e10dbc33-4ed8-4985-8097-cdb844f294ac/the-open-talk-showApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-talk-show/id1857339974📱 FOLLOW THE OPEN TALK SHOWInstagram — The Open Talk Show:https://www.instagram.com/theopentalkshowspodcast/Instagram — Shahin Shah:https://www.instagram.com/texasatiger/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Open-Talk-Show/61565371472125/📢 STAY CONNECTED✅ Subscribe to The Open Talk Show to never miss an episode.👉 Like, share and turn on the notification bell.

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What happens when we look beyond the news, political narratives and stereotypes that shape how India and Pakistan see each other?In this episode of The Open Talk Show, Shahin Shah sits down with Devika Mittal — Author and Assistant Professor, JMC, DU — for a wide-ranging conversation about India-Pakistan relations, Partition, stereotypes, secularism, education, young people and the role of schools in shaping society.We discuss how the same historical event can be understood differently depending on which country's textbooks and narratives we read, and why Partition cannot be understood only as a political decision — it also had a deeply human impact.The conversation also explores the work of Aagaz-e-Dosti, a peace education initiative that brings Indian and Pakistani students together to challenge stereotypes and understand each other beyond what they see in the news.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – India & Pakistan: Why We See the Same History Differently01:38 – How Aagaz-e-Dosti Started03:44 – Breaking India-Pakistan Stereotypes Through Students05:38 – When Indian & Pakistani Students Started Singing Together07:03 – What Young Indians & Pakistanis Really Think10:33 – Partition: Why Did People Leave Their Homes?12:28 – What Is Wrong With Our Education System?15:24 – Schools Are a "Microscope of Society"17:00 – What Does Secularism Actually Mean?19:30 – Why Diverse Schools Can Change Perspectives21:12 – The Role of Teachers in Shaping Young Minds25:00 – Building a Better Society Through Education30:00 – India-Pakistan Conflict & India's Development35:00 – Religion, Identity & Why Countries Are Different40:17 – Can We Really Trust What History Textbooks Tell Us?44:44 – How India, Pakistan & Bangladesh Remember Partition50:00 – Hindi, Urdu & How Partition Changed Culture55:03 – Social Media: Connecting People or Creating Division?60:00 – What Should Education Really Teach Children?65:00 – Information, Inequality & Radicalisation70:01 – Money, Happiness & What Really Matters72:38 – Education, Social Justice & Final Thoughts🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE• How India, Pakistan and Bangladesh narrate Partition differently• Why Partition was more than a political decision• How stereotypes about Indians and Pakistanis are formed• What young Indians and Pakistanis actually think about each other• How direct interaction can challenge stereotypes• Why education should go beyond memorising information• What secularism means in the Indian context• Why schools can be a "microscope of society"• The role of teachers in encouraging critical thinking• How diverse classrooms can help students understand different cultures• The impact of social media and news on perceptions• What education should teach the next generationThis is a conversation about history, society and education — but ultimately, it is about understanding people beyond the narratives we inherit.🎙️ The Open Talk Show — Talk Your Thoughts👤 CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTDevika MittalAuthor | Assistant Professor, JMC, DUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/devikamittal31/🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW THE OPEN TALK SHOWSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/05Ycp0joEqmPtvGWgAmg2UAmazon Music:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e10dbc33-4ed8-4985-8097-cdb844f294ac/the-open-talk-showApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-open-talk-show/id1857339974📱 FOLLOW THE OPEN TALK SHOWInstagram — The Open Talk Show:https://www.instagram.com/theopentalkshowspodcast/Instagram — Shahin Shah:https://www.instagram.com/texasatiger/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Open-Talk-Show/61565371472125/📢 STAY CONNECTED✅ Subscribe to The Open Talk Show to never miss an episode.👉 Like, share and turn on the notification bell.

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