In Episode 10 of The Quizzitok Podcast, Siddhartha Basu welcomes Vir Sanghvi, a name synonymous with journalism, food writing, and storytelling, for a deep and engaging conversation about his remarkable journey.
Vir shares how life’s early challenges shaped his ambition, taking him from Oxford to becoming India’s youngest magazine editor at just 22. His work with Bombay Magazine, Imprint, and Sunday Magazine laid the foundation for a groundbreaking career in media. He reflects on the influence of his mentors—Aroon Purie, MJ Akbar, and Siddhartha Basu—and the lessons that guided him through journalism and TV.
The conversation takes a flavorful turn as Vir recounts how he redefined food criticism in India, setting new benchmarks for how we talk about food. He shares global culinary adventures, his pride in India’s rich and diverse cuisines, and fascinating insights into the luxury and hospitality industries.
Siddhartha and Vir also revisit their iconic panel debate show, ‘Question of Answers’, where political leaders, including sitting prime ministers, faced hard-hitting questions. They reflect on the courage it took to produce such a show and the dearth of fearless programming in today’s media climate.
This episode concludes with a critique of the noise in modern Indian media and why a strong foundation in general knowledge, coupled with curiosity, is essential to cutting through misinformation.
For food lovers, media buffs, and anyone fascinated by compelling stories, this episode is a feast for the mind and soul.
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